Baba Wakili, leader of Sayawa nation dies at 110

Chairman of the revered ‘Zauren Baba Gonto’, an advisory and highest decision-making body of the Sayawa nation in Bauchi State, Baba Wakili Boyi Bar has died at the age of 110 years.

The leader of the Sayawa people was buried on Friday after a well-attended open field funeral service amidst eulogies from personalities who were present at the programme.

Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir who eulogized described his death as a monumental loss not only to the Sayawa nation, Bauchi state but the country as a whole.

The governor, however, reassured the people of Zaar nation that the creation of Zaar Chiefdom is a reality as it will be officially pronounced soon in order to fulfil the dreams of people like the late Baba Wakili and others who died while agitating for the Chiefdom.

The governor gave the assurance on Friday while speaking at the burial service of the late Baba Wakili Boyi Bar held at the Bar Kudu Primary School playground, in Bogoro LGA of the state.

Bala Mohammed who was represented by a delegation led by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr Jidauna Tula Mbami stressed the need for peaceful coexistence among the people of the state.

He reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensure that the Zaar Chiefdom was established very soon before the expiration of his tenure assuring that the issues surrounding the siting of the headquarters of the Chiefdom have been resolved and official pronouncements will be made very soon.

He then condoled the immediate family of the late Baba Wakili Boyi Bar saying that the death is a monumental loss to the entire state as his contributions to peace and peaceful co-existence among the people of the state were unquantifiable.

In his tribute, former Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro wrote, “Another Iroko Tree has fallen in our land. At the remarkable age of 110 years. Baba Wakili Boyi Bar, the successor of Baba Peter Gonto the legend, peacefully transited to join his ancestors on 23/11/2022 after protracted, but finally, brief illness at the General Hospital Tafawa Balewa in Bauchi State.”

He further wrote, “Incidentally, the Deputy Chairman of Zauren Baba Gonto, Baba Wakili Dauda Jondi, with whom they, along with many other fallen heroes served our land together for over 80 years, died three months earlier.”

According to him, “Both of them, proudly served our land as the most respected elders and leaders, along with Samaila Marti, the last surviving ICON of Zauren Baba Gonto. It pains me that never was able to sit down and hear from the Chairman and his Deputy what they wanted to tell me about the land. One thing I guess is that they wanted to share their pains of how we the younger ones are not fairly giving them credit for the lifetime sacrifices they have made, even at the expense of their comfort and for some fallen ones, at the expense of their lives, during their decades of struggle to secure justice and respectability for our people and indeed we the succeeding younger generation leaders and followers in our land.

“As we pay our last respect to Baba Wakili Boyi Bar, the Chairman of Zauren Baba Gonto, let us pray that we are able to sustain the virtues of Christianity which teach us to serve God with supreme devotion, respect for elders and leaders that respect themselves, love for each other, repudiation of violence and hatred in any form, and to also appreciate all who make or have made sacrifices for sustainable peace and development in our land. Adieu Baba Wakili Boyi Bar! Allah ya sa ka huta! Allah shi kuma sada mu a gef Yesu ranan tashin kiyama,” he concluded.

In his sermon titled: ‘Prepare well, death is waiting for you’, Rev Samson I. Gida of Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), LCC, Bar challenged people to always be prepared for death at any time, they should therefore watch the way they live life.

The Clergyman lamented that the way people are living their lives as if death will not come calls for concern stressing that no matter how long one lives, death must definitely come one day after which everyone will stand before the throne of judgment to give account.

Samson Gida also stressed the need for forgiveness among the people in accordance with the teachings of Christ in order for peace and unity to reign in the land.

Late Baba Wakili Boyi Bar was born in 1912 and was the Chairman of the revered and highly esteemed Zauren Baba Gonto which is the highest advisory and decision-making organ in the Zaar nation.

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