Emir of Gaya, one of Kano’s new emirates, is dead

Ibrahim Abdulkadir, the Emir of Gaya in Kano, is dead.

The emir was said to have died on Wednesday morning at the age of 91, following a brief illness.

Abubakar Ibrahim, special assistant on social media to Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of the state, confirmed the death in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

“To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. May God bless the king of Gaya, Alh. Ibrahim Abdulkadir is now dead,” he said.

Also in a Facebook post on Wednesday, Bashir Ahmad, presidential aide, described the late emir as a great leader and prayed for the repose of his soul.

“As announced by Abubakar Aminu Ibrahim, the SSA on New Media to the Governor of Kano State, our Amir, the Emir of Gaya Emirate, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Abdulkadir is dead, ‘Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un’!,” he wrote.

“The Emir was a great leader, he was born in 1930, 91 years ago, and had been on the throne for more than 30 years.

“May Allah (SWT) accept his good deeds, grant him Jannah Al-Firdaus, and grant his family and the entire Gaya Emirate the fortitude to bear this great loss. Ameen!”

Abdulkadir was among the emirs installed by the governor in 2019, after he split the Kano emirate into five.

The new emirates are Gaya, Rano, Bichi and Karaye. Before the creation of the four new emirates, Kano had one emir.

In May 2020, Abubakar Tafida, Emir of Rano, died at the age of 74.