OBITUARY: Ibrahim Dasuki, Buhari’s in-law and Ahmadu Bello’s confidant who died brokenhearted

They don’t make them like Ibrahim Dasuki anymore. Great-great-grandson of Uthman dan Fodio, the Fulani reformer. Private secretary to Ahmadu Bello, former premier of northern Nigeria. Banker. Multimillionaire businessman. In-law to President Muhammadu Buhari. Former sultan of Sokoto. And, for the record, father of Sambo, the former national security adviser currently at the centre of a multibillion dollar probe.

Dasuki, to put it in a few words, saw it all.

Born in Dogondaji, Sokoto state, on December 31, 1923, Dasuki breathed his last in the evening of November 14 at the Turkish hospital in Abuja after battling a series of age-related illnesses. Dying at 92, less than two months to his 93rd birthday, was not a tragedy by any means.

TheCable understands that he would be buried on Tuesday at the Sultan Abubakar Mosque in Sokoto – and that was not the homecoming he had envisaged, having been banished from the city since April 19, 1996 when he was deposed by Sani Abacha, an army general who was the head of state at the time.

He had been made the 18th sultan of Sokoto on December 6, 1988 by Ibrahim Babangida, an army general and military president, reportedly against the wishes of the kingmakers and the commoners.

Dasuki, said to be a personal friend and banker to Babangida, was less preferred to two other contenders – Muhammadu Maccido, son of the 17th sultan, Siddique Abubakar III who had just died after spending 50 years on the throne, and Shehu Malami.

Babangida, nonetheless, anointed Dasuki, and all hell was let loose. After days of rioting, the military brought Sokoto under calm, and life went on.

Until April 19, 1996.

The military administrator of Sokoto state, Yakubu Muazu, a colonel, invited Dasuki for a chat and informed him that he had just become the former sultan. Dasuki was banished to Jalingo in Taraba state.

His offence? Insubordination and causing strife. Whatever.