Emir of Ningi, Yunusa Danyaya, dies at 88

The Emir of Ningi, an emirate in Bauchi State, Alh. Yunusa Muhammed DanYaya, is dead, the Secretary of the Palace, Usman Sule, Magayakin, announced on Sunday morning.

According to the Palace, the Emir died in a Kano hospital two days after returning from a medical trip to Mecca on Thursday, 22nd August 2024.

The funeral prayer will be held at 4:00 p.m. today at the Emir’s palace in Ningi.

DanYaya, who was born in 1936, was installed as Emir of Ningi in 1978.

He attended the Ningi Elementary School between 1941 and 1946, then Bauchi Middle School from 1946 to 1951 before proceeding to the School of Hygiene, Kano, the same year.

He later went to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and earned a diploma in Public Administration.

He had a distinguished working record during the Native Authority (NA) period even though he started as a dispenser at Nasaru Dispensary, Ningi.

He was a member of the Ningi Emirate Council from 1956 to 1960, a counsellor for the Medical and Health Department from 1958 to 1959, and a member of the Ningi NA Outer Council between 1954 and 1956.

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Emir DanYaya was a counselor for Works, Police, and Prisons from 1959 to 1960 and a member of the Ningi NA Strong Room controllers between 1956 and 1960. In 1959, he was turbaned District Head and Chiroman Ningi, beginning his journey in royalty.

However, his love for a career was so strong that in 1963, he joined the Nigerian Tobacco Company, Zaria, as a welfare officer, serving until 1967.

He was employed by the then Northern Nigeria Marketing Board as Assistant Marketing Officer and was later made Assistant Manager in charge of Gusau and Kaura Namoda in 1968.

His hard work soon showed, and he was promoted to the position of Manager, Maiduguri Groundnut Depot, in 1969. In 1970, he was appointed Sub-Area Manager in charge of Gombe, Biu, and Kumo.

He was transferred in 1974 and was eventually in charge of Yola, Mubi, and Mambila. In 1976, he was appointed Acting Area Manager in charge of the North-Eastern States Marketing Board. Due to his experience, he served as Chairman of the Asset Sharing Committee between the Northern States and Benue and Plateau Marketing Boards.

He also served as a Director of the Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority between 1989 and 1991.

Besides, the Emir was a member of the National Constitutional Conference between 1994 and 1995 and a member of the Traditional Rulers Sub-committee of the Vision 2010 committee between 1996 and 1997.

He has been the Chairman of the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) since 2004 and Chairman of the Bauchi State Inter-Religious Council since 2005.

The Emir was conferred with the National Honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).