Yahaya Abubakar

Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar Kusodu (born 12 September 1952) was appointed the 13th Etsu Nupe, or traditional ruler of the Nupe people on 11 September 2003.[1]

Kusodu was born on September 12, 1952 at Bida in what is today Niger State, and comes from the ruling house of Etsu Musa compound. He attended Government College, Sokoto and Commercial College, Kano (1967–1971), then enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna (1973–1975) in preparation for joining the army. Kusodu's last military posting was in Cairo, where he was a defence attaché, before retiring as a Colonel in July 2003.[2] Kusodu was appointed the 13th Etsu Nupe on 11 September 2003, traditional leader of the Nupe people who live in Niger, Kogi, Kwara and Benue states, in succession to Alhaji Umar Sanda Ndayako. By virtue of this title he is Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers.[1]

Kusodu was chair of a committee pushing for the creation of Edu State, with headquarters at Bida, out of the present Niger and Kwara states, to form a homeland for the Nupe people.[3] Other promoters of the new state are the Etsu Lapai, Umar Baogo III, and the Etsu Agaie, Muhammadu Kudu Abubakar.[4] Following a scandal when it was found that a Nupe man, Alhaji Muhammadu Bello Masaba, had married 86 wives, the Etsu Nupe set up a five-member committee of Islamic scholars to handle the issue. In September 2008 it was reported that Masaba has agreed to divorce all but four of the wives.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Agha Ibiam (4 March 2009). "As New Makaman Nupe Steps in". ThisDay. http://allafrica.com/stories/200903050153.html. Retrieved 2010-09-04. 
  2. ^ Kasim Sule (September 12, 2003). "Yahaya Abubakar Kusodu becomes 13th Etsu Nupe". Daily Trust. http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/2003/sep/12/0008.html. Retrieved 2010-09-04. 
  3. ^ Philip Nyam (July 16, 2009). "Etsu Nupe, Gana Present Proposal On Edu State". Nigeria Daily News. http://ndn.nigeriadailynews.com/templates/default.aspx?a=18878&template=print-article.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-04. 
  4. ^ HOPE AFOKE ORIVRI (16 JULY 2009). "Bankole endorses call for creation of Edu State from Niger, Kwara". Nigerian Compass. http://www.compassnewspaper.com/~compas/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22684:bankole-endorses-call-for-creation-of-edu-state-from-niger-kwara&Itemid=7966. Retrieved 2010-09-11. 
  5. ^ "Polygamist agrees to divorce 82 of his 86 wives, following death threats". Daily Trust. 1 September 2008. http://www.wluml.org/node/4779. Retrieved 2010-09-04.