Surprisingly, the then Emirs of Ilorin and that of Kano did not unite the young lovebirds in marriage. In conformity with the cultural tradition, Maryam and other eligible maidens and princes were married off during a mass wedding the Emir of Ilorin arranged in his palace. She got married to her relation, Malam Muhammad Bello and bore a son, Saad, a year later.
Similarly, Emir Abdullahi Bayero married off Ado, alongside seven other princes, including Aminu Na Dawaki, Dan Iya Ado, Wambai Tijjani, Barde Cigari, Wambai Abubakar, Dan Darman Tijjani, and Da Ummaru Me Zaure Dan Amar. Ado’s first wife was Nana Aishatu, his first cousin and daughter of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Inuwa. Nana Aishatu was the mother of his first son, Lamido Sanusi (not the former CBN Governor), and his first daughter, Fatima (Magajiya).
A few years later, after the collapse of her marriage, while furthering her studies in Kano, Maryam reconnected with Prince Ado Bayero, the Chief Clerk of the Kano Town Council.
Considering their rekindled relationship after the death of their parents, the then-new Emirs of Ilorin and Kano, Zulkarnaini Gambari and Muhammadu Sanusi, endorsed the marriage of Maryam and Ado. Gambari was Maryam’s in-law and first cousin, while Sanusi was Ado’s senior brother. The Nikkah, the Islamic wedding, was held in the Ilorin Palace with a delegation from the Emir of Kano comprising Galadima Hamidu Bayero, Malam Ibrahim Kado, and Malam Buhari Gwadabe, Sarkin Fulanin Ja’idnawa.
In 1961, Maryam gave birth to their son, Aminu, while Ado was serving as a no-nonsense and incorruptible Police Chief of the Kano Native Authority. Ado’s rising profile and reputation led to his appointment as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Senegal in 1962. He took Maryam and their young son Aminu to Dakar, where they settled into a new life.
However, political tensions were brewing in Kano, leading to Ado’s elder brother, Emir Sanusi, dethronement in 1963. In his place, Ado’s uncle, Muhammadu Inuwa, was appointed as the new Emir. Tragically, Emir Inuwa’s reign was short-lived, as he died just six months later due to illness.
Following Emir Inuwa’s passing, the kingmakers and the Northern establishment turned to Ambassador Ado, still serving in Senegal, to succeed his late uncle. Despite his diplomatic posting, he was recalled and was officially coronated by the Governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir Kashim Ibrahim, in February 1964. It was the same month his wife Maryam delivered Prince Nasir.
Throughout her life, Nana Maryam held the esteemed position of a charming princess, a humble daughter of a King. Her royal stature was solidified by becoming a queen, the beloved wife of a king. Additionally, she was a sister to a king, a compassionate sister-in-law to another king, and a caring mother not only to the two kings but other chidren, making her a matriarch of unparalleled influence. Ultimately, her remarkable life of humility, kindness, sincerity and enviable legacy culminated in her well-deserved title of Queen Mother, a testament to her extraordinary status and enduring impact on the Emirates of Ilorin and Kano.
In addition to the famous historical accounts of the two Emirates, I am drawn to the following books: Omar Farouk Ibrahim’s “Prince of the Times: Ado Bayero”, Abubakar Sidiq Imam’s “Ilorin Emirate’s Frontliners”, and Hajo Sani’s “Maryam Ado Bayero: A Woman of Royal Virtues”, which offer fresh perspectives on the subject.
For those who lack knowledge of history and cannot trace their heritage but are envious of others’ historical legacies, history books have a name for them.
_*Watch out for another Part: Maryam Ado Bayero in the Eyes of Co-wives, Concubines, In-Laws, Children in the Palace and others*_
_Yushau Shuaib Agaka is currently the Custodian of one of the oldest copies of the Quran, which was brought to the Ilorin Emirate by his progenitors from Kanem-Borno www.YAShuaib.com [email protected]_
