The History of Agaie | Agaie Emirate

TWO ROYAL FAMILIES  EXIST IN THE FULANI DYNASTY OF AGAIE. These two royal families are both allowed to rule the emirate on a rotational basis. The are the Mallam Babba and Mallam Sulaimanu royal houses. These two royal hoses each had, and yet have, the exclusive right to produce a successor each time the demise of a serving Etsu is announced. The reason for this, as handed down by oral traditions, was that while Mallam Babba was the founder of the dynasty; Sulaimanu, his brother, was the one who volunteered to go to Gwandu to obtain the flag and permission to install Abdullahi as the first Fulani Etsu of Agaie. None among Babba's companions offer to go. This also explains why the two highest political ranks in the emirate, Etsu and Shaba, have always been domiciled in these two royal houses. While the royal house of Mallam Bubba's lineage is labeled as "Tako", meaning "Down"; Sulaimanu royal house is referred to as "Tiffin", meaning "Up"....

With the establishment in 1832 of Fulani rule in Agaie, the title "Etsu" later to be called Emir by the British Colonialist was adopted for the head of the emirate. The Etsu was assisted in the administration of the entire emirate by a council of special advisers and other traditional title holders. Etsu was the overall and outright ruler of the entire emirate. He assumed full executive powers on the very day of his appointment to the throne. This was usually further confirmed with a coronation ceremony. He was the political, religious, economical and judicial head of the emirate. As the political head of the emirate, he has absolute control over it and receives tributes from villages under his domain. In addition, all political appointments within the emirate were made and confirmed by him. Being the executive head of government, his orders and decisions were binding on all individuals within the emirate irrespective of their economic and political status. As the economic he...