Dr. Gbenga Hashim, the Accord Party presidential candidate, has shared a remarkable family secret about his concealed Hausa and royal identity. Hashim, grandson of the 40th Seriki of Yauri, revealed that his late father, Alhaji Hashim Abdullahi Yauri, deliberately kept his royal heritage a secret. This decision was made after receiving a warning from an Islamic cleric about potential dangers within the royal family. The cleric advised Hashim's father against exposing his child's identity prematurely.
Hashim's father chose protection over inheritance, leading to his son being raised in the Borgu Emirate under a different identity. Born as Abdulmalik, Hashim grew up in a Yoruba cultural environment, largely removed from his Hausa traditions and royal connections. For 27 years, Hashim lived without knowing the full circumstances surrounding his identity. His extraordinary story is detailed in Chapter 13 of his forthcoming autobiography, Sunrise At Midnight.
Hashim was born in Yelwa, Yauri, in 1969, while his father was a young police officer. He subsequently grew up with the family of his stepfather, Julius Bamidele Olawepo. Hashim's father, Alhaji Hashim Abdullahi Yauri, was a highly influential police officer who rose to become a Police Commissioner and Commandant of the Police College, Kaduna. He was popularly known as "Zaki" the Lion, due to his courage, discipline, strength, and commanding personality.
Hashim and his siblings recently marked the 30th anniversary of their father's passing with commemorative advertisements in major Nigerian newspapers. Hashim's account also delves into the history of his paternal family, specifically his grandfather, Seriki Abdullahi Jibril, popularly known as Maiy Yauri. His grandfather was one of the prominent traditional rulers of Northern Nigeria, combining traditional authority with modern education, administration, and commerce.
Seriki Jibril, the 40th ruler of Yauri, was distinguished by his knowledge of finance and trade, financial prudence, transparency, and commitment to education. He was honoured with the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) during the colonial period. British records portrayed Hashim's grandfather as an unusually independent traditional ruler who exercised administrative autonomy during the Second World War.
Hashim's story is ultimately bigger than royalty; it is about a father who chose secrecy as an act of protection, a child who grew up between cultures without knowing his origins, and a family history that returned to him decades later. Discovering his Hausa and Yauri heritage did not diminish the Yoruba cultural environment in which he was raised; rather, it gave him a deeper understanding of his identity.
Hashim's story is about family, sacrifice, identity, heritage, and the strange ways history can remain hidden before finding its way back into a person's life. His account provides a unique perspective on the complexities of identity, culture, and family history.
Key points
- Dr. Gbenga Hashim's father concealed his royal identity for 27 years due to a warning from an Islamic cleric.
- Hashim was raised in a Yoruba cultural environment, largely removed from his Hausa traditions and royal connections.
- Hashim's story is detailed in his forthcoming autobiography, Sunrise At Midnight.
