Emir Of Gwoza Laid To Rest Amidst Tears

The Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Shehu Mustapha Idrisa Timta, who was killed by Boko Haram gunmen on Friday, was buried yesterday in his domain amidst tears.

Gov. Kashim Shettima was among the thousands of sympathizers that attended the funeral.

The atmosphere was drenched with tears as the monarch’s remains were being placed into the royal grave dug near that of his late father, Alhaji Idrissa Timta, within the precincts of the palace.

Even Mother Nature shed tears for the deceased monarch: a heavy downpour commenced the very moment the late monarch, who was severally described as a man of unquantifiable tolerance and peaceful disposition, was being placed in his final resting place. The rains abruptly stopped shortly after his grave was covered.

Governor Shettima, who also battled to control his tears as he delivered his tribute and condolences, described the late Shehu Idrissa Timta as “a man who spent the better part of his reign preaching peace and tolerance”.

“This is not a day for long speeches; it is a day of mourning of our late father and monarch. May Allah give us yet another monarch that will love his people in the manner the late Shehu Idrissa Timta did; in his lifetime, he was being eulogized as one king that can keep a venomous viper in his pocket, because of his superlative love for peace and tolerance; he was known as a monarch who never showed discrepancy whether of religion or tribe. The late Emir has lived an exemplary life; he was a paragon of everything that is good in a leader. 

“Those that assassinated him may have done their worst, but they should know that, as they would continue to wallow in their tormented guilt, the Emir is being celebrated to have died on a Friday, which in accordance with the Islamic belief is a day of blessing for any one that dies naturally, talk more of one whose life was brutally taken by another person on that blessed day. 

“We pray that, in the next seven days when the next Emir of Gwoza will emerge, we shall have yet another Emir that will even be celebrated more than the late Shehu Idrissa Timta. We are in difficult times, we are challenged by insecurity, but what is very sure is that we will not remain in this condition for ever, because everything in life is a passing phase,” he said.

The late Emir was survived by his centenarian mother, 28 children, 14 grandchildren and 14 siblings.