Gwandu UMARU,

Politician, Administrator

MHA,CMC,CBE,CON FIRST INDIGENOUS SPEAKER NORTHERN HOUSE OFASSEMBLY. He was born into the Gwandu ruling house in 1913. After the customary Islamic education athome, he attended the Gwandu Elementary School before going to the Sokoto Middle School. He capped it by going through the elite Katsina Higher College. Umaru Gwandu started work asa teacherin the Sokoto Middle Schoolin1938andremained theretill1945. Thatyearhe was appointed Private Secretary to the Emir of Gwandu and served in that capacity till 1948. He contested and won election into the Northern House ofAssembly where his career climaxed in 1959 when he was elected the first indigenous Speaker of the House. He held this position diligently to the admiration of all-even the opposition members of the House until the January 1966 which terminated the elected governmentof the day. In recognition of his meritorious service to the community and the Northern Region at large, he was conferred with the Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St.…