Queen Shuluwa At 68: When Mourning Mood Dictated Birthday Tunes
LAST Tuesday ( March 5, 2024), the widow of Tor Sankera I and matriarch of the Shuluwa dynasty, HRH ( Mrs.) Elizabeth- Mary Nguumbur Shuluwa, clocked 68. It’s not the best times of her life. Her husband of 46 years, HRH Erastus Abu King Shuluwa, the Tor Sankera I transited on January 16, 2024, and was buried on February 10.
This was the first birthday the Ngó- u- Sankera ( the mother of Sankera people, comprising three Local Councils) would celebrate without her loving husband since December 23, 1978.
In reality, she is still in the mourning mood. And, expectedly, the mood cast a sombre pall over her birthday celebration.
There were no parties. There was no loud music. There were no dancers. There was no exuberance or gaiety. And there was no unconscionable merriment.
But, of course, there was a surprise get- to- gether, a gathering of close friends- cum- associates who came together to share bread, cheer her up and pray for her.
Elizabeth- Mary was born 68 years ago to the family of an itinerant Police Officer, ASP Athanatius Tarhemba Agoom Kasar. Her mother was Mrs. Veronica Myima Agoom, a multi-tasking w if e-cum-motheri.e. as e am tress, contractor, farmer, dealer in farm- produce and dutiful mother of 10 children.
In 1956 when Elizabeth- Mary was born, Queen Elizabeth ( II) was just six years into her 70- year reign as Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms.
Her father, ASP Agoom, even without seeing his daughter’s congenital beauty, gave her name as Elizabeth- Mary after the visiting English Monarch. He was on duty- parade for the Queen when the news of his daughter’s birth reached him.
And the name proved prophetic. Although, she didn’t realize it and her parents probably forgot about it too, across time and space, royalty was trailing her, over- shadowing her steps and bidding its time.
People started calling her “Queen” in the years following, but more than this, she grew up to marry a man named King, who later became a king!
Interestingly, even her mother- in- law, at her Christian baptism in her old age, picked the name of Elizabeth ( after her daughterin- law)! Hers is a powerful proof that there is, indeed, power in names.
Born miles away from Tivland and Benue
State, Elizabeth’s first language was Hausa, with a smattering of Berom. And to ensure that the children learnt Tiv, the father sent her and her siblings home to Tivland ( with their mother) so they would learn and speak their mother- tongue too.
She had her primary school education in Gboko and entered
Queen of the Rosary
Secondary School, Gboko in
1970, graduating in June
1974.
There may be many
Queen Elizabeths, but the world only knew of twoi.e. Queen
Elizabeth I and Queen
Elizabeth
II.
That was until 2016 - for in that year, another Queen Elizabeth made her debut. She was HRH Queen Elizabeth, the Ngó- u- Sankera ( 1) courtesy of her marriage to Tor Sankera ( 1), HRH Chief Abu King Shuluwa.
And this queen, Nigeria’s first Queen Elizabeth, shares many habits/ circumstances with her British royal name- sakes Queens of England.
History records that Queen Elizabeth ( I) loved music, dancing, the outdoors and hunting. She spoke many languages too, to wit: French, Spanish, German....
Queen Elizabeth- Mary Shuluwa also loves music, dancing, cooking, reading/ writing, the open country/ community/ volunteer work, charity work and photography.
And besides Tiv and Hausa, she also speaks/ writes in two international languages: English and French.
And in her lifetime, Queen Elizabeth I rallied her subjects to defeat the Spanish Armada. In the same way, Queen Shuluwa is intent on amplifying the calls for peace until the forces of good defeat the inglorious Sankera Armada!
The similarities continue with the Queen Elizabeth ( II) after whom she was named. The English monarch loved dancing, hosting parties, the outdoors, horse- riding and walking in the countryside.
Outside horse- riding, the Ngó- u- Sankera does them all. Plus, she was an avid sportswoman, majoring in games like long jump, high jump, volleyball, netball and javelin.
And both Elizabeth ( I) and ( II) almost never became Queens. Elizabeth had no hopes of reigning. But God had His plans. King Edward VI of England died at the age of 15 in 1553. Queen Mary, who took over, was Elizabeth’s half- sister. She died on November 17,1558, and Elizabeth had to be crowned Queen!
The same can be said of Queen Elizabeth ( II). She was the longest- reigning British monarch, but the fact is that she was not supposed to be Queen.
Princess Elizabeth was born to Prince Albert, Duke of York. Albert was the second son after Edward - who was the Prince of Wales and heir.
That changed in 1936, when Edward ( by then reigning as Edward VIII), abdicated his throne, pole- vaulting Albert, the Duke of York, to the throne. Elizabeth, thus, became the heir presumptive.
A similar thing happened here too. The Office of Tor Sankera ( 1) was first created by Gov. Gabriel Suswam in the dying days of his administration. And the person appointed was Dr. Terkura Suswam. The Samuel Ortom government nullified that, restructuring it in accordance with Tiv Cultural Royalty Ascendancy; and the rest, as they say, is history.
On August 9, 1588, Queen Elizabeth ( I), was quoted to have told British soldiers: “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king.”
Chief ( Mrs.) Shuluwa may not so verbally have boasted, but she has handled challenging lifesituations that advertise and recommend her as a woman of valour. Some instances are relevant here:
First, very early in her life, specifically in the late 1974, she was doing her preliminary studies at the School of Basic Studies, ABU, Samaru- Zaria.
That was when life served her a sly hand. The Benue- Plateau State Government refused to give her scholarship because she hailed from Gboko which was considered “educationally advantaged.” Knowing that her parents would find it challenging sponsoring her considering that there were nine other children, Elizabeth switched from SBS, where she was studying Political Science, English and French to the University proper, and enrolled in the Department of Agriculture where Govt was giving scholarships to young people to study Agriculture. This was even before informing her parents!
But she was determined to study in the U. S. And so, in 1978, she transferred her studies to Clark College, Atlanta University, AtlantaGeorgia, USA, to read Food Science and Home Economics Education, graduating in May 1980.
Second, she faced a hard time in the Civil Service, where in 35 years, she was only promoted thrice. This was due to male dominance and discrimination. But, being strong- willed, she neither complained nor wrote a single petition. Queens don’t beg!
She recalls: “I was mature about it. I didn’t want them to have the joy of seeing me sad.”
And adds: “At some point, those who denied me promotions/ advancements started borrowing money from me!”
The third example where her valour stood her in good stead in the face male chauvinism happened when she returned to the USA for her Masters Degree on study leave.
She recalls: “I had taken a study lea ve and travelled to the USA. A group of old men in the Ministry where I worked, who knew my par ents well and even were my father’s age- mate, ga ve me a query in absentia and asked me to leave the
Graduate programme in the USA and come back to Nigeria and do a Higher National Diploma ( HND) course.”
HRH Chief Shuluwa is an accomplished woman, who is full of grace, beauty and brains.
Despite all the challenges, she rose to the peak of her career as a Director , Perm Sec; and was Commissioner in several ministries including Agriculture and Natural Resources plus Women
Affairs.
She was also a Permanent Secretar y, servin g in the Office of the Governor in charge of all Govt Parastatals as well as in the Ministries of
Commerce and Industr y, and Rural Development and Cooperatives.
She has also been a Queen, her realm, the entire Sankera Axis of the state. It is in this position of cultural privilege that she has continued to mentor women, wives and youths, drawing strength and inspiration from her rigorous childhood upbringing and experiences.
She told Y ouths at one forum: “When I came back from school at half past one in the afternoon, I would clean up the house, take care of my siblings, cook for them, take food to my mum in the market and my father at the police station; that was my life.”
She reminisces that she did not have the chance to be a child, recalling: “I started working in the house when I was just six years old!”
She was a dutiful first daughter , helping with chores and looking after her siblings, some of whom she could not even lift without losing breath. Even though they had house- helps to assist.
But one day when she was barely seven, her
Mother espied her little Elizabeth grinding pepper expertly on the milling- stone. The mother promptly dismissed the domestic aides, that
Elizabeth was more than able!
In many ways, the life of Her Royal Highness is a mirror of that of her late husband, HRH King Shuluwa.
Both were Hods in their professional Units or Departments; both pursued higher education in both the USA and the UK and both rose to t he ranks of Directors in their respective ministries.
But there was more. Both served as Commissioners in various ministries, and that included the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
And like her husband, H RH also played politics; and not in the supportive role of the faithful wife of a relevant politician - she played active, partisan politics in her own right.
That was when she sought to represent her
Federal Constituency in the National Assembly .
The experience did, however, leave a sour taste in her mouth.
She maintains that the “powers that be” robbed her of victory - both in the APC and the SDP after successful primaries.
So , Mama Sankera ( 1) has seen it all – in the bureaucracy, the political space and the traditional arena. Now, facing 70, we pray for God to grant her more healthy years of community/ social service not forgetting where
God Almighty might want her to serve Him.
Even though she marked her 68th birthday in quiet solitude, the low- key outing attracted we a quiet shout of ‘ Happy Bir th day Ma’ from all and sundry.
And the prayer that God should continue to comfort her. May the birthday bring healing. And may the years ahead be filled with joy and laughter... in spite of everything.