His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, will appoint former Chief of the Air Staff, retired Air Marshal Mohammad Dikko Umar, to the chieftaincy title of Sarkin Fulanin Ja’idanawa on Friday.
TheCable newspaper reported that the Emir announced Dikko Umar's appointment in April following the death of the late Alhaji Abubakar Buhari, who held the title before his passing.
The title of Sarkin Fulanin Ja’idanawa is among the senior traditional titles of the Kano Emirate under the authority of the Emir of Kano. The emirate council stated that Dikko Umar was given the title in honor of his contributions to national service.
Dikko Umar was born on June 20, 1955, in the municipal local government area of Kano State. He joined the Nigerian Air Force in July 1976 as a cadet on the 12th Short Service Course.
He began his education at Victory College in Ma'adi, Cairo, Egypt, in 1963, before returning to Nigeria, where he attended secondary school at Sheikh Sabbah College in Kaduna, which was later renamed Sardauna Memorial College.
Dikko Umar began his flying career in Benin in 1980 after receiving military and pilot training in Kaduna and the United Kingdom.
In 1983, he was posted to the Presidential Air Fleet, where he spent 16 of his 23 years of service in the Air Force.
He was appointed as the 17th Chief of Air Staff of Nigeria on September 19, 2010, a position he held until October 3, 2012.
The former military officer has also received various traditional titles across the country, including Olu Omo of Ipetu-Ijesa in Osun State, Oyukor Ovie in Delta State, Okenwa Ana Amulu Oha of the Nike Emirate in Enugu State, and Ja’idanawan Fika in Yobe State.