Emir of Zazzau Reveals He Has Never Paid Zakat

In an interview with Weekend Trust, the Emir of Zazzau, Bamalli, revealed that he has never saved enough money to meet the conditions for paying zakat, a mandatory charitable contribution in Islam. He explained that he has never given monetary zakat because his savings have never reached the nisab threshold, which is currently around ₦15,654,875 for gold and ₦1,722,571 for silver in Nigeria.

Bamalli, who is a lawyer, banker, and former diplomat, stated that he has lived a life not focused on wealth accumulation, influenced by his father's modest legacy of only N11,000 and five pieces of cloth. He clarified that the only money in his account was from Foreign Service allowances.

The Emir also expressed that his leadership philosophy is centered on service to the people rather than material wealth, stating, “Leadership is not about accumulation.” He aspires to be remembered as a just leader.