Al-Mustapha Haruna Jokolo is a retired Nigerian Army officer, traditional ruler, and public administrator. Born on January 6, 1952, in Kalgo, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, he served in the Nigerian military with distinction before becoming the 19th Emir of Gwandu in 1997. His reign, however, came to a controversial end in 2005 when he was deposed. Despite legal efforts to regain his throne, his reinstatement was recently nullified by the Supreme Court due to procedural lapses. He remains a respected traditional figure and was once the Chairman of the Kebbi State Council of Chiefs.
Al-Mustapha Jokolo began his early education at Government Secondary School, Birnin-Kebbi, from 1965 to 1969. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1971 and completed his training in 1973
He furthered his military education at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry in 1974 and later attended advanced training in the United States: the Infantry Officer Advanced Course (1978–79) and the Military Police Officer Advanced Course (1979).
Jokolo enlisted in the Nigerian Army in 1973 and served in several capacities, including Company Commander, Battalion Adjutant, and Battalion Commander. He was a General Staff Officer 2 and also worked as a Senior Instructor in the Nigerian Army. He once served as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to then Major-General Muhammadu Buhari. His military excellence earned him the Passed Staff College (PSC) decoration.
After retiring from active service, he embraced traditional leadership. In 1995, he was turbaned as the Dangaladiman Gwandu by the Gwandu Emirate Council and also made the Sarkin Gabir (District Head) of Kalgo. In 1997, he was crowned the 19th Emir of Gwandu.
He has held various influential roles in traditional leadership circles, including Chairman of the Kebbi State Council of Chiefs, member of the National Committee of Traditional Rulers and Elders, and the Traditional Rulers Forum. He also participated in the Vision 2010 national development project.
Jokolo was removed from his position as Emir of Gwandu in 2005 under circumstances that sparked debate and legal action. He challenged his deposition in court and won favorable judgments at the High Court and Court of Appeal, which ordered his reinstatement. However, the Kebbi State Government and the current Emir appealed to the Supreme Court.
On June 4, 2025, the Supreme Court overturned the lower courts’ decisions, ruling that Jokolo failed to follow the proper procedure by not first submitting a complaint to the governor, as required by the Kebbi State Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) Law. As a result, the entire case was declared invalid, and the judgments of both the High Court and Appeal Court were set aside.
As of now, Al-Mustapha Jokolo does not appear to have a verified presence on social media platforms