Kano Emirate: An Emir Unusual Era

By Suleiman Umaru

Those who  think that Abdullahi Gandunje, governor of Kano state had balkanised  the over  200 -year – old  Kano traditional system ostensibly  to  weaken the influence  and powers of Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi II, a former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and current Emir of Kano, who was recently appointed into the MTN, Board of Directors, would be disappointed.

This is because the  governor , according to sources had held wide  consultations  at the state and the Federal level  including meeting with   the Kano  Kingmakers who gave  him the go  ahead to create additional Emirates out of the old  Kano Emirate.

ndeed, signs that Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano, would have his Kingdom split emerged early after  Gandunje, the All Progressive Congress, APC, governorship Candidate  in the state won his re-election bid in the 2019 governorship election. The Value News learnt  that he had  repeatedly told those  that cares to listen  that if he state House of Assembly forwards a bill to him that requires his assent  to create additional Emirates out of the  old Kano traditional system, he will not hesitate to sign it.

Events was said to have moved fast as the state House of Assembly  passed a bill approving the  creation  of four additional Emirate Councils  out of the Kano traditional system to be situated in Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye. The  passage of the bill  confirms the plots  of those who want the powers of Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano decentralised .The lawmakers may have  known that they would have difficulty in getting Gandunje, the state governor  to sign the bill if it fail to amend the local government and Chieftaincy  Affair  law of the state. They may have won the heart of the governor to play along with them when they amended the local government and Chieftaincy Affair law.

It was therefore not very surprising that the governor did not hesitate in signing the bill when it was transmitted to him by the House.  Political watchers  told The Value News that  the  House had held  on to the  bill without debating  on it till after the general election  to avoid a backlash effect. They had feared that  if they should open up discussion on the matter, Sanusi II, who may not want to preside over the splitting of his Emirate may mobilise  the voters  against the APC Candidate.  the run-off governorship election in the state speaks volume.

 He may have been emboldened to sign the bill approving the creation of the four  additional Emirates with his declaration by the Independence National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the governor-elect of the state in the 2019  election and subsequent issuance of Certificate of Return  by the Commission to confirm his  election as governor of the state for another four years.  

A kano resident  disclosed  that he may have been further  encouraged to split  the Kano  traditional system  to satisfy other ruling Houses who may not  have tested the stool for  scores of years. The governor through Usman Aljaji, the Scretary to the  state government,   may have alluded to this while presenting the   letters of  appointment  to the newly appointed four first  class Emirs who were said to have link with  the Kano traditional system.

They are  Ado Bayero, the son of   Ado Bayero, the  late Emir of Kano as the Emir of Bichi, Ibrahim Abdulkadir as the Emir of Gaya, Tafida Abubakar, Emir of Rano and  Abubakar Ibrahim II as the Emir of Karaye.   The good news are that the newly appointed Emirs are no push over in the old Kano Emirate Council .

While presenting  the letters of Appointment to Bayero, the Emir of Bichi and the other newly   appointed first Class Emirs, last Friday,  Gandunje, the All Progressive  Congress, APC,  governor of the state   said the” creation of   the additional  four Emirate Councils  will make  traditional system more efficient” , an indication that the system has been overdo  for change over the year to fit into the contemporary society.

He also noted that with the balkanisation of the Kano old traditional system the ”issue of education, security and agriculture would be addressed with ease  insisting that it was ”too heavy  to be allowed  on a centralised  traditional system”.

Appealing to those  opposed  to the new arrangement  to sheath their sword  and support the government action,  he maintains that  the present  structure    will ”certainly  promote security and education” in  the state.

Given the importance attached to the traditional stool in Kano Emirate  by the state government, the presentation of the letters of appointment to  four first Class Emirs may  have set the stage for their Coronation on a date yet to be announced by the government.

The balkanisation of the Kano traditional  system may not have enthused  Sanusi  II, the current Emir of Kano, who was absent  at the venue of the presentation of the  letters of appointment to the new  Emirs.  The suit filed in Court in Kano by one Sule  Gwarzo,  an alleged loyalist of the former CBN, governor, speaks volume. Gwarzo  had obtained  an interim injunction  directing  all the parties  in the suit including the state government to ”maintain  status  quo pending  the hearing  and determination   of the motion on notice”.

Despite the wide publicity given  to the suit , Muhammad Garba, the state Commissioner for Information, reportedly said   the government  was  not” aware  of any Court order as Gandunje, the state governor , was never  served  any Court order”. He disclosed that he got to know about the Court order in the social media on Friday, May 10, 2019.

Garba  may have spoken the mind of the governor  when he said that the decision over the appointment of the new Emirs  would not be reversed   as they have already  been issued   their letters  of appointment  by Alhaji, the Secretary to the state  government at the in the instance of the governor  on Friday, May 10, 2019.

 He averred  that the new Emirs  have returned  the acknowledged  copies to the government which informed the last Saturday  ceremony and felicitation last Saturday.  As at press time,  nobody  knows the next line of action of Sanusi II, the Kano Emir, as opinions are divided about him.

There are those who believe that Gandunje no longer wants to work with him and therefore should throw in the towel to give him  room to appoint a replacement while there are those who believe that he should hang on to the  traditional title as the creation of the four additional Emirates out of  the old Kano Emirate  will not add or diminish his earned personality over the years.

This may have informed the reason why critics described what is happening in present Kano traditional system as an Emir unusual Era