The 14th Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, following his dethronement on March 9, 2020, by the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was banished to Nasarawa state but had since moved to Lagos, South-west Nigeria. Surprisingly, he returned to Kaduna state, North West, and his return has continued to generate controversy, ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU writes.
The 14th Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was one of Nigeria’s most influential traditional leaders and reformist. He was perceived as being overly critical of governments and its policies which put him at loggerheads with politicians and office holders.
The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor’s opposition of the re-election of the Kano state Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was believed to have brought to a head his frosty relationship with the governor, who subsequently dethroned him as Emir.
Why we dethroned Sanusi
However, the Kano state government had explained that the Emir was dethroned because of insubordination.
The Secretary to the Kano state government, Usman Alhaji, said the Kano State Executive Council (SEC) unanimously approved Mr Sanusi’s dethronement.
The Council is made up of the governor, the deputy governor, commissioners, and other selected appointees of the governor.
He noted that, “The Emir of Kano is in total disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the state governor and other lawful authorities, including his persistent refusal to attend official meetings and programmes organised by the government without any lawful justification which amount to insubordination.
“It is on record and in so many instances Mallam Muhammad Sanusi II has been found breaching part 3 section 13 (a-e) of the Kano State Emirate Law 2019 and which if left unchecked will destroy the good and established image of the Kano Emirate.”
The Kano emirate law that Mr Alhaji referenced was the basis on which four new first-class emirs were created. Prior to the development the Emir of Kano was the only first-class emir in the state.
The return
The deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi ll, arrived Kaduna state, in full royal style for the first time since he was dethroned five months ago.
Sanusi, who arrived the Air Force base around 10.40am, alighted from a private plane and was immediately followed by his wives.
Some traditional title holders from Kano and Kaduna were at the Airforce base to welcome him.
Notably, thousands of residents on Sunday morning thronged to the Air Force base in Kaduna to welcome him.
Immediately the monarch entered his waiting cream coloured Rolls Royce, he was conveyed to Government House where he is expected to meet with the state governor.
Sanusi’s last time in Kaduna was during the 60th birthday celebration of the Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir Elrufai.
El-Rufai had appointed Sanusi as Pro-Chancellor of Kaduna State University and Vice Chairman of the state’s Investment Promotion Council.
A close aide of the monarch, Dr Suleiman Shinkafi, said the former emir would be in Kaduna for a week to receive visitors who had wanted to come to see him.
He said, “Since his dethronement, many people have indicated their intentions to visit him in Lagos. But the monarch decided to relief them from the stress of travelling as far as Lagos.”
Shinkafi also said the monarch will visit Sokoto to greet the Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad before moving to Azare, Katagum where his late grandfather, Muhammad Sanusi l, stayed when he was deposed by late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
New duties in Kaduna
Investigation by Blueprint Weekend revealed that the former emir has resumed two new posts as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA), and that of the Chancellor of the Kaduna State University (KASU).
At Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency, Sanusi will be working under the chairmanship of the state’s deputy governor.
KADIPA, a one-stop investment shop in Kaduna state, is tasked with organising the 5th Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit from September 21 to September 22, 2020, to be addressed by the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, as Special Guest Speaker and the Chairperson of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (EAC) among others.
The former emir is reported to have expressed gratitude to Governor El-Rufai, who he described, as a very reliable and dependable friend, for standing by him during his travails.
He assured the governor that he would do his best as the new cice Chairman at InvestKaduna and Chancellor of the Kaduna State University, KASU.
Governor El-Rufai had announced Sanusi’s two new appointments barely 24 hours after he was dethroned and banished to Nasarawa state.
Reactions trail visit
There are insinuation in so e quarters that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi new found love with the governor of Kaduna state was due to the latter’s political rivalry with Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state.
However, a political analyst, Jide Ojo, the dethroned emir’s return to the North has no political undertone, noting that his visit to Kaduna was as a former emir.
In a phone chat with Blueprint Weekend he said, “I don’t think there is any political undertone. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is a northern and the court has ruled the he should not be banished. And that was why he left Ado in Nasarawa to Lagos. Kano state government has also installed a new emir. Sanusi is not in the North to start scheming to go back.
“Politically speaking, even if he wants to aspire for any post in Nigeria, he has that right as a Nigerian. He is in Chair of the Kaduna state economic team. Also, he is in Kaduna and not Kano. So, in my own view, I don’t think there is any political undertone.”
‘He’s free to travel but not in royal style’
For public affairs analyst, who resides in Kano state, Aminu Muhammed, the deposed emir was free to travel but in royal style.
In a phone chat with Blueprint Weekend, Mohammed said, “One of the most respected institutions in northern Nigeria is the traditional system, which is headed by emirs.
“In fact, the Kano emirate and Kano emir remains one of the most respected emirs in the North. So, anything or person that is related to these is usually taken very seriously.”
He continued, “Though there are issues with regards to how and he was dethroned, but in the face of both traditional laws and the Nigeria legal system, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is longer the emir of Kano. The Emir in Kano is Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.
“So knowing that there is an emir and as someone who understands that there can never be two kings in a kingdom, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, should in the interest of the people he once led and in his own interest should stop going about with symbols that is associated with the emir.
“This is because doing so may bring about avoidable security issues that will not just affect him, but Kano state and northern Nigeria at large.”
According to him, “His recent appearance at Kaduna in a way shows the deposed emir, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, with some symbols that are associated with emir. I totally agree that, he is free to travel but not in royal style like that he did last Sunday in Kaduna.”
There’ll be security implications – Expert
The Managing Director Beacon Consulting LTD, Dr. Kabir Adamu, has said there will be security implications if the deposed emir went to kano.
In a phone chat with our correspondent the security risk management expert said, “My approach will be that the development should be analysed by the northern leadership so that the question around why someone who had been deposed is now being welcomed by what appears to be a huge crowd can be addressed.
“Based on what I know is that several people left Kano, apart from the people that are resident in Kaduna, on their own to come and receive him and show him solidarity. My interpretation of that is that a strong message has been sent to the northern leadership that attempted to ridicule him.
“And what is message? There are messages around living condition in the North, the girl-child education and women empowerment. Those are messages that resonated with a lot of people, and definitely that is why they came out in solidarity to support him, despite the fact that he is not enjoying any traditional title.
“Well his banishment is restricted only to Kano territory. And that is why some of us questioned the idea of taking him to Nasarawa in the first place. Now, why am I bringing this up? Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is in Kaduna and Kaduna is not under the jurisdiction of the Kano emirate. I do not think under the banishment term he can go to Kano at the moment.”
Continuing he said, “However, if he goes to Kano, there will be security implications because clearly it will be his supporters against the supporters of those that removed him. But any other emirate, that is not under the Kana emirate, he can go there. As long as it is not likely that the current Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, or the Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje, will be in that location. If the two of them meet, there is likelihood of a clash.”
