To begin with, in the second republic there was a “sour” relationship between the late highly revered Emir of Kano Alh. Ado Bayero and the late governor Alh. Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi of Kano state. On April 1, 1981, then Governor Rimi in what was alleged to be whittlling down the “power” of the emir created four new emirates of Gaya, Rano, Dutse, and Auyo. He also raised the status of the then second class emirs of Gumel, Hadejia, and Kazaure emirates of the Old Kano state to “first class status”.
In addition, Rimi issued a “Query” to the then Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero on April 7, 1981. In 1982, in an NTA Ibadan Personality Interview Programme (Speak out) with Lekan Alabi at Ogun state Government House, Abeokuta, Governor Rimi declared that traditional rulers are “public servants” and threatened to remove Emir Bayero if found guilty. In 1963, the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, dethroned Emir Muhammadu Sanusi (I) and banished him to Azare in the present Bauchi state. In what some people described as the “result” of the “sour” relationship between the “duo”, Governor Rimi in 1982 ordered the return of the dethroned Emir Muhammedu Sanusi (I) to Wudil of Kano state.
Governor Rimi of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) had had a serious misunderstanding with his party leader late Malam Aminu Kano which led to the emergence of PRP the “ Yan tabo” faction loyal to Malam Aminu Kano and the PRP “ Yan santsi” faction loyal to Governor Rimi. The then Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) recognised the Malam Aminu Kano faction as the genuine PRP. Governor Rimi defected from the PRP to the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP) in preparation for the 1983 elections. He resigned from office and was replaced as governor by his deputy, Abdu Dawakin Tofa.
Governor Rimi’s former party, the PRP fielded Alhaji Sabo Aliyu Bakin Zuwa as its governoship candidate who defeated Governor Rimi of the NPP on his re-election bid. Bakin Zuwa of the PRP on his assumption of office in 1983 reversed the creation of the four new emirates to the status quo ante. That continued until 1991 when Jigawa state was created from Kano state. Thereafter, Kano state did not only remain the only first class emirate, but also the only emirate in Kano state. This situation remained for 36 years until in 2019 when Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state balkanised the emirate again.
Emir Muhammadu Sunusi (II) had had a running battle with Governor Ganduje. His trouble began in 2017 at Kaduna State Investment and Economic Summit (KADINVEST-0.2) where the Emir publically criticised the “plans”of Kano state government under Governor Ganduje to obtain a loan from “China” for Kano state “Light Rail Project”. It took the intervention of the vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, some governors, and influential Nigerians including some former heads of state to stop his then alleged dethronement over the incident.
Similarly, the emir’s “comment” generated a serious debate within and outside the state. The then leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kano state ahead of the 2019 elections turned the “comment” to a “de-marketing” talking “point” against the Ganduje administration using several radio stations in the state. Another alleged trigger to the dethronement of Emir Muhammad Sanusi (II) was his “call for free and fair elections in the state” during the 2019 elections. Some observers argued that the “call” was an “affront” on Governor Ganduje’s bid to return to office and it meant he was backing former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s candidate.
In what was alleged to be whittling down the power of Emir Muhammad Sanusi (II), Governor Ganduje created four new emirates of Rano, Gaya, Bichi, and Karaye in 2019 before he finally dethroned Emir Muhammadu Sanusi (II) in 2020. Ganduje, however, argued that the balkanization of Kano Emirate is for its social and economic development. But Kwankwaso in a press statement after the dethronement of Emir Muhammad Sanusi(II) through his Principal Private Secretary (PPS), Muhammad Inuwa Ali, said: “the fears of high esteem and caliber, plus influence the emir possesses made Ganduje jittery…We know that Ganduje always feels diminished and inferior in the presence of the emir…We also know that Ganduje was madly obsessed with reversing everything that Senator Kwankwaso did in the state. And we are aware, for these reasons, Governor Ganduje was set, ab initio, to destroy the Kano Emirate. And Emir Sanusi II was marked to be the first victim…”
However, Kwankwaso had had a running battle with the late Emir Ado Bayero which led to the governor’s rejection of the emir’s choice of new Waziri of Kano, Sheikh Nasir Muhammad Nasir. In a recent Interview granted by Kwankwaso, who is the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the godfather of Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Kano state governor-elect on the dethronement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi (II) and the balkanization of Kano Emirate, hinted that: “As elders, we will continue to advise them to do the right thing. We tried not to intervene in the issue of bringing or removing any emir, but now, an opportunity has come. Those who have been given this opportunity will sit down and address the issues. They will look at what they are expected to do. Besides the emir, even the emirate has been divided into five places. All these need to be studied. Usually, a leader inherits good and bad issues that are hard to reconcile.”
It is apt to ask, will the in-coming government reverse the balkanization of Kano Emirate and return Emir Muhammedu Sanusi (II) or not? Only time will tell! Historically, the once balkanized Old Kano Emirate was reversed as mentioned above. According to Nasir Wada Khalil, a historian and researcher, there has been only one instance when an Emir of Kano was dethroned and restored. “Kano started as a city-state in 999AD and has witnessed more than 56 traditional leaders in the status of emir, from Habe, Kutumbi and Fulani dynasties, the latter reigning up till the present.” However, except for when Emir Muhammadu Kukuna (1651-1652AD) was dethroned and sent to Zaria and then later re-emerged as the leader of the state for eight years and seven months in 1652AD, none of these traditional rulers had the chance of ruling the state twice,”(Daily Trust).
Our traditional rulers who were once very powerful combining executive, legislative, and judicial powers before the colonial conquest of the 19th century soon after the conquest and the subsequent local government reforms, the emirates were brought under local governments supervision, the once powerful emirs, completely lost their powers. Our traditional rulers have no clear constitutional role in our contitution. They are the custodians of our cultures and traditions. This is why some people are advocating constitutional role for traditional rulers.
Traditional rulers are in a dilemma of whether to be “puppets” or “to speak truth to the power”. Many often criticise them for keeping “quiet “or “mute”on issues of bad policies or, programmes or insecurity, unemployment, and bad governance. They are often accused of being “yes men” to the powers that be just as their forefathers were once accused of being to the white men.
Our highly revered traditional rulers must accept the fact that they are now subjected to political authority. It appears that the best way to last long on the throne as an emir or a chief is to “keep quiet” on governance issues no matter “what” and or “whatsoever”.
May Almighty Allah choose the best situation for Kano state.
Dauda writes from
Kaduna, Kaduna state via
