[Nigeria] Kano Emirate: Sanusi returns as Emir 1,545 days after dethronement

 

KANO — Exactly 1,545 days after he was deposed as the Emir of Kano, His Highness Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi II, has been reappointed as the 14th Emir of Kano.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State approved the reappointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II, yesterday, after assenting the Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Bill, 2024 passed by the House of Assembly.

The new law repealed immediate past Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s Kano Emirate Council Law 2019, Kano State Emir’s Appointment and Deposition Amendment Law 2019 and Kano State Emirate Council Amendment Law 2023, which created five emirates in Kano and paved the way for the deposition of Sanusi.

Effectively, Ganduje dethroned Sanusi on March 9, 2020, and the former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor was flown to Lagos and quartered by one of his friends, the late Herbert Wigwe of Access Bank.

With the new development, Governor Yusuf gave the five former emirs 48 hours to vacate all official residences and hand over former emirate properties to the deputy governor.

Sources said HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II might be in town today to preside over Juma’at prayers.

How Assembly dethroned five emirs, cleared way for Sanusi

Yesterday afternoon, the Kano State House of Assembly dethroned the five emirs and abolished the five emirates created by Ganduje at a special session on the floor of the House presided over by Speaker Jibrin Falgore.

At the resumed proceeding, the Assembly passed the Kano Emirates Council Law (repeal bill) 2024 after scaling the second and third readings.

The Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Law, 2024, was sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing Dala Constituency, Lawan Hussaini.

Speaking on the floor of the House, Hussaini said the Kano Emirate had been distorted and upturned by the previous government through the creation of five emirates, adding that with the repealing of the laws, the Assembly has dissolved the emirates.

His words: “Kano State House of Assembly enact as follows: This bill may be cited in the Kano State Emirate Council repeal bill 2024.

“The bill shall come into operation on the day … of 2024. Abrogation of the five Emirates and offices created in the repeal principal law dated 5th December, 2019 are hereby abrogated.

“All appointments made under the same said repealed law are hereby abolished. All traditional office holders and title holders elevated or appointed to the office created under the repealed law shall revert to their positions where such position previously existed under the custom and traditions, prior to the enactment of the repeal principal law.

“The governor shall take all necessary steps to restore the emirate system to its initial position, prior to the enactment of the repeal principal law.

“Commissioner to take responsibility of all emirates, subjects to the approval of the governor. The commissioner responsible for local government shall oversee all transitional arrangements, including how best to deal with the assets and liabilities of the abolished emirates and new structures.

“The Kano Emirate Council Law 2019, Kano State Emir’s Appointment and deposition amendment Law 2019 and Kano State Emirate Council Amendment Law 2023 are hereby repealed.”

The Majority Leader said they would send the repeal law to the Governor for assent after which the kingmakers will appoint the Emir.

Earlier, the Deputy Speaker, Muhammad Butubutu, said the Assembly repealed the law in order to return the emirate city to its old status— Kano Emirate and one emir.

Butubutu said with the division of the emirate, it has lost its national dignity as the division into five reduced the capacity and dignity of the delegation.

Minority members kick

Dissatisfied with the development, the Minority Leader, Ayuba Labaran, and other minority members staged a walk-out of the floor of the House.

One of the minority members, Salisu Ibrahim Mohammed, representing Doguwa Constituency said: “Our position is that the sitting started at an inappropriate time and our member wanted to talk when the bill was mentioned and he was interrupted after being on the floor.

“We felt this issue should be subjected to a public hearing to hear what people want. We believe what happened earlier has brought development to the rural areas. We are consulting on what to do next.”

He, however, called on the people of Kano State to remain calm as efforts were on to resolve the matter.

It will be recalled that the law which created five new emirates was first assented to by ex-Governor Ganduje on December 5, 2019.

The governor assented to an amendment to the law on October 14, 2020 and signed another amendment on April 11, 2023.

Section 3(1) of the law established five distinct emirates— Kano, Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye with Kano and Karaye having eight local government areas of jurisdiction each; Bichi and Gaya emirates share nine LGAs of jurisdiction each; and Rano Emirate enjoys jurisdiction over 10 LGAs out of the 44 LGAs of the state.

Yusuf signs repeal bill into law

Upon receiving the bill, Governor Yusuf signed it into law in the presence of Deputy Governor Aminu Abdulsalam, Speaker Falgore, and other top government functionaries and, thereafter, announced the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano.

Governor Yusuf also issued 48 hours to Emir Aminu Ado Bayero of Kano and four other former first class chiefs to vacate the palaces and hand over all emirates’ property to the office of the deputy governor.

A statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson Mr. Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, said Governor Yusuf made the declaration, yesterday, shortly after assenting to the newly passed Kano State Emirate (Repeal) bill into Law.

Governor Yusuf expressed satisfaction that the new law will bring unity of the people of Kano and foster sustainable socio-economic development.

He said the return of Muhammad Sanusi II to the throne would propel peace and prosperity, adding that the repeal of the council law was in realization of his campaign commitments to restore the lost glory of the state and its rich cultural heritage.

He emphasized that the signing of the bill symbolizes the restoration of the revered legacy of Kano Emirate, which has withstood the test of time for over a thousand years.

Furthermore, the governor urged the populace in the state to continue supporting his administration in delivering infrastructural advancements that will propel Kano to greater heights.

“Everyone should go about his or her normal activities in the state, we have done what we believe is in the best interest of the state and its people.

“I want to inform the good people of Kano that today, we reappointed Sanusi Lamido Aminu Sanusi popularly known as Muhammadu Sanusi the II as the 14th Emir of Kano while the five former emirs are expected to vacate the palaces within 48 hours.”

The former emirs are to hand over all properties in their possession to the Commissioner for Local Government who doubles as the state Deputy Governor.

Activities stalled at Emir’s palace

During a visit to the Emir of Kano’s palace, yesterday, Vanguard observed that activities were stalled, following the development.

It was reliably gathered that a special durbar planned for ECOWAS parliamentarians who were in the state for extraordinary session, was stalled.

There was tight security on roads leading to the Emir’s palace, although it was gathered that security personnel were deployed to provide security for the special durbar.

We foresaw the problem —Historian

A lecturer at the Department of History, Bayero University, Kano, BUK, Prof. Tijjani Naniya, said dissolution of the five emirates was anticipated because the process from the onset was wrong.

Prof. Naniya, who opposed the idea of splitting the emirate, said the then government was cautioned about the action to no avail.

“My reaction to it is that it is something that is anticipated. It is not surprising to me because the very moment the process of reproducing this law started in 2019, we foresaw the problem and the crisis because the whole process started on a wrong foot.

‘’We cautioned the then government that it should not engage in this act because it will set a precedence. Because if by virtue of the power of a governor you could do whatever you like with the traditional institution, what if a different government came into being, who would stop him?

“When the then government tried to introduce this, we cautioned them that there is no basis for this. But we were ignored and called names,” Naniya said.

Fubara congratulates Sanusi on reinstatement as Emir of Kano

Reacting to the development last night, Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, congratulated His Royal Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II on his reinstatement as the 14th Emir of Kano.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, Fubara also expressed excitement upon hearing the news of the reinstatement of former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Khalifa Sanusi II.

He said the announcement also coincided with Sanusi’s visit to Rivers State, where he was supporting the administration’s efforts to reshape the state’s economic trajectory.

He noted that Sanusi’s reinstatement by the Kano State government at this time showed that he (Muhammad Sanusi II’s) dethronement on March 9, 2020, was against the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kano State.

Fubara said that the act was “an unjust act to the millions of people who believed in his reign while on the revered throne”.

The governor commended the Kano State government for listening to the yearnings of the people, and acting to correct the wrongs of the past, and urged the people to give the Sarki of the ancient city of Kano the maximum support to succeed.

He also urged the spiritual leader of the Tijanniyah Sufi order of Nigeria, Emir Muhammad Sanusi II, to lead the over 50 million adherents of the Sufi order in Nigeria with love, wisdom and courage, while bringing lasting peace, justice, equity and fairness to all in the city of Kano.

“I wish the 14th Emir of Kano a successful and fruitful reign that will bring progress and prosperity to the people of the State”, the governor said.

• Vanguard