Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, 91, is a former political adviser to the late President Shehu Shagari and co-founder of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). In this interview with KOLADE ADEYEMI, the elder statesman spoke on the deposition of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II and what he thinks led to his dethronement.
What is your reaction to the dethronement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II?
Well, I do not have any position, except that, know that the deposed emir was appointed by a governor and therefore, he is subordinate to the governor, wherever he is. I was born here in Kano and I know the tradition in the palace till today; both educated and uneducated tend not to speak too much. They treasure their words. I read a letter, written by a friend of mine, Ahmed Jedo that one day he would be removed. He said when the emir was appointed, he knew that one day he would be removed because it doesn’t tally with the established tradition. The deposed emir was born in Kano, but was largely brought up in Lagos and Kaduna. His father was a federal civil servant who rose to the position of a Permanent Secretary. And, as it is natural with civil servants, particularly at the federal level in Foreign Affairs, they don’t stay in one place. The result is that the deposed emir was initially living with the late Minster of Defence, AlhajiInuwa Wada but later on when the father returned, they were reunited. So, Sanusi is a Kano man, but he did not live with Kano people until he mounted the throne. That is the beginning.
Does the Government have the power to banish him to wherever they decide after dethroning him?
There is a lot of history about Kano, particularly about the removal of rulers in Kano from over 1,000 years to date before the advent of Fulani dynasty and also after the emergence of Fulani and Kano Emirate. Many traditional rulers were removed during that era. The grandfather of the deposed emir, who was removed by his best friend. If there was any individual that can be said to be responsible for the emergence of Sardauna of Sokoto, as the Premier of Northern Nigeria, the grandfather of the present deposed Emir was responsible. So, yet for that to have happened, he went ahead to remove him, which I think people do not know or don’t want to accept that traditional rulers are subordinate to the government because the governor is recognised by the Constitution, traditional rulers are not recognised by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Only the three tiers of Government is recognised by our constitution, the federal, states and local governments. Traditional institutions no longer have the power they had in those days, but they are not recognised by law and our constitution. So, you either cooperate with the political authorities or you will run into trouble.
It has been said that he was removed unilaterally by the Governor, with the input of the Council of Chiefs, as stated by the Kano Emirate Council law 2019?
I don’t know how it happened. I am not an Emirate Council member, so I am not in a position to know. Whoever brought that information. I do not know, whether it is right or wrong. I am therefore not in a position to say whether it is right or correct.
Sanusi was not given the opportunity to defend the allegations levelled against him…
I am not a government man to know, whether it is right or wrong. This is not the type of question you should ask me. You should direct that to Emirate Council members.
But he was said to have introduced Western culture in Kano…
I don’t know!
What is your opinion about his bluntness, which may have landed him to where he is now?
One, is that which I know, and you know is that before his appointment, the eldest son of the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero was announced as the Emir and momentarily the announcement changed, his name was announced by Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who was then the Governor and the current Governor his Deputy. So, he was appointed by Governor Kwankwaso, who was the Governor, while he (Ganduje) was the Deputy. Unfortunately for the Emir, the duo (Kwankwaso and Ganduje), who made him Emir parted ways. And as God will have it Ganduje became, I the Governor of Kano State. Now, I think the Emir felt that he owed his office to the man, who appointed him, which is natural. But, unfortunately for him, in between the time he was appointed and subsequent events, when the two people together appointed him, they parted ways on party basis, so the Deputy now became the Governor and I think, in my opinion, I don’t think the Emir sees the Deputy as the man, who appointed him. That is where I see the beginning of the crisis. Then, later on, the Emir has been speaking his mind, which I respected but some of what he says was not in consonance, with the established tradition in the society.
So, there and then a conflict developed, it was personality and society in which he lives, why because he has not been part and parcel of that society he originated from, so, this is the problem.
Critics say it is the manner Sanusi criticised the government that ignited this crisis. Do you agree?
There are two ways to offer advice. One: people who go to those in authority and offer their advice privately tend to achieve more success, tend to have their listening ears. But, those who go to the media to air their views are usually spurned by those in authority because they will say they are playing to the gallery and are not being honest about their views. That has been one of the problems we are having in Nigeria.
I am a politician, so I air my views openly because I do not have access to the government. So, that is the only avenue I can use to criticise the government. I do it as a national duty because I see many things which those in power may not see. I feel I should educate them, so that is why I always come out with my views. I said President Buhari was not competent and that he would not achieve what he set out to achieve. He cannot succeed in the fight against corruption. He cannot succeed in crushing insurgency and a few other things. At the time when I said it, people abused the hell out of me (Yakasai). There are people, who are my personal friends who stopped talking to me. And one of them till today, don’t talk to me and also, I don’t talk to him, so I have been speaking my mind because I know I have no interest in what the government is doing. I am not under them but they, (Traditional rulers) are under them. It is safer for you to go to them privately, particularly that you can have access to them.
As a private citizen, my ability to have access to them depends on their willingness to see me, that is why I always air my views, where they can hear me.
Are Nigerians not entitled to their opinion?
Yes, every Nigerian is entitled to his opinion as guaranteed by the constitution, except, if you are not saying it within the confines of the law of the land. For example, you can’t abuse me; it’s an expression of opinion. I can’t abuse you, its an expression of opinion. Part of the right guaranteed between you and me does not allow you to abuse me. Also, does not allow me to abuse you because the law says you should not do that and I should not do that, so whatever is provided for in the constitution and also subject to the law of the land, so far, it does not conflict with the provision of the Constitution.
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