The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kano Emirate

  • Ganduje and Kano Emirate

    AMONG the many reasons adduced by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje for splitting Kano Emirate into five, two appear noteworthy. He says the emirate, as previously constituted and presided over by Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was too unwieldy; and secondly, that splitting the emirate will bring development. He swears that the reconstitution of Kano Emirate has come to stay, and that no judicial intervention could nullify it. It remains to be seen whether the courts can reverse the balkanisation. He has embarked on the changes in the emirates at the beginning of his second term. If he carries his second term to the end, no one can be sure that four years of running the new emirates would not prove impossible to reconstitute once again into one big emirate.

    Governor Ganduje’s argument about the size of the pre-split Kano Emirate is worthy of note. It is truly huge, constituting about 40 local governments. But if the people of Kano are content to keep it so big, who is the governor to complain? Did the people complain? Are they not psychologically satisfied that it is as big as the Sokoto Emirate, with which they have sometimes compared their emirate? If indeed the people of Kano Emirate want the emirate balkanised, then the split will endure. Otherwise, sometime in the future, the emirates could be reunited again, as indeed it was done under the Bakin Zuwo governorship in 1983 after a former governor, Abubakar Rimi, split it.

    The governor also premised the split on the need to hasten the development of the new emirates. This reason is of course puzzling. Emirates neither control nor execute developmental votes. That responsibility is the state’s and local government’s. If anything, and as they will soon find out, the new emirates will cost the system a pretty penny in terms of emirate upkeep. The governor has struggled to prove that the changes are not targeted at Emir Sanusi, with whom he has been at daggers drawn. Indeed, few are convinced that the governor has acted altruistically. And despite the emir’s protestations, fewer still are persuaded that he has himself not flagrantly courted disaster when he should have been more restrained and diplomatic in his interventions.

    If the courts can manage to act independently, the outcome may yet be different. The public will, however, have to wait and see. But if not, the final solution may yet revert to politics. But it will not be under Governor Ganduje.

  • Kano Emirate: Why I accepted my appointment, by Bichi Emir Bayero

    THE newly appointed Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, yesterday advanced reasons why he accepted his appointment, saying it was not meant to spite Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi.

    The Emir of Bichi, who addressed a news conference, stated that he never lobbied to become the Emir to downgrade Emir Sanusi.

    Bayero said from 1963 when his late father became Emir of Kano till date, a lot of changes had happened and would keep happening.

    “Let me give example with myself. l was appointed Danmajen Kano in 1990 by my late dad.  I later became Danburan Kano, then Turakin Kano to Sarkin Tsakar Gida and finally becoming Wamban Kano. It may interest you to know that l have never gone to anybody asking for any of these appointments.

    REad also: New Gaya Emirate: Wudil indigenes demand return to old Kano Emirate

    “Again from the time my late dad became Emir to the time he died, he saw a lot of changes and he accepted them in good faith. Historically, the police, prisons, customs, judges and schools were initially under the emirates, but as time went by, they separated and our forefathers accept the changes.

    “For me, having five Emirs in Kano will not affect its development. lf the Emirs have the concern about development of Kano, they can work together and move the state forward. There is no difference between all of us,” he noted.

    On his relationship with the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi ll, Bayero said: “Sanusi is my brother. He has respect for me and I have respect for him. l am from a royal family. When he was appointed Emir, I was among the first set of people that paid homage to him and l gave him my support and l will continue to support him.

    “So, because I am appointed Emir, l don’t think he will not support me to succeed in all my undertakings. l have no grudges against him whatsoever and I don’t think he has any against me.”

  • Kano Emirate: Low activities in Sanusi’s Palace

    Activities in the once booming Palace of the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi 11 have reduced to the lowest ebb following the creation of four additional Emirates of Bichi, Rano, Karaye and Gaya by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

    The Palace was agog last Sunday when the Emir returned from Lesser Hajj with thousands of supporters welcoming him at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).

    They followed his long convoy, which moved straight to the Palace from Kano airport, chanting Sarki Mai Martaba which means long live His Royal Highness.

    When our reporter visited the Palace on Tuesday morning, the atmosphere appeared gloomy.

    The usual hustling and bustling of visitors and huge human and vehicular traffic was no longer there.

    Only very few workers in the Palace were seen discussing the latest development in the Kano Emirate with hush tones.

    READ ALSO: Kano Emirate Council working on bill to tackle rampant divorce cases

    A palace guard, who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity, confirmed the Emir has chosen to keep to himself since he returned from Saudi Arabia.

    He said: “His Highness has remained speechless since he returned from Saudi Arabia. He only attends to few visitors. So many journalists have come here to interview him but he politely declined from granting any interview.

    “He has always remained indoors. In fact, there was a crucial meeting with all his Council members on Monday but I cannot tell you the outcome because all of them left the Palace without saying a word immediately after the meeting.

    “This creation of additional Emirates has seriously affected activities in the Palace and I can confirm to you that the Emir is not comfortable with what happened.”

    According to the source, the greater percentages of the Palace guards have left Kano to other Emirates, particularly Bichi headed by Emir Aminu Ado Bayero.

    The source added: “You are aware that the Emir of Bichi is an amiable and easy-going king with the antecedent of his late father.

    “So many palace guards prefer working with him because he is an open minded person.”

  • Kano Emirate: Ganduje presents staff of office to new emirs

    Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has amid jubilations presented Staff of Office to the newly appointed First Class Emirs.

    Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, one of the eldest sons of the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, who is the newly appointed Emir of Bichi Emirate Council, was the first to receive his Staff of Office.

    The governor proceeded to Karaye Emirate Council, where he presented staff of office to the new Emir, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar II.

    He followed up by conducting the same ceremony separately for the Emir of Rano, Alhaji Tafida Abubakar Ila and the Emir of Gaya, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir.

    In each of the emirate council, the governor, with his large entourage, were greeted by thousands of people, who came from the districts that make up the councils.

    The residents showered encomiums on the governor and rejoiced with the emirs.

    Ganduje congratulated the monarchs for being appointed as leaders of their people, urging them to always abide by what the Staff of Office symbolically represents.

    The governor said: “This Staff of Office represents dedication and commitment to serve your subjects in the areas of security, healthcare delivery system, education and environment among others. We, as a government, are always ready to work with you hand-in-hand for the growth and development of our state in particular and the nation in general.”

    He added that they should always be ready to see their people as their major concern.

    “You should place greater priority on education, health and the security of your domains, as government would always respond positively to your people-oriented yearnings and aspirations,” he said.

    Ganduje urged the emirs to strive hard in the area of security, emphasising: “As leaders who are closer to your subjects, you should join hand with government and other security agencies to make sure that security is not only improved, but maintained.

    “Efforts towards strengthening community policing, as practice globally, should form part of your commitment. Ours is to, together, ensure that global best practices are observed.

    “New security strategy should be looked at. That is why I am calling on our emirs to always consider workable and viable synergy with all the stakeholders in your domains, with the singular reason of making our societies safer.

    “Security is on the shoulders of all of us. Government alone cannot tackle the issue of security, and traditional institution plays vital role in this area.”

    The emirs assured Ganduje of their support in his bid to develop the state, assuring him that the areas he highlighted would be given special consideration, for the overall growth of the state.

    They said regular meetings between them and other stakeholders in their domains would be designed to enable them to discharge their responsibilities diligently.

  • New Gaya Emirate: Wudil indigenes demand return to old Kano Emirate

    Wudil indigenes in Kano State have appealed to the State House of Assembly to revisit the recent creation of Gaya Emirate Council under which they have been grouped.

    Alhaji Yawale Muhammad-Idris, spokesman of the indigenes made the call shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting on Sunday in Wudil, headquarters of  Wudil Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    Muhammad-Idris further appealed to the State Government to return them to the old Kano Emirate where they rightly belong.

    According to him, the current arrangement is not backed by historical antecedents and is of no benefit to the affected communities.

    He said the stakeholders’ meeting was attended by various groups of indigenes of the LGA pointing out that Wudil town has a different historical background from Gaya.

    “We cannot afford to exist under Gaya Emirate,” he said.

    According to Muhammad-Idris, during the Jihad of Shehu Usman Danfodio, Wudil was one of the five royal hubs that were presented with flags.

    He said that the people of Wudil are not happy with the new arrangement.

    “If Wudil LGA will not have a first class emir, we prefer to remain under Kano Emirate.

    ‘’So for God sake why should government demean us by grouping us under Gaya instead of merging us with the Kano Emirate with which we have the same historical relation.

    “We reject this arrangement,” he said.

    Dr Baba Sani-Wudil, the secretary of the group also said government did not consult with the people of the area before grouping them under Gaya Emirate, describing the arrangement as inappropriate.

    “You can find out, neither our representative at the House of Assembly nor any elder or member of National Assembly was consulted on the issue,” he said.

    He said the group would present its grievances to the state government and the State House of Assembly.(NAN)