Four years after being deposed as the Emir of Kano by the Umar Ganduje administration, Lamido Sanusi was yesterday returned to the throne by Governor, Abba Yusuf.
Yusuf also abrogated the four emirates created by his immediate predecessor. In reinstating the former Governor of the Central Bank, Yusuf dethroned the man who had replaced him, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and four other first-class emirs in the state.
He also gave the Emirs who were ousted by the Kano State Emirate Council Law 2024 passed by the state House of Assembly yesterday, 48 hours to vacate their palaces.
Those affected by the directive are the Emirs of Karaye, Gaya, Bichi and Rano. In March 2020, Ganduje had deposed Sanusi as Emir of Kano “for total disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the governor”. Meanwhile, reacting to the development, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) expressed concern over the dethronement of the Kano Emirs.
However, the Forum equally blamed the previous administration for creating new emirates, saying such action threatens the unity and cohesion of the traditional structure and undermines the centuries old customs, values, and traditions that are the bedrock of Nigerian society.
In a press release by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, AbdulAzeez Suleiman, the forum warned that the crisis in the Kano emirate has significantly raised public tensions and concerns. It, however, urged the Kano State Government and the involved politicians to handle the situation with utmost care and professionalism to prevent further escalation.
“It is important for all parties involved to approach this matter with the utmost care and professionalism, keeping in mind the potential consequences of their actions. Rash decisions and inflammatory statements can only serve to worsen the situation and jeopardise the peace and stability of the state,” the northern pressure group said.
The Forum also called on the public to remain calm and law-abiding, stressing that violence and unrest would only further divide the community and hinder peaceful resolution efforts.
The Elders emphasised the need for unity and mutual understanding during this crisis, noting that the traditional institution in Nigeria has long faced challenges that have rendered it weak and ineffective.
According to NEF: “Creation of multiple emirates in Kano is a deliberate attempt to weaken the authority of traditional rulers, making them more susceptible to political control and manipulation.”
The arbitrary dethronement and replacement of high-ranking traditional rulers in Kano, according to the NEF, undermine their authority and legitimacy.
“This move threatens the unity and cohesion of the traditional structure and undermines the centuries-old customs, values, and traditions that are the bedrock of Nigerian society,” the Forum stressed.
And in a related development, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has congratulated Sanusi on his reinstatement.
New Telegraph
