Kano Emirate has long been a bastion of traditional rulership in Nigeria tracing its origins back centuries. However, recently, this traditional system has been at the center of a heated political and legal battle with conflicting court orders and actions of the Abba Kabir Yusuf-led state government leading to a state of confusion and uncertainty.
The root of the current tussle can be traced back to 2019, when the Kano State Government, under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, made the controversial decision to break up the previously unified Kano Emirate into five separate emirates. This move was seen by many as a political maneuver to reduce the power and influence of the then-reigning 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, a close ally to Ganduje’s staunchest rival, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who’s also a former governor of the state.
Sanusi, who had been installed as Emir in 2014, had developed a reputation as an outspoken critic of the Kano State Government and its policies. His dethroning in 2020 by the Kano State Executive Council, which cited “total disrespect to the offices of the governor and other government agencies,” further inflamed the situation.
Following Sanusi’s removal, the Kano State Government moved quickly to install a new Emir – Aminu Ado Bayero, who had previously served as the Emir of the Bichi Emirate, one of the five newly created Emirates. Bayero’s installation as the 15th Emir of Kano in March 2020 was seen by many as a consolidation of the state government’s control over the traditional power structures in the state.
However, with the emergence of NNPP’s Abba Yusuf as the state governor last year, the permutations completely changed as the new government never hides its intention to alter the state’s traditional rulership structure bequeathed to it by the Ganduje’s APC-led administration. Therefore, it was fait accompli when the Kano State House of Assembly recently repealed the law establishing the five emirates of Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Karaye and Rano, dethroning all their emirs, and reverting back to pre-2019 arrangement. It also re-instated Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano.
However, the legality of these actions soon came into question, as the 15th Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero challenged his dethronement at a Federal High Court in Kano. The court issued an interim order restraining Governor Yusuf from taking any further action and also directed that the status quo ante be maintained, effectively recognizing Aminu Ado as the rightful Emir of Kano. The governor ignored the court order restraining him from re-installing Sanusi II as emir of Kano. Within few hours another court in Kano, the state High Court headed by Justice Amina Aliyu restrained Aminu Ado Bayero and the four others emirs from parading themselves as emirs, and ordered the police to evict them and secure their palaces. Since then, it has been a harvest of conflicting court orders, chaos and confusion.
The conflicting court orders and the rapidly changing legal landscape surrounding the Kano Emirship have created uncertainty in the state regarding the rightful authority and protection of the emirs in Kano. Supporters of both Sanusi and Bayero have, however, continued to throng the two palaces – Gidan Rumfa and Gidan Nassarawa – with the former’s re-appointment as Emir being met with protests and demonstrations.
The Kano State Government, for its part, has remained steadfast in its support for Emir Sanusi, who holds sway at Gidan Rumfa, dismissing the court orders that have sought to reinstate Bayero, who occupies the heavily guarded Gidan Nassarawa palace.
On Tuesday, Justice S. A. Amobede presiding at the Federal High Court in Kano, issued another order for the eviction of Emir Sanusi from Gidan Rumfa palace, reinforcing the authority of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.
Justice Amobede stated, “An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from inviting, arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing the Applicant, or infringing on his rights is hereby granted.”
He added, “This order ensures that Emir Aminu Bayero enjoys all rights and privileges accrued to him by virtue of his position.”
On the other hand, the Kano State High Court, under the jurisdiction of Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, issued an injunction to protect Emir Sanusi and other key figures from potential harassment by state authorities. This order prevents any interference with the Emir’s autonomy and the seizure of key symbols of his authority, such as the twin spear, the Royal Hat of Dabo, and the Ostrich-feathered shoes.
The incompatible court orders being witnessed in the Kano Emirship tussle has taken a worrisome dimension, leading the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola to summon the two judges over the conflicting interim injunctions.
The state High Court’s case is set for further hearing on June 13, while the Federal High Court has adjourned its case to June 4.
While we await the court(s) adjudication on this issue, permit me to share two remarkable events from Kano’s history which seem to bear striking resemblance to the current Emirship dispute so that we hopefully and instuctively draw some few invaluable lessons from them. Examining these precedential scenarios could help inform a more contextually grounded approach to resolving the present-day Kano Emirship dispute. Policymakers and stakeholders would be well-advised to carefully study these historical antecedents to develop a more nuanced and effective strategy.
Firstly, the rule of the twin kings, Nawata and Gawata, in the 12th century between 1134 and 1136 AD is a compelling precedent that offers valuable insights.
The fact that Nawata and Gawata jointly ruled Kano for a period of time, sharing the kingship, perhaps to stem a sibling rancour, speaks to the precedent of dual leadership within the Kano traditional system. This suggests that the concept of power-sharing between rival claimants is not entirely foreign to the Kano Emirate’s history and traditions.
When one of the twin kings, Gawata, passed away, it left the remaining monarch, Nawata, as the sole ruler. However, Nawata’s sole rule after Gawata’s death was relatively short-lived, lasting only around 17 months before he too passed away.
Though, the 12th century is steeped in the past and dual-rulership may sound outlandish in this present-day individualistic world, the Nawata and Gawata episode underscores the importance of having established processes to manage such intra-dynastic conflicts within Kano’s traditional rulership system.
The Nawata-Gawata episode from Kano’s ancient history provides a fascinating parallel to the current situation, highlighting the deep roots of power-sharing and succession challenges within the Emirate.
Interestingly, the second event took place, not in a very distant past, in the late 19th century between 1893 and 1895, and it’s one of the darkest chapters in Kano’s history. What I am referencing here is the succession crisis, which indeed led to a devastating civil war, widely known as Basasa, in Kano. Indeed, the current Kano Emirship tussle is not the first time the Kano Emirate has been embroiled in such a dispute. In fact, the Emirate has a history of intra-dynastic squabbles dating back to centuries, with some of these previous disputes having had devastating consequences.
The origins of the war lay in a dynastic struggle within the Kano ruling house. When the Emir Abd Allah “Maje Karofi” passed away in September 1882 at Kaura Namoda in Zamfara State, he was succeeded by his younger brother Muhammad Bello, who followed a systematic policy of trying to deprive his brother’s sons of their titles and territories. He was seeking to have succession guaranteed to his own son, Muhammad Tukur.
In 1893, a power struggle erupted between two rival claimants to the Emirship – Yusuf and Muhammad Tukur. Shortly after the death of Emir Muhammad Bello, Sultan Abdurrahman appointed Tukur the new Emir of Kano. Almost immediately, Yusuf, led the remaining children of Abdullahi Maje Karofi in rebellion. This split within the House of Dabo triggered the Kano Civil War. The rebels left Kano for Takai where Yusuf was installed as emir by key title holders who were with him.
The dispute quickly escalated into an all-out civil war, with each claimant mustering supporters and forces to fight for the throne. The resulting conflict was extremely destructive, involving a prolonged period of intense fighting, sieges, and massive loss of life within the city of Kano. Yusuf was later killed in battle and his younger brother, Aliyu Babba took over leadership of the Yusufawa rebellion. On August 19, 1894, Aliyu successfully led the Yusufawa in conquering Kano and months later Tukur was assassinated at Guri bringing an end to the Basasa.
Ultimately, the civil war ended with the both claimants not succeeding jn their mission, and the damage done was immense – the once-prosperous city of Kano lay in ruins, its economy and social fabric severely disrupted and nearly a million lives were lost.
This historical precedent demonstrates how intra-dynastic rivalries within the Kano Emirate have the potential to spiral out of control and inflict tremendous harm on the region. The current tussle between emirs Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero, while not yet at the level of all-out civil war, carries similar risks of escalating social unrest and political instability.
The devastating impact of the civil war on Kano’s economy and social fabric highlights the importance of resolving the current dispute in a manner that minimizes the potential for widespread unrest and damage.
By drawing on these diverse historical precedents such as Nawata-Gawata episode and the Basasa, we can gain a more nuanced understanding of the types of challenges that can arise from traditional leadership disputes, as well as the range of approaches that may be required to find sustainable solutions.
In addition, the ongoing legal battles and the conflicting court orders have called into question the sanctity of traditional leadership structures. If the Kano Emirship crisis is not resolved in a way that restores trust and legitimacy to the traditional rulership, it could set a precedent for the weakening of traditional authority across other parts of Nigeria.
Furthermore, the Kano Emirship tussle has highlighted the potential for traditional institutions to become embroiled in partisan political battles. The perceived alignment of the Kano Emir with opposition forces has led the state government to take steps to curb the Emir’s power or dethrone him. This could encourage other state governments to attempt to exert more control over traditional rulers, further eroding the integrity of these institutions.
