Likely successor of deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi, emerges

Following the dethronement of Emir Mohammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano by the Kano State Government on Monday, one of the sons of former Emir of Kano, Late Ado Bayero, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero is set to emerge as the new Emir.

According to sources inside Kano state government, Ado Bayero is most favoured by the state government to succeed to the exalted throne.

It would be recalled that Emir Bayero was among the Emirs appointed by the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to head the four new emirates carved out of Kano Emirate.

The splitting of the Kano Emirate was believed to have been one of the ways of humiliating and reducing the powers of Sanusi, who was not in good terms with the Kano State Governor.

They were the Emir of Rano, Alhaji Tafida Abubakar Il; Emir of Gaya, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir Gaya; Emir of Karaye, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar II and Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.

Speaking shortly after his appointment as Emir of Bichi, Bayero, a Mass Communication graduate of Bayero University, Kano, had narrated how he was first appointed as district head in 1990 by his late father, saying he had always considered occupying any position of power as the will of the Almighty God.

The emir said: “Let me say that it is God that gives power and position and in His infinite and supremacy, He bestows such power and position to whom He so desires. Let me cite this example; I was appointed a district head and Dan Maje Kano in 1990 by my late father. From Dan Maje, I was promoted to Dan Buran Kano. From Dan Buran, I was elevated to Turakin Kano and later moved to another higher post as Sarkin Dawakin Sakarin Gida Kano.

That is the traditional title I was holding when my father passed on. When the new emir came, perhaps on his own assessment and volition, he promoted me to Wambe Kano, a senior counsellor in Kano emirate.

“Now, let me tell you this secret. Right from day one when I was appointed a traditional ruler till this period of my appointment as Emir of Bichi, I have never, and let me repeat, I have never gone to any person to look or seek for position and you can do your investigation. I have never gone to anybody to say, ‘please give me this title’. I don’t ask for positions; I believe anything that comes my way is from God.”

Bayero explained: “A lot has happened over times and years. We have had creations, re-creations and several reformations and this is not peculiar to Kano and even Nigeria as a country. I can say that it is this process of evolution that brought about the formation of the four new emirate councils by the government.

“As a proud member of the royal family, it was never my intention to see the Kano emirate council divided into sub-emirates. It was never my wish. But we have to take so many things into consideration especially the fact that time changes a lot of things.

“As I said in another forum, Kano native authority was used during the colonial era to govern and administer power then. Later it was converted to emirate up till independence in 1960 and in 1963, my father, Alhaji Dr. Ado Bayero became the emir of Kano. He ruled for over 50 years and I’m sure you all know that as at that time, the native authority system was in control of all the law enforcement agencies – the police, customs, immigration and others. But later, things changed and the control of all these agencies returned to the government.

“You will agree with me that from 1960 till this moment, a lot of things have changed with time. As I said earlier, I didn’t wish anything to divide the Kano emirate but time has brought about change and new developments, which we all need to accept in good faith. We pray that the new development will be to the betterment of the people of Kano and the society in general. And my ultimate prayers are for peace to reign in Kano.”