• Return of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
It is really true that history repeats itself. The present heated tussle in the ancient city of Kano over the traditional stool is similar to the fierce battle that greeted the ascension of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano a decade ago.
On Friday night, just like it was in his first coming, Sanusi was escorted to the palace under the clock of the night and in haste. There was no time for delay as Aminu Ado Bayero was already air bound, on his way to reclaim the vacant palace. Bayero was not alone as he was escorted to Kano by a regime of security personnel, who was instructed to take him back to the palace.
That night, Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf, his deputy, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo and some top members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), all moved to the Emir’s Palace to provide a first line cover for Sanusi and to ensure he was not evicted from the palace. Later in the day, they were complimented by local hunters who surrounded the palace.
In the end, Bayero and his security entourage rather moved to the palace annex, State Road in the Nassarawa area of the metropolis and waited for dawn.
Kano woke up to embrace a tensed affair. There was fear in the air. Many residents rescheduled their programmes for the day to play safe. The uncertainty also created a noticeably panic especially as regular security agencies came out to publicly declare their stance to respect the court order, which barred them from operationalising the reinstatement of Sanusi.
Sanusi, his politics
The ascension of Sanusi to the throne, 10 years ago was nothing but politics in traditional attire. His reign and eventual deposition were also lined with intrigues and politics. With his failed NNPC whistle blowing venture, and a probe by Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the death of Emir Ado Bayero could not have come at a better time for him.
The vacant ancient throne became not just his age-long fantasy but, his immediate sanctuary from the angst of the administration he lowered its esteem. True to expectations, as soon as he was crowned, all the activities probing his days at the CBN were swept under the carpet. But what remained was his politics; leftist, vocal and undulating despite the conservative nature of the stool of the Emir of Kano.
His politics had initially favoured President Muhammadu Buhari a fellow Fulani. But soon after, he became the greatest critic of the administration.
At the state level, Sanusi became emir with assistance from the opposition members of the APC with the then Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as the lead actor. In return he was loyal to Kwankwaso. After Kwankwaso exited in 2014, he remained loyal to him. And that brought him at a cross with former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, the man who succeeded Kwankwaso.
Sanusi, in years after, was accused of taking side with Kwankwaso against Ganduje. This came to a height during the 2019 governorship elections. After the elections, it was obvious that Sanusi had crossed the red line. For the Ganduje crowd, it was time to pay him back. They believed he worked against them in that elections and therefore must go. In a matter of months, he was deposed.
Protests, demonstrations
Expectedly, there have been few demonstrations in the dissolved emirate councils since Friday’s return of Bayero. Specifically, there were demonstrations in Kano, Gaya and Rano emirates.
On Sunday evening, protest broke out along State Road near the Government House. The protesters assembled, prayed and renounced the abrogation of the old Kano Emirate Law, calling for the restoration of Bayero and the five emirates.
Commissioner of Police, Mohammadu Gumel, said: “It was not really a protest but a prayer assembly. Some miscreants only took advantage of the prayers to set few tyres on fire.”
Similar protest broke out in Gaya and Rano. Residents of Rano staged a peaceful protest to demand for the immediate restoration of the dissolved emirate councils. The protesters observed two raka’at in congregational prayers at the Emir’s Palace.
They government and members of the State House of Assembly of undertaking an unpopular policy by dissolving the emirates. They went round the town holding placards, insisting the dissolution of the emirate would reverse development recorded.
To avert further protests, Sanusi Bature said: “Governor Yusuf has imposed stringent restrictions on all public gatherings intended for protest within the state, exercising the authority vested in him as the chief security officer of the state.
“The governor has directed police, Directorate of State Security Services, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to apprehend, detain, and prosecute any individual or group partaking in demonstrations on the streets of Kano.
“This decisive action is a pre-emptive strategy aimed at averting any potential breakdown of law and order orchestrated by adversaries of the state.
“We are privy to credible intelligence indicating that certain prominent figures from the opposition party in Kano have devised plans to sponsor student associations and political agitators from other North Western states to incite chaos under the guise of advocating for the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.
“Through this declaration, we caution student groups against being manipulated by troublemakers who are resolute in fomenting disorder in Kano.”
The governor urged citizens to carry on with their normal activities, “as the state retains its tranquillity. Government will persist in vigilance oversight of the situation to promptly address any individuals or factions trying to undermine the relative peace that state presently enjoys.”
Conflicting court orders
Roughly all the protagonists in the dispute have been barred from further action by the courts. In a rain of conflicting orders, the police, the army, the governor, the assembly, Bayero and Sanusi and others were held from further actions.
The first order was issued by Justice Liman of the Federal High Court restraining the governor from reinstating Sanusi. The order was sequel to a case of right application instituted by Aminu Babba Dan Agundi who holds the title of Sarkin Dawaki Babba
That order directed parties in the case to maintain status quo ante on the passage and assent of the bill pending the hearing of the fundamental rights applications.
It barred police, DSS and NSCDC from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalising the Kano State Emirate Law and adjourned to June 3, 2024, for hearing.
The governor ignored the order. He observed that he was not served and that the action of assenting to the bill and reinstating Sanusi were concluded before order.
In a dramatic twist, by Monday, the Kano High Court presided over by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, restrained Bayero and all the four other monarchs; Nasiru Ado Bayero, Ibrahim Abubakar, Kabiru Mohammed Inuwa and Ibrahim Gaya, Emirs of Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye, from parading themselves as emirs.
In a case filed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly and two others against the five emirs, the court ordered the police commissioner to immediately take over the palace annex situated on State Road, Kano and evict Bayero from the said palace. The case was adjourned to June 11, 2024, for hearing.
By Tuesday, Federal High Court in Kano equally ordered the eviction of Sanusi from the Emir’s Palace at Kofar Kudu, Kano. Justice S A Amobede specifically directed the eviction of anything and anybody residing illegally within the Emir’s Palace pending the hearing and determination of the originating summon.
The suit was filed by Bayero against the Attorney General of the Federation, Attorney General, Kano State, Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police and six others.
The court barred the respondents either by themselves, their agents, privies and any persons in authority from inviting, detaining, threatening, intimidating arresting or harassing, tampering with or visiting the applicant in order to arrest or infringe on his rights.
The court held the third, fourth and fifth respondents from denying Bayero the use of his official residence and palace at the Emir’s Palace, as well as the enjoyment of all rights and privileges accrued to him by virtue of being the Emir of Kano.
The court noted that it was mindful of the order made by Justice Liman on May 23, 2024, insisting that its order was made in the interest of justice and the maintenance of peace in the state. It also ordered an expeditious hearing of the suit and adjourned to June 4, 2024, for hearing.
The last court case emerged on Tuesday from the same Justice Aliyu of Kano High Court, who restrained the Inspector General of Police, the State Security Service (SSS), and the Nigerian military from evicting Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from the Emir’s Palace.
The case was initiated by Sanusi alongside the four traditional kingmakers of Kano namely Madakin Kano Yusuf Nabahani; Makaman Kano Ibrahim Sarki Abdullahi; Sarkin Bai Mansur Adnan and Sarkin Dawaki Maituta Bello Tuta. Justice Aliyu also barred the security agencies from arresting or harassing Sanusi and his kingmakers.
The court held them from attempting to hijack, pick, commandeer or confiscate any of the twin spear of authority, the hat of Dabo, the ostrich featured shoes, the knife and sword of the Emir of Kano as well as symbols of authority pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice.
It restrained them from interfering with the functions and duties of Sanusi as Emir of Kano and adjourned till June 13, 2024, for hearing.
Government fights for survival
One of the negative consequences of the current tussle is that Kano has never been this divided and fractionalised. Students, teachers, women groups, tri-cyclists, journalists, lawyers, traders, modernists and traditionalists, including the non-indigenes, resident in the state have either pitched their tents in favour or Sanusi or Bayero.
At the Kofar Kudu Palace where Sanusi is resident, it could be mistaken as the headquarters of the NNPP after the governor had led his top officials to provide cover for Sanusi.
It is also assumed that most of the people supporting the reversal of the old law were Bayero’s sympathizers or linked to the other four emirs. They are also mostly of the stock of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The dispute has equally divided a number of top retired military officers and leading traditional rulers in the North. Many of them are silently opposed to Sanusi’s return and might be behind the sudden revitalisation of the Bayero’s fight back and the daring of the state government.
A troubled government
Months ago, when the NNPP national leader and former governor, Kwankwaso, boasted that the new government would certainly revisit the Emirate Council Law, many assumed that the exercise would be a walkover. They had reasoned that after all it happened before and there was little or no resistance to the powers of the sitting governor.
But with what is happening today, it is clear that sacking an emir is not an easy task. The last five days or more has been hell for all the protagonists in the struggle for the throne. And even the government is looking weary.
Despite being the chief security officer of the state, the police and the joint security operatives in the state refused to operationalise the new Kano Emirate Council Law signed by the governor.
Equally, these officers refused to take instructions to evict Bayero from his palace and had made it clear that they would stand by the court order restraining them.
On Friday night, it took the personal protection of the governor for Sanusi to take effective possession of the Kofar Kudu palace. The governor had to escort him home at about 1.00 am after they got wind that Bayero was on his way to reclaim his palace.
Gumel, the police commissioner, repeatedly warned against any planned protest, insisting: “Police have the capacity to deal with anybody who decides to take laws into his hands.”
So far, the state has been calm. But even if the state survives the present threat of chaos and violence, will it survive the consequences of the present crisis? Will the respected Kano emir’s throne ever return to its former glory?
