Affirmation and Kano kingmakers’ quandary

On Monday, February 17, a Kano High Court presided over by Justice A. T. Badamasi put to rest the antipathy to the creation of four new Emirates in Kano when he struck out the suit filed by Kano kingmakers to challenge the Kano Emirate Council Law passed in 2019. Justice Badamasi ruled that the prayer […]

On Monday, February 17, a Kano High Court presided over by Justice A. T. Badamasi put to rest the antipathy to the creation of four new Emirates in Kano when he struck out the suit filed by Kano kingmakers to challenge the Kano Emirate Council Law passed in 2019.

Justice Badamasi ruled that the prayer in the Kingmakers’ suit has already been surpassed by events, since the very law they were seeking to reverse was quashed by another High Court in the state presided over by Justice U.M. Na’Abba. For this singular reason, there was no basis, however, to continue the case. And their suit was quashed, because in all intents and purposes, it would have been a grave injury to justice to have continued to regale a case which no longer exists in the face of law.

The creation of new Emirates in Kano should not be misconstrued as a move to ‘dismantle’ the Kano Emirate and its rich cultural heritage, rather, it is a well-articulated move to expand Kano cultural heritage and take development directly to the people.

To my understanding, Governor Ganduje has no personal grudges against the Emir of Kano, His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II. And to demonstrate this in all sincerity, the governor has graciously appointed the Emir of Kano as the chairman, Kano Council of Chiefs. I personally hold the revered Emir of Kano in high esteem. So, we expect him to assume his exalted position as the chairman of the Council. For the sake of the development of our great state, we expect Emir Sanusi to convene the meeting of Kano Council of Chiefs and use his wealth of experience to show leadership.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the four new First Class Emirs respect him and will always be ready to work with him. As a revered Royal Father, it is now for Emir Sanusi to show true reconciliation, abide strictly by the new law and allow peace and harmony to reign in Kano.

It will, however, amount to a venture of futility if the kingmakers and their legal team go ahead to approach any other court on this matter. This is so because to those who know the law, Kano State House of Assembly, is vested with the constitutional powers to make laws affecting every organ of the state, including the traditional institutions.

We cannot expect what was obtainable a thousand years ago to remain in vogue today. We must move on and be on the same page with the world of today.

Discernible minds will agree with me that already, the creation of the four new emirates has continued to yield positive results. For one thing, it has motivated the dissuasion of rural migration. Investors, both local and foreign, are moving into the new emirates, exploring the huge investment opportunities in those domains.

It is this kind of development that people of these areas have been yearning for years. In fact, the centralization of development programmes which make Kano a city, informed the creation of Jigawa out of old Kano state and by extension, creation and appointment of five new First Class Emirs. Development recorded in these Emirates is for everyone to see. That was why giving in to this popular demand of the people by the Ganduje administration is paving the way for the decentralization of development in the state.

So, instead of building empty castle in the sky, the kingmakers and others opposing the creation of the new Emirates should keep aside whatever personal grievances they are nursing over what has happened and contribute positively to the development of Kano State, because the four new Emirates in Kano have come to stay. These Emirates did not just emanate from Governor Ganduje. They have been in existence and what the governor did was to give them legal backing as desired by the people.

Governor Ganduje has nothing personal to gain in this exercise. What he has done is in line with his desire and ambition to take Kano to the Next Level. Where ever there is peace and harmony, development reigns. We should all forsake our individual differences and join hands with Governor Ganduje in his efforts to transform our dear state—Kano to a real Mega City.

 

Muhammad Garba is the Commissioner for Information, Kano State