Fresh controversy over Sallah Durbar in Kano

Preparations for the forthcoming Sallah Durbar in Kano have once again exposed the deepening cracks in the emirship tussle, as two government appointees and the two contending emirs issued conflicting positions on who will preside over the centuries-old festival. The Special Adviser to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Emirates and Chieftaincy Affairs, Professor Tijjani Muhammad […]

Preparations for the forthcoming Sallah Durbar in Kano have once again exposed the deepening cracks in the emirship tussle, as two government appointees and the two contending emirs issued conflicting positions on who will preside over the centuries-old festival.

The Special Adviser to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Emirates and Chieftaincy Affairs, Professor Tijjani Muhammad Naniya, on Monday confirmed that Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II would lead the Durbar, describing him as the “legitimate Emir of Kano.”

But in a swift reaction, the Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, dismissed the claim, insisting that the matter remains before the courts and warning against “unauthorised directives capable of misleading the public.”

Meanwhile, the 15th emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, has already written to the police, notifying them of his intention to host the Durbar from his Nassarawa mini-palace.

His loyalists said preparations are in top gear, raising fears of parallel celebrations in the city.

The 16th Emir, who rules from Gidan Rumfa’s main palace, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has yet to announce plans for the preparations.

 

Same pattern for two years

The current tussle dates back to 2019 when then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje split the Kano Emirate into five, reducing the influence of Emir Sanusi II.

In 2020, Sanusi was dethroned and banished, paving the way for the appointment of Aminu Ado Bayero.

However, in 2024, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf repealed the law that created the additional emirates and reinstated Sanusi II as Emir of Kano.

Bayero, who was out of the state at the time, returned and has since continued to lay claim to the throne, operating from the Nassarawa mini-palace.

The development has led to parallel activities, including prayers, public appearances, and now preparations for the Durbar. Each side insists on legitimacy, while the courts are yet to deliver a final ruling.

Observers note that the Durbar, a cultural highlight of Eid festivities in Kano, has increasingly become a stage for showcasing the rivalry between the two emirs.

In 2024 Eid, both emirs held separate prayers and processions, while in 2025 Eid, security agencies intervened to prevent clashes, but parallel events still took place.

With both camps already announcing preparations for the forthcoming 2026 Sallah durbar, residents fear another round of divided celebrations unless the courts or government step in decisively.

The state government maintains that only the judiciary can settle the matter, while both emirs continue to assert their authority.

 

Sanusi camp: We await government’s position

Meanwhile, the Kano Emirate Council Secretary (Gidan Rumfa) and Danmakwayon Kano, Alhaji Abba Yusuf, has dismissed all social media rumours and asked people to await their stand from the official government statement.

He, however, said that “everything is in order”, implying optimism that their faction will eventually be favoured.

“But for now, I want people to discard all rumours going round, especially on social media and await the official government stand through either the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs or the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

 

Durbar plans pending police clearance — Bayero’s faction

The factional Kano Emirate, headed by the 15th Emir, Aminu Bayero, said it is only awaiting clearance from the police to proceed with the Eid Durbar.

The palace stated that it is ready to conduct the Eid-el-Fitr (Sallah) Durbar once it receives approval from security authorities.

This was disclosed by Alhaji Isah Pilot, a key figure in the emirate and principal secretary to the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, during an interview with an online platform, Arewa Updates.

Pilot is the son of the 11th Emir of Kano, Sir Muhammadu Sanusi, making him an uncle to the 16th Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II.

Speaking further, he said the emirate is simply waiting for police approval; once granted, the Durbar will hold, but if authorities advise otherwise, they will comply.

He stressed that they are law-abiding and guided by court rulings, maintaining that the Nassarawa palace is not rebellious.

According to him, they suspended the Durbar last year in the interest of peace, but another faction went ahead against advice from authorities, leading to unrest, an action he said showed a lack of commitment to peace.

He added that if authorities order a suspension and any group defies it, resulting in unrest, such individuals should be held accountable.

On preparations, he said residents across areas expected to be part of the Durbar routes have shown enthusiasm and support, expressing excitement over the anticipated outing of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero.

 

‘Governor’s defection to APC complicates situation’

Before Governor Yusuf’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in February, his supporters—and, by extension, those of the Kwankwasiyya movement—were aligned with Emir Sanusi and recognised him as the legitimate emir.

On the other hand, members of the APC in the state, along with some federal government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), recognised Bayero as emir.

However, with the current political realignment, the situation has become even more complex, as supporters of both contenders to the stool now belong to the same political party.

Although the state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Waiya, has hinted that the defection may help resolve the matter, noting that the two parties are now “friends,” the situation remains uncertain.

He also suggested that one of the contenders might eventually withdraw, leaving the other to occupy the stool.

Efforts to obtain further clarification from the commissioner were unsuccessful, as calls made to his phone were neither answered nor returned as of press time.