Reflections on Kano’s 50th anniversary

When last month Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje rolled out a drum to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the creation of Kano State with the constitution of a 50-member high powered committee headed by his Deputy Professor Hafiz Abubakar, little was envisaged that the celebration would eventually turn out to be a huge success. It was […]

When last month Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje rolled out a drum to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the creation of Kano State with the constitution of a 50-member high powered committee headed by his Deputy Professor Hafiz Abubakar, little was envisaged that the celebration would eventually turn out to be a huge success. It was indeed an occasion of sober reflections on the great achievements and challenges of Kano since its creation 50 years ago.

The week-long celebration, which was flagged off with a media briefing at an international press conference by the deputy governor, was a line-up of events carefully selected to tell Kano’s real story, and of course, the journey from 1967 when the state was created till date. 

The state, as a political entity, came into being on April 1st, 1968; and after the state creation of 1991 when Jigawa was curved out of Kano, the state still remains intact as the most homogenous single political entity in the federation.  

Kano has a long history dating back to well over 1,000 years. The state, which has an area of approximately 20,760 square kilometers, consisting of 1,754,200 hectares agricultural land and 92,250.81 hectares forest vegetation and grazing land thereby making it agrarian, has a population of about 9,383,682 according to 2006 census. The fast growing population is predominantly made up of Hausa and Fulani speaking peoples.

Also, it is rich in solid minerals which exist in abundance in the crystalline basement, a complex rock formation underlying the southern parts of the state. And in the manufacturing sector, there are over 300 large and medium industrial enterprises in the state, mostly located in Bompai, Sharada and Challawa, besides numerous small-scale businesses scattered all over the state. 

The documentary show entitled ‘Kano @ 50: The Journey So far’, which was aired on ARTV, NTA Network and other local radio stations, was quite interesting. It was an account of successive regimes in the state [both military and civilian] from the time of Commissioner of Police Alhaji Audu Bako, the pioneer military governor of the state who was widely regarded as the architect of modern Kano, to the present civilian administration under Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Also, there was a novelty football match at the Sani Abacha Stadium between the executives and members of the Kano State House of Assembly in addition to mobile film shows in various towns and tertiary institutions as well as media discussions in broadcast stations. The cultural exhibition of arts and crafts staged to showcase Kano’s rich cultural endowment as well as the anniversary conferences held at Kano Coronation Hall and Northwest University were remarkable.

It was a moment whereby the present administration fully explored all the possibilities to lay a solid foundation for glorious and prosperous years ahead. It was in this connection the anniversary committee organized Kano Economic and Investment Summit christened ‘Transforming the Economy of Kano State: Turning Challenges into Opportunities’ where key stakeholders made a wide range of presentations on how to unlock the key to economic opportunities in the state.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the present administration had in the last two years committed a lot of resources to infrastructure development for which at this auspicious period a guided tour of projects sites in various locations across the state was organized, including unveiling of Kano Golden Jubilee monument at Lodge Road roundabout, investiture and book presentation, durbar and special lunch. There were special prayers to seek Allah’s blessings with Quranic recitation in all Friday mosques across the state. 

Highpoint of the week-long celebration was the presentation of Kano State Golden Jubilee Merit Awards to 82 illustrious sons and daughters of the state for their tremendous contributions to the growth and development of the state. The honour list was in six categories with the Babban Gwarzon Kano (BGKN) as the highest; and it was bestowed on any citizen of the state who excelled in public service. Twenty-three persons bagged this prestigious award, among them two former heads of state General Murtala Ramat Muhammad and General Sani Abacha for their tremendous contributions to growth and development of the state. Other awardees included two late Emirs of Kano Alhaji Sir Muhammadu Sanusi and Alhaji Ado Bayero as well as the present Emir, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II. 

Malam Aminu Kano also made the list. Others were all past governors and the present governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. 

Babban Hadimin Kano is the second highest award bestowed on any indigene of the state who excelled in a particular field of human endeavour and contributed significantly to the development of the state, the nation and humanity in general. Nine personalities clinched this honour; and they included First Republic’s Minister of Defence Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa, Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, Kano business mogul Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata and President of Dangote Organization Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

They also included former Speaker House of Representatives Alhaji Ghali Umar Na’abba, former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, Leader of Tijjaniyya Movement for West Africa Khalifah Shaykh Isyaku Rabiu, former Vice Chancellor of Usmanu Danfodio University Professor Shehu Galadanci and Chairman of BUA Group Alhaji Abdussamad Rabiu.

There was Gwarzon Kano award bestowed on the citizens of the state who meritoriously served at the state or at the federal level and contributed to the development of the state and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A total of 10 personalities made the list of this honour. Some of these personalities included Kano’s pioneer Commissioner of Education and District Head of Dambatta Sarkin Ban Kano Alhaji Mukhtar Adnan, former Special Adviser on Assembly Liaison to the Second Republic President Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, former Secretary to Kano State Government Alhaji Ado Gwaram, former Commissioner of Agriculture Alhaji Inuwa Dutse, and former Minister for Local Governments Affairs in the defunct Northern Regional Government Alhaji Sule Gaya.

The remaining three categories of the honours award were Hadimin Kano, Alherin Kano and Aminin Kano; and they were given to the indigenes and non-indigenes of the state that contributed to Kano’s socio-economic and political development. Notable among the non-indigenes were Imo State governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Chairman of Lee Group of Companies Mr. Man Loong Lee, and Chairman of Tahir Guest Palace Tahir Fadallah.    

The celebration came to a close by a special broadcast by Governor Ganduje to people of the state, special iftar, and wrap-up session. Governor Ganduje expressed satisfaction that the state had by Allah’s divine providence continued to maintain its mark as a leading commercial hub with a cherished culture of tolerance and accommodation. 

Umar rites from Faculty of Socail Sceinces, ABU, Zaria