Crisis hits Kano emirates

AMID controversy over the creation of four additional emirates in Kano State, the District Head of Bebeji, Alhaji Haruna Sanusi, has resigned in solidarity with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi.

The district head, who held the title, Dan Galadiman Kano, has since forwarded his resignation letter, dated last  Friday to the Secretary  to the State Government. 

Advancing reasons for his action, he said that he was appointed to the office in 2014, but he could no longer continue to exercise the function of the office due to his failing health and the present changes in the Kano Emirate Council.

Daily Sun gathered that some other district heads, sympathetic to the old arrangement and Alhaji Sanusi, may also tender their resignation letters any moment from now.

Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, who had been abroad in the past few days, returned to Kano, Sunday evening through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. He was welcomed by an appreciable crowd of people who thronged out to receive him.

Meanwhile, the people of Wudil in  the state have appealed to the House of Assembly and the government of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to revisit the composition of the new emirates.

Alhaji Yawale Muhammad-Idris, their spokesman, during an interview stated that they would rather have a Wudil Emirate than be put under a Gaya Emirate

As an alternative, they canvassed to be returned to Kano Emirate Council, where they rightly belonged.

“If Wudil LGA will not have a 1st Class Emir, we prefer to remain under Kano Emirate” he stated.

He  stated  that during the Jihad of Shehu Usman Danfodio, Wudil was one of the five royal hubs that were presented with flags.

They argued that Wudil has a different historical background from Gaya even as he added that placing  them under Gaya Emirate in the new order is of no benefits to the people.

Meanwhile, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has presented staff of office to the four new emirs he appointed last week. This was despite a court order restraining him, which the governor said came after he had made the appointments.

In a statement yesterday by Kano  Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, the governor presented the instrument to Aminu Ado-Bayero, the eldest son of the late Emir of Kano, as the Emir of Bichi; the Emir of Karaye, Ibrahim Abubakar II; the Emir of Rano, Tafida Abubakar-Ila; and the Emir of Gaya, Ibrahim Abdulkadir. 

He congratulated the new traditional rulers on their upgrade and urged them to always abide with the dictates of their office.

“This Staff of Office represents dedication and commitment to serve your subjects in the areas of security, health care delivery system, education and environment among others. We, as a government, are always ready to work with you, hand in hand, for the growth and development of our state in particular and the nation in general,” Mr Ganduje said.

“You should place greater priority on education, health and the security of your domains. As a government, we will always respond positively to your people-oriented yearnings and aspirations.

“As leaders who are closer to your subjects, you should join hand with government and other security agencies to make sure that security is not only improved but maintained.

“Efforts towards strengthening community policing, as practised globally, should form part of your commitment. Ours is to ensure that global best practices are observed.”

He urged the traditional rulers to always consider “workable and viable synergy” with all the stakeholders in their domains, so as to make the state safer. “Security is on the shoulders of all of us. Government alone cannot tackle the issue of security. And traditional institution plays a vital role in this area.”

The emirs assured the governor of their support in his bid to develop the state and promised to give special consideration to all the areas he highlighted, for the overall development of the state.