News
Detroned In A Day: Emir Sanusi Not First To Be Reinstated
By Sunday Isuwa
In the rich tapestry of Kano Emirate’s history, the dethronement and disposition of Sarkis (Emirs) have shaped the course of power and governance.
From the earliest recorded cases to the recent controversies, these instances have left an indelible mark on the socio-political landscape of Kano.
We delve into the annals of time to explore the historical accounts of dethronement in the Kano Emirate, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding each event and the lasting impact they have had on the emirate.
1. Guguwa Dan Gijimasu – The First Dethroned Sarki (1247-1290)
The annals of history reveal that Guguwa Dan Gijimasu was the first recorded Sarki to be dethroned in Kano. His reign, which spanned from 1247 to 1290, was marked by challenges and internal conflicts that ultimately led to his disposition.
2. Dakauta Dan Abdullahi Baja – A Short-Lived Reign (1452)
Dakauta Dan Abdullahi Baja’s tenure as Sarki was tragically short-lived, lasting only a single day. The circumstances surrounding his swift removal from power remain shrouded in mystery.
3. Sarki Atuma Dan Dakauta – The Seven-Day Rule (1452)
Succeeding his father, Dakauta, Sarki Atuma Dan Dakauta’s reign lasted a mere seven days in 1452. His abrupt removal from the throne further deepened the intrigue surrounding the dethronement of Kano Emirs.
4. Sarki Yakubu Dan Kisoke – A Tale of Reinstatement and Decline (1565)
Sarki Yakubu Dan Kisoke’s rule, which lasted for four months and twenty-nine days, was marred by controversy. Although initially dethroned in 1565, he was offered reinstatement. However, Yakubu Dan Kisoke declined the offer and chose to live in a place that would later be known as Yakufawa.
5. Dauda Abasama – Following in His Father’s Footsteps (1565)
Dauda Abasama, the son of Sarki Yakubu Dan Kisoke, faced a similar fate as his father. After ruling Kano for just 50 days, he was deposed and settled in the village of Kwarmashe.
6. Sarki Abubarkar Kado Dan Rumfa – The Pious Ruler (1565-1573)
Sarki Abubarkar Kado Dan Rumfa’s reign was marked by piety and devotion. However, his eight-and-a-half-year rule came to an abrupt end when he was dethroned in 1573.
7. Sarki Alhaji Dan Kutumbi – Settlement in Dan-Zaki (1648-1649)
Sarki Alhaji Dan Kutumbi’s reign was short-lived, lasting only from 1648 to 1649. After his dethronement, he settled in the village of Dan-Zaki in Gezawa.
8. Sarki Kukuna Dan Alhaji – A Roller Coaster Reign (1651-1652)
Sarki Kukuna Dan Alhaji’s rule was marked by highs and lows. Initially dethroned after a year, he was reinstated three months later. Kukuna Dan Alhaji went on to rule Kano for another eight years and seven months.
9. Sarki Soyaki Dan Shekarau – A Brief Stint (1652)
Sarki Soyaki Dan Shekarau’s reign lasted a mere three months before he was sacked in 1652. He subsequently resided in Dakurawa.
10. A Long Interlude and the British Intervention (1652-1903)
Following the dethronement in 1652, the Kano Emirate experienced a significant period of relief from removals, lasting for 250 years. However, in 1903, the British dethroned Sarkin Kano Alu, taking him to Yola and later Lokoja, where he died in the 1920s.
11. The Removal of Ag Sarki Waziri Allah (1909)
In 1909, Mr. Temple, the British residential officer in Kano, deposed Ag Sarki Waziri Allah, further highlighting the influence of colonial powers on the dethronement of Kano Emirs.
12. Sarkin Kano Sanusi I – Financial Misappropriation and Deposition (1953-1963)
Sarkin Kano Sanusi I faced a tumultuous reign that ultimately led to his deposition in 1963. Indicted for financial misappropriation by the Muffet Committee of Enquiry, Sanusi I was taken to Azare and later relocated to Wudil, where he passed away in 1991. His removal highlighted the challenges faced by Emirs in navigating the complexities of governance and accountability.
13. Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II – A Controversial Disposition (2020)
In a more recent and highly controversial event, Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II was deposed by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on March 9, 2020. The circumstances surrounding his removal were widely debated, with allegations of political motivations and clashes between traditional and political powers. Sanusi II was subsequently taken to Loko in Nasarawa state. He was taken to Lagos by friends, where he was living, moving around other states of Nigeria and abroad.
14. The Kano Emirate Council Law (Repeal Bill) of 2024
The Kano state house of assembly passed the Kano Emirate Council Law (repeal bill) 2024 on Thursday 23 May, 20214 which was signed by the state Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf (Abba Gida Gida) helping for a return of Emir Sanusi to the throne.
This also is having a significant implications for the emirate. The law abrogated the establishment of five new emirates in the state, and all offices established under the repealed law were set aside. This legislative action further shaped the power dynamics within the Kano Emirate.
15. Uncertain Future: Reinstatement or Permanent Exclusion?
The dethronement of Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II raises questions about his potential reinstatement and the course of his future.
Many thought he would follow in the footsteps of Sarki Yakubu Dan Kisoke and decline the offer of reinstatement. But he has taken steps like Sarki Kukuna Dan Alhaji, after being given a second chance to rule, he has accepted the letter of appointment from Governor Abba Kabir, despite an earlier court order restraining the action of the Governor.
The history of dethronement in the Kano Emirate is a testament to the ever-evolving dynamics of power and authority. From the earliest recorded cases to the recent controversies, each dethronement has left an indelible mark on the emirate’s history. The stories of Sarkis who faced removal and their subsequent lives in exile or settlement reflect the intricate interplay between tradition, politics, and colonial influence.
As the Kano Emirate moves forward, the legacy of dethroned Sarkis serves as a reminder of the challenges and responsibilities that come with leadership in a changing world.
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
A controversial list of political appointees purportedly originating from the Kaduna State Government has triggered outrage within Government House and among prominent politicians across the state’s 23 local government areas.
ELANZA NEWS gathered from credible government sources that the list, which has been widely circulated on social media, did not receive the knowledge or approval of Governor Uba Sani or any of the local council chairmen.
Insiders in the Kaduna State Government confirmed that the document did not emanate from any official or authorized channel.
The list, which includes names of alleged political appointees and their supposed sponsors—some of whom are well-known political figures—has raised serious concerns about internal sabotage and the deliberate spread of misinformation within the state’s political landscape.
“This list is not only fake; it was deliberately leaked to sow confusion, erode public trust, and discredit both the governor and the local council leadership,” a senior government official told ELANZA NEWS under the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the matter.
Further investigations revealed the document was allegedly compiled nearly two months ago by unidentified individuals believed to be working against the current administration. Some individuals named in the list reportedly made financial contributions under the impression that the appointments were genuine.
“This fraudulent act is more than just mischief. It is a calculated attempt to deceive the public into believing these appointments have been officially endorsed,” another government source said.
“The government is thoroughly investigating the origin of the document, and those responsible will be held accountable under the law,” the source added.
Political analysts warn that the incident could prompt a review of the state’s appointment and vetting procedures to prevent future exploitation by political intermediaries.
Governor Uba Sani, who took office in 2023, has consistently championed transparency, meritocracy, and due process in governance. Observers say this incident presents a significant test to the administration’s integrity and internal unity.
As of press time, the state government had not issued an official statement, although sources indicate that a formal response is expected soon to clarify the situation.
Efforts to reach the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Musa, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls from our correspondent.
It has been a full week of listening to Politricktians struggling to defend the indefensible. I have watched some struggle to present purely self-seeking and egocentric predilections and decisions as altruistic and popular. The usual lie told when politicians decamp from one Party to another was rife in the news-wave. It was repeated every so often they were confronted with ‘why did you decamp to a Party you had mocked and described as soulless and directionless?”. And the lies would come streaming with shameless Olympic stupidity and shenanigans unbridled.
If your reason for moving from the PDP to the APC is to connect Delta State to the Centre ditto to Abuja, who Abuja elp? How has the Partisan affinity or connection with Abuja helped Lagos State? How has it benefitted Benue State? How has it made life better for the people in Bornu State? And how has the lot of the people in Imo State improved? The States here in reference are APC States, and are badly messed up.
Since 1999 Lagos State has never had it so bad, Lagos State for instance fared better when it wasn’t in partisan sync with the centre. No sane person can compare Tinubu’s term as Governor of Lagos State with Sanwo-Olu’s, none can compare Fashola’s, or Ambode’s one term, albeit as opposition Governors with the most lethargic and uneventful watch that Lagos State has produced in the last 26 years Sanwo-Olu’s connect with Abuja notwithstanding. Lagos is presently experiencing it’s worst leadership deficit and lethargy in 26 years, but Sanwo-Olu is not the trust of this piece, so I will let him be, but I shall return to substantiate my position, if his spin-doctors provoke me.
To the States of Bornu, Benue and Imo, the vouched partisan affinity with Abuja is a curse more than a blessing. Bornu and Benue are theatres of unmitigated security challenges. I won’t mention Jos, Plateau so Partisans wouldn’t challenge me that Plateau State is PDP. However, in today’s Nigeria most of the States troubled silly with insecurity are APC States. Human barbecues are dished with reckless abandon by the Haramists and Herders, and Abuja has done little to help, it has been more words and little action. All the people see, read and know is the blood soaked and blood stained mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Party. The APC has failed them like it has failed most Nigerians, so the people who decamped from the PDP to the APC in Delta State should stop telling stupid lies of how a contrived partisan sync with Abuja will benefit Delta State, that na big lie. The truth is that that decision of theirs is absolutely self-seeking, egotistic and individualistic, it was a shenanigans shameless and utterly soulless.
Is Imo an example of a State benefitting from her partisan sync with Abuja? I beg make I laugh small. And to make matters worse they call Governor Hope Uzodinma the Chairman of the Unprogressive, oh sorry, Progressive Governor’s Forum. That means that Hope Uzodinma is the Chairman of the Forum of APC Governors. I beg ask Ndi’Imo how market? Now Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is an APC Governor, and I hear that Pastor Eno of Akwa Ibom is joining soon. If no be craze, how will a Governor wey dey try small go go join Party wey the Governor wey no dey try at all, go be im Chairman? What in today’s Nigeria is testament to the laudable rule of the APC? And why is the APC attractive to the defectors streaming into the Party? I am committed to telling all I know, and more in the sequel to this piece, yes Part 3 dey come.
I am committed to making sure that each of this series is short and reader friendly. However, I will not conclude this without calling out Nigerians to consistently interrogate Public Office Holders and Political Operators, we must understand that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom, and we must refuse to drink from the poisoned chalice of deceit, falsehood, and debauchery that self-serving Politricktians wield. And we must say no to their lies, half truths and mendacity.
Compatriots, those defending the egocentric and self-seeking defection of the Delta State Governor and his Team from the PDP to the APC are smart by half. And to those wondering whether we can effectively organize to stop the rudderless APC, the gail of defections notwithstanding, I bring great hope. Yes, there is enough time to perfect and pull through with the needed coalition to defeat the underperforming APC in 2027. Do not forget that Peter Obi didn’t have a State Governor when the Labour Party won the election in 2023. Tinubu didn’t win the majority of the total votes cast when INEC declared him winner, and having failed, as he continues to outperform Buhari in failure, the hail of defections will only deepen the Tinubu rejection.
Do not forget that Delta State was home to the Obidient Movement in 2023, and still is. Do not also forget that Okowa, Sheriff Oborevwori and the PDP machinery was roundly trounced and defeated by the Obidient Movement/Labour Party at the Presidential polls in Delta State in 2023, and that it took the Obidients rejecting Senator Ovie Omo-agege for Oborevwori to emerge Governor in 2023. May the Proud, the Arrogant and the Boastful use their tongue count their teeth, e no far again.
Delta State in 2027 offers a beautiful turf for the replay of the contest between the Peoples Power, and the Power of the men in power. Indeed, 2027 will be a Ballot Based People’s Revolution deeper and more effective than what happened in 2023. Take note that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC are consistently their own greatest undoing, not with Buhari’s colossal failure becoming Child’s play compared with Tinubu’s uneventful and Olympic failure.
Folks, we shall coalesce and unite to make Tinubu a One-Term President, that’s the least duty we owe Nigeria.
I shall return very soon with Part 3, but before then, please stay safe and protect yourselves, ‘no be me talk am, na one Oga DSS dem say na im talk am.’
God Bless Nigeria.
Prof Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr
Convener COUNTRYFIRST MOVT. A Good Governance Advocacy Group.
Call Mgbeke Comedian
North Central Women on Friday criticized Prof Mgbeke, dismissing her recent remarks about the representative of Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as mad imaginings, deception and fantasy.
They also described the remarks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) South-South Organizing Secretary, Mr. Blessing Agbomhere, as banal and irrelevant.
“It is amazing that male politicians in Nigeria are resorting to dishonest tactics to fight women.”
The women in a statement in Abuja criticized the leadership of the Senate for placing Nigeria in a dilemma.
“The six-month suspension is raised in almost all the news media in the world.’’
They urged the senate leadership to save Nigeria from ignominy.
Specifically, the women praised Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for not allowing anyone to make her an emotional client in the country.
They also applauded her for playing a major role in the national history of Nigeria.
The statement issued by the Chairperson of North Central Women Front (NCWF), Mrs. Mary Adamu emphasized Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unflagging commitment to improvement of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The women scolded the spokesperson of Executive Watch Dog, Mr. Fidelis Ella for advertising his ignorance.
The women of repute and experience branded Dr Sandra Duru (Mgbeke), Ella and Agbomhere parrots and bootlickers of anti-democratic forces.
“Unstable people can destroy anybody for a political appointment, contract and petty cash.”
The women further dismissed allegations of malicious agenda, dirty game of propaganda and destruction.
They described the plot to dismantle Yoruba Government, destabilize the national structure and halt the country from moving forward as a foolish talk.
“Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is guided by patriotic commitment.’’
The women urged sympathizers of the Senate President and a former ministerial nominee not to lead Nigeria to confusion.
The statement denounced intolerance, lies, perversion of truth and crazy ideas.