By Ibrahim Ado-Kurawa
So much has been said and written on the relationship between the two
leaders that became sour in 2017 before the recent escalation in
Ramadan of 2019. The intervention of national leaders brought a truce.
However the beneficiaries of the crisis who are the fifth columnists
did not relent in their efforts even this week. The Nation newspaper
carried a story that Emir Sanusi has sacked his aide for welcoming
Ganduje. The story has been kept alive in the social media and even
further with additional coverage by the foreign media this is because
the fifth columnists want to maintain their positions. They are in two
categories those close to the Governor who have written and spoken
that there was no reconciliation between the Governor and the Emir.
Some of them have even vowed that they will never allow any peace
between the two leaders, hence the escalation of this story in the
media.
The second category, are those in the Emir’s Palace. Most of them have
moved to Bichi but they still have sympathizers who are still in the
palace. They are more diabolical because of their hatred for the Emir
as a result of envy and they don’t even care that they are destroying
the Dabo heritage. These collaborators are not happy that both the
Governor and the Emir are no more concerned about any differences. The
Governor visited the Emir in Abuja and the Emir was at the Government
House recently. All these are signs of peace for the benefit of Kano
but these fifth columnists have vowed never to allow peace. In fact
one of them made such an evil declaration in my presence.
Anyone remotely connected to the Emir’s Palace knows that the person
allegedly sacked is so inconsequential in the traditional and
bureaucratic hierarchies. He is the Maja Sirdi a slave titleholder
in-charge of the saddles and not even the horses used by the Emir. In
the traditional hierarchy he is under Shamaki who turbans and
disciplines him. The Emir does not even appoint him. So how can he
even sack him? But now he has wide coverage making spurious claims and
statements. Apparently he is being used because those supporting this
evil action cannot come out and speak ill of the Emir. In fact I even
overheard one of them who is a representative of one of the District
Heads saying they will only expose the Emir and that they will not
harm the legacy of his predecessor. They think by destroying Emir
Sanusi they are promoting his relatives who contested the Emirship
along with him.
As for those in the APC Kano State Government some of them are not
happy that the crisis is ending. The Governor and Emir have met twice
since their first meeting in Abuja and have continued with their
normal cordial relationship. The Emir is currently leading the State
Delegation to Shandong City in Peoples Republic of China. He is
leading the Delegation because the Chinese Government has extended
invitation to him to attend their cultural exchange program every
year. But after his first visit the Emir said, he cannot be tourist
therefore he informed the Chinese authorities that he wants
economically beneficially trips annually. He wants investment for Kano
in his capacity as the Chairman of the State’s Economic Advisory
Committee. As a man of knowledge the Emir does not do things
unprepared hence he made the African Development Bank (AfDB) to
finance the study on the industrialization of Kano. The Bank
commissioned McKensy an international consulting firm and the study
was conducted successfully. And it was presented to the Governor who
was also very happy. The Emir is aware that it takes much time and
persistence for the investors from China to make investment in the
leather industry as they did in Ethiopia hence he remained consistent
in his pursuit investments. This is his major target because he is
involved in the multi-billion electric power investment in Ethiopia
therefore he is aware of the Chinese investments in that country.
While the Emir is still on an economic mission for the State along
with the Deputy Governor and other members of the State Economic
Advisory Committee some members of the National Assembly visited the
Governor in Abuja according to a widely circulated social media clip.
One of them stood up and spoke disrespectfully to the Governor because
he lacked the Islamic decorum. This is because he said the Governor is
too patient and that the time for patience is over. No educated and
morally upright Muslim will do this. Patience is a virtue. Only an
ignorant person will consider it, a vice or weakness. In fact our
beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon) said it is strength.
Allah has called on the believers to be patient but here is an
ignorant member of the National Assembly calling on the Governor to
abandon patience and embrace the path of hate. This same member of the
National Assembly made a speech at a rally calling for violence
against opponents.
In the widely circulated video clip this member of the National
Assembly said the Governor’s patience is enough and that the Governor
has strong loyalists who were present including him and the State APC
Chairman who is also from the royalty. He referred to the alleged
sacking of the palace sub-staff for welcoming the Governor and that it
should not be tolerated. He insinuated that the Emir is nothing and
that the Governor should deal with him. This is the point of
attention. It is very dangerous. They have tried everything possible
to get at the Emir. It is even circulated that the Governor has vowed
to remove the Emir immediately after the declaration of his victory by
the tribunal and let heavens fall.
Something is definitely wrong in Kano. Why is it that some people want
to remove the Emir by all means? How can the issue of a sub-staff in
the Palace be of importance at a meeting of some of the most important
Government and party functionaries? Suddenly the sub-staff released
another video making all manner of allegations and abuses. A senior
member of the National Assembly rising up, to call on Governor to do
something because someone is alleged, to have been sacked by the Emir.
The same person allegedly sacked then goes on air abusing the Emir
after the release of the video clip of the member of the National
Assembly instigating the Governor. Within this period a national
officer of a national guild was also invited by one of the law
enforcement agencies and one of his crimes is that he is supporting
the Emir who is being “rude” to the Governor as they alleged.
What kind of a society is this? Here is a ranking member of the
National Assembly calling on the Governor to cease being patient and
allow them to deal with anyone especially the Emir. Does it mean they
have nothing to discuss, despite the myriad of problems? The Governor
and the Emir recently launched school materials for the free education
program. Isn’t this program important enough for discussion? Kano
State has over four million pupils in public primary and junior
secondary schools learning almost nothing. This has led many donor
agencies to declare Kano State as one of the worst places on the
planet. Isn’t this pervasive lack of quality education for children
more important issue than the sacking of the Emir who has gone on a
trip soliciting for investments for the state? Some many investors
have rejected Kano because of our crude politics aired in local radio
stations that portray a deeply divided and confused society steered by
charlatans like this member of the National Assembly.
What kind of politicians do people of Kano State have? They have
nothing to tell the Governor only to sit up and sack the Emir. How can
this kind of people be of any use to the Governor and the State? What
kind of legacy does the Governor want to bequeath? This same member of
the National Assembly used to carry the shoes of former Governor Rabiu
Musa Kwankwaso and he became one of the few politicians who challenged
the former Governor to come out for violent confrontation. What
Governor Ganduje needs to do is to follow injunctions of Allah and his
Prophet (SAW) who called on the believers to be patient and merciful
to fellow human beings not what these charlatans are telling him.
Both Governor Ganduje and Emir Sanusi must discard all those calling
for enmity and not peace and magnanimity. Governor Ganduje needs
support to govern properly and steer the State to progress ensuring a
right legacy. The next three years are very important to him. It is
time for reflection on what happened to his predecessors who listened
to this kind of charlatans. Emir Sanusi is useful to the world not
only Kano that is why the United Nations appointed him an Advocate of
the Sustainable Development Goals along with a President of Ghana,
Prime Minister of Norway and Her Majesty the Queen of Belgium. No
Nigerian has ever been so honored in recent times. Every Nigerian is
proud of him including President Muhammadu Buhari who was at the
United Nations General Assembly and at the launching of Sustainable
Development Goals of which Emir Sanusi is the only Nigerian in the
team of the Eminent Advocates. And here in Kano a charlatan is calling
on the Governor to destroy a global personality what a shame!
