By Ibrahim Zangina
A pronouncement by the Secretary to Kano State Government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, on 9th March 2020 signals the end of the road for Emir Sanusi’s monarchial reign as the 14th Emir of Kano. But an ancient saying asserts that ‘there is no smoke without fire’, thus many observers set forth to unravel the cause of the palpable tension between Kano’s traditional and democratic authority in recent time.
This particular event has since charged the social and political atmosphere across the length and breadth of Nigeria and beyond. Tongues are set wagging as the occurrence dominates discourses among compatriots online and offline. The rapt attention accorded to Sanusi’s dethronement is an indication that Sanusi’s influence transcends beyond the emirate of Kano.
Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II is somewhat an enigma to some, a gadfly to some, garrulous to some, ostentatious to some, an alarmist to some, a reformer to some, amiable to some, a hero to some, an inspiration to some and idolized by some.
Trust Nigerian political space where perception trumps intention. For alerting the nation that $20billion was missing in NNPC as a CBN Governor, Sanusi was dubbed an opposition figure by the then ruling PDP sympathizers. And in suing for peace and calling for fairness in the 2019 Kano state Gubernatorial election as an Emir, Sanusi is dubbed an opposition figure by the now ruling APC sympathizers. Too much castigation of a man who had expressed his aversion to participating in politics unequivocally.
From Sanusi’s antecedents as a nonconformist to servitude and subservience, several people picture him as a square peg in a round hole in the kingship of Kano. For Muhammadu Sanusi II, it’s better to damn the consequence and set the record straight, than to bootlick while the people and the nation sink deeper into the abyss.
At a time when there is evidently a dearth of courageous men from the North who will brace up and call for necessary adjustments culturally, educationally religiously, matrimonially, economically and politically, Sanusi stood out and his words reverberates across the length and breadth of the North, eliciting thunderous uproars, debates and reflections needed for an informed and better society.
Cynics easily dismiss Sanusi’s admonitions as monotonous while he harps on the need to have a rethink towards societal ills impeding Northern Nigeria’s progress, to these people, such ills do not warrant deliberation upon, but should be cherished as a source of pride, how vague a reasoning!
As one of the custodians of Northern heritage, Sanusi utilized his throne as a vantage point from where he seeks to awaken a people in deep slumber, oblivious of the dangers lurking in their domain. Not even the weight of traditional demands could muffle Sanusi’s voice, he utilized the throne to amplify his message in any gathering his presence and speech is sought after, a man of his pedigree is indispensable.
Perhaps his acquaintance with the connotation of figures and statistics as a trained economist makes him perturbed anytime these figures are indicating the movement of the North off cliff. He quote these figures in order to spur leaders and followers to do the needful so as to avert looming disasters – this may have irked the very people who ought to make necessary adjustments for the better.
It was providence that underlines his ascension and descend from the throne, as he reiterates in that legendary response to his fate, that only God gives and takes away power. Glad the court finally freed him from the folly and savagery of a supposed banishment that is further aimed at tormenting and gagging him. He sacrificed the pinnacle of his dreams for his conviction. For Sanusi, it is a new dawn, but then who will pick up the gauntlet?
Follow Ibrahim on Twitter @zhanghina
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Sky Daily
