[OPINION]: The New Emirates Saga: Governor Ganduje, Emir Muhammadu Sunusi II And The Rest Of Us, By Muhammad Isah Imam

I am from an Emirate that doesn’t have any problem with having too many Emirates even if all the Emirs are of the first class set. By inference, I’m not expected to be deeply bothered by Governor Ganduje’s latest move of creating more Emirates in the Kingdom of Kano and I may not necessarily see the dangers attributed to the move either on the kingdom or Kano people as anything more than an “exaggeration” to scare the gullible. One may argue that Kano is not Bauchi, but they are all having Emirate system of monarchy by which they are identified. And Bauchi is also not an insignificant case when it comes to the issue of “Daular Usmaniyya” being the sole recipient of four flags from “Shehu Uthman” and also the seat-holder of “Sarkin Yakin Sarkin Musulmi” and “Sarkin Yakin Daular Usmaniyya”. Although Emir Muhammad Sunusi had once tried to rid us of the glory, but this is not where to talk about that. It’s now between Kano Emirate under Emir Muhammad Sunusi and Governor Ganduje.

People have said a lot on the saga — words full of outrage, bitterness and varied judgement. And they are all valid depending on the people’s arguments, feelings and sentiments about the matter. I am not going to be any different from other people but I may have my own different view on the matter that may be controversial to the direction of the general views.

1. Governor Ganduje is not but a simple, foolhardy politician that decided to go by the antics of politics. He’s not stupid nor is he being surrounded by stupid people. He’s only a politician playing what is good at — a struggle for maintaining and consolidating power at all cost. His political proclivities are not outlandish at all. It’s what every politician will likely do. No politician cares for anything held “sacred” by people only if it doesn’t go against his political idiosyncrasies. And no politician will not battle with a “king” only if that King is not acting, directly or indirectly, against what the politician holds as an object of sacredness—power in particular.

2. Of course Governor Ganduje has made a direst attempt at history. And it deserves to drive him into a mud. But what he did is not a peculiar act. It’s just a matter of who did it, where, when and to whom. He might have been the last wrong person expected to do it. But to the surprise of all, he became the first. If it were Kwankwaso that behaved so nastily towards the old history, he might have been excused for having a noble intent at heart, no matter how apparent the political motive behind it because it seems that he has the public licence of picking fight with anyone, even religious leaders, talkless of a traditional leader, because he is a “man of the people”. It was the reason why Kwankwaso went free with all his crimes against the Kano Emirate under the late Emir Ado Bayero. But we would not see this side of the coin, because we too are not good judges.

3. The history of the Kano Emirate tradition of one first-class emir to which we are afraid to say a goodbye is just one of the many histories that were put to death in Kano and Northern Nigerian monarchial system. In fact, this one is just following suit. The whole system is now a mere name retained as a memory of the past. An Emir that is not as important as the local government chairman is not more than an image fixed for viewing — and manipulating. So, I don’t know why we are so exasperated over the reality we have accepted as a fact of life.

4. I can recall that when Emir Muhammadu Sunusi declared his intention to rebuild the palace of Kano Emirate, many people found it an “attack” on a monumental history of the palatial architecture and also an onslaught on a sacred tradition that reminds people of the work of their forefathers. But Muhammadu Sunusi II saw it otherwise. He is still hellbent on the interest that the palace must be “modernised” by establishing a new architecture in place of the old at least his name shall go down in history as the Reformer Emir of Kano. If the Emir Sunusi was right, the other people were not wrong too — Because they have to be worried about the traditional legacy of their forefathers.

5. I don’t intend to take my myself into some areas of our socio-cultural experiences that could trouble our cultural conscience that we claim to have, but I’m not seeing Emir Muhammad Sunusi any different from Ganduje on the issue of destroying our cultural heritage and traditional values. Anyone is aware of how Muhammadu Sunusi accommodates some projects that are very disastrous to the sustainability of our culture. Arewa24, whether the Emir Muhammadu Sunusi is among its pioneers or patrons or not, has been an example of how a foreign government has landed onto our land only to
make a “mockery” of our culture within our homes. Some people’s culture and their values are driven into our society with highest sophistication in operation. But Emir Muhammad Sunusi never saw it as a social problem deserving his bitterest outburst and public chastisement. Also, the Kannyhood is killing us daily with their entertaining movies and music that come with troubling language and image of the Hausapeople. But the Emir never saw it good to speak on them. He even saw them as the “ideal” agents of change we need to have in the society to satisfy the need of modernity. Censorship Board was established to regulate the literary products we consume especially with regard to “Adabin Kasuwar Kano” but the Emir once lamented on the effort despite the fact that the board was basically saddled with the responsibilty of protecting our cultural heritage and values. So, when one is destroying a section of a house in silence and one other person is helping him actively, there is no difference between them. So, the cultural heritage is under attack from the Emir Sunusi himself.

6. Again, and to put out a simple argument, I can say that “change” is a fact of life. It can happen anytime. In fact, it’s a principle of progressivism. And it’s what is currently happening to Kano Kingdom. It might be harsh, but it’s happening anyway. And Emir Sunusi Muhammad as a progressivist traditional ruler and a lot of us that advocate for social change — extending even to our traditional structures — must accept that change is true and it is sometimes going to happen against us. Because the change we clamour is not only conceptualised or interpreted by one set of people in “power”. There are many perspectives that could also have some contributions to make even if it may not be sound to other power bloc. For example, a traditional ruler may see change where a political ruler sees a destruction and vice versa.

7. Many people see Governor Ganduje committing a grave sin for splitting the Emirate into newer ones and also a dangrous attempt of politicization of the Emirate affairs. But this is not Ganduje’s work. Politics has always been at the center of Emirate affairs. The Emirs have always had their political friends, enemies and preferances. But they usually hide it. However, some of them do not. So, instead of maintaining a position of non-interference in political matters, some of the Emirs have gone far to endorse some politicians for people to vote. Therefore, our Emirs, Emir Muhammad Sunusi involved, are the ones that made a door for politicians to play with their sacred belonging.

8. We all know that there are boundaries which separate the areas of activities for both a political leader and tradional leader which if anyone of them trespasses can incur a severe repercussion onto one’s side. Emir Muhammad Sunusi has taken himself into politics. And for that, as he knows best, he will have to prepare for the politicians’ fury. Instead of looking at himself as a leader from whom all expect a blessing, Emir Muhammadu Sunusi tried to reward Kwankwaso very dearly for the most remarkable gift he has bestowed upon him of making him an Emir. Thus he stepped out of his traditional position into political arena involving friends and enemies and finally it’s catching up with him and the Emirate grandeur he so cherishes. Apart from trangression of one’s boundary, you can’t be a friend of one’s enemy — and even actively work for the success of the enemy against the other — and expect a graceful treatment from that one person. “A friend to my enemy is also my enemy,” as it goes saying.

9. And If Kaaba, as sacred as it is, will one day be demolished, I’m quite sure there is no historical monument, traditional establishement or even anything under the sun that will be spared, not even a tradition of one first class emir in Kano Kingdom.

If splitting the Kano Kingdom into new emirates means that a great history is at stake, then everything is at stake. And it is not the work of Emir Muhammadu Sunusi nor of Governor Ganduje. It’s the work of time.

I PRAY FOR LONG LIFE TO KANO KINGDOM.

Muhammad Isah Imam wrote in from Bauchi and can be reached via: Rabiuisah1000@gmail.com

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