...Written by Tijjani Muhammad Musa
With this very much loved emir gone, what came up next was finding someone who would immediately fill in the vacuum he left behind. So the race began without much ado between those who were qualified to be his replacement as the new ruler of a people famed for their religious affinity and upholding their traditional values. About 30 persons were said to be eligible to become the new king and the traditional Kano king makers, who are 4 in number in the persons of Sarkin Dawaki Maituta, Alhaji Bello Abubakar; Alhaji Yusuf Nabahani Cigari Ibrahim, Madakin Kano; Alhaji Abdullahi Sarki Ibrahim Makaman Kano and the Sarkin Bai, Alhaji Mukhtari Adnan considered all and seiving through the lot ended up with five (5) candidates.
These 5 most eligible persons according to the king makers were Alhaji Sunusi Ado Bayero, Chiroman Kano (the late Emir's first son and District Head of Gwale); Alh Tijjani Hashim, the Galadiman Kano; Sunusi Lamido Sunusi, Dan Majen Kano and former CBN Governor and two other princes, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero (District Head of Dala) and Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero (District Head of Tarauni). It was alleged that the other contending sons of the late emir willingly withdrew their rights to the prestigious Kano throne and pooled their support for one of them.
The king makers having finalized their assignment, made a submission to the Governor of Kano State, whose duty it was according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to pick the most qualified person to become the new traditional and spiritual leader of the state. Everything went on according to plan, with Kano indigenes at home and abroad, as well as well wishers of Kano busying themselves with speculations, assumptions, on the street discussions and expert analysis about who will become the new king of the most populous state in Nigeria. Each candidate's supporters were celebrating the stallion qualities of their favorite choice and prayed he emerge as the winner.
Sadly, while making their submission, the Kano king makers failed to do one very important thing. This oversight on their part, as far as this writer is concerned was the first thing that initiated the ascension crisis that would follow and throw the already traumatized emirate council and the people of the state into an unfortunate situation. They forgot that in the last 50 years, the making of a king was not experienced in the emirate of Kano. And though history had it on record that at the time of the late emir's enthronement riots broke out in protest, this possible re-occurrence was not anticipated. Clearly, lessons from history were taken for granted.
Another very important contribution to the developing fracas was the fact that half a century ago, news dissemination was at its rudimentary level compared to the internet age we are in now. So, most of the information that got to people then took time to travel and by the time it got to its various destinations, little or no change would have happened to the original story. On the contrary, social media via the internet is now the fastest channel of spreading information across the world, whether such news is true or not.
Unconfirmed and unauthenticated information often pave the way for most of the things we now know, before the actual stuffs arrive at our reading or listening senses. Breaking news often come to us now through the internet, via social media. Some get verified and confirmed, but many do not and they pass on as thrashed data in our minds. Often superceeded by the very latest trending developments. This new media played a very vital role in providing a platform for many of the candidates' supporters to sing songs of their preferred successors to the late monarch,by their writing status updates, putting up their pictures, biographies etc all in an effort to sway opinions and sentiments of the neutral crowds.
Some, in a quest to out-do others started updating rumours, fabrications, lies and outright misinformation about one thing or another with regards to the king making process. Many succeeded in making enemies of themselves and for themselves, to the extent that some corporate bodies even started congratulating their supported candidate as the new emir-designate. Falsehoods abound, which got fueled further through these social networks. Many of the online media outfits, not wanting to be seen peddling stale news about this very crucial developing event, threw their sense of responsibility, ethics and decorum to the wind and joined in to shamelessly spread rumours as truth.
And so, damages were done to an otherwise simple process by a means, the impact of which in the current scheme of things in our digital-age life was seriously disregarded; social networking. Back to what I think should have been done by the king makers upon deciding who the finalists for the Kano vacant throne were. If they had simply called for an international press conference and announced to the rest of the world, not just Kanawa, who and who made it on their list prior to handing it over to the Kano State Governor, thereby making it a transparent exercise, no one would have been left misinformed or misguided about who the last potential emir materials were.
But being people of a patient generation, where everyone minds his or her own business about things of such import and magnitude, trusting things to be free from any external influence, the king makers kept everything shrouded in mystery, as was usual, believing nobody would raise a muscle until the selection was made and the new king, announced. Unfortunately this is 2014, a different era entirely and so the rest of the information hungry populace, rather than sit and await the outcome of the emir selection event as people past would have done, went about town speculating and fabricating. And with an easy access to e-fora, where thoughts and mind flows could readily be expressed for others to read and share on the internet, it was only a matter of time before the follow-up conflicting situation emanated.
Again another sad step taken in the process was the failure, once again, but this time on the part of the Kano State Government to realize how important it was for them to also publicly declare who and who were submitted to them for the Governor to consider and select as the late emir's successor. Had that been done through yet another global press gathering to further confirm who and who were the possible emir-designates on the submitted king makers list, this would have saved Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso the embarrassment and dilemma of coming out after the announcement, to refute the speculation by a section of the people that the chosen new emir was not even part of the king makers list.
And then the political tug-of-war between the Federal Government and the Kano State Government on one hand and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC) on the other hand, fully meddling in the choice of the new king for Kano "Jalla Babbar Hausa", was another influencial factor and catalyst in the ensueing crisis. Then there are the traditionalists who are interested in maintaining the status quo as far as the Kano Emirate is concerned, finding themselves in a conflicting stance against the rest of the educated elites, who want change and modernization in the emirship of Kano to happen. Both seem busy on another level exchanging hot, often sentimental words.
Then of course there are the neutrals, who simply submit to Allaah Subhanahu Wa Ta'allaah in which ever circumstance they find themselves. Silently reciting words of comfort from the Qur'an and reminders from the Hadith of their Lord and His prophet respectively, in order to calm their minds and souls. Trusting in Him as a Custodian of the lives, pursuing their individual and collective goals, hoping and praying that Allaah Chooses that which is best for Kano.
We say "Amin thumma amin" to that.
(c) 2014 Tijjani M. M.
All Rights Reserved.
Sunusi Lamido Sunusi is now the 14th Emir of Kano, so selected and endorsed by the Government of Rabiu Musa
Kwankwaso on Monday 08th June, 2014 in circumstances marred by serious controversies, unconfirmed claims and counter-claims from those whose responsibility it was to give the old, ancient and historic city its traditional ruler after the demise of His Royal Highness Alhaji Dr. Ado Bayero, the much respected and highly regarded monarch who died in the early hours of Friday 6th June, 2014.
Death seems to have given enough notice, so to speak, about its plan to end not just the well lived life of San Kano, but the 51 years reign of this phenomenal king as well. So his eventual passing was more or less anticipated due to the health conditions of the 84 years old ruler, which had been playing up for the last decade or so. Not forgetting the assassination attempt upon his life on January 19, 2013 by some unknown elements, that saw two of his sons receiving very serious injuries and 4 of his traditional bodyguards sacrificing their lives to save his.
The hushed announcement of his death shocked not only the immediate family members, who could only express sadness, amazement and disbelief amidst soft sobs, but also his dormain subjects, the state of Kano and beyond, the entire country and the rest of the world. The burial ceremony on that fateful Friday, which was in tandem with Islamic rites was witnessed by a never ever seen before mammoth crowd, that brought the commercial nerve center of northern Nigeria and the neighboring countries to a stand still.
With this very much loved emir gone, what came up next was finding someone who would immediately fill in the vacuum he left behind. So the race began without much ado between those who were qualified to be his replacement as the new ruler of a people famed for their religious affinity and upholding their traditional values. About 30 persons were said to be eligible to become the new king and the traditional Kano king makers, who are 4 in number in the persons of Sarkin Dawaki Maituta, Alhaji Bello Abubakar; Alhaji Yusuf Nabahani Cigari Ibrahim, Madakin Kano; Alhaji Abdullahi Sarki Ibrahim Makaman Kano and the Sarkin Bai, Alhaji Mukhtari Adnan considered all and seiving through the lot ended up with five (5) candidates.
These 5 most eligible persons according to the king makers were Alhaji Sunusi Ado Bayero, Chiroman Kano (the late Emir's first son and District Head of Gwale); Alh Tijjani Hashim, the Galadiman Kano; Sunusi Lamido Sunusi, Dan Majen Kano and former CBN Governor and two other princes, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero (District Head of Dala) and Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero (District Head of Tarauni). It was alleged that the other contending sons of the late emir willingly withdrew their rights to the prestigious Kano throne and pooled their support for one of them.
The king makers having finalized their assignment, made a submission to the Governor of Kano State, whose duty it was according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to pick the most qualified person to become the new traditional and spiritual leader of the state. Everything went on according to plan, with Kano indigenes at home and abroad, as well as well wishers of Kano busying themselves with speculations, assumptions, on the street discussions and expert analysis about who will become the new king of the most populous state in Nigeria. Each candidate's supporters were celebrating the stallion qualities of their favorite choice and prayed he emerge as the winner.
Sadly, while making their submission, the Kano king makers failed to do one very important thing. This oversight on their part, as far as this writer is concerned was the first thing that initiated the ascension crisis that would follow and throw the already traumatized emirate council and the people of the state into an unfortunate situation. They forgot that in the last 50 years, the making of a king was not experienced in the emirate of Kano. And though history had it on record that at the time of the late emir's enthronement riots broke out in protest, this possible re-occurrence was not anticipated. Clearly, lessons from history were taken for granted.
Another very important contribution to the developing fracas was the fact that half a century ago, news dissemination was at its rudimentary level compared to the internet age we are in now. So, most of the information that got to people then took time to travel and by the time it got to its various destinations, little or no change would have happened to the original story. On the contrary, social media via the internet is now the fastest channel of spreading information across the world, whether such news is true or not.
Unconfirmed and unauthenticated information often pave the way for most of the things we now know, before the actual stuffs arrive at our reading or listening senses. Breaking news often come to us now through the internet, via social media. Some get verified and confirmed, but many do not and they pass on as thrashed data in our minds. Often superceeded by the very latest trending developments. This new media played a very vital role in providing a platform for many of the candidates' supporters to sing songs of their preferred successors to the late monarch,by their writing status updates, putting up their pictures, biographies etc all in an effort to sway opinions and sentiments of the neutral crowds.
Some, in a quest to out-do others started updating rumours, fabrications, lies and outright misinformation about one thing or another with regards to the king making process. Many succeeded in making enemies of themselves and for themselves, to the extent that some corporate bodies even started congratulating their supported candidate as the new emir-designate. Falsehoods abound, which got fueled further through these social networks. Many of the online media outfits, not wanting to be seen peddling stale news about this very crucial developing event, threw their sense of responsibility, ethics and decorum to the wind and joined in to shamelessly spread rumours as truth.
And so, damages were done to an otherwise simple process by a means, the impact of which in the current scheme of things in our digital-age life was seriously disregarded; social networking. Back to what I think should have been done by the king makers upon deciding who the finalists for the Kano vacant throne were. If they had simply called for an international press conference and announced to the rest of the world, not just Kanawa, who and who made it on their list prior to handing it over to the Kano State Governor, thereby making it a transparent exercise, no one would have been left misinformed or misguided about who the last potential emir materials were.
But being people of a patient generation, where everyone minds his or her own business about things of such import and magnitude, trusting things to be free from any external influence, the king makers kept everything shrouded in mystery, as was usual, believing nobody would raise a muscle until the selection was made and the new king, announced. Unfortunately this is 2014, a different era entirely and so the rest of the information hungry populace, rather than sit and await the outcome of the emir selection event as people past would have done, went about town speculating and fabricating. And with an easy access to e-fora, where thoughts and mind flows could readily be expressed for others to read and share on the internet, it was only a matter of time before the follow-up conflicting situation emanated.
Again another sad step taken in the process was the failure, once again, but this time on the part of the Kano State Government to realize how important it was for them to also publicly declare who and who were submitted to them for the Governor to consider and select as the late emir's successor. Had that been done through yet another global press gathering to further confirm who and who were the possible emir-designates on the submitted king makers list, this would have saved Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso the embarrassment and dilemma of coming out after the announcement, to refute the speculation by a section of the people that the chosen new emir was not even part of the king makers list.
And then the political tug-of-war between the Federal Government and the Kano State Government on one hand and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC) on the other hand, fully meddling in the choice of the new king for Kano "Jalla Babbar Hausa", was another influencial factor and catalyst in the ensueing crisis. Then there are the traditionalists who are interested in maintaining the status quo as far as the Kano Emirate is concerned, finding themselves in a conflicting stance against the rest of the educated elites, who want change and modernization in the emirship of Kano to happen. Both seem busy on another level exchanging hot, often sentimental words.
Then of course there are the neutrals, who simply submit to Allaah Subhanahu Wa Ta'allaah in which ever circumstance they find themselves. Silently reciting words of comfort from the Qur'an and reminders from the Hadith of their Lord and His prophet respectively, in order to calm their minds and souls. Trusting in Him as a Custodian of the lives, pursuing their individual and collective goals, hoping and praying that Allaah Chooses that which is best for Kano.
We say "Amin thumma amin" to that.
(c) 2014 Tijjani M. M.
All Rights Reserved.
Salam Malam Teeejayyy
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