As traditional rulers in northern Nigeria go, the Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero ranks among the most powerful and influential. He has been on the throne of his forebears for so long that majority of Kano people were not even born when he was made Emir. He had been, for most of his reign as Emir, the embodiment of dignity and respect generally associated with traditional rulers in the north. He had maintained a healthy distance from politics in the past, except for the occasion when he fell foul of the anger of the then Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari for travelling to Israel along with his friend, the Oni of Ife without approval and clearance from Federal Government. Another time, his clash with the Kano State Government under the late Abubakar Rimi and the PRP resulted in one of the worst riots Kano city had witnessed. The people had risen then, in support of the Emir. The Kano State Government lost that skirmish, licked its wounds, and lost the next elections.
The Emir of Kano is in the eye of another political storm. This time it is a tussle to assert the power and authority of the returned PDP Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over the Emir. The tussle is also about Governor, Kwankwaso’s desire to remove the legacy and structures of the Governor he took over from, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau of the ANPP. Malam Shakarau himself had defeated Governor Kwankwaso in 2003. This latest chapter in this melodrama involves a very public attempt by Governor Kwankwaso to humiliate the Emir of Kano into paying him courtesies during the sallah celebrations, in spite of the reported illness of the Emir. For three days, the people of Kano watched as the Governor and the palace engaged each other in a game which had only one objective, which was to see who was more powerful. In the end, the Emir acquiesced and submitted to the power of the Governor, but not before winning substantial public sympathy as a tired old man who is being bullied by stronger political forces.
It obviously meant a lot to Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso that the Emir of Kano performed the Hawan Nassarawa which involved recognizing the superiority of the Governor, which had been a long tradition. It must also have meant much for the Emir to resist the pressures of the Governor, and every excuse, including ill health of the Emir who returned from Saudi Arabia only a few days before Sallah was used by his palace to avoid the annual ritual. In the end, no side hid the fact that the tussle was all about who had more power, but it was not so much between Kwankwaso and the Emir, but between Kwankwaso and his predecessor, Shekarau who had a very close relationship with the Emir.
The drama involving Emir of Kano and Governor Kwankwaso during Sallah is a continuation of a very destructive and wasteful campaign being waged by Governor Kwankwaso against the administration of Shekarau. It is a drama in which no one is innocent. Shekarau became Governor by defeating Kwankwaso, a sitting Governor who had demoted him from his elevated position as permanent secretary in the state civil service to a classroom teacher just to humiliate him. As soon as he became Governor, he too embarked on a very bitter series of investigations against Kwankwaso and his administration, much of which were clearly targeted at humiliating Kwankwaso and stripping him of his political assets, and even his personal freedom. Kano State became a no-go area for Kwankwaso for a very long time; and it is a political miracle that he even survived to contest, not to talk of winning the 2011 elections against Shekarau’s man in April this year. Most people will say it that it would have been an even bigger miracle if Kwankwaso did not repay Shekarau in his own coins.
The Emir’s offence is that he allowed himself to become too intimate with a politician and his baggage of liabilities. During his 8-year period as Governor, Shekarau had courted the favours of the Emir using every opportunity and avenue, and the two of them enjoyed an excellent relationship. The Emir topped it all up by giving the serving Governor the title of Sardaunan Kano, and went the extra step of stating publicly that the title is superior to most titles in Kano, including those of his children. A serving Governor who is the boss of the Emir accepted a title from the Emir, and compromised both the weight of his own office, as well as the clear lines that separated elected as distinct from traditional authority.
Even though Kwankwaso’s father is a District Head, and his brother a village head, both positions which hey hold only at the pleasure of the Emir, Kwankwaso sees the Emir of Kano as an irritating reminder of the era of Shekarau. The Emir became fair game for Kwankwaso, and became therefore just another target to hit the way he demolished buildings, revoked plots and contracts, and instituted his own probe panels; as well as removing everything else that Shekarau did or left behind. This is what explains the attempt to force the Emir to submit, publicly, to the authority of the Governor.
Kwankwaso’s offence is that he has proved stubbornly incapable to charting his own new course. He appears totally consumed by the desire for revenge, so much that he appears to think he has been elected only to undo what Shekarau did, or to get his pound of flesh. Kano State is stuck between the past and the future, and no one is sure when or how Kwankwaso will be satisfied to move on. In the meantime, salaries of civil servants are not being paid; the new administration is making new enemies who will wait until Kwankwaso finishes his term to strike; or will fight him even now. Kwankwaso is behaving like one incapable of learning from history; and as a Kano man, he is ignoring the dictum that someone in Kano always has more of whatever you have.
What is going on in Kano State is a very good example of how leaders should not behave. Shekarau’s life will be full of pain and misery; just the way he used his office to treat Kwankwaso. Kano State lost a lot through his campaigns against Kwankwaso, and his administration delivered much less than it promised in almost all areas. His spectacular failure to make a real difference in Kano during his eight years as governor may be the result of his failure to rise above limitations of personal character. Kwankwaso is falling into the same trap, and this vicious circle will consume many of his opportunities to make impact. The Emir of kano is paying the price for an impaired judgement which is uncharacteristic for a man of his experience and exposure. He has damaged the integrity and value of his throne, and it is by no means certain that the cat-and-mouse between him and Governor Kwankwaso will not continue to harm the position of the Emir.
Events in Kano have many lessons for the rest of Nigeria. They are some of the reasons why political office holders hold tenaciously to power, because once out of it, they are treated very badly by their successors; and the public tends to behave as if they deserve everything they get because they exercised power. What is happening in Kano should remind traditional rulers to steer clear of partisan politics and politicians. Right now, many of our most prominent Emirs including the Emir of Kano, are still reliving the trauma of the attacks they suffered at the hands of rampaging mobs during the riots which followed the Presidential elections. Above all, what is happening in Kano should serve to remind Nigerians to be more discerning in terms of the quality of leaders they elect in future. The people of Kano are among the most politically-sophisticated in the country. But time after time, they tend to elect people who only desire to settle scores. They did when they rejected Rime for Bakinzuwo. They punished Kwankwaso with a bitter Shekarau. They punished Shekarau for his disloyalty to Bahari by electing his nemesis, Kwankwaso. Nevertheless, they do not deserve what Shekarau did or failed to do in eight years as Governor; and they certainly do not deserve another four or eight years of vengeful administration under Kwankwaso. The tragedy is that between the two of them, these Governors have offended every type of leader or authority who would otherwise say, enough is enough. Governors are elected to work for people; not to settle personal scores.
The Emir of Kano is in the eye of another political storm. This time it is a tussle to assert the power and authority of the returned PDP Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over the Emir. The tussle is also about Governor, Kwankwaso’s desire to remove the legacy and structures of the Governor he took over from, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau of the ANPP. Malam Shakarau himself had defeated Governor Kwankwaso in 2003. This latest chapter in this melodrama involves a very public attempt by Governor Kwankwaso to humiliate the Emir of Kano into paying him courtesies during the sallah celebrations, in spite of the reported illness of the Emir. For three days, the people of Kano watched as the Governor and the palace engaged each other in a game which had only one objective, which was to see who was more powerful. In the end, the Emir acquiesced and submitted to the power of the Governor, but not before winning substantial public sympathy as a tired old man who is being bullied by stronger political forces.
It obviously meant a lot to Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso that the Emir of Kano performed the Hawan Nassarawa which involved recognizing the superiority of the Governor, which had been a long tradition. It must also have meant much for the Emir to resist the pressures of the Governor, and every excuse, including ill health of the Emir who returned from Saudi Arabia only a few days before Sallah was used by his palace to avoid the annual ritual. In the end, no side hid the fact that the tussle was all about who had more power, but it was not so much between Kwankwaso and the Emir, but between Kwankwaso and his predecessor, Shekarau who had a very close relationship with the Emir.
The drama involving Emir of Kano and Governor Kwankwaso during Sallah is a continuation of a very destructive and wasteful campaign being waged by Governor Kwankwaso against the administration of Shekarau. It is a drama in which no one is innocent. Shekarau became Governor by defeating Kwankwaso, a sitting Governor who had demoted him from his elevated position as permanent secretary in the state civil service to a classroom teacher just to humiliate him. As soon as he became Governor, he too embarked on a very bitter series of investigations against Kwankwaso and his administration, much of which were clearly targeted at humiliating Kwankwaso and stripping him of his political assets, and even his personal freedom. Kano State became a no-go area for Kwankwaso for a very long time; and it is a political miracle that he even survived to contest, not to talk of winning the 2011 elections against Shekarau’s man in April this year. Most people will say it that it would have been an even bigger miracle if Kwankwaso did not repay Shekarau in his own coins.
The Emir’s offence is that he allowed himself to become too intimate with a politician and his baggage of liabilities. During his 8-year period as Governor, Shekarau had courted the favours of the Emir using every opportunity and avenue, and the two of them enjoyed an excellent relationship. The Emir topped it all up by giving the serving Governor the title of Sardaunan Kano, and went the extra step of stating publicly that the title is superior to most titles in Kano, including those of his children. A serving Governor who is the boss of the Emir accepted a title from the Emir, and compromised both the weight of his own office, as well as the clear lines that separated elected as distinct from traditional authority.
Even though Kwankwaso’s father is a District Head, and his brother a village head, both positions which hey hold only at the pleasure of the Emir, Kwankwaso sees the Emir of Kano as an irritating reminder of the era of Shekarau. The Emir became fair game for Kwankwaso, and became therefore just another target to hit the way he demolished buildings, revoked plots and contracts, and instituted his own probe panels; as well as removing everything else that Shekarau did or left behind. This is what explains the attempt to force the Emir to submit, publicly, to the authority of the Governor.
Kwankwaso’s offence is that he has proved stubbornly incapable to charting his own new course. He appears totally consumed by the desire for revenge, so much that he appears to think he has been elected only to undo what Shekarau did, or to get his pound of flesh. Kano State is stuck between the past and the future, and no one is sure when or how Kwankwaso will be satisfied to move on. In the meantime, salaries of civil servants are not being paid; the new administration is making new enemies who will wait until Kwankwaso finishes his term to strike; or will fight him even now. Kwankwaso is behaving like one incapable of learning from history; and as a Kano man, he is ignoring the dictum that someone in Kano always has more of whatever you have.
What is going on in Kano State is a very good example of how leaders should not behave. Shekarau’s life will be full of pain and misery; just the way he used his office to treat Kwankwaso. Kano State lost a lot through his campaigns against Kwankwaso, and his administration delivered much less than it promised in almost all areas. His spectacular failure to make a real difference in Kano during his eight years as governor may be the result of his failure to rise above limitations of personal character. Kwankwaso is falling into the same trap, and this vicious circle will consume many of his opportunities to make impact. The Emir of kano is paying the price for an impaired judgement which is uncharacteristic for a man of his experience and exposure. He has damaged the integrity and value of his throne, and it is by no means certain that the cat-and-mouse between him and Governor Kwankwaso will not continue to harm the position of the Emir.
Events in Kano have many lessons for the rest of Nigeria. They are some of the reasons why political office holders hold tenaciously to power, because once out of it, they are treated very badly by their successors; and the public tends to behave as if they deserve everything they get because they exercised power. What is happening in Kano should remind traditional rulers to steer clear of partisan politics and politicians. Right now, many of our most prominent Emirs including the Emir of Kano, are still reliving the trauma of the attacks they suffered at the hands of rampaging mobs during the riots which followed the Presidential elections. Above all, what is happening in Kano should serve to remind Nigerians to be more discerning in terms of the quality of leaders they elect in future. The people of Kano are among the most politically-sophisticated in the country. But time after time, they tend to elect people who only desire to settle scores. They did when they rejected Rime for Bakinzuwo. They punished Kwankwaso with a bitter Shekarau. They punished Shekarau for his disloyalty to Bahari by electing his nemesis, Kwankwaso. Nevertheless, they do not deserve what Shekarau did or failed to do in eight years as Governor; and they certainly do not deserve another four or eight years of vengeful administration under Kwankwaso. The tragedy is that between the two of them, these Governors have offended every type of leader or authority who would otherwise say, enough is enough. Governors are elected to work for people; not to settle personal scores.
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