Kano: Executive/Emirate Enmity And The Exacerbation Of Ego

By Bala Ibrahim

Contrary to expectations, the feud between Governor Ganduje and Emir Sanusi seems to be souring up rather than simmer down, and ego is the central culprit in the conflict. Last week, we all had a sigh of relief, when we received news that a truce was brokered, under the sponsorship of the duo of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum, Chief Kayode Fayemi. Some of us even rushed to the press, with joy and sermons on how best the tension could be calmed. Governor Fayemi was the first to break the news, when he said the meeting had resolved the feud and the Emir had even congratulated Ganduje on his re-election victory. 

However, almost a day after, reports came again from the Government House, with an explanation that was not in tandem with the initial ingredients of the reported agreement, wherein the same Mal. Anwar said, the indictment on the Emir by the Kano state public complaints and anti-corruption commission, on allegations of corruption to the sum of over N3.4 billion still stands. 

This is despite the fact that the Emir had responded to the query given to him within the stipulated 48-hour ultimatum. He said the truce was just at personal level not official and that all matters in court would continue to conclusion. From that minute, I knew the time for uhuru has not arrived. Shortly after, came an open letter or article, which went viral, under the title, “Letter to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje,” written by one Jibrin Ibrahim. Wether or not the letter was written with the consent of the Emirate, it wasn’t meant to help the Emirate, because the tone and language were clearly capable of escalating the crisis, as it looks more like a counter query to the Governor. It started thus:

“The language and content of the query indicates clearly an intention to act quickly on the report, hence my decision to write you this public letter. Kano has been living under serious tension since 8th May 2019, when the process of dismantling the Kano Emirate was initiated by your Administration. 

The said process is a real risk for the people of Kano and I write to humbly request that you disengage from this adventure for the following reasons. First, Nigeria faces numerous security threats in different parts of the country and our security forces are overstretched trying to respond to the threats. Kano has traditionally been a very volatile State but has been relatively peaceful over the past few years. 

It is important that as Governor, you take a lead in keeping the peace. This means that you should not take any action that could destabilize peaceful coexistence in our State knowing fully well that anger, disaffection and opposition to the dismantling of the Emirate could lead to a breakdown of the peace. Your excellency, please recall that this idea of dismantling the Emirate had been tried previously. 

Finally, the allegations of financial impropriety against the Emir appear to have no basis in fact except for the historical recollection that it was the stratagem used to remove Emir Muhammadu Sanusi I from office. As the saying goes, people who live in glass houses can through stones, even with reckless abandon, but there could be consequences. The people of Kano are very much aware of other real allegations of corruption, which even have video evidence.”

Whoever is following the political events in Kano, knows that the concluding part of Jibrin’s letter was intended to wake a sleeping dog and ego would surely  come to work. Alas, the government responded dastardly with stringent conditions: APOLOGIZE PUBLICLY FOR US TO RECONCILE-GANDUJE TELLS SANUSI. The rejoinder was written by the immediate-past Commissioner for Information, Mallam Muhammed Garba, who said, “It is very important to state that for the reconciliation to yield the desired result, Emir Sanusi has the moral burden to publicly apologize to Governor Ganduje and the entire people of Kano State for dragging the revered Kano Emirate into the murky water of politics."

It also asked the monarch to extend a hand of fellowship to the emirs of Karaye, Rano, Gaya, and Bichi and demonstrate his readiness to assume his position as the Chairman of Kano State Council of Emirs. “Emir Sanusi has the moral burden to withdraw all court cases he’s personally sponsoring against Kano State Government as part of reconciliation conditions." continued the letter. A one page reply of virtually 3-paragraphs, had gotten a 45-paragraphs response. No doubt ego had invited anger to the altar.

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission also followed suit, by describing the Emirs response to the query as misrepresentation of facts. N3.4b EMBEZZLEMENT:SANUSI MISREPRESENTING FACTS, DECEIVING THE PUBLIC,SAYS THE KANO ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION. With such a heading, one needs not be a soothsayer, to see the terrible truncation of the truce. In his response, Emir Sanusi said he is not the accounting officer of the emirate and made it clear that he did not inherit up to N2 billion, a position the commission disagreed with, saying it has evidence to the contrary. 

The letter from the commission, was addressed to the SSG and part of it says, “It is imperative to state categorically that, the commission’s investigation is on alleged misappropriation and questionable expenditures but not on the funds left behind by the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, and we still maintain our stand. In the cause of investigation, we undertook an analysis of the main Account belonging to Kano Emirate Council and domiciled at First Bank with account No. 2005888452 starting from the era of the late emir to enable the commission to have an idea of how the money is being managed.”

It may be recalled that the commission had earlier on made a recommendation for the suspension of the Emir, based on its believe that the emirate under Emir Sanusi, had carried out some questionable expenditures to the tune of nearly N3.5b. It is my believe that the situation is not being handled the way it should and each side has a share of the blame. 

Those who brokered the truce should have constituted a follow up committee of respectable persons, that would continue massaging the ego of the Emirate and the Executive, on the importance of mutism and mutual respect. The Emirate also need to be advised to withdraw the court cases it instituted against the government immediately, while pressure is mounted on the government to resist reckless reactions and remain on the lane of caution. I think the mediators did not do that. 

With the ruling yesterday, of the High Court in Kano, recognizing the newly created four Emirates by the Kano State Government and dismissing the application instituted by the Kano Emirate Kingmakers against the state, the government has gotten the latitude it needs, to briskly and even brutally go for the jugular. This would be bad. Very bad. But that is what to expect, when ego is not excused in an emerging enmity between two elephants.