KANO, NIGERIA – Former Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II has been reinstated as the Emir of Kano following the passage of a new law by the Kano State House of Assembly. The new legislation abolishes the four emirates created in 2019 by the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The reinstatement of Sanusi, who was deposed in March 2020, follows the dissolution of the controversial law that fragmented the Kano Emirate into five separate entities: Kano, Rano, Karaye, Gaya, and Bichi. The law, known as ‘The Kano State Emirates Councils (Repeal) Bill, 2024’, was passed after scaling its third reading in the State Assembly.
Sources close to the situation have indicated that Sanusi II is expected to return to Kano on Friday. One source mentioned, “So certainly with the passage of the Bill, Sanusi automatically stands reinstated. No need for confirmation, the thing is to wait for the governor to assent to it.”
The bill’s passage has been confirmed by the Senior Special Assistant on Digital Media to the state governor, who announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the legislation had successfully passed through the legislative process.
The dissolution of the additional emirates and the reinstatement of Sanusi address long-standing political and traditional tensions that emerged during Ganduje’s tenure. The creation of the new emirates was widely seen as a move to diminish Sanusi’s influence, ultimately leading to his removal as Emir.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, whose election victory renewed calls for Sanusi’s reinstatement, had promised to restore the old Kano Emirate system. The governor’s commitment to this promise has been demonstrated through the swift legislative action taken by the State Assembly.
Sanusi’s reinstatement marks a significant shift in Kano’s traditional leadership and is expected to restore the historical structure of the Kano Emirate, bringing an end to the administrative fragmentation introduced in 2019.