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Kano: A state without elders
By Shazali Ibrahim Dan’Amarya
With over 1,000 years of monarchy in place, Kano is a metropolitan city with the most revered traditional institution in Nigeria. It has remained the symbol of authority, a custodian of tradition and a vestige of religious values. Whoever is crowned and in whatever age and time, is awesomely revered by all and sundry.
Kano is also the most populous state in the most populous nation in Africa with 15.4million (2022 projection) people engaged in farming, local trading, business ventures and the working class.
Of its population, Kano is blessed with people who have become prominent in different fields of human endeavor. It has also produced great leaders in persons of the two late heads of state, Generals Murtala Muhammad and Sani Abacha.
It is the commercial nerve centre of the North, and has as its sons many international businessmen that included the richest man in Africa, Aliko Dangote, chairman Dangote Group, the grand child of Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, Kano’s wealthiest man of his time, as well as Abdussamad Isyaka Rabi’u, chairman, BUA Group of Companies.
Kano is also home to an array of prominent Islamic scholars that included leader of the Qadiriyya sect in Africa, Sheikh Qariballah Sheikh Nasiru Kabara, Sheikh Tijjani Usman Zangon Bare bari, Sheikh Sani Kafinga, Sheikh Atiku Sanka, Sheikh Usman Maihula, Sheikh Dr. Sani Umar Rijiyar Lemo, Sheikh Dr. Bashir, Malam Ibrahim Khalil, among others.
Politically, Kano is a sanctuary of progressive politics in a desert of liberalism that was Nigeria’s northern region, the then Kano province, from which today’s Kano state was carved.
It was a bastion of leftist ideological leaning at the beginning of the country’s attempt at participatory democracy. Kano is also home to radical and progressives’ politics that produced the likes of Malam Aminu Kano and Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi respectively.
It is a powerful state when it comes to voting and deciding who will win the presidential election in Nigeria. The count of votes from Kano can change the election’s outcome.
However, events in the recent are indicating that it has been going back ward as far as politics is concerned.
As a citizen of Kano, who has been observing things as they unfold, particularly political development, I believe there is the need for critical look at the politics of enmity which has been retarding the wheel of progress in the state.
Since the advent of democratic rule in 1999, political enmity is driving the once united politics of Kano, with its political gladiators making it difficult for peace to reign.
While the traditional institution which drives its relevance from religious and cultural values has been non-partisan, for selfish interest, the monarchy has been dragged into the muddy waters of politics and now almost reduced to nothing. In the event things got worse, they have right to wade in.
The business class is being undermined by bitter politics of the day, that is, to either belong here or there. In the same vein, the Islamic scholars are being looked up with disdain. Once they talk, their messages are received with different interpretations, casting aspersion on their integrity.
Today, in Kano, we do not have an elder from the above mentioned class of people who can speak with one voice either for or against any issue that affect the generality of the people.
While this ugly trend is taking its toll on state’s development because of its impact on the society, a huge pall of suspense is hanging on the state’s political firmament, while political gladiators and their supporters in the process of outdoing each other, are raising the state’s political temperature. Therefore, if nothing is done to address this issue, Kano will continue to retard backwardly.
The level of enmity between the trio of former governors of Kano state, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, Ibrahim Shekarau and Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is seriously affecting the overall development of Kano state.
I want to suggest that an all encompassing stakeholders meeting should be convened to discuss the current development in the state, including the three political gladiators so that sanity is ensured in Kano politics
By bringing together leaders from all sectors of the society, all issues at stake should be discuss to solve the problems before they get out of hand.
Dan’Amarya wrote from Kano and can be reached at sidanamarya@gmail.com
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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