As he returned to the throne in a colorful ceremony, Nigeria’s influential Emir of Kano addressed the people who deposed him four years ago.
Those who ousted Muhammadu Sanusi II from his role as traditional Muslim leader in northern Kano state were not worth talking about, he said on Friday.
Mr Sanusi was ousted in 2020 for showing “insubordination” towards authorities there.
His supporters believe he was sacked because he opposed the re-election of the then Governor of Kano.
Mr Sanusi, a former central bank chief, was on Friday reappointed by current Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf at the Kano State Government House.
During his campaign to become governor in 2023, Yusuf had promised to bring Sanusi back as emir.
He said that by dethroning Mr Sanusi, the authorities had violated Kano’s age-old tradition of emir rule.
Traditional leaders in Nigeria have few constitutional powers but can exert significant influence because they are seen as custodians of both religion and tradition.
Speaking at Friday’s ceremony, Mr Sanusi expressed his gratitude to the state governor, state legislators and the people of Kano as a whole.
Of those who ousted him in 2020, Mr Sanusi said: “Those who did that are not worthy of me talking about what they did.”
But just hours before the event, it was unclear whether Mr Sanusi’s reinstatement ceremony would actually go ahead.
The Federal High Court had issued a last minute order restraining the state government from abolishing all the five emirates created during the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and returning to the system where only one Emir ruled Kano.
The ruling was in response to a request by Aminu Babba Dan Agundu, a Kano Emirate official who opposed a return to the old system.
However, Mr Yusuf said he did not recognize the ruling.
Referring to reports that the Supreme Court judge was based in the US, Mr Yusuf said at the ceremony: “Imagine if a judge in America orders us to stop the coronation of the Emir of Kano, Sanusi. Our laws are in effect and will not change. .”
Mr Sanusi became the 14th Emir of Kano in 2014 after the death of Ado Bayero.
As of 2017, he had frosty relations with then Governor Ganduje.
He was fired in 2020, with the government accusing him of “total disrespect” towards local institutions.
The government subsequently created five new emirates in the state and appointed Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as the new Emir in Kano.
On Thursday, the day before Sanusi returned to the throne, the Kano State House of Assembly abolished the five former emirates.
That same day, Governor Yusuf signed the law giving the emirs of the abolished emirates 48 hours to vacate their palaces.
Reactions on the streets of Kano were mixed.
Resident Idris SR Dawanau told the BBC on Friday: “I am extremely happy with the recovery of [Sanusi] Today.
“I wish him the best and hope he continues to make a positive contribution as he always has.”
But fellow resident Lawal Najeef criticized the move: “In my opinion, it would have been better to leave all the emirs in place without removing any because it makes things easier.
“For example, if you have an emir nearby, people can go to him with their problems without having to travel far.”
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