Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the expelled Central Bank of Nigeria Governor has emerged as the new Emir of Kano.
Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who made the announcement this
afternoon, said the former Central Bank Governor was edged by four
kingmakers from the Kano Emirate.
The recently ousted Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),
was turbaned as the Dan Majen Kano last two years by the late Emir of
Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero.
The history of Dan Majen Kano title in the hierarchical traditional
titles of the traditional institution of Kano Emirate dates back to the
16th century, exactly in 1509 when the then Emir of Kano, Muhammadu
Kisoki appointed the first Dan Maje, that is, Dan Maje Ummaru.
This title continued to exist up to the time.Kano fell under the
authority of colonialists after its invasion and from that time to date,
Sanusi is the 10th Dan Maje of Kano.
Dan Maje title is 21st in the hierarchy in the over 60 District Heads
and title holders in the Kano Emirate after the Magajin Gari title and
followed by of Dan Kadai who is the 22nd in the hierarchy.
It is believed that since 1882 Dan Maje title was the 17th title in
the order of office precedence, following the Barden Kano title which is
the 16th and followed by Dan Makwayo.
Maje means ‘sarki’ or Emir and ‘Dan’ means son of, therefore, Dan
Maje means son of the emir which literally means a prince. For this
reason therefore, the title of Dan Maje is exclusively reserved to only
people with royal blood.
The holder of this title’s primary responsibility in the Kano Emirate
is to safeguard peoples’ wealth, integrity and protect their lives in
addition to serving them diligently and protecting the religion, culture
and traditions of the people.
Sanusi’s predecessors from 1920 to date include: Zakari Dan Sarkin
Kano Abbas, Shehu Ahmad, Ahmed Gwadabe Dan Sarkin Kano Alu, Mahmud
Bayero, Muntari Zakari, Sayyadi Mahmud, Aminu Ado Bayero, Tijjani
Abubakar, Yusuf Ibrahim and now Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
The unique thing about the newly appointed Dan Maje is that, “From
his mother’s side he was a grandson of Alkali Ummaru II of Fulata Barno
from the Zarawa Clan who were famous Islamic Scholars, holding the
titles of Chief Imams of Kano and Islamic judges right from the time of
Emir of Kano, Ibrahim Dabo when the clan leader, Muhammad Zara became
the chief Imam of the state.