15 Professors, 7 Groups Reject Planned Scrapping of Kano Emirates

By Ozumi Abdul

A consortium of 15 professors and seven groups in Kano state has rejected the planned scrapping of the four traditional emirates created by the immediate-past administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in 2020.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Jibrin Falgore, and jointly signed by the professors and the groups, the consortium expressed its dissatisfaction towards the planned action.

Recall that a group, known as ‘Yan Dangwalen Jihar Kano’ (The Kano Electorate), wrote to the State House of Assembly, seeking the review of the law establishing four additional emirates in Gaya, Rano, Karaye, and Bichi by Ganduje.

Reacting to this, the university dons and the groups argued that scraping the emirates and reverting to a single emirate system in the state, will not enhance progress and development, but rather bring about retrogression.

They described the argument of the group seeking for the abolition of the four emirates as ‘hollow, baseless and without any substance’.

They argued that there is nothing to justify The Kano Electorate’s request, adding that the group is simply championing the selfish interest of some individuals.

They also made reference to other northern states like Zamfara with 19 emirates,
Kebbi with 4 emirates,
Kaduna with 32 emirates and chiefdoms, as well as Gombe with 13 emirates.

The coalition submitted that Kano, being an old state had bequeathed Gumel, Kazaure, Hadeja and Ringim which have become ‘big and powerful cities’ today, according to them.

“It may interest you to note that Kano state as most populous state in the country (with a population of about 20 million), and has the highest number of local governments in the federation, therefore deserves more emirates as new competing growth centers.

“That it is a fact that the newly established emirates were just a revival of the historical glorious past. And that these emirates have come to be accepted, loved, and respected, by their subjects in particular, Bichi is code named as Garin Alhaji that is Abdullahi Bayero the grandfather of the current emir who was the first to reign there as a district head. This by itself is development.
In addition, we would like to further affirm that the creation of these emirates has brought about rapid developments in all spares of our human endeavors,” reads part of their letter to the Kano lawmakers.