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Tag: Emir

  • FG’s refusal to obey court order is corruption – Emir

    The Emir of Gummi, Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi (retd.), says refusal to obey a court order is another form of corruption, noting that government must exemplify the change it promised before expecting citizens to follow suit.

    He said disrespect for the rule of law, bad governance, disobedience to court orders, non-compliance with electoral regulations by political parties, godfathers hijacking the electoral process and dwindling confidence in the justice system posed threats to Nigeria’s democracy.

    The monarch, who was the keynote speaker at the Barewa Old Boys Association annual lecture, held at the Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto, spoke on the topic, ‘The challenges of the judiciary to democracy: The Nigeria perspective.’

    The 97-year old college, located in Kaduna State, is reputed for producing five out of Nigeria’s past leaders, including General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, late Umaru Yar’adua, late Gen. Murtala Mohammed and the late Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

    It has also produced three Chief Justices of Nigeria, three Inspectors-General of Police and four Secretaries to the Government of the Federation.

    But in his address, Gummi described the judiciary as the watchdog of democracy, without which “reckless marauders will attack the society,” adding that an insecure judiciary is one of the greatest threats to democracy.

    He said, “Orders of court are disobeyed at will in the name of fighting corruption. No one institution, no matter how highly placed, should flout the laws of the land, not even under the guise of fighting corruption. Refusing to obey an order of court is another form of corruption in itself.

    “The executive cannot play the role of both the accuser and that of the judge at the same time. It is an aberration in a democracy. National security cannot take precedence over the rule of law; rather, it should be guided by the rule of law.

    “Any democracy where the executive tries to intimidate and harass the legislature and/or the judiciary into doing its bidding is a democracy under threat. In the same vein, it is not right in a democracy for the National Assembly to make governance difficult for the executive for pecuniary reasons.

    “We all agree that we need change as promised by the government, but that change must first begin with them, then, you and me.”

  • Nasarawa Emir, Abubakar Umar II dies at 69

    Nasarawa Emir, Abubakar Umar II dies at 69

    Abubakar Umar II, the Emir of Awe in Nasarawa State, is dead.

    Yakubu Lamai, director general, strategic communication and press affairs to Governor Umaru Al-Makura confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia.

    He said that the first class monarch died at the early hours of Saturday.

    He said the royal father died at the age of 69 at a hospital in Abuja following a brief illness having spent 33 years on the throne.

    Meanwhile, Al-Makura in a message described the passing of the traditional ruler as ‘shocking’, saying the monarch lived an exemplary life that fostered harmonious co-existence among his subjects and the state at large.

    He enjoined the people of the state to use the death of the emir as an opportunity to forgive each other and strengthen peace in the state.

    The late Emir has been buried in Awe according to Islamic injunction.

     

  • Police arrest 20-year-old fake Emir of Kano

    Police in Kano state have arrested a 20-year-old man, identified as Sultan Bello, for allegedly impersonating the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II.

    The suspect was arrested on Tuesday at Ja’oji quarters in Kano metropolis, after he had defrauded many innocent people to the tune of N3million, according to the police.

    It was gathered that Bello manages a fake Instagram page as the Emir.

    Spokesman for the Kano State Police Command DSP Magaji Majia revealed that the suspect was nabbed following a written complaint by a woman (name withheld) over his suspicious activities.

    Majia told newsmen that the fake emir had over 20,000 followers on the closed Instagram page.

  • Fulanis are not criminals – Emir Sanusi

    Fulanis are not criminals – Emir Sanusi

    The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi 11 has declared that Fulanis are not terrorists or criminals as perceived by some Nigerians.

    Sanusi made the declaration at the weekend in Minna at a National Executive Council meeting of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) attended by Lamido of Adamawa , Muhammadu Barkindo Musdafa, Professor Ango Abdullahi, Dr. Aliyu Tilde and other stakeholders.

    According to him, Fulanis are Nigerians who are law abiding citizens that respect the constituted authorities in the country.

    He urged Nigerians to avoid ethnic profiling whenever a crime is committed by persons of certain tribe saying criminals have no tribal marks.

    The meeting was held with the leadership of various Fulani socio-cultural groups such as Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBA), Miyetti Allah Katul Houre and Gan Allah Fulani Development Association as a means to find way of ending the recurring violent clashes involving and other Nigerians across the country.

    The Emir urged the various Fulani associations to identify criminals within their midst for prosecution and called on the herders to imbibe the culture of patient and perseverance even in the face of provocation.

    Emir Sanusi urged stakeholders to also liaise with state governors of Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa and Kano who have indicated interest to allocate grazing reserves with a view to developing them.

    The Zonal Chairman of the National Executive Committee of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association(MACBA), Alhaji Gidado Siddiki said state governors to emulate are Governors Willie Obiano and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Anambra and Enugu states who have been able to effectively stem the recurring clashes between farmers and herders while their others and the federal government were at a loss on how to begin.

    He said that the two southeast governors were open-minded in their approach to tackling the clashes adding that through stakeholders meetings which included the leadership of the herders associations, farmers unions, traditional rulers and community leaders across all the local government areas in the affected states, they were able to understand the causes of the clashes and found amicable ways of addressing them.

    Siddiki averred that the measures, which have worked in stemming the tide of violent conflict among herders and farmers in the two states should serve as models to other governors.

    “Conflict between herdsmen and farmers has a long history; the solution has been to engage all stakeholders to find an amicable of resolving such,” he noted, even as he called on politicians to avoid exacerbating the conflict for selfish reasons.

  • Anti-grazing law: Hatred for herdsmen provoked killings – Emir of Kano, Sanusi

    The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says the Anti-Open Grazing law in Benue state is one-sided and borne out of “hate” for herdsmen.

    According to Sanusi, who also admitted being a patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders, there has not been enough investment in cattle rearing in Nigeria.

    He said this in reaction to the recent killings by herdsmen in parts of the country.

    Sanusi noted that if the government and other stakeholders had taken cattle rearing seriously by building ranches and grazing reserves for herdsmen, the nation would have gained more.

    “I fully support all efforts to attract investment into cattle rearing. This is global best practice. Capital is put into development of ranches and grazing areas, herdsmen settle,” the Emir told Punch.

    “Their cattle are healthier and fatter, they sell milk and milk products and beef, their children go to school and they are economically much better off.

    “This is what we all want. But in Benue and Taraba, the approach has not been one of including and supporting and regulating herdsmen but of isolation and hate.

    “I am happy Governor Lalong of Plateau has publicly stated that he advised Governor Ortom of Benue to tread carefully.

    “I can confirm that I personally spoke to Governor Darius Ishaku before his public hearings on his law and begged him to slow down until he has worked out proper implementation but he refused.”

  • Emir of Tsafe is dead

    The Emir of Tsafe in Zamfara, Alhaji Habibu Aliyu is dead.

    The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Muttaqa Rini, announced the demise of the monarch in a statement in Gusau.

    Rini said the emir, aged 62, died in the early hours of Wednesday at the Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto after a brief illness.

    He said that the deceased left behind four wives, 25 children and 62 grandchildren.

    The commissioner said that his remains would be buried at his palace in Tsafe by 2p.m today according to Islamic rites.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late emir had spent 26 years on the throne.

    He succeeded his father in 1991.

  • Sanusi’s probe: Kano Assembly Speaker, Kabiru Rurum resigns

    The Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Rurum, has resigned.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Rurum’s resignation is coming after he was alleged to have collected N100m bribe to suspend the probe of Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammad Sanusi II, an allegation he blatantly denied few weeks ago.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Sanusi was accused of mismanaging N4 billion he inherited from his predecessor, Ado Bayero.

    His resignation was confirmed in a letter read at plenary by the Deputy Speaker, Ibrahim Chidariof, on Monday.

    The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Abdullahi Atta, has been elected the new Speaker.

    Details later…

     

  • I didn’t take N100m bribe to suspend Emir Sanusi’s probe – Kano Speaker

    The Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Rurum, has denied a media report that he received N100m bribe to suspend the probe of Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammad Sanusi II.

    Rurum, on Tuesday in Kano, dismissed as false and an attempt to tarnish his image, the report by an online medium.

    He also gave the medium one week within which to retract the report and apologise to the State Assembly or face legal action.

    The speaker said the House would constitute a committee to investigate the matter, adding that the publishers must come before the committee to defend the allegation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state Assembly was divided over an alleged bribe received from industry mogul, Aliko Dangote, to suspend the probe of the emir.

    He said, “I wish to clearly make it known that the story is not true, but mere libelous and false information aimed at tarnishing my image and that of my colleagues.”

    According to him, the report is also targeted at creating tension and chaos among the lawmakers and ridicule the personality of Dangote.

    “The story was a fabrication, a tissue of lies and unjustifiable, because there was never a time I met with Dangote to discuss such an issue, not to talk of him offering us a bribe.”

    He explained that the intervention of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Northern governors and other notable Nigerians to stop the probe was channeled through the state governor and not directly to the Assembly.

    “It is a tradition that when such things happen, the governor gets in touch with us as one of the three arms of government.

    “Therefore, the governor forwarded his request letter, appealing for the suspension of the investigation on behalf of all the concerned citizens.” (NAN)

  • Elites, masses are only two major tribes in Nigeria – Emir Sanusi

    *My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian…

     

    The Emir of Kano, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II,has on Wednesday condemned groups that have resorted to ‘hate speech’ along ethnic lines.

    In a series of posts on Instagram, Sanusi said that due to regional separation, we still speak in the language of 1953.

    The Emir, condemning ethnicity/tribalism, said we need to stop thinking along ethnic lines and embrace the creation called Nigeria.

    He starts by saying that he is “Fulani. My grandfather was an Emir also fulani my uncle and guardian was also the immediate late Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero and therefore I represent all that has been talked about this afternoon.
    He said the language of the generation older than him was to use regions to refer to themselves, but that he is a Nigerian.

    “My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian, he wrote.

    “The problem with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of 1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I cannot forgive people of my generation speaking in that language.

    “Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like Northern Nigeria, Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like the Sokoto caliphate.

    (1) Let me start by saying that I am Fulani. My grandfather was an Emir also fulani my uncle and guardian was also the immediate late Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero and therefore I represent all that has been talked about this afternoon. Sir Ajayi has written a book. And like all Nigerians of his generation, he has written in the language of his generation. My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian. The problem with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of 1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I cannot forgive people of my generation speaking in that language. Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like Northern Nigeria, Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like the Sokoto caliphate. The man from Kano regard himself as bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, they were killing each other. The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko, Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom. They now said it was a Muslim North. The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called the Northern Nigeria. Do you know what happened? Our grand fathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not been able to transform to being Nigerians. The fault is ours. Tell me, how many governors has South West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Many governors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any part of this country has produced good leaders. You talk about Babangida and the problems of our economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu.

    A post shared by Muhammad Sanusi II (@sanusilamidosanusi) on

    “The man from Kano regard himself as bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, they were killing each other.

    “The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko, Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom. They now said it was a Muslim North.

    “The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called the Northern Nigeria. Do you know what happened? Our grandfathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not been able to transform to being Nigerians. The fault is ours.

    “Tell me, how many governors has South West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Many governors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me.

    “There is no evidence statistically that any part of this country has produced good leaders.

    “You talk about Babangida and the problems of our economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu.”

    He stated that it is hypocritical to talk about ethnicity only when it pleases us.

    He said, “we talk ethnicity when it pleases us. It is hypocrisy. You said elections were rigged in 1959, Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged election in 2007.

    “Was it a Southern thing? It was not. The problem is: everywhere in this country, there is one Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba and Itshekiri man whose concern is how to get his hands on the pile and how much he can steal.

    “Whether it is in the military or in the civilian government, they sit down, they eat together. In fact, the constitution says there must be a minister from every state.

    “So, anybody that is still preaching that the problem of Nigeria is Yoruba or Hausa or Fulani, he does not love Nigeria.

    “The problem with Nigeria is that a group of people from each and every ethnic tribe is very selfish. The poverty that is found in Maiduguri is even worse than any poverty that you find in any part of the South.”

  • I won’t be discouraged as change agent – Sanusi

    The Emir of Kano, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, said on Thursday, in Kano, that he would never be discouraged as an advocate of change in the society.

    He made the pledge when the new Country Representative of UNICEF, Mohammed Fall, paid him a visit to solicit his support for girl-child education.

    He admitted that change was always difficult in any society all over the world, not only in Nigeria.

    Sanusi said, “‘Change is always difficult in any society; not only in Kano or in Nigeria but the world at large. Once, you want to bring change, especially that, which has to do with the old tradition, it always meets with resistance from the society.

    “I’m very aware of this, but that will never discourage me in my drive toward change. I know that there are a lot of people in the society that really understand what I’m driving at.

    “I’m therefore calling on everybody; the Ulama, the contractors, the students, the youth leaders, Muslims, especially you, the UNICEF, to come and rally round me as I am ready to pursue this agenda to a logical conclusion. I know I will succeed because the change is meant for the betterment of the society.’’

    On girl-child education, the monarch recalled that almost every day, people troop to his palace to complain about child abuse problems, adding that the society had destroyed so many kids.

    The royal father, however, regretted that the problem revolved round parents not taking care of their children, adding that if parents were there for their kids, child abuse would be reduced.

    The emir promised that the emirate council would give UNICEF the necessary support, especially in the area of improving girl-child education, not only in Kano State but in the North generally.

    In his remarks, Fall solicited the support of the emir in addressing issues relating to child protection, survival and development in the country.

    He said, “I am here to assure you of my readiness to work with you to continue expanding what you have been doing in favour of children, not only in northern Nigeria but the country at large.”