The Kano State House of Assembly in Nigeria has taken a bold decision to dissolve all the four newly created Emirates in the state. This news resulted from deliberations during a plenary session, that led to the consideration of the Kano State Emirates Council Amendment Bill. The bill passed both the second and third reading in one morning.
The Deputy Speaker, Muhammad Butu, expressed that the decision to repeal the law was to restore Kano’s prestige. The division of Kano Emirate into five had weakened the state’s dignity and capacity at the national level.
Alhaji Lawan Dala, the Majority Leader, noted that the Emirates Council, as the custodian of culture, were hindered by the creation of the additional four Emirates. The amendment of the law led to the abolition of the four newly established Emirates, leaving only the Kano Emirate. Read more
Interestingly, the House also agreed to establish a new second-class Emirate Council in the state. This decision follows previous reports in May that the House had taken steps to amend the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law.
The issue of Kano Emirates has been a contentious one. Former Kano Governor Sen. Rabi’u Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, mentioned that the issue would be revisited.
Former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had divided the Kano Emirate into five and dethroned the then Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II. However, Kwankwaso assured that the government of Abba Kabir Yusuf would review the dethronement and partition of the Emirate.
Finally, the Kano State House of Assembly passed a law nullifying the four Emirates established by the Ganduje administration. As a consequence of this law, Kano State now legally has only one Emirate, the Kano Emirate. The other four Emirs have been returned to their former statuses, if any, before the law took effect in 2019.
After the Kano Emirates Council Law (Repeal Bill) 2024 was passed, district heads appointed or promoted under the repealed law will resume their old roles. The newly established Emirates in the state will also be revoked by the law, and the new bill will nullify the offices created by the repealed law
