The Arewa Community in Southern Nigeria has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing royal dispute in Kano to preserve the integrity of the traditional institution.
Musa Saidu, the community’s Chairman, made this appeal during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja. He claimed that the crisis was instigated by politicians for selfish reasons, disregarding the significant harm to the esteemed Kano Emirate.
Saidu emphasized that the conflict does not benefit the people of Kano State or enhance the traditional institution. He pointed out that Kano is a crucial political hub, and President Tinubu needs the state’s support for his second term in 2027, thus he should prevent the royal dispute from worsening.
He stated that the contention over the Kano Emirate stool is a major embarrassment not just to the state but to the entire country, showing disrespect for law, order, and the traditional institution. Saidu noted that the frequent dethronement of emirs in the North over the past three decades indicates the decline of cultural and traditional values.
Saidu criticized President Tinubu’s silence on the issue, finding it concerning and inappropriate. He referenced former President Buhari’s effort to mediate between Emir Sanusi and former Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje in 2020, suggesting Tinubu should take similar action.
Saidu urged Emir Aminu Ado Bayero and Muhammadu Sanusi II to consider the damage their conflict has caused to the traditional institution and to acknowledge that power is granted by God, who can bestow or take it away as He wishes.
He appealed to politicians to stop dividing people for selfish gains.
Additionally, Saidu expressed support for the ongoing investigation of former Kaduna State governor, Nasiru El-Rufai. He endorsed the intervention of the EFCC and praised the Kaduna State House of Assembly’s actions, encouraging other lawmakers to follow their example to ensure democracy thrives free from corruption.
Saidu advised El-Rufai to embrace transparency by cooperating with the investigation committee instead of seeking legal recourse, suggesting that it is El-Rufai’s turn to prove his innocence or otherwise.