Kano: 2 Galadimas in 1 emirate

The emirship tussle rocking the Kano Emirate for almost a year has taken an entirely new dimension. What initially started as a battle for legitimacy and supremacy between two contending monarchs-Muhammadu Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero-has now evolved into the appointment of parallel titleholders for their respective palaces within the same emirate.

On April 9, 2025, Emir Sanusi announced the promotion of his uncle and the Wamban Kano, Alhaji Munir Sanusi Bayero, as the new Galadiman Kano.

Less than two weeks later, on April 21, 2025, Emir Bayero countered by appointing his elder brother and the eldest son of the late Emir Ado Bayero, Sanusi Ado Bayero, as his own Galadiman Kano.

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This latest development follows the death of the former titleholder, Abbas Sanusi, who was Emir Sanusi’s uncle and the father of Kano APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas.

Initially, the conflict centred solely on who was the legitimate Emir of Kano. Bayero, the 15th Emir, was deposed by Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf after the repeal of the 2019 Kano State Emirates Council Law, which had been signed by Yusuf’s predecessor and the current All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Following his dethronement, Muhammadu Sanusi II was reinstated as the 16th Emir of Kano, one of Nigeria’s most powerful and influential traditional institutions.

However, just days after being deposed, Bayero returned to Kano and took up residence in one of the mini-palaces in Nassarawa, just a stone’s throw from the Kano Government House.

Since then, both monarchs have continued to lay claim to the emirship.

Emir Sanusi II, appointed by the Kano State governor and officially recognised by the state government, currently occupies the main emir’s palace, Gidan Rumfa.

Emir Bayero, meanwhile, is recognised by nearly all APC stakeholders in the state and, arguably, by the federal government as well.

Both monarchs hold palace courts in their separate residences and continue to attend public functions within and outside Kano.

By law, emirate and chieftaincy affairs fall under the “residual list”-areas where only the state government has legislative authority. This means that, legally, only the state government can determine who becomes emir and, by extension, appoint titleholders.

History of Galadima title in Kano Emirate

The title of Galadima is the highest rank a prince can attain within the Kano Emirate. As the most senior palace titleholder, control over who occupies the position is of great significance-hence the reason both warring sides in the current emirship tussle are keen on asserting authority over it.

Historically, even the first Emir of Kano from the Fulani dynasty after Usman Danfodio’s Jihad in the early 1800s, Ibrahim Dabo, once held the title of Galadima before ascending to the throne. His eldest son, Usman I, also held the revered title.

Similarly, the fourth Fulani Emir of Kano, Abdullahi Majekarofi, was Galadima before becoming Emir. His eldest son, Yusuf Maje-Garko, likewise held the title.

Following this tradition, Emir Bello, who succeeded Majekarofi as Emir of Kano, appointed his son as Galadima.

In more recent history, Muhammadu Inuwa, who became Emir after the dethronement of Sanusi I in 1962, had also served as Galadima before ascending the throne.

Who are the 2 nominees presented for the title?

The two nominees presented for the prestigious title of Galadima are Munir Bayero and Sanusi Bayero.

Munir Bayero, who was earlier appointed by Emir Sanusi II, is his uncle. Before his elevation, he held the title of Wamban Kano and served as the District Head of Bichi in the state.

Even during Emir Sanusi’s tenure as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Munir Bayero served as one of his aides.

Later, as Emir, Sanusi II appointed him District Head and posted him to Bichi-a move that became highly controversial.

At one point, Emir Sanusi even planned to personally accompany him to his new post, but security agents barricaded the Kano palace and prevented the trip.

On the other hand, Sanusi Bayero, the eldest son of the late Emir Ado Bayero, was a prominent contender for the Kano Emirship following his father’s death in 2014. At the time, he held the title of Ciroman Kano. However, the kingmakers selected Sanusi II as emir instead.

In protest, Sanusi Bayero refused to pay allegiance to the new emir. Consequently, Emir Sanusi II removed him from his title, and Sanusi Bayero relocated to Abuja.

After Sanusi II was dethroned by Governor Ganduje in 2020 and replaced with Aminu Ado Bayero, the new emir reinstated Sanusi Bayero, appointing him as the new Wamban Kano.

However, when Sanusi II was reinstated as Emir in 2024, he did not recognise Sanusi Bayero’s title.

It’s purely political – Dr Kurawa

Speaking to Daily Trust on the unfolding developments, Kano-based researcher, writer and historian, Ibrahim Ado Kurawa, alleged that the entire drama surrounding the Kano emirship tussle is being instigated and backed by the federal government due to what he described as its vested interest in the matter.

According to him, the legitimate instrument of authority rests with the governor, and only the emir recognised by the governor has the legal power to appoint titleholders.

He said, “It is purely politics, as the federal government has insisted that Aminu Bayero must remain the Emir of Kano despite lacking the jurisdiction to enforce it. If the federal government had no interest in it, he wouldn’t be doing this.

“Initially, he [Bayero] did not even personally challenge his dethronement in court. He is merely relying on other people’s lawsuits, hoping that he will be reinstated.

“And traditionally, whosoever is in Gidan Rumfa is the legitimate Emir. Any other person is just a pretender. It is just the media that keeps promoting the conflict by claiming that there are two emirs in Kano when in reality, he (Bayero) doesn’t even have a ward head.”

Kurawa further explained, “All instruments of authority are vested in the governor, and he has already transferred them to another person. Don’t you know that even in Sokoto State today, the Sultan cannot appoint even a ward head without the governor’s approval? So why should Kano’s case be different? It’s simple – federal government interest.

“For example, the dethroned Emir of Gwandu, Mustafa Jikolo, challenged his removal in court, but did he establish a parallel palace court in Gwandu? No. That’s because the federal government has no interest in his case.

“If you are contesting the governor’s authority and you have the backing of a superior federal authority, the drama will continue because you have the instruments of power to sustain it,” he added.

‘More appointments, counter-appointments coming soon’

Beyond the Galadima title, Emir Sanusi II has also announced the appointment of four additional new titleholders, along with the promotion of two others.

The new appointees include Kabiru Hashim as Wamban Kano, Mahmud Ado Bayero as Turakin Kano, Ado Lamido Sanusi as Tafidan Kano, and Ahmed Abbas Sanusi as the new Yariman Kano.

Meanwhile, sources within the Bayero-led Nassarawa palace have revealed that Emir Aminu Ado Bayero has already finalised plans to counter these appointments with his own set of appointees.