In this power clash between political and traditional power, we find Muhammadu Sanusi II (Sanusi Lamido Sanusi), former Emir of Kano, and Abdullahi Ganduje, then-Governor of Kano State at logger heads.
The tension began brewing after Sanusi—known for his outspoken views—publicly criticized the Kano State government’s policies and alleged mismanagement under Ganduje’s leadership. In response, Ganduje's administration began moves to weaken Sanusi’s influence. In 2019, Ganduje controversially split the historic Kano Emirate into five, effectively reducing Sanusi’s domain and symbolic power. He went a step further in March 2020, dethroning and exiling Sanusi under the guise of “insubordination.”
The move was widely seen as politically motivated and sparked national debate over the autonomy of traditional institutions and the cost of speaking truth to power.
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