Latest On Sanusi: Why The Former Emir Must Change His Name And Start Wearing Suits

Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II was dethroned by the Kano State government on 9th of March 2020 and the king was banished same day out of the Emirate to Nasarawa state. Banishment of deposed monarchs strategic necessity to neutralized rebellion by followers of deposed monarch. This is because even deposed monarch still has valid claims to the throne. And the manner in which Sanusi carried himself, one cannot be entirely wrong to say Kano Emirate has two living Emirs. If that is not the case, Sanusi must first stop wearing royal ropes and he must change his name back to Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.








In the past, deposed monarchs are often executed than exiled or banished. With execution, the fear and threat of rebellion are solved ones and for all, with exile, the monarch will one day stage a rebellion and come back. In Africa, those who have a rightful claim to the throne had to live invincibly to avoid execution. Emperor Shaka of the Zulu Empire was always very sensitive to potential rivals and he executed them, including his siblings and sons! His philosophy was simple as captured in the mini-series Shaka Zulu: Never live an enemy behind or he will rise again and fly at your throat.






Deposed Emir Sanusi still wears royal attire. Here the former Emir and Nasir el-Rufai en route to Abuja from Nasarawa (image: newsnaija)

When Britain began its conquest of Nigeria area, deposed kings we’re exiled far away from their kingdom. This practice often had two notable results, the displeased subjects are stripped of a sacred rallying figure to revolt, and the deposed king is stripped of his supporters to rebel. This practice continued throughout the colonial period to date – the banishment of Sanusi from Kano to Nasarawa as a recent example. Before Sanusi, his grandfather Muhammadu Sanusi I was banished outside Kano, the deposed Sultan Dasuki was banished out of Sokoto to Taraba state. The former Emir of Gwandu, Mustapha Jokolo was banished to Lafia, Nasarawa State. If this was 1700, these kings would have been put to death.

Sanusi's deposition is real, but the deposed Emir is yet to accept reality, he is yet to shade the regal air and poised he had cultivated during the past six years. He is still garbed in royal robes and had the royal swagger about him, he still answers the titular name Muhammadu Sanusi II. For some, he is still the Emir of Kano, who is a victim of political intrigues and persecution both secular and traditional; between himself and the Kano politicians led by Ganduje and his cousins who were sons of his immediate predecessor, Ado Bayero. In fact, in a recent interview, the Emir said he could challenge his removal.






The deposed Emir fully dressed in his Emir regalia leading faithful in prayer in Awe where he was banished to (image: tvcnews)

Every deposed monarch believes his or her removal is often unjust and most often challenge their removal, either through rebellion as in the past or through the courts, the former Emir of Gwandu's case is still in court 15 years after petition. Because of this sense of entitlement, deposed monarch often retain their regal swagger and poise. This position often put the new monarch in a tensed situation. Sanusi has claimed he would fight for the throne in court but let go, he has moved on. But I doubt. Sanusi must do these things before Nigerians believed he had moved on.

He must drop the name he adopted the moment he was elected the Emir of Kano, he was formerly known as Sanusi Lamido Sanusi aka SLS, but as Emir he was known as Muhammadu Sanusi II. Now that he is no longer an Emir, in order not to make his successor uneasy he must drop the official name and resort to his former name, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. And if he insists on retaining the name Muhammadu Sanusi II he must serve his banishment. There shouldn’t be two kings of a kingdom at a time, this brews calamity.






Still looking kingly, Sanusi arrived Murtala Muhammad International Airport Lagos (image: 9jaupdate247)

Sanusi must also stop wearing ropes and sandals with kingly embroidery, the rabbit-ear turban, and any other kingly apparel. For Nigerians to be fully convinced that the Emir has moved on, he must go back to wearing his suits and tuxedos and Italian shoes as he favoured during his career years as a banker and CBN governor. He should cast off the kingly walk and air of Emirs and begin living as an ordinary Kano prince. Sanusi must start acting as a Kano prince and not as an Emir, or former Emir.

While many deposed predecessor had maintained their titular names and air, none was as popular and outspoken as Sanusi. That he lived is enough reason to make the new Emir unease, a new governor might emerge tomorrow who is sympathetic to Sanusi or wants to court popular support would move to dethrone the new Emir and reinstalled Sanusi. To let go completely, the deposed Emir who projected the image of a progressive and reformer, he must break with tradition and shade the titular name and the Emir ropes.

Else, as it stands the deposed Emir contrary to what he had said, had not fully given up and moved on, or maybe I wrote too early, for the Emir need more time to come to the realisation that he is no longer the Emir. He is a reasonable, ones he realised that he will do the necessary to distance himself and ambition to the throne. The nation awaits the unveiling of the suit and ties wearing Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, he has unfinished business with Nigeria.