Kano — Recently, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, contrary to time-honoured tradition, turbaned a non-biological son of his as the Sardauna of Kano. The beneficiary of the investiture is incumbent Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of the state. This landmark event has been generating diverse reactions around the state. MUHAMMAD KABIR examines the development and now reports.

History was yet again made in Kano, penultimate Saturday, when the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, turbaned the state governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau as the first Sardauna of Kano. The governor, who has remained a shining star, having broken the so-called jinx of second term in the governorship of Kano, is receiving the honour for what the Emir termed his selfless service and fight for the unity of the diverse tribes and cultures that make up Nigeria.

Shekarau, who in the beginning was more of a proponent of Mallam Aminu Kano's ideology of emancipation of the Talakawas, was however at a later stage, to imbibe both the right wing conservative philosophy of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and the left wing progressive ideology of the late advocate of the Talakawa emancipation.

This blending of ideologies has, no doubt, rewarded the governor with a controversial image as a maverick.

In 2003, Governor Shekarau assumed office and embarked on the major task of seeking to transform Kano into a better society as well as arguably the more challenging one of reversing the fortunes of his Talakawa people.

At that time, and for the first time in history, Alhaji Bayero, in his noted tenacious concern for the welfare of his subjects, embarked on a tour of the entire 44 local government areas of the state to sell the new Sahu Adaidaita (social reorientation) programme of the Shekarau government.

The action of the Emir was not received favourably by the opposition PDP who, during their courtesy visit to the Emirate Council, handed down their grievances at what they termed the Emir's role in furthering the political interest of the governor in the name of social reorientation.

The delegation led by Senator Jibrin Eldoguwa, a most vocal politician whose opposition to the verdict that Kano is the most populated state in the federation is well known, arrived the Emir's palace and voiced their discontent with Alhaji Bayero's moves.

But as though PDP's criticism was destined not to ruffle the Emir in any way, the apparent romance between him and Shekarau seemingly got closer by the day with the monarch being invited to several functions organized by the governor.

While the Emir might not have been heard publicly responding to the PDP, his action is probably a clear tacit reply that he owes no one any apology for his relationship with the young chief executive.

However, many things have been and continued to be said about the relationship between Governor Shekarau and Emir Bayero. But like the Emir, Shekarau, who is not unaware of the strong opposition being provoked by his actions, may have undauntedly decided to further consolidate the mutual understanding between him and the Emirate council by ensuring that the traditional institution is properly taken care of, just like any government establishment. For instance, the governor had purchased Prado Jeeps for all the 44 local government Hakimis in the state.

Another thing that might have endeared Shekarau to the Emir is his respect for the traditional institution, which compels him to seek the Emir's counsel in everything he does and sometimes, even to the extent of allowing the Emir to make outright a choice for him.

Even before the turbaning, Emir Bayero had, in no uncertain terms, described Mallam Shekarau as his son. "He is now our son and he is ahead of all the other sons I have in terms of his new title of the Sardauna," he said.

The current scenario has obviously provoked social critic and long standing vocal politician in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, who, while speaking on the Voice of America (VOA) Hausa service, said, "I expected the Emir to vacate his seat and give it to Shekarau and not to make him Sardauna. In any case, the title of Sardauna is nothing to write home about because it was the same premier (Ahmadu Bello) who removed late Sanusi from his Emirship and sent him on exile to Azare in Bauchi state, not until we returned him to Wudil in Kano."

Rimi, it would be recalled, as governor of Kano state from 1979 to 1983, tried to remove the Emir and even established other powerful emirates within the state - Gaya, Rano, Karaye, Ringim and Kazaure, and made sure they became functional.

But as fate would have it, Rimi did not last long enough in office to witness the full maturity of these new emirates as he was defeated by the controversial Sabo Bakin Zuwo in the governorship election of 1983.

Zuwo had contested on the platform of the Mallam Aminu Kano-led Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), while Rimi, who had allegedly betrayed Aminu Kano, had defected to the Nnamdi Azikiwe-led Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP).

On assumption of office, one of Zuwo's first assignments was to remove all the Emirs installed by Rimi, and even described their position as meaningless. Consequently, Bayero, till today, still remains the father of all Emirs in Kano State and the current scenario under Shekarau administration favours him to retain the enviable status.