An Open letter to Emir of Kano; Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II

Muhammad Sanusi II

by Alhassan Haruna Dambatta,

Sir,

To start with, I would like to first and openly congratulate you for been chosen to occupy the exalted stool of the Emir of Kano and by the provisions of the system becoming the second most powerful religious leader after the sultan of Sokoto.

As you have stated in the past in many fora before your retirement or i can say un-timely sack as the CBN governor, in which you identified how sacred the stool of the emir of kano is to you and why you may choose to become the emir of kano than the president of Nigeria,such kind of exemplary discipline to lineage is only reserve in the heart of a true royal blood of which you are one.Sir, you are truly one.

You have seen it all, as an Islamic scholar, a western trained technocrat, a well disciplined individual; no one could tell you better of how subjects should be treated with love, compassion and above all with pity on issues relating to their lives and those of their families, especially as provided by Islamic injunctions that promoted the fairness of a leader as a precursor for dominant peace and harmonious co-existence amongst the people found within your territory.

Presently, your efforts to that direction have earned you a revered respect from your subjects in Kano state and have as well promoted you as the messiah who is ready to speak the truth to political authority and equally gives a damn to the welfare of his subjects.

For sure I won’t doubt these, and I believe you will equally agree with me that the raising of your profile within your environment especially with the way people flood the streets whenever you are passing to/from engagements was a product of the amalgamation and utilization of the Islamic and western education in your possession and the youthfulness within your veins which gives you the energy to always shout out loud when ever your subjects are subjugated to unnecessary difficulties by these mere political mortals entrusted with power to govern than to rule over your subjects protected by the traditions and the traditional institution for hundred if not thousands of years.

My first communications to you would have been made through a memo I intended writing you in the past, conceived after a discussion with Dr. Auwalu Mudi Yakasai who already wrote a memo to you on the menace of devastating Boko haram attacks and killings we experienced in Kano state and the antidote needed to wave such megalomaniac settling of political scores by our political leaders using our lives as a bet for staying on top of the game.

While we are witnesses to your unprecedented and fearless sermons of defiance to protect ourselves from those unprovoked attacks by those bunch of vagabonds called Boko haram; our zeal to support you was propelled by those statements you uttered, making us believe that you are the true messiah we have all been waiting for to surface and steer the wheel to the promised land of peace and tranquility we have all dreamed of.

Your recent instructions for the rebuilding of a Baptist church and pastor’s house in Rogo Local government destroyed by some overzealous hoodlums was exemplary and that single act has set a foundation for equity and justice a leader should ensure to all his subjects residing in his territory irrespective of their beliefs, culture or ethnicity. I can also bear witness that our revered prophet Muhammad (SAW) has stated in his covenant with Najran Christians for all Muslims to ensure the protection of the places of worship of the Christians and additionally they should be allowed to worship without fear of molestation and intimidation. Our respected prophet concluded that covenant by calling on all Muslim ummah to adhere to the provisions of the covenant therein, doing otherwise,the prophet concluded that “whoever go against such provisions will not be part of my ummah”. The written agreement is still available in a museum in Turkey.

Additionally,your insistence to continue to provide for the beggars that flood your palace looking for alms daily was a testimony of your uprightness and compassion, this was in contradiction with the provisions of a newly passed law in Kano state house of assembly prohibiting begging within Kano state, I could not help it but to shout your name when I heard you on the radio vehemently opposing sending the needy away when no any provision for social welfare was put in place to accommodate these number of beggars who’s needs were expected to be shouldered by the government of the day in the first place.

To my knowledge, your intention was not to promote begging but to ensure the promotion and upholding of social welfare services by the government to the needy, the temerity of your verbal spur can only be found in the heart of a lion found in the midst of leopards whose interest is to exploit their prey’s weaknesses for their self gain. Most surprising is your spat of the truth in the face of the political authority that fought tooth and nail to ensure your emergence as the emir of kano from the might of the federal government of this shoeless outgoing president who invaded your palace in order to thwart your emergence which from all indication was ordained by Almighty God.

Many of the village heads found to have utilized their powers disproportionately against the poor and the masses have since been stripped of their privileges and send parking by you, for you have said that equity is your watch word.

While Kano people have since been discussing your boldness in ensuring fairness in all your dealings with your subjects, whose perception of you is that of a young but upright king who slept with his subjects in his heart. This your singular effort have recruited many of them to see dying for you as simple as dying for the truth and as things are, if you maintain such path you may remain the most loved emir in the history of Kano state.

To close this letter, I wish to advice on the need to set a system of social welfare at the emirate level and i further suggests you as the chairman so as to cater for these ever increasing number of beggars in need of help, care and protection from the vulnerability of destitution which for sure will be eliminated by the new government of change.

I thank you for your time and hoped for your timely response to the needs and aspirations of Kano people.

Comrade, Alhassan Haruna Dambatta
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