A chronicle of dethroned Kano Emirs
The history of Kano’s Emirs, known as Sarkis, is marked by a series of dethronements and depositions spanning centuries. This rich historical narrative highlights the political and social upheavals that have shaped the leadership of this influential city.
1. Guguwa Dan Gijimasu (1247-1290): The first recorded Sarki to be dethroned, Guguwa Dan Gijimasu, ruled Kano for 43 years before his deposition.
2. Dakauta Dan Abdullahi Baja (1452): The second Sarki, Dakauta Dan Abdullahi Baja, had a remarkably short reign, lasting only one day before he was dethroned.
3. Atuma Dan Dakauta (1452): Succeeding his father, Atuma Dan Dakauta became the third Sarki to be dethroned. His rule lasted merely seven days in the same year.
4. Yakubu Dan Kisoke (1565): After ruling for four months and 29 days, Yakubu Dan Kisoke was dethroned but declined reinstatement. He lived in a place later named Yakufawa. Interestingly, two of his sons, Shashiri and Dauda Abasama, later ascended to the throne.
5. Dauda Abasama (1565): Sharing his father’s fate, Dauda Abasama was dethroned after ruling for only 50 days. He settled in the village of Kwarmashe post-dethronement.
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6. Abubakar Kado Dan Rumfa (1565-1573): Known for his piety, Sarki Abubakar Kado Dan Rumfa was dethroned after an 8.5-year reign.
7. Alhaji Dan Kutumbi (1648-1649): Sarki Alhaji Dan Kutumbi was deposed and subsequently settled in Dan-Zaki village in Gezawa.
8. Kukuna Dan Alhaji (1651-1652): After ruling for a year, Kukuna Dan Alhaji was dethroned but reinstated three months later, going on to rule for an additional eight years and seven months.
9. Soyaki Dan Shekarau (1652): His brief reign of three months ended with his dethronement, after which he lived in Dakurawa.
After a long hiatus in the dethronement of Sarkis, a significant event occurred in 1903:
10. Sarkin Kano Alu (1893-1903): The British deposed Sarkin Kano Alu, exiling him to Yola and later Lokoja, where he died in the 1920s.
11. Waziri Allah bar Sarki (1909): Acting Sarki Waziri Allah bar Sarki was removed by Mr. Temple, the British residential officer in Kano.
12. Sarkin Kano Sanusi I (1953-1963): Deposed in 1963 following an indictment for financial misappropriation by the Muffet Committee of Enquiry, Sanusi I was exiled to Azare and later relocated to Wudil, where he died in 1991.
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13. Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II (2014-2020): Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje deposed him on March 9, 2020, and he was taken to Loko in Nasarawa State.
14. Kano Emirates Council Law Repeal (2024): The Kano State House of Assembly passed a law repealing the establishment of five new emirates in the state, nullifying all offices established under the repealed law.
As the story of Kano’s Sarkis continues to unfold, several questions remain:
15. Future of Sanusi II: Will Sanusi II be reinstated and decline the offer like Sarki Yakubu Dan Kisoke, or will he start a second tenure like Sarki Kukuna Dan Alhaji? Or will he, like his grandfather Sanusi I, never reclaim such power again?
Only time will reveal the answers to these questions, as the legacy of Kano’s Emirs continues to evolve.
Sources:
– Kano Chronicle
– “Kano Daga Dutsen Dala” by Dr. Uba Adamu
– “Tsarin Mussulunci a Kasar Hausa” by Jamilu Fagge
– Confidential Report of the Muffet Committee of Enquiry
Adapted from a write-up by Adnan Bawa Bello
