Durbar in Kano and APC’s Destructive Politics
By Usman Muhammad Umar
Durbar in Kano is a UNESCO designated Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The five centuries old tradition is the largest procession of colorful horses in the world. It is Kano’s gift to humanity. It is also largest pageantry in sub-Saharan Africa, involving over 10,000 people on horses and on foot in a procession. Nigeria is supposed to promote this heritage along with the others designated by UNESCO but unfortunately the destructive politics of the APC, the federal ruling party has become an impediment to the progress and socio-economic development of the country. At every given opportunity, government officials parrot investment friendly initiatives but in actual fact there is always a caveat, which is the partisan involvement of APC stalwarts, who vehemently obstruct anything good in non-APC states. Kano State is one example. Here the APC leadership wants to cripple the State by all means.
In 2024 UNESCO designated Durbar in as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. They issued the certificate through Nigeria’s representative in the organization, and she brought it to the Honorable Minister of Culture and Creative Economy. The Federal Government has refused to communicate the decision to the Kano State Government. What is the motive behind this? Why has there been no Durbar in Kano since the announcement? Why did one of Aminu Ado Bayero’s minions claimed that it was his efforts that ensured UNESCO designation? These are questions that need answers.
The Federal Government refused to communicate to Kano State Government UNESCO’s designation of Durbar in Kano as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity because the State is not APC. Tinubu’s government is doing everything possible to intimidate non-APC states to make them succumb to 2027 grand plan. APC commentators and even legislators that defected to the party recently have stated several times that NNPP leaders promised to defect to APC to secure their governor’s and legislators seats in courts. One of the defectors claimed that he defected to get federal amenities for his constituency. All rhetoric about promotion of foreign investment is a farce because no sane country will ignore the tourism potential of Durbar, the largest procession of colorful horses in the world.
The deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero has been trying to claim that he was responsible for the designation of Durbar in Kano as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Thank God in this era, facts are easily verifiable. It is unpatriotic for him and his minions to propagate this falsehood. Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Rumfa should take the credit. After 500 years, Governor Ibrahim Shekarau’s Administration published the first book on Kano Durbar. Sarkin Kano Muhammad Sanusi II was first to initiate the process during a visit to UNESCO in Paris where a book on Durbar in Northern Nigeria was presented in 2017. Her Excellency Ambassador Mariam Y. Katagum, Nigeria’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO made another presentation in Paris, in presence of Honorable Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu. In 2020 UNESCO formally requested that Nigeria should put forward the application for inscription. Subsequently the National Institute for Cultural Orientation under the leadership of Ado Yahuza took up the processing of the application for designating Kano Durbar as an Intangible World Heritage. They made several visits to Kano and met with the Kano Durbar Committee headed by then Turakin Kano Abdullahi Lamido Sanusi, which provided the necessary information required in the application. Aminu Ado Bayero has not been mentioned in any of the process, he could not even provide the citation for the inscription ich.unesco.org/en/RL/durbar-in-kano-01895 .
Tinubu led Federal Government is using Aminu Ado Bayero to disrupt Kano Emirate and even the Durbar. The Federal Government brought him to Kano after his deposition and provided security for him. Its security agents also seized a state property and put him there as a rival Emir. This is the first time such impunity is being perpetrated by federal agents under the pretext of a court case. It is really intriguing because federal agents never supported Jokolo against the Emir of Gwandu. Jakolo challenged the state government in court for deposing him. He won his case at the Court of Appeal but no one ever recognized him as rival Emir. Neither the Federal Government, nor the Sultan’s Northern Traditional Council ever recognized Jokolo as an Emir but the Emir appointed and recognized by the State Government. Jokolo has been fighting for twenty years. But Tinubu led Federal Government and Sultan led Council decided that they will not recognize the Emir appointed by Kano State Government but the deposed Emir who is waiting for the Supreme Court to nullify Kano Emirate Law because someone else not him took the case to the Court. This is how Tinubu and the Sultan so much hate Kano and Emir Sanusi II that they are using frivolity to disrupt the tranquility of the state. They cannot even come to terms with reality that on June 4 2025, the Supreme Court terminated Jakolo’s case by confirming the Emir appointed by the State Government.
Aminu Ado Bayero who is trespassing in State property with the support of the Tinubu led Federal Government that gave him security cover and his is also pretending to be the Emir of Kano. During the last Eid al-Fitr he wrote to the Commissioner that he wants to hold a parallel Durbar, which was ploy to cause confuse because he has no Emiral authority whatsoever. No single Ward Head or Village Head or District Head reports to him, so how can he lead the Durbar? Even former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s family, do not recognize him as an Emir. The entire family paid allegiance to Emir Sanusi II when he turbanned Ganduje’s nephew as the Village Head (Dagaci) of Ganduje. Why didn’t they ask the pretentious Aminu Ado Bayero to turban him as the Village Head (Dagaci)? It is simple fact they know Aminu Ado Bayero is not the legitimate Emir and he cannot turban anyone. But Abdullahi Ganduje and other APC stalwarts continue to play the comedy that Aminu Ado Bayero is the Emir. He continues to host them at Nassarawa mini palace where he is staying illegally. This is how low the APC has descended.
The Federal security agents have banned the Durbar in Kano using security threat as a pretext. Durbars are held in all the states ravaged by insecurity and insurgency in the North Eastern and North Western States of the Federation. It is only in Kano that Durbar is banned because of security. The agencies cannot secure two kilometers of procession. They receive intelligence reports yet they have not been able to secure the Durbar because they don’t want Emir Sanusi to lead it. If there are intelligence reports, the organizers of such evil should be apprehended. Isn’t it is obvious who does not want Emir Sanusi to ride? Legitimate traditional leaders are all in support of Sanusi. There is neither a single District Head nor a single Village Head from any Local Government Area who is not in support. In fact even Ganduje’s nephew has pledged allegiance. So tracing potential security threat is easy because only the disgruntled elements are willing to cause mayhem.
If APC stalwarts are really democratic and patriotic, they will not support a pretender to Emiral authority to undermine the peace and tranquility of the State. They should insist that the Federal Government should support the Durbar and by extension cultural tourism in Kano to boost the economy and reduce poverty.
Lagos is one of the cities with high crime rates in Africa. It is number 7 (https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/top-10-african-cities-with-the-highest-crime-index-mid-2025/np0wnh1), yet the Federal Government is doing everything to attract businesses there. It is also one of the ten least livable cities in the world according to Businessday (https://businessday.ng/news/article/10-least-liveable-cities-in-the-world-in-2024/). But Tinubu and other Lagosians want to make it as Hong Kong is to China, one country two economies. On the other hand, Kano APC leaders are conniving to destroy Kano by denying it the benefits that will accrue from the designating of Durbar in Kano as an Intangible Culture Heritage of Humanity. They have denied thousands of tourists the opportunity of watching the spectacular performances and consequently boosting the Kano economy. Some Embassies took greater risk by going to Katsina, which is ravaged by banditry and far less secure than Kano. For how long will it take APC and Tinubu let Kano be? We shall see!
Usman can be contacted via Usmanmuhammadumar402@gmail.com
