Protest in Kano as Sanusi Lamido becomes the New Emir

 

Ba muso! Ba muso!! that was what the protesters are chanting. Protests broke out in parts of Kano on Sunday shortly after a former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Lamido Sanusi was   named the new Emir of Kano.

Sanusi, who by his appointment becomes the 14th Emir of Kano, takes over from Ado Ibrahim,who died on Friday.

Before the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Dr. Rabiu Bichi, announced the decision on Sunday, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Nothern States Governors’ Forum had goofed by rushing to issue statements congratulating   Sanusi Ado Bayero, the son of late Ado Bayero, as the new Emir.

The ex-CBN governor’s appointment brought to an end, the succession battle which pitted the contenders and their supporters against one another.

The Bayero ruling house has ruled Kano for a century out of which the late   Bayero was on the throne for 51   years.

As with most contests of this nature, Sanusi’s choice did not go down well with some Kano people, who expected   the late Emir’s   first son to succeed his father.

There were reports of violence along the British Council area of the city which shares a fence with the Emir’s Palace and around the Lodge Road where the state Government House is located.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, some   residents of the neighbouring streets trooped out to the palace area in opposition to the choice.

They set tyres on fire and mounted road blocks as they shouted, ‘‘Ba muso, ba muso’’, meaning, ‘‘we don’t want, we don’t want’’ in apparent reference to the choice of Sanusi.

.