Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Monday inaugurated a reconstituted Council of Emirs led by Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, restoring a unified traditional leadership structure five years after it was broken up under the previous administration.
The council includes the Emirs of Gaya, Karaye and Rano, according to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
The move follows Yusuf’s signing of the Kano Emirates Council (Repeal) Bill 2024, which dissolved the five emirates created in 2019 by former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The restructuring returns the Kano Emirate to a centralised model with Sanusi II at the helm.
Speaking at the ceremony at the Government House in Kano, Yusuf said the reinstated council would strengthen traditional governance and support efforts to promote peace, stability and development.
“The inauguration of the Council of Emirs today reaffirms our commitment to preserve Kano’s cultural legacy and deepen collaboration between the government and the emirate institution,” Yusuf said.
He said the council was designed to serve as a forum for traditional rulers to deliberate and provide guidance on issues affecting the state.
Deputy Governor Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo said he was confident the council would contribute significantly to Kano’s development, while the governor’s adviser on chieftaincy affairs, Professor Tijjani Muhammad Naniya, traced the emirate’s history and its long-standing ties with Gaya, Rano and Karaye.
Naniya said the reform restored a centuries-old structure under which Kano’s Emirs operated as a united institution for more than 700 years.
Emir Sanusi II, who chairs the council, said the revival of the body was in line with historical tradition and pledged the cooperation of the emirs to support the state government’s agenda.
He praised Yusuf’s “monumental achievements” and said the emirate council would work to advance Kano’s progress.