Social Media opinion: Before that disgraced king is made a saint

In disgust, I have heard some remarks about (a) dethroned Kano king, many of which, were coming from Southern Nigerians, who should know better. I remember vividly that the country’s head was so gradually built into a saint in 2015, even when his antecedents are starkly in contradiction to simple nobilities. This few lines have become necessary, in order to ensure we do not have a bigger monstrous disaster in 2023, than the one we have now.
RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE: In December 1994, an Igbo trader in Kano, Gideon Akaluka, was arrested and put in a police cell. His accusers claimed that his wife used some pages of the Qur’an to wipe her baby’s behind, after excreting. A group of youngmen known as the “Muslim Brothers”, broke into the cell, beheaded the inmate and jubilated round the city of Kano with his head on a stake.
A dethroned Emir is allegedly believed to be the leader of that murderous group. It was further reported that it was his mentor and the father of the “Pampers Bomber”, who begged Abacha on his behalf, in order to get him off the hook.
TRANSPARENCY/HONESTY: In what is now known as the Sanusi Tsunami, as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi swept away some banks. Notably among them is the Intercontinental Bank. While many believe that his action was an attack on Southern owned Banks, I am more concerned about the shady and dodgy way the bank was sold off to its own debtors! Also his inconsistent claims concerning missing funds in the NNPC, during the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan (smearing the government with untrue allegations of corruption), shows that he is either grossly incompetent or intricately dishonest.
SHARIA HYPOCRISY: After the declaration of Sharia as state law in Zamfara in October1999, the then governor of Kano, Rabiu Kwankwaso, wanted the implementation of Sharia to be gradual in Kano State unlike Zamfara, but was overwhelmed by a horde of Islamic organisations and notable Muslims. At the end of the day, Kwankwaso gave in to the pressure, and declared Sharia as State Law in Kano, on the 21st of June, 2000.
Predominantly among the notable Muslims who exerted much pressure and clout on Kwakwaso then, was a top Banker in UBA (who was brought into the bank by the father of the ‘Pampers bomber’ who was then in UBA, before moving to First Bank and taking his ‘boy’ along).
In what seems like a roundabout turn, the same banker, at the Mo Ibrahim forum in 2017, in Morocco said: ‘’Zamfara state started Sharia in Nigeria; it has the highest rate of poverty in the country today. It’s a matter of time for people to realise that this is all deception, this is all politics, this is not religion; it is about politicians appropriating religion as a discourse for getting into power,”
If I may ask, when did he realise that the introduction of Sharia as state law is mere politics in Nigeria…when?
Girl Child Education: When men like Sanusi speak for girl child education in Nigeria, sensible people should tell him to shut up! Remember ESE ORURU? 13yr Old Ese was kidnapped in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, by one Yunusa Dahiru and taken to Kano State, where she was forcibly converted to Islam and married to her abductor. Ese’s mother who traced her daughter’s abductor to his community in the outskirts of Kano city, was told point blank by the community head, that her daughter is now under the care of the Emir of Kano. The poor woman immediately left for the palace and truly saw her daughter being driven in, with police escort in an SUV. After stating her case, and requested to have her daughter back, she was still denied, even though she went to Kano with a police officer from Bayelsa. That was on the 17th of August, just five days after her daughter was kidnapped. This went on till the matter was blown by the PUNCH NEWSPAPER in January 2016. The local and international condemnation eventually forced the release of Ese to the Nigerian police on the 20th of February, 2016. Six whole months after her kidnap and after she has been repeatedly allegedly raped, and was by then five months pregnant for her abductor. The point here is that little Ese’s forced conversion to Islam and her forced marriage to her abductor, all took place in the Emir’s palace. He did not only allegedly endorse her abduction, he also allegedly ensured that the victim was not released to her mother, he also allegedly used his authority to protect the kidnapper and continued perpetration of various crimes (including rape) against Little Ese, for SIX WHOLE MONTHS.
But the same man, at the anniversary of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group said:
“Are we still living in the era when fathers can force their daughters into marriage without their permission? Yes we are. Early marriage? Yes, in Nigeria, and it is hurting and destroying our society. We are the ones to address these social issues because they are problems. Taking her out of school and forcing her into marriage without education results in having a child who does not have a mother that can give the child proper training.’’
He is definitely a deceiver and trickster. Barefacedly, he says one thing passionately and he expressly does the opposite. Its simply Taqiyya and before you make the disgraced Emir of Kano a saint, remember these few lines. But if you choose to forget everything else…please remember Gideon Akaluka…and don’t forget LITTLE ESE ORURU.
Olufemi….
Editor’s note: This piece has been edited.