Complete List Of Emirs Of Kano (1807-Present)
This is a comprehensive list of all the Emirs of Kano from 1807 till date. The Emir of Kano is the traditional ruler of Kano, a city in northern Nigeria. However, the emir has both cultural and religious authority.
He leads the Kano Emirate Council and is the second most important Muslim leader in Nigeria after the Sultan of Sokoto. The emirate was formed in 1805 after the Fulani jihad, and since then, there have been 14 emirs.
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List Of Emirs Of Kano From 1807 Till Date
Emir Name | Reign Start | Reign End | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Muhammadu Sanusi II | 2014 | Present | Current Emir, reinstated in 2024 after being dethroned. |
Ado Bayero | 1963 | 2014 | Longest-reigning Emir served for over 50 years. |
Muhammadu Inuwa | 1963 | 1963 | Shortest reign, only a few months. |
Muhammadu Sanusi I | 1953 | 1963 | First Emir was dethroned by the government. |
Abdullahi Bayero | 1926 | 1953 | Promoted Islamic education and trade. |
Shehu Usman | 1919 | 1926 | Initiated many developmental projects during his reign. |
Muhammad Abbas | 1903 | 1919 | First Emir under the Kano Emirate Council. |
Aliyu Babba | 1894 | 1903 | Captured during the British takeover of Kano. |
Muhammadu Tukur | 1893 | 1894 | Brief reign before Aliyu Babba. |
Muhammadu Bello | 1882 | 1893 | Son of Abdullahi Maje Karofi. |
Abdullahi Maje Karofi | 1855 | 1882 | Son of Ibrahim Dabo. |
Usman Maje Ringim | 1846 | 1855 | Son of Ibrahim Dabo. |
Ibrahim Dabo | 1819 | 1846 | Founder of the Dabo dynasty. |
Sulaiman Dan Abu | 1807 | 1819 | First Emir after the Fulani jihad. |
Who Was The First Emir Of Kano State?
Suleiman dan Abu Hamma was the first Emir of Kano, ruling from 1805 to 1819. He became the Emir after the Fulani Jihad, which was a religious war led by Usman Dan Fodio.
These wars created the Sokoto Caliphate, a large Islamic empire in northern Nigeria. Suleiman was born in the late 18th century and was part of the Sullubawa clan of the Fulani people.
He became known as a strong military leader during the Fulani Jihad, helping to conquer the Hausa Kano Sultanate in 1805. After this victory, he was made the first emir of Kano under the new Sokoto Caliphate.
In this new system, regions were divided into emirates, and each one was ruled by an emir who was loyal to the Sultan of Sokoto.
During his reign, Suleiman strengthened Kano. He expanded its borders and made sure that Kano became an important part of the Sokoto Caliphate.
He promoted Islam and focused on building a strong military to defend Kano from enemies. He also helped grow Kano’s economy by encouraging trade and agriculture to make the region even stronger.
Suleiman ruled for 14 years until he died in 1819. After his death, his son Ibrahim Dabo became the emir, starting the Dabo dynasty, which would continue to rule Kano for over 200 years.
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Who Is The Current Emir Of Kano?
Muhammadu Sanusi II, CON, born on July 31, 1961, is a prominent leader in Nigeria. He holds the religious title of Khalifa Sanusi II and is the current Emir of Kano.
He is also the spiritual leader of the Tijanniyah Sufi order in Nigeria. Sanusi is part of the Dabo dynasty and is the grandson of Muhammadu Sanusi I, who served as the 11th Emir of Kano from 1953 to 1963.
Sanusi was born into a Fulani ruling family in Kano and got his early religious education at home. He later went to St. Anne’s Primary School in Kaduna, attended King’s College in Lagos, and completed his studies at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics.
However, Sanusi had a successful career in banking and served as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2009 to 2014. Sanusi became the Emir of Kano on June 8, 2014, succeeding his great-uncle, Ado Bayero.
Yet, his enthronement was controversial, with some people believing it was politically motivated to prevent fraud charges related to his time at the central bank.
As Emir, Sanusi has focused on improving the culture in Northern Nigeria, using his position to address important issues like the Boko Haram insurgency, child marriage, and the need for more schools.
Though he was briefly dethroned in 2020, Sanusi was reinstated as Emir on May 23, 2024, by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
