Following the security prohibition of the traditional Sallah Emir’s Durbar activities, the 16th Fulani Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has strategically abandoned horse riding and instead uses vehicles to pay Sallah homage to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf at the Government House in Kano.

The Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who also changed the usual routes of state roads to the Government House while carrying out the traditional Hawan Nassarwa, drove in a convoy of vehicles to undertake his tradition.

Explaining the difference in what Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II did with the normal Hawan Nassarwa, Professor Tijjani Naniya, a Professor of History and former Head of the Department of History at Bayero University, Kano, pointed out that before 1940, the Emir, as head of the Native Authority (NA), would only visit the Resident and return to his palace.

He said, “Before 1940, there was no Wajen Kano, which is the outskirts of the city, and the Emir, as the head of the NA, would only pay a visit to the Resident at the Government House, be briefed on the yearly happenings in the city, and return to his palace.”

“But by 1940, when the outskirts of Kano, Wajen Kano, were created and populated by people, most of whom were Hausas but not of Kano extraction, the Emir needed to go round and see them. The present-day Hawan Nassarwa, using horses, was introduced.”

Professor Tijjani Naniya clarified that what the police banned was horse procession in any form, but Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II used vehicles to pay homage to the Governor, which is not in any way a violation or breach of the security position.

He said, “What was stopped was for the Emir to ride on horses and pass through state roads, which would definitely create problems. But now that he has returned to the original means of the Hawan Nassarwa tradition, there is no violation.”

“And the Emir is only coming to the Government House, as opposed to the usual Hawan Nassarwa, where he would ride horses, go around Kano to greet everybody, and then return to his palace.”

Professor Naniya noted that “in compliance with the security position, Sanusi has avoided large crowds and escorts, instead simply driving his few cars to the Government House in the 1903 Traditional Sallah festivities.”

Bans on Durbar: Emir Sanusi returns to 1903 traditional Hawan Nassarwa