Group alerts Sanusi on Aare Musulumi of Yoruba’s dispute, urges him to deny access to contender

The Yoruba Muslim Youths Kano (YMY) has alerted Emir Lamido Sanusi on dispute bordering on the Aare Musulumi of Yoruba in Kano.

The group, in an open letter to Emir Sanusi, signed by Ibrahim Suleiman, called on the monarch not to grant audience to an individual parading self as Aare Musulumi of Yoruba in Kano.

The Yoruba Muslim Youths argued that legitimizing an individual whose claim to this revered stool is fraught with disputes, would further complicate the dispute and inflaming tensions within the Yoruba community in Kano.

The letter reads : “I extend my heartfelt greetings to you, my Emir, with profound respect and admiration. As a proud Yoruba Muslim and a resident of Kano, I write this letter to bring to your esteemed attention an urgent matter that affects the unity and peace of the Yoruba Muslim community in your domain. This concerns the impending visit of an individual who parades himself as the “Aare Musulumi of Yoruba in Kano,” a title that is currently contested and under legal and community review. We, as concerned youths of the Yoruba Muslim community, feel it is necessary to alert you to the reality of the situation surrounding this title and the dangers of legitimizing an individual whose claim to this revered stool is fraught with disputes.

We have been made aware that this individual, whom we consider an imposter, has been granted an audience at the Emir’s palace tomorrow, October 22, 2024. With all due respect to your wisdom and authority, we wish to inform Your Royal Highness that the title of Aare Musulumi of Yoruba in Kano is not only disputed but is currently a matter before the courts, with legal proceedings and injunctions still unresolved. Additionally, the Kano State Governor, Engr. Abba Yusuf Kabir, in his wisdom, has set up a Committee chaired by Professor Usman Muhammad (Zunnurain) to investigate and resolve the issue, a process that remains ongoing. It is within this context of legal and governmental intervention that we find the attempt by this individual to secure an audience with you highly problematic.

Your Royal Highness, it is important to note that this individual does not have the endorsement of the vast majority of Yoruba Muslims in Kano, nor does he enjoy the recognition of our traditional ruler, the Oba of Yoruba in Kano. More than 97% of Yoruba Muslims, along with most Yoruba mosques in Kano, reject his claim to the Aare stool. His actions are seen as divisive and a source of potential conflict within the Yoruba Muslim community. By presenting himself as the rightful Aare, he undermines the ongoing efforts of both the Kano State Government and the courts to resolve this matter amicably and justly. For this reason, we are taken aback by his boldness in seeking an audience with you, knowing full well that his legitimacy is contested.

We appeal to your magnanimity, Royal Highness, not to entertain this individual or his claims. Doing so may inadvertently lend credence to his position, further complicating the dispute and inflaming tensions within the Yoruba Muslim community. As youths deeply committed to the peace and stability of both our community and the larger Kano society, we fear that any recognition of this individual before the resolution of this dispute may lead to unnecessary conflicts and create a rift that could have been avoided.

Your Highness, we hold you in the highest esteem as a custodian of peace, justice, and harmony. The Yoruba Muslims in Kano have great respect for you as a noble leader whose wisdom and fairness are beyond question. We are confident that your office will not be used, even inadvertently, to endorse actions or individuals that could destabilize the Yoruba Muslim community in Kano. The respect we have for you and your office as the Emir of Kano compels us to trust that you will, as always, act in the best interest of all parties involved, ensuring that justice, peace, and communal harmony prevail.

Finally, we humbly implore Your Royal Highness to support the efforts of the committee set up by the Kano State Government, and to ensure that no actions are taken that could compromise the legal and administrative processes currently underway. We trust that you will continue to foster peace and understanding among the various ethnic and religious groups under your leadership, including the Yoruba Muslims of Kano, and that any decisions made will be in the best interest of unity, justice, and the peaceful coexistence of all.

May Allah continue to bless you with wisdom and strength in your leadership, and may Kano remain a beacon of peace and harmony under your reign.”