The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Sule Garo, on Sunday attended the annual Maulud of Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani at the palace of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.

The event, which attracted Islamic scholars, Tijjaniyya adherents and other worshippers from Kano and neighbouring states, took place amid the lingering dispute over the Kano emirship involving Bayero and the 16th Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II.

Garo’s presence at the gathering is significant as the two royal figures remain at the centre of the emirate controversy, with Bayero enjoying the support of a faction associated with former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, while Sanusi has the backing of the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The Maulud was held at Bayero’s palace despite the state government’s recognition of Sanusi, adding another dimension to the long-running traditional and political dispute in the state.

Sanusi was reinstated by the Yusuf administration in May 2024 after the state government repealed the law establishing five emirates in Kano.

The development followed the dissolution of the five-emirate structure created under Ganduje, which had divided the Kano Emirate into Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Karaye and Rano emirates.

Bayero, who was appointed by Ganduje in 2019 after Sanusi’s dethronement, was subsequently directed by the Yusuf administration to vacate the Nasarawa Palace following Sanusi’s reinstatement.

He, however, declined to leave, leading to a prolonged legal and political dispute over the rightful occupant of the Kano throne.

The competing claims have since resulted in two parallel royal establishments, with both camps continuing to attract supporters and hold activities associated with the Kano Emirate.

Sunday’s Maulud provided another public display of the divisions surrounding the emirship.

The event came two days after Sanusi presided over the mass wedding of 1,500 couples organised by the Kano State Government under its Auren Gata programme.

At the central ceremony held at the Emir’s Palace mosque on Friday, Sanusi represented the bride while Governor Yusuf represented the groom during the solemnisation.

The mass wedding, which the state government said cost about N1.5bn, was organised under the supervision of the Kano State Hisbah Board as part of the administration’s social intervention programmes.

Meanwhile, the annual Maulud organised by followers of Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani was held at Bayero’s palace after an earlier attempt to use the Sani Abacha Stadium reportedly did not receive timely approval from the state government.

A participant, Ahmad Abdulkadir, who travelled from Zaria, Kaduna State, told The PUNCH that the Supreme Council of the Tijjaniyya sect had written to the state government about two weeks before the event seeking permission to use the stadium.

He said the organisers did not receive a response approving the use of the facility.

Abdulkadir said he was nevertheless grateful that the Maulud was held and praised the turnout.

“We thank God that we were able to attend the Maulud and witness the gathering. The turnout was impressive, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be here,” he said.

He, however, questioned why the government did not approve the use of the stadium.

“I am wondering why the government did not give the Sani Abacha Stadium to the organisers after the council had written to seek approval about two weeks before the event,” he added.

Another participant, Abdulazeez Shehu, who travelled from Bauchi State, also praised the turnout.

“We thank Almighty Allah for allowing us to attend this gathering. The turnout was very encouraging, and it shows the importance people attach to the Maulud,” Shehu told The PUNCH.

He also questioned the failure to secure the stadium for the event.

“People came from different places to attend this Maulud, so I wonder why the Sani Abacha Stadium was not approved for the gathering when the organisers had reportedly written to the government earlier,” he said.

A Kano resident, Ilyasu Idris, said the gathering demonstrated the continued following enjoyed by the Tijjaniyya sect in the state.

“I thank God for the successful gathering and the large number of people who attended. The turnout shows that many people still value this annual Maulud,” Idris said.

He said the dispute over the venue should not overshadow the religious purpose of the gathering.

“What matters to many of us is that the Maulud took place peacefully and people were able to come together for prayers and religious activities,” he added.

When contacted, the spokesperson for Bayero, Abubakar Balarabe Kofar Na’isa, said the deputy governor represented the governor at the event and attended with his entourage.

Asked whether the entourage included government officials, Kofar Na’isa said they were not government officials.

“He was accompanied by his stalwarts, not government officials,” he said.

He also confirmed that the organisers had written to the offices of the Secretary to the State Government and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Religious Affairs seeking approval to use the stadium.

“Yes, we indeed wrote letters to the government officials, but they didn’t respond. It was only yesterday evening that they approved, but it was late. People suggested that we should hold it at the Emir’s palace,” he stated.

The event was also attended by senior Federal Government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, who represented President Bola Tinubu.

Akume was accompanied by several dignitaries, including former Jigawa State Governor, Saminu Turaki, and former Kano State Governor, Kabiru Gaya, among others.

The Kano emirship crisis dates back to March 2019, when the Ganduje administration created additional emirates and appointed new emirs after altering the traditional jurisdiction of the Kano Emirate Council.

The restructuring triggered a major political and traditional controversy, culminating in Sanusi’s dethronement in March 2020.

Following the 2023 governorship election, Yusuf, who had campaigned on a promise to review the emirate arrangement, moved to repeal the law establishing the five emirates.

The Kano State House of Assembly passed the repeal legislation in May 2024, and the governor signed it into law.

The development restored the Kano Emirate to its former structure and paved the way for Sanusi’s reinstatement.

Sanusi returned to the throne amid celebrations by his supporters, while Bayero and his supporters challenged the process in court.

The dispute has since generated several legal battles and competing claims over the legitimacy of the two royal establishments.

The situation has also reflected the political alignments surrounding the two camps, with Sanusi publicly backed by the Yusuf administration and Bayero continuing to enjoy the support of political figures associated with the Ganduje camp.