From emirs to kings, Nigeria's traditional rulers are increasingly being humiliated by politicians - and mocked by young people who see them as representing an archaic institution.

The latest example of this was the brutal dethronement of the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II.

The state governor invoked his constitutional powers to depose the emir after accusing him of "insubordination".

No-one knows the number of monarchs in multi-ethnic Nigeria but there seems to be one ruling over every inch of land, often putting them at loggerheads with the politicians who have constitutional authority.

Nigeria's traditional leaders retain huge influence in many parts of the country but recent events have made some young people question the role of the monarchy in the 21st Century.

Mr Sanusi is the most high-profile of several cases in the last five months in which politicians have publicly brought monarchs to heel or the actions of some traditional rulers have led people to question their relevance.

Colonial-style exile
Mr Sanusi was removed for "total disrespect" of institutions and the governor's office, the government said.

But in truth, his removal was the culmination of a long tussle with Kano state governor Umar Ganduje, a powerful figure within Nigeria's governing All Progressives Congress (APC) party.




Those close to him say the emir expected his removal but not his banishment to neighbouring Nasarawa state which his lawyers described as an "archaic practice" of the colonial era.

After gaining a court order, he has regained his freedom but the manner of his removal and subsequent detention showed the real balance of power between politicians and traditional rulers.

"There is no way you can reconcile the feudal gathering of traditional kinship with the application of a modern republican constitution," said Dr Jare Oladosun, an associate professor of history at Nigeria's Obafemi Awolowo University.

He said it was an insurmountable contradiction and favours the scrapping of the monarchy.

"You cannot have both, only one," he said.

For many, Mr Sanusi's removal confirmed what they have long suspected - that the country's monarchs are only symbolic heads with no real power.

Don't shake your head when the governor is speaking
Nigeria's constitution has no role for traditional rulers but they are nevertheless widely respected as custodians of both religion and culture.

And this can be seen as a form of power.


Several myths about the oba of Benin say magic makes him indestructible
Olutayo Adeshina, a professor of history at the University of Lagos, said that by pledging to respect the culture "by protecting, preserving and promoting traditional values", the Nigerian constitution recognises the important role of traditional leaders.

"Traditional leaders possess some latent power which politicians are afraid of, hence the tension between the two.

"If they are not relevant, the politicians would ignore them. But you ignore them at your own peril," he said.

But anyone who watched a video widely shared on social media in January would question whether politicians still have much respect for traditional leaders.

A king in the southern state of Rivers was publicly ridiculed for shaking his head while governor Nyesom Wike was speaking.

The governor ripped into the mortified king in a gathering of traditional rulers, provoking laughter from those in the room.

"You just [go] and wear something that is bigger than you... to breach protocol."

The governor was mocking the monarch's traditional robe and elaborate crown.


In the same week that emir Sanusi was removed in Kano, traditional rulers in south-west Ekiti state were embroiled in a face-off with the governor after he appointed an oba (Yoruba king) to head the traditional council.

A group 16 local obas were not pleased with the "interference" and stayed away from state functions, drawing a stern letter from the governor who accused them of insubordination.

In November 2019, Nigeria's Supreme Court dethroned another oba, in Oyo state, declaring the process of his ascendancy to the throne illegal.

Samuel Adebayo-Adegbola, who was the Eleruwa of Eruwa, had spent 21 years on the throne before he was forced to step down on the grounds that he was not a member of one of the town's two ruling houses whose turn it was to produce a successor in 1994.

The throne remains vacant.


The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Adeyemi III is a respected traditional leader in south-western Nigeria
But it is not always the politicians casting aspersions on the monarchy in Nigeria - the actions of some traditional rulers have also put them in the spotlight.

In February, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, a flamboyant and controversial oba in the south-west state of Osun engaged in a public brawl with another monarch, Dhikrulahi Akinropo, Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa.

Tempers flared at a meeting to settle a land dispute and Oba Akanbi is currently serving a six-month suspension for his part in the altercation.

'Traditional trendiness'
But some monarchs are determined to remain relevant.

Oba Akanbi's Instagram page is an album of very colourful pictures and in one post he talks about "21st Century Kings".

"You think Kings can't "Swag"!! 21st Century Kings like me will catch you unawares!!! You got it all wrong by thinking kings are just 'old raggedy, sad looking, can't dance, working with voodoo, scary looking, can't have fun and only boring!!!" he posted.


But such "traditional trendiness" has not caught on among young people and many took the opportunity of the emir's dethronement in Kano to criticise the monarchy.

"Kings that have no authority, no armies, fight no wars, bear no responsibility for the development or prosperity of their domain.

"Yet we indulge in this pitiful fantasy of them being the all powerful as Kings who did all these and more in the days of yore. Too funny," this user said.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-51853564

Nice expose!

However, in modern times, it's so obvious that Constitutional Democracy and Unconstitutional Monarchy can not flow together.

The way the Emir of Kano was demystified says much about the waning down of monarchy.

BBC always running our local investigative
journalism for us.

helinues:
BBC always running our local investigate journalism for us.

Honestly! While some of our journalists (who happens to be in majority) keeps running after our political class for pittance!

175:


Honestly! While some of our journalist (who happens to be in majority) keeps running after our political class for pittance!

Same way the Chinese are the one constructing our major roads as if we have no engineering graduates from the country.

A lot is wrong about Nigeria

helinues:
BBC always running our local investigate journalism for us.

That's just the way it is.

Incompetent lots we have.

Just like the Paracetamol and Antibiotics Doctors we have. Any ailment, you must use paracetamol, antibiotics and blood tonic. Standard cure for all ailments. Even for HIV

British broadcasting commission = BBC
Nigeria human Zoo = British colony
Nigeria Constitution = British law
This is all British fault

BBC should shut up! Sanusi has paid them bribe to write this nonsense. Because oluwo refused to pay bribe they are now peddling false stories about him. Shame on BBC

Ok

British started that nonsense in hopes of colonising nigeria.. only few kings actually fought them, kings like Alafin, Arochuku king, and Jaja of Opobo

.

Should be scrapped as they are powerless

Nigerian kings lost their power bcs they involve themselves I politics, they do collect contracts from the government and won't do it, they have useless themselves by involving in politics...

Very indept analysis

As long as we have two types of Government in Africa clashes go dey dey. Why do we have both Democracy and Monarchy and we don't expect clash of powers?

Interesting times indeed..

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[right][/right]

Yenefer:
British broadcasting commission = BBC
Nigeria human Zoo = British colony
Nigeria Constitution = British law
This is all British fault

are u related to ipob? U r insulting ur fatherland, u don't have any place better than Nigeria fa

We might not like that the BBC is doing a coverage, but you can't deny that it is a concise, unbiased article.
Our journalists can step up and do better than they do.

Lol

Even the common citizens do not respect most of dis traditional rulers much less governors.

helinues:


Same way the Chinese are the one constructing our major roads as if we have no engineering graduate from the country.

A lot is wrong about Nigeria

It still baffles me till today

Yenefer:
British broadcasting commission = BBC
Nigeria human Zoo = British colony
Nigeria Constitution = British law
This is all British fault

Biafuro pig

The british government started the humuiliation of kings in Nigeria.

This can be traced to the colonial era.

The headline is different from what the content telling us...

Its really a big embarrassment when we hear politicians who became Governor's by rigging election are the ones installing and removing traditional Kings, emir's, obas on their own accord and desecrate the preserved norms, and culture of the society.
It's really sad when I hear them influence the process. Aregbeshola did it when he installed his fellow thug and bully from Canada who currently holds the olowu and became the famous for slapping a King. Tinubu also influence the obaship position by installing his stooge who effrontery threatened the igbos to jump into the lagoon if they dared voted for any party other than the APC. This is bad

Nigeria's kings are nothing but over hyped buffalos.

Eje ku je Kings dem







Madness kings

Nigerian Kings lost their power after surrendering to the colonial Masters. EOD.

Well, all we've presently are ceremonial Kings.

BTW, for just 2k I would take on any graphic design jobs for you