Kano emirate organizes durbar in honour of President Conde
The Kano Emirate Council yesterday organized a special durbar in honour of the visiting President Alpha Conde of Guinea Conakry.
Conde's visit to Kano coincided with the traditional Hawan Daushe durbar which usually takes place on the second day of Sallah, and considered to be the most colourful and most impressive durbar during Sallah celebrations in Kano.
The visiting president arrived the emir’s palace at 4:18pm in company of his host Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, where they went straight above the emir’s court at Kofar Kudu from where special guests used to watch the event.
The durbar commenced at around 4pm when the emir left his palace, through Kofar Arewa, Kabara, Hasiya Bayero hospital, to Babban Daki, where he paid homage to his mother.
At about 4:30 pm district heads and their contingents rode on horses’ back in front of the emir’s court in the royal exhibition of garment and regalia.
The emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who rode a white camel, arrived the court at 6:02 pm where he received a standing ovation from the visiting president, Governor Ganduje and other dignitaries, amidst cheers from thousands of spectators.
The emir then mounted a stallion and stood adjacent the main gate at Kofar Kudu, where he received homage from all traditional title holders, comprising district heads, and ward heads.
The police and other security agents, however, had to disperse some antinew emirates protesters who chanted “Sarki daya ne a kano” meaning there is only one emir in Kano, pointing their index fingers at the direction of the dignitaries.
The durbar ended at around 6:35 pm as the emir retired to the palace, after which the visiting president, his host and other dignitaries left the palace.
A source in the palace told Daily Trust that the palace was happy to receive President Conde, describing him as a visitor of the entire country.