The silence of an emir

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, is no doubt a friend of the media. He is always in news headlines making comments on national and social issues: from Sharia implementation, introduction of Islamic banking, family law, street begging to many more.

This is because of his versatility in both Islamic and western education and that is why he has been described by many as “controversial”.

His recent statement of putting the Kano Nine abduction blame on the parents has sparked debates on social platforms because of his silence after the rescue of the children and the arrest of their abductors.

The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, has constituted a commission of inquiry into the abduction, a law was made criminalising kidnapping; with a death penalty. Instead of the emir to give his own contribution and wait for the final outcome of the committee’s finding; he ended up blaming the parents of the abducted children.

It is true that most of our people are negligent, but this is due to the abject poverty we find ourselves in.

Our children may be roaming the streets because we do not have enough space in the house where they can play; we don’t have money to buy toys for them. While the father is out to get something for the family, the mother is waiting for the father to bring what she will cook.

It is evidently clear that some of these children were abducted on their way back from Islamiyya schools. Parents hardly take their children to Islamiyya schools because the children can take themselves. The emir should be able to differentiate between the rich form of life and that of the poor or average citizen.

While the rich employ drivers that will drive their children to Islamiyya and Western schools, the poor or average citizens cannot afford that.

The emir should be seen condemning the act, calling on government to take serious measures to avoid future occurrences.

The Emir of Bichi was on a working visit to Enugu; he was in the Government House with the governor, I know he would have discussed the abduction issue. I also heard that he was on a tour to the South Eastern states to discuss with leaders of the states towards seeing an end to the kidnapping business.

This is what the Emir Sanusi should be doing; not the blame game.

Emir Sanusi’s silence during the abduction saga was uncalled for. Could the South be silent if a Hausa or Fulani man was caught in the business of kidnapping their children? Take this as if it happened in any of the southern states, would any of their leaders be seen blaming the parents?

With this silence, could the emir be seen as someone that speaks or stands for his people?

My emir was wrong; he should look at the issue again. Adnan Tudunwada @adnanmoukhtar