Jonathan Has No Power To Stop Sanusi As New Emir - Northern Elders

The Northern Elders’ Forum has flayed the federal
government for allegedly interfering in the
enthronement of the immediate past Governor of
the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido
Sanusi, as the new Emir of Kano.
The forum strongly faulted the presidency for
wading into an ethno-religious tradition that is
over 1000 years old.
The Deputy National Chairman, NEF, Dr. Paul
Unongo, alleged that the President Goodluck
Jonathan’s administration had been hard on its
critics and often rejected advice given to it. He
said the President was being misled by his
advisers.
He said, “Such is happening in Kano after
somebody who was supposed to be the
government’s enemy was chosen by the
traditional people to be their Emir. I saw the
government reacting to a purely traditional and
religious matter.
“He is a Christian president but people are
pushing him to go and stop a religious and
traditional leader. I don’t think they know the
meaning of an Emir. An emir is both like a pope;
like an archbishop and at the same time, he has
traditional powers.
“He is not like a chief in Tiv or Yorubaland or
Igboland; this is the head of Islam in Kano. Kano
has a history that dates back to about 1000 to
2000 years; and this people can trace their
traditional rulers. How will the government stop
them?”
Speaking further, Unongo said, “there are so
many things happening in this country that I
don’t understand anymore. I don t know if the
Federal Government is interested in people’s
ideas. The government gives the impression that
it knows everything and how to solve problems.
And what it needs is for everybody to shut up.”