Alhaji Sir Muhammadu Sanusi I,

KBE KBE may refer to: * Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, post-nominal letters * Knowledge-based engineering Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) is the application of knowledge-based systems technology to the domain o ...

was the Acting

Governor of Northern Nigeria The High Commissioner or Governor of Northern Nigeria, originally the High Commissioner of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate, after 1914 the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Commissioner, or Governor General of the Northern Provinces of Nigeria, was ...

(1957) and

Emir of Kano Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremo ...

from 1954 to 1963. He was the eldest son of Emir

Abdullahi Bayero Abdullahi Bayero CBE CMG dan Muhammad Abbas (1881–1953) was Sarki (Emir) of Kano, with headquarters in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria from 1926 to 1953. As a traditional ruler he had extensive powers under the British colonial authority. Early yea ...

. He was a powerful Emir that had substantial influence in the colonial

Northern Nigeria Northern Nigeria was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962 it acquired the territory of the United Kingd ...

. He hosted a grand durbar festival for

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

when she visited Kano in 1956. The power tussle between him and his distant cousin Sir

Ahmadu Bello Ahmadu Ibrahim Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto (12 June 1910–15 January 1966), knighted as Sir Ahmadu Bello, was a conservative Nigerian statesman who masterminded Northern Nigeria through the independence of Nigeria in 1960 and served as its first a ...

the Sardauna of Sokoto and accusations of financial malfeasance led to his abdication, and subsequent self-exile in Azare 1963. His grandson,

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (Ajami: سنوسي لاميط سنوسي, ''Muhammadu Sanusi na biyu''; born 31 July 1961), known by the religious title Khalifa Sanusi II (Ajami: خليفة السنوسي), is a spiritual leader in the Tijanniyah Sufi ord ...

, former Governor of the

Central Bank of Nigeria The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the central bank and apex monetary authority of Nigeria established by the CBN Act of 1958 and commenced operations on 1 July 1959. The major regulatory objectives of the bank as stated in the CBN Act are ...

was Emir of Kano from 2014 to 2020. Sanusi belonged to the reformed

Tijaniyya The Tijāniyyah ( ar, الطريقة التجانية, Al-Ṭarīqah al-Tijāniyyah, The Tijānī Path) is a Sufi tariqa (order, path), originating in the Maghreb but now more widespread in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, The Gambia, ...

order of

Ibrahim Niass Ibrāhīm Niasse (1900–1975)—or french: Ibrahima Niasse, wo, Ibrayima Ñas, ar, شيخ الإسلام الحاج إبراهيم إبن الحاج عبد الله التجاني الكولخي ''Shaykh al-'Islām al-Ḥājj Ibrāhīm ibn al- ...

Life

Sanusi was born to the large family of

, Emir of Kano, among his brothers was future Emir,

Ado Bayero Ado Bayero CFR, LLD, JP (25 July 1930 – 6 June 2014) was the Emir of Kano from 1963 to 2014. Early life Lineage Ado Bayero was born on 25 July 1930 into the royal family of the Fulani Sullubawa clan that has ruled over the Emirate of K ...

. He was the second son of Bayero but his elder brother died at an early age. He was educated at Kano Middle School. Prior to becoming Emir, Sanusi held the title of Ciroma Kano and in 1947, he became a member of the regional House of Assembly. Sanusi was closely affiliated with Ibrahim Niass and the Tijani Sufi, for a while, he accompanied Niass on pilgrimages to Mecca and was later the appointed Caliph of the tijaniyyah order in Nigeria. He was also appointed a minister without portfolio in 1958 alongside other emirs like Usman Nagogo. In his memoir 'An Imperial Twilight', Sir Gawain Bell narrates how he appointed Emir Sanusi to act in his stead as Governor of Northern Nigeria for six months in 1957.

Knighthood

* Knighted into the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

References

External links

Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Muhammadu Sanusi I Visiting the United Nations, New York City, July 1960

Sources

* Emirs of Kano Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Monarchs who abdicated Nigerian Muslims Nigerian recipients of British titles Nigerian knights People from Kano Year of birth missing Year of death missing {{Nigeria-bio-stub