Former Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, has revealed how he was confirmed as Khalifa of Tijjaniyya in Nigeria by Sheikh Mahy Ibrahim Nyass when he paid him a visit in Senegal on Monday.
Counterclaims have been trailing the status of the Khalifa of the Tijjaniyya sect in Nigeria, the legality of the appointment of the former Kano emir, and whether the protégés of other senior clerics of the sect would pay allegiance to Malam Sanusi even if he had received his letter of endorsement from Kaulaha.
Two prominent clerics- Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi and Sheikh Sheriff Ibrahim Saleh- are seen as the torchbearers of the Tijjaniyya sect in Nigeria.
Former Emir Sanusi had in an interview with the Hausa Service of the BBC, on Tuesday, said a delegation of prominent scholars was sent to Nigeria by Khalifa Sheikh Mahy Nyass to consult Nigerian clerics on their the preferred choice to lead the sect in the country.
He said that 98 per cent of the clerics selected him as their choice.
“As people already know, this was my grandfather’s position… The late Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi I and all my life, I have no ambition than to inherit him. I inherited him and became the Emir of Kano and today, Almighty Allah has made it possible for me and I inherited him as Khalifa of Tijjaniyya.
“I have nothing to say but to thank Almighty Allah and seek for his guidance to help me discharge my responsibility,” he said.
However, while followers of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi said they were not aware of the latest endorsement of Sanusi from Senegal and were not consulted before the decision was taken, there was no information from the side of Sheikh Sheriff Saleh on how they view the appointment.
Tijjaniyya sect has millions of followers in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, The Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Ghana, and some parts of Sudan.
Its leaders are highly revered and they also exude influence in terms of religious, cultural and social decisions.
I’ve no rift with Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi
While reacting to a question on whether Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi is aware and agreed with his confirmation as Khalifa, Malam Sanusi said he has no any problem with the Sheikh and that he is his grandfather.
“Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi has never said anything bad about me other than love and support. He is my father and close friend to my grandfather Emir Muhammad Sanusi I.
“What happened was that Khalifa Sheikh Mahy Nyass sent his brother Sheikh Quraish to Nigeria and he went round and consulted many clerics and Muqaddims. He went to southern Nigeria part of the country and sought for their opinions and they agreed.
“Even though they (Nyass family) used to just select the person they want, but the grand Khalifah requested that clerics should be contacted in Nigeria and they went round all parts of the country and I was recommended,” he said.
Malam Sanusi said he will now face his work as Khalifa of Tijjaniyya to bring about development and unity among Muslims.
“The first victory is how 98 per cent of our people unite and decided to select one person as a leader. Once people trust your leadership then there is unity. We will now come and see how we can figure out the challenges that the Tijjaniyya is facing and how we can address them.
“We will also look at the challenges facing entire Muslims particularly in Northern Nigeria. Tijjaniyya followers are Muslims and indigenes of Nigeria. There are problems in education, family crisis, children, Tsangaya and Zawiyyas; these are some of the issues we will look and come up with a system that will show we are in the 21st century,” he said.
‘We don’t know anything about his appointment’
Efforts to speak to Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi or his eldest son, Imam Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru on the latest controversy were not successful.
However, reliable sources close to the Islamic scholar in Bauchi said they were not aware of the appointment of Malam Sanusi as Grand Khalifa of Tijjaniyya adherents in Nigeria.
One of the sources said the Grand Khalifah, Muhammadu Mahy Nyass, recently appointed Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru as his spokesperson in Nigeria and wondered how another person would be appointed again.
“We did not receive any official information from the Grand Khalifa regarding the appointment of Sanusi. The position of Sheikh (Dahiru Bauchi) on this issue will not change. Sheikh Ibrahim Kaulaha has the power to take all his disciples and put them in the hand of whoever he wants. But Sheikh Ibrahim is not alive and therefore, no one has the power to appoint anybody to that exalted position.
“How can you take Maulana Sheikh Sheriff Ibrahim Saleh Al– Hussein and Maulana Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi and put them under somebody? It is not possible but Sanusi can be appointed as Khalifah in their family house not Khalifah to all Tijjaniyya adherents,” the source said.
Daily Trust recalled that there was controversy in March 2021 when news filtered that former Emir Sanusi was appointed as the leader of the Tijjaniyya sect in Nigeria.
The appointment was purportedly announced at the annual event marking the birthday of the sect’s leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass, held in Sokoto.
The news, which was kicked against by the supporters of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi soon fizzled out even though Malam Sanusi did not utter a word while the debate lasted.
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