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Reform and traditional institutions

His jihad was essentially a reform process in which the socio-political system of the autonomous Hausa city-states was brought under strict Shari’a law and the…

His jihad was essentially a reform process in which the socio-political system of the autonomous Hausa city-states was brought under strict Shari’a law and the hitherto warring states were unified under one central government, administered from Sokoto.
However, by the time the British colonialists conquered the Sokoto Caliphate in 1904, most of the factors that necessitated dan Fodio and his disciples to take up arms against the Habe rulers have found their way back into the palaces of the emirs and the larger society. Under the indirect rule instituted by the colonialists up to independence and beyond, forced labour, exploitative taxation, some form of domestic slavery and fetish practices were prevalent.
Although the traditional institution no longer has executive, legislative or judicial powers under our Constitution, but beyond the ceremonial role, and being the custodians of the culture and customs of their people, the emirs still wield considerable influence on governance and are still highly respected by their people.
There is therefore no better time than now for this highly revered institution to undertake both internal and external reforms, if it hopes to remain relevant to the hapless talakawa who are bedevilled by ignorance, poverty and insecurity. Which is why the ascension of a reform-minded intellectual like Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to the emirship of Kano Emirate, is an opportunity for the system, not only to reform itself but to also contribute more positively to the socio-economic wellbeing of the peoples of the whole region.  For the new emir, it should be beyond the reclaiming of the stool of his grandfather, the internal reform of the palace or the subjective awards of chieftaincy titles. For him, it is to show the way to how to provide qualitative and compulsory education to all children of school age, how to eradicate mass poverty and unemployment, and above all, how to stop the current insurgency by Boko Haram.
These can be achieved through partnership with governments and other emirs. The Kano billionaire tycoons, and there quite an impressive handful, should also contribute in building schools, creating jobs and giving scholarships in special areas such as ICT, banking and finance, engineering, medicine and agriculture.
With no mineral oil endowment or seaports which spur a beehive of economic activities in the South, the North needs to build its capacity around agriculture, human resources and entrepreneurship, which only qualitative higher education and technological research can guarantee.
 
Engr. Abdurrazaq Nakore, FNSE, Inuwa Dutse Housing Estate, Dutse,

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