Kano loves hubris, some of it justified but most of it just hot air. Yes, Kano was richest among northern provinces in pre-colonial and colonial times, and it remains so today. Not surprisingy, the richest black man in the world, Aliko Dangote, is from Kano.
Sadly, Kanawa went from there to create a false persona of them being the most learned northerners, the most enlightened in politics, and the most obdurate in every matter affecting mankind. Their favourite catch-phrase “Ko da me ka zo Kano an fi ka” says it all.
Believing the empty bluster, they then glorified their leaders with religious appelations that defy logic. I can understand former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau – a career school teacher – earning the title of “Mallam”, but Gen. Sani Abacha called a “Khalifa”, and Ganduje called “Khadimul Islam”? On what basis?
Khalifa is the title given to learned men who lead the Islamic Caliphate as successors of the Prophet, while Khadimul Islam means the servant of Islam. Which Caliphate did Abacha lead with his theft of our treasury? Which Islam was Ganduje serving when he collected wads of dollars as bribes from contractors?
Yet, except for some Facebook posts by a few friends mocking Ganduje, all is now quite in Kano State, as if the Ganduje dollars did not happen – a poignant reminder to Kanawa that their self-acclaimed political enlightenment above other northerners was just hubris.
I hope Gandollars (as my friends put it) has taught them lessons to be wary of awarding religious titles to undeserving leaders, and to be more humble in self-adulation in future.
