Aminu Bayero’s Durbar Drama Ends as Historian Exposes Legitimacy Crisis

The planned parallel Sallah Durbar by the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, has collapsed under the weight of historical and traditional realities. According to **Malam Ibrahim Ado Kurawa, a renowned historian and researcher, Bayero’s attempt was never a legitimate Durbar but a mere spectacle designed to stir political tensions in Kano.
Kurawa, whose authoritative work on Kano’s Durbar was referenced by UNESCO, emphasized that the Durbar tradition is inseparable from Gidan Rumfa, the official palace of the Emir of Kano**. Without access to the palace, Bayero lacked the fundamental instruments of power—protocol, key titleholders, and the centuries-old ceremonial structure.
“You cannot have Durbar if you are not in Gidan Rumfa. The first Sarkin Kano, Rumfa, established its codes over 500 years ago,” Kurawa explained.
Kurawa dismissed Bayero’s claim of “cancelling” the Durbar, stating that there was never a legitimate one to cancel in the first place.
“He wasn’t cancelling Durbar. He was only cancelling his own dramatization,” Kurawa said.
“At best, he would have just ridden a horse. But that is not the Hawan Sarki Durbar, which is deeply rooted in tradition.”
Furthermore, Bayero lacked key figures like Shamaki, Dan Rimi, Madakin Shamaki, and Sallama, who traditionally lead the procession. Without these custodians, any claim to an authentic Durbar crumbles.
Kurawa accused the federal government of shielding Aminu Bayero, allowing him to resist his removal—a stark contrast to when Emir Sanusi was dethroned without resistance in 2020.
“Sanusi didn’t fight back because he knew the state had the authority. Bayero is only resisting because he enjoys security cover from the federal government,” Kurawa asserted.
With the official Sallah Durbar proceeding under the rightful Emir, Kano residents have been urged to ignore distractions and embrace peace. Kurawa called on the state government to assert its authority, engage stakeholders, and ensure stability.
In the end, Aminu Bayero’s Durbar bid was not just cancelled—it was exposed as an impossible attempt to rewrite centuries of Kano’s royal history.