The ancient city of Kano, in Kano State, wore a festive mood on Saturday, as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, arrived for the coronation of Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, as the Emir of Kano.
The kingmakers had named Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano in March 2020 after the dethronement of the erstwhile Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II.
Ado Bayero is being coronated after over a year of occupying the stool where his father formerly occupied.
Vice President Osinbajo, was received on his arrival at Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, by the Senate President, Dr Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and other visiting Governors across the states.
He was joined by dignitaries at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Mata, for the Coronation and Presentation of Staff of Office to the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, and the 59th Emir to rule Kano.
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Other special dignitaries who graced the occasion at the most populous Nigerian state located in the North West zone, include ministers and traditional rulers from all parts of the country.
Earlier, the Madakin Kano and Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the coronation, Alhaji Nabahani Ibrahim, had told newsmen in Kano that Kano Emirate had planed the coronation ceremony to be a five-day event.
The coronation celebration which started with coronation lecture on Thursday, delivered by immediate past Vice-Chancellor of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Abdallah Uba Adamu, with the entitled: “Kano emirate: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” held at Convocation Arena, Bayero University, Kano, Ibrahim said, will end with the Special Coronation Durbar on Monday.
A special prayer session held on Friday at Kano Central Mosque, for peace and security, while later in the evening, dinner was organised to welcome invited guests to the state.
On Monday, which is the grand finale, the Emir will hold a special coronation durbar to receive homage from the Kano people.
The Madakin Kano, Ibrahim had earlier hinted that for proper security of the state and venue of the coronation ceremony, provision was made for about 4,000 security personnel drawn from the Police, DSS, Military, Civil Defence and other security agencies.
Though the security was tight, there was no restriction of movement in the state, and traders of the popular Kantin Kwari textile market moved were allowed to transact their businesses, as alternative routes were provided for guests making it easy for commuters to move without hitches.
Information had it that, the 16,000-seater Sani Abacha Stadium was chosen for the coronation for its historical antecedents and close proximity to the Emir’s palace, and most especially, being a place where the father of the current Emir was crowned 53 years ago.
“The late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero was crowned 53 years ago at the Sani Abacha Stadium and the present Emir.
“After the Coronation, members of the Kano Traditional Institution will go round the Stadium in a Durba after which the Emir himself with his entourage will do their Durba at the place.
“On Monday, the Emir will go round Kano on a horse to greet his subjects. The movements will begin from the Emirs Palace to Fagge, Government House, Sabon Gari back to the palace through the City Centre,” Dan-Daka of Kano and member of the Kano Emirate Council, Abbas Dalhatu.
