Outspoken Islamic cleric, Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, has called for the abolition of traditional Institution, saying that “it is dragging us back.”
Gumi, who is a leader of Nigerian Muslim Shura Assembly (NIMSA), stated this in his reaction to the dethronement of former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
The popular cleric made this known while speaking with The Sun on issues bordering on Nigerian politics, insecurity and restructuring.
Gumi said the monarchical institution is “archaic and long overdue”, adding that the United States which Nigeria modelled its democracy after abolished the system centuries ago.
He said the removal of Sanusi has nothing to do with politics but a power struggle in the north which has seen the region’s elites polarised along political borders, citing the removal of former Sultan of Sokoto by former military ruler Sani Abacha as a case study. The outspoken Islamic cleric, however, berated the former emir for being hypocritical.
He said Sanusi, a former CBN governor, “was not just vocal, he is vocal in telling half the truth because he will say something and do something different.”
“They should just abolish the system. It is archaic and long overdue. Look at the way Governor Nyesom Wike addressed the traditional rulers in his state,” Gumi said.
“They are all thrash. Traditional rulership is now an appendix in the body that needs to be removed.
“(on Emir Sanusi) what I can add to him is that you couldn’t have been happy also riding a Rolls Royce when your citizens live in abject poverty. Emir Sanusi should not have been displaying opulence in the midst of his poor subjects and be making the noise he made.”
“You could ride a Rolls Royce, but you couldn’t pay the medical bills of your subjects. They cannot eat, some of them one meal a day and they were around him.”
Gumi, who said restructuring has started with the activities of bandits in the north, said there is a need for a national conference where all aggrieved parties will be invited to discuss the problems of the country.
