Sanusi Should Not Be Dethroned For Being Rude, It Is Not A Crime – Emmanuel Ogebe

Nigerian activist and founder of US-NIGERIA LAW GROUP, Emmanuel Ogebe has come out to say that the dethronement of the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was unconstitutional and out leaders are to blame.

Emmanuel revealed that Buhari should actually be praised for not involving himself in Sanusi’s Emirship issue.

According to him, banishing Sanusi for being rude is baseless because being rude is not a crime and that should have never been a basis to dethrone him to preserve the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion, and prestige of the position.

He added that since the Emir was a religious leader, he shouldn’t be arrested by the Nigerian police as well while the Hisbah religious police in Kano State exist.

His words, “Today as I hear that Sanusi has been deposed as Emir under the presidency of Buhari no less, much as I was highly critical of President Goodluck Jonathan even more than of Buhari, I must give him kudos for not thrusting himself into Sanusi’s Emirship matter.

“History is slowly vindicating President Jonathan on many fronts in his lifetime. Like biblical David, he had the opportunity to takeout his hunter in the cave but he chose not to soil his hands in blood.

“Next I wish to comment on the reports that Sanusi has been arrested and banished from Kano state which raises several concerns: Banishment was a tool used by British invaders to unseat legitimate indigenous authorities such as King Jaja of Opobo so they could dominate his domain. By what power and what means and in what capacity is the Governor of Kano banishing a Nigerian citizen? Is he an invasive external colonial force?

“Banishment is alien and unknown to the Nigerian Constitution which guarantees freedom of movement and association. Indeed, the Nigerian embassy in USA sought to revoke my Nigerian passport for my exercise of my constitutional freedom of speech in human rights advocacy and I have sued them for this violation of my constitutional right to a passport.

“The evil White apartheid regime in South Africa “banned” individuals. That unjust and racist system has been dumped on the garbage heap of history and popular participatory democracy for all instituted in its place. Therefore the question arises – how is the banning of Sanusi obtainable under Nigerian democracy?

“The Kano state government claims Sanusi was rude and his removal necessary to preserve the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion and prestige”.

“The above are not crimes under Nigerian law, and furthermore, punishing a person for religious reasons is a violation of Nigeria’s constitutional secularity.

“If the Emir is a religious leader, why was he arrested by the Nigerian police and not the Hisbah religious police in Kano?”

“This mixing of state and religion is unhealthy and unconstitutional. The elevation of this class in-fighting above the serious issues facing Nigeria today shows that Nigerians face a deadlier homegrown misgovernance virus than the corona virus.

“In 1996, I wrote to the then Head of state, General Sani Abacha urging him to resolve the issue of the annulled June 12 presidential elections which affected all Nigerians just as he had resolved the issue of the Sultan of Sokoto (whom he deposed and banished) which affected only a section of the country.

“Gen. Abacha then had me abducted, tortured and detained for several months. While Rome burns, or in this case, Nigeria burns, the President’s NSA and Chief of Staff are fighting and a Governor and Emir are fighting while Boko Haram is waxing strong. Who then is fighting for Nigerians in this government?

“And above all what systems are being practiced here because this banishment is certainly not within contemplation of the Nigerian constitution? If Kano State is doing this under Sharia law, they should explain fully to the Nigerian people whether or not they are co-participants in our constitutional democracy.

“It should be recalled that even Saudi Arabia, the holy seat of Islam, quarantined its princes in a hotel under arrest for corruption and not banishment to the outer darkness.”

“Even the British monarchy did not banish Prince Harry but worked out a smooth transition the same week Prince Sanusi was dethroned but our misrulers refuse to learn positive things,”

“From the president’s demeanor and the one sided conversation we could hear, it was clear that something momentous was happening.

“I couldn’t wait to exit the villa to find out what part of National history I had unwittingly been privy to from that jangling phone which I now realized was the president’s “Hotline.”

“President Jonathan Goodluck quietly acknowledged the intel update from the person on the other end of the line and uttered a few words “that’s between them.”

“After our brief meeting, I wanted to dash to my hotel to check out and head back to the USA and of course learn who “them” were that the president was talking about.

“Instead I was ushered to the First Lady’s room by my friend and colleague who told me it was mandatory for us to see her. My curiosity would have to wait.

“Strangely, the First Lady’s waiting room was more full than the president’s and the wait was longer – even though it was a weekend.

“Finally I made an excuse to go and check out and bolted for the airport therefrom. It was then I was finally able to get the real news of what the call was about.

“The President was being briefed that there were violent protests in Kano over the installation of Sanusi Lamido who many felt usurped the rightful heir to the emirate.”