Sanusi appointed leader of Tijaniyya Islamic sect in Nigeria

Muhammad Sanusi II, former emir of Kano, has been appointed leader of the Tijaniyya Islamic sect in Nigeria.

Sanusi was appointed as the caliph of the Tijaniyya sect at its annual gathering in Sokoto on Friday.

The origin of the Tijaniyya sect is said to date back to the 1830s, and was reportedly introduced to Nigeria by the Sokoto caliphate.

The two factions of the sect confirmed the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor as their leader during the Maulud celebration of Ibrahim Niass, a prominent sheikh.

Muhammadu Sanusi I, the former emir’s father, was the first leader of the sect in the country.

However, the sect broke into two factions after his death — there is the faction led by Isiyaka Rabiu, and another led by Dahiru Bauchi.

The development comes one year after Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano governor, deposed Sanusi as the emir of Kano.

“It is on record and in so many instances Malam Muhammad Sunusi II has been found breaching part 3 section 13 (a e) of the Kano State Emirate Law 2019 and which if left unchecked will destroy the good and established image of the Kano Emirate,” Usman Alhaji, secretary to the Kano government, had said at the time on Sanusi’s removal.

“This removal is made after due consultation with the relevant stakeholders and in compliance with part 3 section 13 of the Kano State Emirate Law 2019 and other reasons stated above.

“The removal was reached in order to safeguard the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion and prestige of the Kano Emirate built over a thousand years.”