African Royalties

It has been a busy week for His Highness The Emir of Kano as he was at the United Nations in his capacity as Sustainable Development Goals Advocate appointed by The Secretary General, Antonio Gutterres.

Firstly he attended the extraordinary SDG meeting hosted by the UN's Secretary General at the SDG's headquarters in New York on September 22nd. During this meeting the SDG Action Zone goals 2030 where tabled and discussed.

His Highness was joined by fellow royals and Advocates, Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah of Qatar. He also attended the reception at UN Headquarter in New York.

On Monday September 23rd, He first attended a round table discussion with corporate council on Africa, with president of Islamic Development Bank HE Dr Bandar Hajjar, at the board meeting of ISDB whom he met before the meeting. Also attending this meeting were Their Excellencies President of Togo Faure Gnassingbe, President of Ghana Nana Akufo Addo, President of AFFB Mr Akinwumi AdesinaGov Godwin Obaseki of Edo state, Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state, and Business man Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

On September 24th 2019, he co-chaired the 17th Sustainable Development Goals, Achieving the SDGs in Nigeria: Pathways and Policy Options held by The Nigerian President H.E President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian delegation at the UN Headquarters.

He also met with Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands who was attending in her role as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) was also celebrating her 10th anniversary in this role. Previously both royals have met on various occasion when His Highness was governor of the Central Bank of Nigerian and when Her Majesty visited Nigeria in 2015.

He attended the Breakfast Business interactive sessions held by US- NIGERIA COUNCIL for Food Security, Trade, and Investment in New York on September, 26th 2019.

This year's General Assembly week will be a royal studded event with many of our African royalties in town.

Hosted at the United Nations HeadQuarters in New York and usually beginning on the third Tuesday of September, this year's summit began with a special Climate Action summit on September 23rd, before the formal speeches given by heads of state and governments on Tuesday that normally draw the most attention.

Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa, attended the United Nations Climate Action Summit on behalf of HM King Mohammed VI and as well addressed the assembly. Her Royal Highness is the president of King Mohammed VI Foundation for the protection of the environment.

Also attending the summit in his capacity as the UN sustainable Development Goals ( SDG) advocates was His Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano. His Highness also attended the UN Advocate Reception in UN Headquarter in New York September, 22nd 2019 following a meeting which were called upon by the UN Secretary General Antonio Gutterres. His Highness is not the only royal advocate attending there is Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza of Qatar.

His Majesty Bayethe Mswati III of Eswatini is also in town. His Majesty is accompanied by Her Royal Highness Inkhosikati LaNtentesa and the royal princes and princesses. His Majesty will be addressing the General Assembly on Wednesday September 25th, in the morning.

Although not confirmed or knowned, His Majesty King Letsie III may be attending this year's assembly. Lesotho is set to addressed the assembly on Friday in the morning

On Sunday August 11th, His Highness Alhaji Lamido Sanusi II, Emir of Kano read his Eid-el-Kabir message and lead the prayers at the Kofar Mata Central Eid ground in Kano metropolis.

Special thanks to Maigaskiya for the photo credits

During his message he charged Muslims on the need for good parenting and to live in peaceful coexistence with their neighbours. He asked parents to see education as a priority for their children so that they could be good to the family and society and to inculcate the fear of God in their children, so that they can be assets to the family and society at large.

Special thanks to Maigaskiya for the photo credits

The second thing the emir said was that emphasised the need for Muslims to always manifest the fear of Allah by fulfilling their promises. ‎The third thing the monarch ‎did was that he called on Nigerians to continue to live in peace with one another so as to foster peace, love and unity in the country.

Special thanks to Maigaskiya for the photo credits

Members of the Kano Royal Family accompanied the Emir during the festivities and new pictures were release.

The Queen consorts (L-R): TRH Queens: Sa’adatu Barkindo Mustapha, Rakiya, Maryam and Giwan DanMaje Sadiya. Special thanks to Maigaskiya for the photo credits

His Majesty the Emir of Kano officially received his 4th wife Her Royal Highness Sa’adatu Barkindo Mustapha on August 3rd.

Four years ago, The Emir had married the daughter of His Highness Muhammadu Barkindo-Mustafa, Lamido of Adamawa, in a low-key ceremony which was held in Yola on September 25, 2015. HRH Sa’adatu Barkindo Mustapha was only an 18-year-old secondary school graduate when her royal wedding was held.

She graduated recently from tertiary education in the United Kingdom, Sa’adatu was officially received at the monarch’s palace after being away for four years. Her Quranic graduation ceremony was held on August 4th, and it was learnt that her traditional Budar Kai ceremony is currently ongoing.

The Emir of Kano’s other wives including Giwan DanMaje Sadiya, Queen consorts Maryam and Rakiya and their children proudly welcome their new co-wife and mother with joy and happiness

A happy birthday to His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, 14th Emir of Kano Emirate.

His Royal Highness was born Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on July 31st 1961 in Nigeria to Ambassador Aminu Sanusi of the Gidan Rumfa Royal House into Sullubawa clan of the Torobe Fulani. He is the grandson to the 11th Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi I.

The Emir awarding students from the Islamic school in the Emirate

He received his First School Leaving Certificate from St. Anne’s Catholic Primary School in Kakuri, Kaduna. He then graduated from King's College, Lagos. He obtained a bachelor's degree in economics from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria and later received a master's degree in economics from the same university. Sanusi studied at the International University of Africa in Khartoum, receiving a degree in Islamic law.

The Emir while still a prince, worked in the Banking sector both in Nigeria and around the world. He was nominated to the post of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria by the late president of Nigeria President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.

He was crowned Emir on June 8th 2014 after the death of his granduncle Ado Bayero. In May 2019, The Secretary General of the United Nations appointed him as a member of the new class of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) advocates co-chaired by Ghana's President His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and the prime minister of Norway, Erna Solberg. He joined royals like Her Majesty Queen Mathildeof the Belgians and Her Highness Sheikha Moza of Qatar

He is married to 4 wives: Their Royal Highnesses Giwan DanMaje Saadiya Ado Bayero, Queen Maryam, Queen Rakiya and Queen Sa’adatu Barkindo-Musdafa and has multiple children and grandchildren.

The first three consort of Kano Emirate: L-R TRH: Giwan DanMaje Saadiya, consorts Maryam and Rakiya

The Emir surrounded by his wives and children

The Emir was recently awarded a honourary doctorate award in Finance from the SOAS University of London at the 2019 Graduation ceremonies. He was honoured for pioneering the introduction of Islamic banking into the Nigerian banking sector and his anti-corruption work in the financial industry.