Zainab, daughter of the late Emir of Kano Ado Bayero, has sought the help of Governor Abba Yusuf to obtain a house and financial support.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Bayero, 83, died on June 6, 2014 and was buried according to Islamic rites in Kano.
He ruled from 1963 to 2014, becoming the longest-serving emir in Kano's history.
In an interview with this newspaper on Friday, Zainab shared the challenges she, her mother and brother have faced since the death of her father.
The debutant filmmaker said: “I know that many people will be very surprised that the daughter of an emir finds herself in this kind of situation. Being born into a polygamous household, there is a lot of intrigue and division. It all started when my father died; his death left a void in the family. We were all alone, especially me, my mother and my younger brother. We were not given a share of his (my father’s) estate, so we were left in a terrible situation, which has lasted for ten years now.
“We have been trying to survive and find ways to recover and return to a suitable environment – having a home, not renting or moving from hotel to hotel. We would love for the governor to help us buy or give us money to get a house here in Lagos. Since our father’s death, we think it would be better to move to Lagos and start a new life in search of security and freedom and live our lives the way we want. However, with prices that have skyrocketed currently, we are looking at about N150 million for a house in Lagos.”
Previous Help
Zainab further acknowledged that Mr Yusuf had helped them in June, but said that was not enough to address their current struggles.
Article page with promotion of financial support
He said financial support for housing and other expenses was insufficient to alleviate their financial burdens and they have returned to the same situation.
He also called for support from President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and compassionate Nigerians.
“I contacted the governor through a post on June 23, when my mother, brother and I were staying in a hotel in the British Virgin Islands. We hadn’t had an apartment since last year and were behind on our hotel bills. The next day, he sent someone to pay the bills and asked, ‘What do we need? ’ We told him we wanted a house, for my brother to go back to school and something to do.
“He (the governor through his representative) gave us some money but we did not meet the governor in person; it was all through an intermediary. We do not know the governor’s plans but he mentioned that he wanted to buy us a house in Kano. I told him no, we wanted a house in Lagos. What he gave us was not enough to rent a house for a year. So we have been trying to find a place but the funds are not enough. We are in the same situation again,” Zainab said.
Furthermore, he said that their hotel reservation has expired and they will have to leave on Saturday with no place to stay.
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Documentary
The late Emir's daughter also requested the governor's support for her film career and a biographical documentary (My Father, the Emir: A Portrait of Ado Bayero).
She said the documentary chronicles the journey of a daughter who retraces her father's legacy, his significant achievements and the experiences he had in Nigeria.
Zainab added: “I was thinking that he (Mr Yusuf) could launch it (the documentary) as a project on the longest reigning monarch in the history of Kano. My father made history as the most powerful and influential monarch during a crucial time in both Kano and Nigerian history. For almost five decades, he was synonymous with Kano and earned immense respect from the people of Kano and Nigeria.
“Therefore, since this is a Kano State project about the Emir of Kano, the Kano State Government should officially launch it. The documentary portrays a great monarch and serves as a tourism piece for Kano that could be showcased on the world stage and preserved in the archives and museums. I was hoping that the Governor would call me so that we could arrange for its official launch at the Government House or some other suitable venue.”
Zainab last made headlines in 2023 when she revealed to this newspaper the opposition of the northern elite and emirs towards her father's biopic.