By Aisha
The Emir of Kano, Khalifa Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II, was in London this week to celebrate a major family milestone, as members of the Kano royal house converged to congratulate one of the Emir’s sons on his graduation.
The event drew dignitaries, family friends, and well-wishers who gathered to honour academic excellence and the continuity of scholarship in the Dabo dynasty.
Photos and updates from the ceremony showed the former CBN governor in a celebratory mood alongside his wives, children, and close associates.
The graduation, held at a UK university, underscored the Emir’s long-standing advocacy for education, a cause he has consistently championed for youths across Northern Nigeria. This is not the first time the Sanusi family has marked an academic achievement in the UK. Records show that one of the Emir’s sons, Mustapha Sanusi Lamido, previously bagged a First Class degree in Economics from the University of Portsmouth on July 19, with the former monarch, his family, and the Emir of Zazzau, HRH Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, in attendance.
Meanwhile, another son, Adam Lamido Sanusi, also known as Ashraf, graduated from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Manchester in separate ceremonies that the Emir and his wife attended.
The latest London gathering comes on the heels of the Emir’s own academic pursuits.
Earlier last year, Dr. Sanusi was conferred with an honorary doctorate at a London university conference, adding to his distinguished record of learning. He had earlier completed a PhD in Islamic Law at the University of London, with a thesis titled “Codification of Islamic Family Law as an Instrument of Social Reform: “A Case Study of the Emirate of Kano and Comparison with the Kingdom of Morocco,” which was approved without corrections.
Undeterred by age or office, the Khalifa returned to formal studies and enrolled in another degree programme in Law at North-West University, Kano, further broadening his academic footprint.
Palace sources say the decision reflects his belief that traditional leadership must be rooted in both spiritual authority and modern knowledge.
At the London graduation, the atmosphere was one of warmth and pride. The royal delegation was seen exchanging pleasantries with graduates and faculty, with the Emir offering prayers and words of encouragement to the graduands. Family members described the moment as “a celebration of discipline, sacrifice, and the value of education.”
Beyond the personal joy, observers noted the symbolic importance of the event. In recent years, children of several prominent Nigerian leaders have graduated from UK universities, but the Sanusi family’s emphasis on scholarship — from economics and law to Islamic studies — has drawn particular attention given the Emir’s public stance on educational reform in the North. 36bc
As the royal house returned to Kano after the ceremonies, the message was clear: the palace remains committed to leading by example. For Emir Sanusi II, the London trip was more than a father’s pride. It was a reaffirmation that learning, service, and tradition can walk together, whether in the halls of a London university or the ancient courts of Kano.
Editor-in-Chief
indagi3792@gmail.com
About The Author
