Zainab Bayero, daughter of the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, has reached out to Governor Abba Yusuf, requesting housing and financial support for her family.
Her appeal comes nearly a decade after her father’s passing. Ado Bayero, who was the longest-serving emir in Kano’s history, passed away at the age of 83 on June 6, 2014. He was a highly respected leader, ruling from 1963 until his death, and was laid to rest in Kano according to Islamic rites, leaving behind a profound legacy.
In an interview with Premium Times on Friday, August 23, Zainab discussed the hardships her family has faced since her father’s death. She revealed that she, her mother, and her brother have been struggling financially and are in urgent need of assistance.
She said;
“I know a lot of people will be very surprised that the daughter of an Emir is in this kind of situation. Being born into a polygamous home, there are a lot of intrigues and divisions. The whole thing started when my daddy died; his death left a void within the family. Everyone was alone, especially me, my mother and my younger brother. We were not given a part of his (my father’s) estate, so we were left in a terrible situation, which has been going on for ten years.
“We’ve been trying to survive and find ways to get back on our feet and return to a proper environment—to have a home, not renting or moving from hotel to hotel. We would love the governor to help us buy or give us money to get a house here in Lagos. Since our father’s death, we believe it would be better to relocate to Lagos and start a new life for safety and freedom and to live our lives the way we want. However, with the current skyrocketing prices, we’re looking at around N150 million for a house in Lagos.”
Zainab acknowledged that while Governor Yusuf had offered some assistance in June, it was insufficient to address their ongoing struggles. She explained that the financial support provided for housing and other expenses did not significantly ease their burdens, leaving them in a similar situation as before.
She also appealed to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and generous Nigerians for additional support. Zainab shared, “I reached out to the governor in a publication on June 23 when my mother, brother, and I were staying at a hotel in VI. We haven’t had an apartment since last year and were behind on hotel bills. The next day, he sent someone to cover the bills and asked, ‘What do we need?’ We told him we needed a home, for my brother to return to school, and opportunities for work.”
“He (the governor, through his representative) provided us with some financial assistance, but we never met with the governor directly; everything was coordinated through an intermediary. We’re not sure about the governor’s plans, but he mentioned wanting to purchase a house for us in Kano. I told him that we actually need a house in Lagos. The amount we received wasn’t enough to cover a year’s rent, so we’ve been searching for a place, but the funds are still insufficient. We’re back in the same situation again.”
She also mentioned that their hotel booking has expired, and they will have to check out on Saturday, August 23, with no place to go.