Zainab Bayero, daughter of the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, has reached out to Governor Abba Yusuf for assistance, seeking both housing and financial support for her family. 

he request comes nearly a decade after the death of her father, who was the longest-serving emir in Kano’s history.

Ado Bayero, who passed away at the age of 83 on June 6, 2014, was a revered leader, having ruled from 1963 until his death. He was laid to rest according to Islamic rites in Kano, leaving behind a legacy that is still remembered today.

In an interview with Premium Times on Friday, August 23, Zainab Bayero opened up about the difficulties her family has been enduring since her father’s passing. She explained that she, along with her mother and brother, have been struggling to make ends meet and are in need of support.

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.”

Additionally, Zainab acknowledged that Mr Yusuf had assisted them in June but stated that it was insufficient to address their ongoing struggles. She said the financial support for housing and other expenses was insufficient to alleviate their financial burdens, and they have returned to the same situation.

She also appealed to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and compassionate Nigerians for support. Zainab said;

“I reached out to the governor in a publication on 23 June 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 settle the bills and asked, ‘What do we need?’ We told him we wanted a home, for my brother to return to school, and something to do.

“He (the governor through his representative) gave us some money, but we didn’t meet the governor in person; it was all through an intermediary. We don’t know the governor’s plans, but he mentioned wanting to buy us a house in Kano. I told him, no, we want a house in Lagos. What he gave us wasn’t enough to rent a house for a year. So, we’ve been trying to find a place, but the funds aren’t sufficient. We’re in the same situation again.”

More so, she said their hotel booking has expired, and they’ll have to check out on Saturday, August 23, with no place to stay.