List of rulers of Kano

Emir of Kano

19th century flag of the Kano Emirate

Incumbent
Muhammadu Sanusi II[1][2]
since 23 May 2024
Details
Style| His Highness
First monarch| Suleiman 1805–1819
Formation| 1807
Residence|

* Gidan Rumfa (official)
* Gidan Makama
* Filin Chiranch

Appointer| Taran Kano (Hereditary)

This is a list of rulers of Kano since the establishment of the Bagauda Dynasty in 998. The early rulers are known almost exclusively from a single source, the Kano Chronicle,[3] which was composed in the late 19th century.[4]

## Bagauda dynasty (998-1809)

[edit]

Main article: Bagauda Dynasty

Names and dates taken from John Stewart's African States and Rulers (1989):[5]

### Kings (998 - 1349)

[edit]

Main article: Kingdom of Kano

#  | Name  | Reign Start  | Reign End

|
|
|

1  | Bagauda (or Yakano)  | December 999  | January 1063
2  | Warisis (or Warisi)  | January 1063  | January 1095
3  | Gajemasu (or Gijimasu)  | January 1095  | November 1133
4  | Nawata (joint ruler with twin brother Gawata) | November 1133  | October 1135
5  | Gawata (joint ruler with twin brother Nawata)
6  | Yusa (or Tsaraki)  | October 1135  | December 1193
7  | Naguji | December 1193  | May 1247
8  | Gujjua (or Gugua)  | May 1247  | January 1290
9  | Shekarau I (or Shekkarau I)  | January 1290  | July 1307
10  | Tsamiya (or Tsamia; also Barandamasu)  | July 1307  | June 1343
11  | Usmanu Zamnagawa | June 1343  | March 1349

### Sultans (1349 - 1807)

[edit]

Main article: Sultanate of Kano

#  | Name  | Reign Start  | Reign End

|
|
|

12  | Yaji I | March 1349  | February 1385
13  | Bugaya | February 1385  | December 1390
14  | Kanejeji | December 1390  | May 1410
15  | Umaru | May 1410  | January 1421
16  | Dauda | January 1421  | January 1438
17  | Abdullahi Burja | January 1438  | January 1452
18  | Dakauta | January 1452 (One night)
19  | Atuma | January 1452  | February 1452
20  | Yakubu | February 1452  | September 1463
21  | Muhammad Rumfa | September 1463  | August 1499
22  | Abdullahi | August 1499  | May 1509
23  | Muhammad Kisoki | May 1509  | August 1565
24  | Yakufu | August 1565  | 1565
26  | Abu Bakr Kado | 1565  | May 1573
27  | Muhammad Shashere | May 1573  | January 1582
28  | Muhammad Zaki | January 1582  | December 1618
29  | Muhammad Nazaki | December 1618  | November 1623
30  | Kutumbi | November 1623  | January 1648
31  | Alhaji | January 1648  | January 1649
32  | Shekkarau II | January 1649  | December 1651
33  | Muhammad Kukuna | December 1651  | December 1652
34  | Soyaki | December 1652
–  | Muhammad Kukuna (Restored) | December 1652  | September 1660
35  | Bawa | September 1660  | 1670
36  | Dadi | 1670  | May 1703
37  | Muhammad Sharefa | May 1703  | July 1731
38  | Kumbari | July 1731  | February 1743
39  | Alhaji Kabe | February 1743  | May 1753
40  | Yaji II | May 1753  | May 1768
41  | Babba Zaki | May 1768  | February 1776
42  | Dauda Abasama II | February 1776  | December 1781
43  | Muhammad Alwali II | December 1781  | March 1805

## Suleiman's reign (1807-1819)

[edit]

#  | Name  | Reign Start  | Reign End  | Notes

|
|
|
|

1  | Suleimanu dan Aba Hama | 1807  | 1819  | Shehu Suleiman dan Aba Hama from the Fulani Mundubawa clan led the Jihad of Usman dan Fodio in Kano, and overthrew the almost eight-centuries-old Bagauda dynasty. He pledged allegiance to the Sokoto Caliphate and became the first emir of the Kano Emirate. He was a wise and just king.

## Dabo dynasty (1819-present)

[edit]

#  | Name  | Reign Start  | Reign End  | Notes

|
|
|
|

2  | Ibrahim Dabo dan Mahmudu  | 1819  | 1846  | Shehu Ibrahim Dabo from the Fulani Sullubawa clan was a mystic and scholar. He is the eponymous founder of the Dabo dynasty as the khalifa of Emir Suleiman which has ruled Kano for over two hundred years.
3  | Usman I Maje Ringim dan Dabo | 1846  | 1855  | Son of Dabo
4  | Abdullahi Maje Karofi dan Dabo | 1855  | 1883  | Son of Dabo
5  | Muhammadu Bello dan Dabo | 1883  | 1893  | Son of Dabo
6  | Muhammadu Tukur dan Bello | 1893  | 1894  |
7  | Aliyu Babba dan Maje Karofi  | 1894  | 1903  | Aliyu was on a visit to Sokoto in 1903 when Kano fell to the British during the Battle of Kano. Aliyu gathered his forces on a long march to retake the city but his cavalry was annihilated by the Lord Lugard at the sanguinary Battle of Kwatarkwashi. His brother Wambai Abbas was proclaimed Emir by the British and Aliyu subsequently went on a Mahdist Hijra north into the Sahara but was captured by the French and handed over to the British who exiled him to Yola and then Lokoja
8  | Muhammad Abbass dan Maje Karofi  | 1903  | 1919  | First Emir to reign under the Kano Emirate Council.
9  | Usman II dan Maje Karofi  | 1919  | 1926  |
10  | Abdullahi Bayero dan Abbas  | 1926  | 1953  | Bayero was a scholarly-king who promoted traditional Islamic education and encouraged trade in the city-state
11  | Muhammadu Sanusi I dan Bayero  | 1953  | 1963  | Sanusi I was the first Emir to be dethroned by the government
12  | Muhammad Inuwa dan Abbas  | April 1963  | October 1963  | Second shortest reign after Sultan Dakauta (who reigned for one night in January 1452)
13  | Ado Bayero (San Kano) dan Abdu Bayero  | 1963  | 2014  | Ado Bayero had the longest reign in the royal history of the city-state spanning over five decades. His reign started three years before the fall of the first republic and saw 14 heads of state and 17 state governors. His funeral was the largest gathering in the modern history of northern Nigeria.
14  | Muhammadu Sanusi II dan Nadawaki Aminu dan Muhammadu Sanusi I  | 2014  | 2020  | Sanusi II was the first Sullubawa prince since the 19th century founding of the Dabo dynasty to become emir not through royal primogenitureship. His six-year reign marks also the first to usher in a dynastic generational-shift away from the old regime of 1903; he is the second emir to be dethroned after his grandfather Sir Sanusi I
15  | Aminu dan Ado Bayero | 2020  | 2024  |
16  | Muhammadu Sanusi II dan Nadawaki Aminu dan Muhammadu Sanusi I  | 2024  | present  |

## Lineages

[edit]

### Hausa rulers

[edit]

Lineage of the Bagauda dynasty

| Kings of Kano (Sarkin Kano)| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| | | | | | Bauwo| | Kaunasu| | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | 1
Daud
Bagoda
999–1063| | Saju| | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 2
Warisi
1063–1095| | Yānas| | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Munsada| | 3
Gijimasu
1095–1134| | Yankuma

Yankuna| | | | |
| | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | | | 4
Nawata
1134–1136
(co-ruler 1134)| | 4
Gawata
co-ruler 1134| | 5
Yusa
Tsaraki
1136–1194| | Muntáras

Yankuma|

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gijimasu| | Munsada| | | | | | | | 6
Naguji
1194–1247| | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 7
Gugua
1247–1290| | | Tsaraki| | Auta| | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Salmata| | 8
Shekkarau I
1290–1307| | Kumyerku| |
| | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Maganarku| | 9
Tsamia
Barandamasu
1307–1343| | 10
Osumanu
Zamnagawa
1343–1349

Sultans of Kano| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | 11
Yaji
Ali
1349–1385| | Aunaka| | 12
Bugaya
Mohammad
1349–1385| | | | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Yatara| | | 13
Kanajeji
1347–1390| | | | | Tekidda| | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Auta| | | | | |
| |
| | | 14
Umaru
1410–1421| | 15
Dauda
1421–1438| | 16
Abdulahi
Burja
1438–1452| | Tasafi

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | 17
Dakauta
1452
(1 day)
(deposed)| | | | | | 19
Yakubu
1452–1463| | Fasima
Berana| | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 18
Atuma
1452
(deposed)| | | | | | | | 20
Mohamma
Rimfa
1463–1499| | Auwa|

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 21
Abdulahi
1499–1509| | Lamis| | 25
Abubakr
Kado
1565–1573
(deposed)| | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Tunus| | 22
Mohamma
Kisoki
1509–1565| | Hausatu| | | | | |
| | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | Zuhara| | 23
Yakufu
1565| | Fasuma| | 27
Mohamma
Zaki
1582–1618| | Kursu|
| | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 24
Dauda
Abasama I
1565
(exiled)| | 26
Mohamma
Shashere
1573–1582
(deposed)| | Dada| | 28
Mohamma
Nazaki
1618–1623| |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Fudima| | 29
Kutumbi
1623–1648| | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Fari| | 30
Al Haji
1648–1649
(deposed)| | Goro|
| | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | 31
Shekkarau II
1649–1651| | Fasuma| | | | | | 32,34
Mohamma
Kukuna
1651–1652
1652–1660
(deposed twice)| | Lamis
| | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 33
Soyaki
1652
(deposed)| | | | | | Ka Iya Gari| | 35
Bawa
1660–1670| |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Mariamma| | 36
Dadi
1670–1703| |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | 37
Mohamma
Sharefa
1703–1731| | Duki| | Yerduna| | 40
Mohamma
Yaji
1753–1768| | Baiwa
| | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| Zama
Zenabu| | 38
Mohamma
Kumbari
1731–1743| | 41
Babba
Zaki
1768–1776| | | | 42
Dauda
Abasama II
1776–1781| | 43
Mohamma
Alwali
1781–1807

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | 39
Alhaji
Kabe
1743–1753| | | | |

### Fulani rulers

[edit]

Tree of Emirs of Kano

| Clan of
Mundubawa| | | | | | Clan of
Sullubawa| | | |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Aba Hama| | | | | | Mahmudu| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Suleimanu
1805–1819| | | | | | 2
Ibrahim
Dabo
1819–1846| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3
Usman I
Maje Ringim
1846–1855| | 4
Abdullahi
Maje Karofi
1855–1883| | 5
Muhammadu
Bello
1883–1893
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |

Aliyu
Babba
1894–1903| | 8
Muhammadu
Abbass
1903–1919| | 9
Shehu
Usman II
1919–1926| | 6
Muhammadu
Tukur
1893–1894
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
| | 10
Abdallahi
Bayero
1926–1953| | 12
Muhammadu
Inuwa
1963| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |

Muhammadu
Sanusi I
1954–1963| | 13
Ado
Bayero
1963–2014| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Aminu
Sanusi| | 15
Aminu
Ado Bayero
2020–2024| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Sanusi
Muhammadu
Sanusi II
First time 2014–2020
Second time 2024-Date| | | | | | | | | | | |

## See also

[edit]

* Nigeria portal

* Hausa Kingdoms
* Kano Chronicle
* Timeline of Kano

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "BREAKING Sanusi Reinstated As Emir of Kano Four Years After Deposition". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
2. ^ ""Why I Reinstated Lamido Sanusi As Kano Emir" - Governor". Premium Times. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
3. ^ Palmer, Herbert Richmond, ed. (1908), "The Kano Chronicle", Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 38, pp. 58–98 - via Internet Archive58-98&rft.date=1908&rft_id=https://archive.org/stream/v38a39journalofro38royauoft#page/n87/mode/2up&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+rulers+of+Kano" class="Z3988">; in Google Books.
4. ^ Lovejoy, Paul E. (2018). "The Kano Chronicle Revisited". In Toby Green; Benedetta Rossi (eds.). Landscapes, Sources and Intellectual Projects of the West African Past. Leiden: Brill. pp. 400–421\. ISBN 9789004380189.400-421&rft.pub=Brill&rft.date=2018&rft.isbn=9789004380189&rft.aulast=Lovejoy&rft.aufirst=Paul+E.&rft_id=https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004380189/BP000025.xml&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+rulers+of+Kano" class="Z3988">
5. ^ Stewart, John (1989). African States and Rulers. London: McFarland. pp. 147–148\. ISBN 0-89950-390-X.147-148&rft.pub=McFarland&rft.date=1989&rft.isbn=0-89950-390-X&rft.aulast=Stewart&rft.aufirst=John&rft_id=https://archive.org/details/africanstatesrul0000stew/page/147/mode/2up?view=theater&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+rulers+of+Kano" class="Z3988">

* v
* t
* e

Rulers of Kano

Kingdom of Kano|

| Bagauda Dynasty|

* Bagauda
* Warisi
* Gijimasu
* Nawata
* Gawata
* Yusa
* Naguji
* Gujjua
* Shekarau I
* Tsamiya
* Usmanu Zamnagawa

|

Sultanate of Kano|

| Bagauda Dynasty|

* Yaji I
* Bugaya
* Kanejeji
* Umaru
* Dauda
* Abdullahi Burja
* Dakauta
* Atuma
* Yakubu
* Muhammad Rumfa
* Abdullahi
* Muhammad Kisoki
* Yakufu
* Dauda Abasama I
* Abu Bakr Kado
* Muhammad Shashere
* Muhammad Zaki
* Muhammad Nazaki
* Kutumbi
* Al-Hajj
* Shekkarau II
* Muhammad Kukuna
* Soyaki
* Bawa
* Dadi
* Muhammad Sharefa
* Kumbari
* Alhaji Kabe
* Yaji II
* Babba Zaki
* Dauda Abasama II
* Muhammad Alwali II

|

Emirate of Kano|

| Mundubawa Dynasty|

* Sulaimanu

|

Dabo Dynasty|

* Ibrahim Dabo
* Usman I Maje Ringim
* Abdullahi Maje Karofi
* Muhammadu Bello
* Muhammadu Tukur
* Aliyu Babba
* Muhammad Abbass
* Usman II
* Abdullahi Bayero
* Muhammadu Sanusi I
* Muhammad Inuwa
* Ado Bayero
* Muhammadu Sanusi II
* Aminu Ado Bayero

* Kano
* Kano Chronicle
* Hausa Kingdoms
* Kano Emirate Council

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template