Zainab Ado Bayero, daughter of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, has made a heartfelt appeal to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and other concerned Nigerians for assistance.
Nearly a decade after her father’s death, Zainab revealed that her family is facing financial difficulties and struggling to make ends meet.
The late Emir, who passed away at the age of 83 on June 6, 2014, was the longest-serving emir in Kano’s history, having held the position from 1963 until his death.
Despite his esteemed legacy, Zainab disclosed that she, her mother, and her younger brother have been left in a precarious situation since his passing.
In an interview with Premium Times on Friday, Zainab shared the challenges her family has endured.
“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,” she lamented.
Zainab emphasized the dire circumstances they face, noting that they have been moving from one hotel to another without a stable home.
“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.”
She acknowledged the efforts of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, who had previously extended financial assistance to her family, but she indicated that it was not enough to meet their needs.
Zainab recounted how the governor, through an intermediary, had settled their hotel bills and provided some funds.
However, she explained that the money was insufficient to secure a long-term home, and the family still finds themselves in the same challenging situation.
In addition to her appeal for housing, Zainab also sought support for her filmmaking career and a biopic documentary titled “My Father, the Emir: A Portrait of Ado Bayero.”
The documentary aims to retrace her father’s legacy, achievements, and experiences in Nigeria.
