By Williams Anuku, Abuja
The Kaduna State Government has approved a whooping N25million to host the maiden edition of Muhammadu Sanusi II annual colloquium, in honour of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the former Emir of Kano.
The event which kicks off today (Saturday, August 14) in Kaduna State comes at a time the state government was having a running battle with workers in the state, particularly the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The State government approved the funds through the office of the Deputy Governor, following a memo seeking sponsorship.
A copy of the memo sighted by Elendu Reports has the signature of Muhammad Bashir Umar, Permanent Secretary(General Services) for Secretary to the State Government.
The approval letter reads, ” I am directed to refer to letters references A’-C on the above subject and to convey her Excellency, the Deputy Governor’s approval for the release of the sum of N25million only for the purpose stated therein”.
Among those gracing the event includes the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as Special Guest of Honour, other notable academics like Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, Prof. Ahmad Ibrahim Maigari, Dr Basir Aliyu Umar, Mallam Ibrahim Ado, amongst other speakers.
The maiden edition has as its theme: “Muhammadu Sanusi II: An Icon of Reforms”.
It is holding at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Murtala Square, Kaduna state.
Sanusi, a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria who later became the Emir of Kano was unceremoniously dethroned and banished from Kano last year over alleged disrespect of lawful instructions by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The former Emir of Kano was famed for his intellectual prowess and societal reforms, a development that didn’t go down well with the cultural norms in the northern state.
The sponsorship also comes at a time Kaduna state is bedevilled with terrorism, especially kidnapping and banditry and Governor El-Rufai has insisted no ransom should be paid to the kidnappers.