Zainab Ado Bayero, the daughter of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, has cried out to the public for financial aid on behalf of her family.
The late monarch’s daughter called on President Bola Tinubu, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, to support her family during their difficult times.
This plea comes two months after the Kano governor announced that he had helped Zainab, her brother, and their mother avoid eviction from their apartment in Lagos.
A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, said Governor Yusuf intervened on June 25, 2024, after hearing about their situation through a public appeal made by Zainab.
Zainab explained that her family has been struggling since the death of her father, the late Emir, and that they were not included in his estate, leaving them in a dire financial situation.
Although they received some financial assistance from the governor in June, Zainab said it wasn’t enough to cover all their needs, including housing and other essential expenses.
In an interview with Premium Times on Friday, Zainab revealed that their current hotel booking has expired, and they must check out by Saturday, August 23, with nowhere else to go.
Zainab said that her family has been living in temporary accommodations and moving from hotel to hotel, and they are now seeking more stable living conditions in Lagos.
She explained that after her father’s death, the family felt it would be safer and more independent to start a new life in Lagos, but with the high cost of housing, they estimate needing around N150 million to buy a house.
Zainab confirmed that she initially reached out to the governor in June when her family was behind on hotel bills.
According to her, the governor responded by settling the bills, but the financial assistance they received wasn’t enough to secure a house for a year.
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.”
“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.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Kano State High Court recently issued a restraining order preventing Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero from presenting himself as the Emir of Kano.