7. ADO BAYERO, EMIR OF KANO
Ado Bayero was emir of Kano for over half a century, precisely 51 years. He was the emir with the longest reign (1963-2014) since the Jihad of 1804.
Besides being one of Nigeria’s most prominent and revered Muslim leaders, Bayero was also a successful businessman, banker, police officer, member of the Nigerian parliament, and one time Nigerian ambassador to Senegal.
He was chancellor of the University of Nigeria and served as chancellor of the University of Ibadan until his death. He was coronated the emir of Kano on October 22, 1963, as the 13th Fulani Emir of Kano and the 56th ruler of the Kano Kingdom.
Advertisement
He died on June 6, 2014, aged 84, and was succeeded by his brother’s grandson Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, whose tenure as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had just expired.
