‘Emir Sanusi’ is Timely Tribute and Intervention 

Iyke Bede 

Following its outing last year with the double stage play ‘Aremu’, and ‘Awolowo’,  the Duke of Shomolu Productions returned last weekend with ‘Emir Sanusi: A Truth in Time’. It is the newest instalment in its series of stage plays celebrating revered and historic  Nigerian political figures.

The script written by Professor Ahmed Yerima chronicles the stories of two generations of Emirs of Kano and the events leading up to their respective abdication. 

In the crowded Agip Recital Hall of the Muson Centre, the audience is first introduced to a peace-loving community in Kano, showcasing its people, values, and culture, until an unsettling event catapults them into the chaotic house of Dalihu, a former Dogorai (bodyguard) to Emir Muhammadu Sanusi I. 

From the very first words he spoke: “what is that smell?” referring to the urine-tainted Zainab, one could decipher the disdain that exists between him and the mother of his only son Shaibu. The ensuing dialogue further reveals an account of child marriage,  slavery, and Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF). But as embittered as both parties were, the news of their son’s imminent return who currently serves as Dogorai to the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, unites them. 

Through the account of these three thespians, the stage play journeys the audience as well as Khalifa Sanusi II to a story spanning decades. Their accounts conveniently highlight important moments in the life of Emir Sanusi I as detailed in his invitation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1956 to the Durbar Festival, and the processes leading to his abdication and subsequent exile.

In a similar vein, critical moments leading to the deposition of Khalifa Sanusi II were explored. Transcending published work at the time these events took place, the play humanises the Emir characters to highlight their impact on society. 

With little room for histrionics, the three performers managed to engage the audience with sarcasm sprinkled with suspense. While this technique worked most of the time, it sometimes inundated the audience with too much information with the use of long dialogues. Although it is not a deal breaker, it certainly overlooked the younger generation that mainly consumes ‘snackable’ content on social media. Or perhaps this move was a deliberate one that places more emphasis on education rather than entertainment. 

According to the Executive Director, Joseph Edgar, the aim of the project was to “change the narrative”, a line of thought also toed by the Khalifa who accoladed the production as “a brilliant work of art.” 

Certainly, the arrival of the stage play is a timely one, especially at a time when history has no place in the national school curriculum. It serves as an alternative to remind Nigerians of the vision of the founding fathers, and how they intended nation-building. Additionally, it will help influence perspectives in the upcoming 2023 general elections. 

While viewed by a limited number of people, as much as the hall could admit over the two-day period it ran, it surely opens new windows of possibilities to its audience. This effect is felt in the boisterous standing ovation it receives when the curtains fall.