Ex CBN governor becomes Emir of sokoto

KANO Nigeria - Nigeria's ousted central bank governor, Lamido Sanusi, was named Emir of Kano on Sunday, making an outspoken government critic one of the most influential leaders in the
largely Muslim north.

Sanusi, who regularly railed against the government's record on corruption, was suspended from his post at the bank in February by President Goodluck Jonathan in a decision that alarmed
international investors.

His move into such a revered position, after the death of his great-uncle the last emir on Friday, could unsettle some in Jonathan's administration which rules over a religiously divided country and is facing national elections in 2015.

The emir is the second-highest Muslim authority in Nigeria. Underlining local politics also raging behind the decision, several hundred supporters of another hopeful candidate - the late emir's oldest son - massed outside the state government building, destroying street signs until police fired in the air to disperse them, witnesses said. Sanusi's switch from the offices of the capital Abuja to the palace in Kano will make him a central player
in confronting a mounting insurgency by Islamist Boko Haram militants in the northeast.

The fighters have set their sights on toppling the traditional Muslim hierarchy, accusing it of failing to enforce what they see as their true interpretation of the Koran.

"Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is the new Emir of Kano," the state government said, using a fuller version of
his name.

Sanusi took the throne, which has few constitutional powers, amid tight security. Soldiers manned major
road junctions in the north’s main city that has suffered a string of bomb attacks blamed on Boko
Haram.

He had been shortlisted by four
“kingmakers” - part of ancient succession rules set up by an emirate known for its sumptuous displays
of royal regalia and ritual.

There is no automatic father-to-son succession, but candidates have to come from leading families.