The Supreme Court has restored Al-Mustapha Haruna Jokolo as the 19th Emir of Gwandu.
This decision comes after two decades of legal disputes.
In a comprehensive ruling delivered in Abuja, a five-member panel led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji sided with the former monarch, reaffirming previous decisions by the Kebbi State High Court and the Court of Appeal that mandated Jokolo’s restoration.
Jokolo was ousted in 2005 under contentious circumstances initiated by the Kebbi State Government at that time. He promptly sought legal recourse, igniting one of the longest royal succession conflicts in Nigeria’s recent history.
The case reached its conclusion at the Supreme Court on June 4, 2025, ahead of the initially planned date of June 6, moved up due to the Eid-el-Kabir festivities.
The highest court reviewed four appeals and two cross-appeals before delivering a unified decision affirming Jokolo’s entitlement to the throne.
Barrister Sylvester Imhanobe stood for the reinstated Emir, while Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) and Hussaini Zakariya (SAN) represented the Kebbi State Government and the current Emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Ilyasu-Bashar, respectively.
This ruling is anticipated to provide a final resolution to the succession crisis that has beset the Gwandu Emirate since 2005.
The announcement has elicited varied reactions in Birnin Kebbi, with many locals urging harmony and understanding following the significant ruling.
With the verdict now issued, the focus will turn to the state’s governmental and traditional authorities and their responses to the Supreme Court’s decision.