From Sawaba to Asara: The Evolution of Commercial Politics in Kano

The article traces the evolution of commercial politics in Kano, from the founding of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) in 1950 to the dominance of the Kwankwasiyya movement. NEPU was rooted in the liberation of the oppressed Talakawa and aimed to challenge colonial feudalism in Northern Nigeria.

However, over time, the ideological politics of NEPU gave way to transactional politics, characterized by patronage and personality cults. The shift from ideological activism to commercial transactions has had significant consequences for Kano's political leadership.

The article argues for the urgent need to reconstruct a credible ideological alternative based on NEPU's principles of social justice and equity. It highlights the legacy of Malam Aminu Kano and the People Redemption Party (PRP) as a model for principled dissent and mass empowerment, contrasting it with the current dominance of transactional politics in Kano led by Ibrahim Shekarau, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and Rabiu Mus.