Kano – The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusk II, has sparked a heated debate by advising his daughters to retaliate if their husbands slap them.

Sanusi made this statement at the National Dialogue Conference on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention, organized by the Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID) and Bayero University Kano (BUK).

Key Highlights

Sanusi’s stance is backed by alarming statistics, revealing that 45% of cases across nine Shari’a Courts in Kano over five years involved domestic violence and wife beating. His research also showed that 41% of cases dealt with maintenance, while 26% involved harm [1).

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The Emir emphasized that beating women is prohibited and considered a crime. He stressed the importance of teaching children that violence against others violates basic human dignity.

Sanusi’s comments were made at the National Dialogue Conference, which aimed to strengthen communication and advocacy to prevent GBV in northern Nigeria. The conference sought to leverage Islamic teachings to challenge harmful cultural norms and practices perpetuating violence against women and girls.

Dr. Hassan Karofi, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Communications, explained that the conference aimed to align Islamic perspectives with contemporary approaches to GBV prevention. The event brought together diverse stakeholders, including faith-based organizations, women and youth groups, traditional institutions, and government representatives.

Sanusi’s advocacy for retaliation against domestic violence has sparked controversy, but his stance underscores the urgency of addressing GBV in Nigerian society.