Aminu Kano

=== Sokoto ===
[[Sokoto]] had served as the capital of the 19th-century [[Sokoto Caliphate]], established through the [[jihad of Usman dan Fodio]]. The caliphate covered a large majority of Northern Nigeria and [[Emirates of the Sokoto Caliphate|most of the emirs]] owed allegiance to the [[Sultan of Sokoto]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Last |first=Murray |url=http://archive.org/details/sokotocaliphate0000last |title=The Sokoto Caliphate |date=1967 |publisher=[New York] Humanities Press |others=Internet Archive}}</ref> After the [[Northern Nigeria Protectorate|colonisation of the state by the British]] during the early 20th-century, Sokoto became a province and the Sultan's status was reduced; the other emirs answered directly to the British government, no longer to the Sultan. However, it retained its significance as the center of traditional and religious authority in the region. Hence, it was considered the most conservative section of a very conservative North.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=118}} Maru (now located in [[Maru, Nigeria|Maru]], [[Zamfara State|Zamfara state]]), a village in the province, had a population of 8,256 in 1964.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Daniels |first=Charles B. |url=http://archive.org/details/casestudyofknowl00dani |title=Case study of knowledge transfer in the Gusau Pilot Extension Project of northern Nigeria |date=1967 |publisher=Kansas State University |others=Kansas State University Libraries |pages=51}}</ref>  It was clear that Aminu's transfer to Maru was not only meant to distance him from Zungur but also to isolate him and impede his activities. Upon his arrival, he attempted to set up a discussion circle but there were too few educated people around him and the nearest large town to Maru was 35 miles away, "over terrible, barely passable roads". The Sultan, [[Siddiq Abubakar III]], was also monitoring him, as Aminu later discovered. He learned that an elderly man he regularly gave alms to was a spy for the Sultan several weeks into his stay in Maru.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=|pages=118-120}}

Throughout his time in Maru, Aminu found himself in confrontations that regularly put him at odds with the Sultan. It started when Aminu dismissed the Sultan's ''Yan Labari, or spies,'' after his arrival. Later, he sent a letter of complaint to the British authorities, alleging that funds intended for the farmers, whose land was used for the school, had not reached them.<ref name=":6" />{{Rp|page=101}} Another dispute arose when Aminu and [[Abubakar Gumi]], a colleague of Aminu and later Grand Khadi of Northern Nigeria, almost caused a [[Qadiriyya]]-[[Tijaniyyah|Tijaniyya]] feud in the province when they prevented their students from attending a [[Friday prayer|Friday service]] due to an issue with the [[imam]]'s ablution. According to the two, the imam of Maru practiced [[Tayammum|''tayammum'']], an act reserved for when water suitable for ablution is scarce, despite there being no scarcity of water in Maru. A commission of inquiry set up by the Sultan acquitted Gumi and urged the Sultan to personally intervene in Maru to halt the practice of tayammum. Despite the commission's recommendation, the Sultan refused to comply and declined to dismiss the Imam.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|pages=120-127}}<ref>{{Citation |last=Loimeier |first=Roman |title=Reform in Context II: Northern Nigeria (and Niger) |date=2016-10-01 |work=Islamic Reform in Twentieth-Century Africa |url=https://doi.org/10.3366/edinburgh/9780748695430.003.0004 |access-date=2024-02-16 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |doi=10.3366/edinburgh/9780748695430.003.0004}}</ref>

At that time, Aminu shared a cordial relationship with [[Ahmadu Bello]], the [[Sokoto Sultanate Council|Sardauna of Sokoto]], who held a rivalry with the Sultan. When the Sultan's court convicted Bello of ''jangali'' tax ('cattle tax') misappropriations in 1943, Aminu contributed a significant portion of his Bauchi teaching salary to Bello's defense fund. With Aminu now in Maru, Bello saw him as a potential ally against the Sultan. Bello frequently visited Aminu in Maru, and during a visit by Aminu to Sokoto for a provincial constitutional conference, he stayed at Bello's residence. During this period, the Sultan extended a private invitation to Aminu, likely seeking reconciliation. He requested a discreet 2 a.m. meeting, but upon learning that Aminu had told Bello about this invitation, the Sultan grew furious and canceled the meeting.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|pages=124-125}}

==== Northern People's Congress ====
Due to the successes of Aminu's teacher's union, other notable learned men around the region approached him regarding the establishing of a similar organisation. During late 1948, various organisations in Zaria, Kaduna and Bauchi merged to form the Jam'iyyar Mutanen Arewa or [[Northern People's Congress]] (NPC). In June 1949, the organisation's inaugural meeting was held at the Green's Hotel in Kaduna with about 500 in attendance. The founding members included Dr. [[R. A. B. Dikko]], [[Yahaya Gusau]], [[Abubakar Imam]] (editor of ''[[Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo]]''), [[Maitama Sule|Yusuf Maitama Sule]], [[Aliyu Mai-Bornu|Aliyu Mai Bornu]], Aminu Kano, [[Isa Wali]] (Aminu's cousin) and [[Sa'adu Zungur]], who was the general secretary of the [[National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons]] (NCNC) at the time.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=111}}<ref name=":12" />{{Rp|page=358}}<ref name=":13">{{Cite book |last=Schwarz |first=Frederick August Otto |url=http://archive.org/details/nigeriatribesnat00schw_0 |title=Nigeria: The Tribes, the Nation, or the Race - The Politics of Independence |others=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-19018-3}}</ref>{{Rp|page=75}}

In its first general meeting in December 1949, the leaders of the congress, Dikko and Gusau, declared that the congress did not intend to subvert the colonial and aristocratic government and that the:<blockquote>''Jam'iyyar'' does not intend to usurp the authority of our Natural rulers; on the contrary, it is our ardent desire to enhance such authority whenever and wherever possible. We want to help our Natural rulers in the proper discharge of their duties...We want to help them in enlightening the ''Talakawa'' [common people].<ref name=":12" />{{Rp|page=358}}<ref name=":13" />{{Rp|page=75}}</blockquote>A district officer, representing the [[Resident minister|Resident]] of Kano, cautioned the attendees that they could only bring about their desired reforms if they moved "slowly with caution" and that "one must learn to walk before one can run". Aminu responded by asking him to report to his superiors that:<blockquote>If we go on foot, we will not walk, we will run. And if we fall, we will pick ourselves up and run again. But mark you, we will not go on foot. You might tell us to go by camel, or horse, but we will even skip the motor car and go by plane. And the British had best not deny us the choice of our means of transportation, no matter how fast.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|pages=121-122}}<ref name=":6" />{{Rp|page=93}}</blockquote>Several Northern rulers, such as the Sultan, [[Abdullahi Bayero|Emir of Kano]] and the [[Zazzau|Emir of Zaria]], approved of this 'harmless' and 'deferential' attitude of the congress. However, younger members like Maitama, Aminu, and Zungur believed the congress was too uncritical of both the emirs and British authorities, emphasising the need for political reform in the North. Finally in August 1950, some radical NPC members in Kano formed the [[Northern Elements Progressive Union]] (''Jamiyar Neman Sawaba''), the first declared political party in Northern Nigeria.<ref name=":6" />{{Rp|page=94}} NEPU was influenced by Zungur's openly radical Northern Elements Progressive Association.<ref name=":12" />{{Rp|page=359}} They had the support of Aminu, who was unable to join the party at the time as he was still employed by the government and could not openly join a political party.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=123}}<ref name=":6" />{{Rp|page=94}}

==== Resignation ====
Aminu handed in his resignation letter on 16 October 1950 and departed from Maru for good on November 4 of the same year. Sheikh Usman Bida, who was a classmate of Aminu at Kaduna College, and Sule Katagum, Wazirin Katagum, both believed that he was forced to resign. Aminu himself had contemplated this move as early as April of that year. When the Deputy Director of Education for the North warned him that he would not be reappointed if he persisted in his political activities, Aminu noted in his diary, "All right, that's his problem. Mine is to resign by next year."<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=129}}

An article by Aminu explaining his reasons for resignation was published in the ''Daily Comet'' newspaper on 11 November 1950: <blockquote>I resigned because I refuse to believe that this country is by necessity a prisoner of the Anglo-Fulani aristocracy—I resigned because I fanatically share the view that the Native Authorities ... are woefully hopeless in solving our urgent educational, social, economic, political or even religious problems—My stay in England...has hardened my soul in elevating truth, freedom and above all human rights for which the world fought off fascism—I had twice been threatened with the merciless fangs... while all around are piled corruption, misrule, political bluff, slavery under another garb, naked nepotism, tyranny, poverty...unnecessary retention of hereditary parasites, naked and shameless economic exploitation...I cannot tolerate these things because of their awful smell...I am prepared to be called by any name. Call me a dreamer or call me a revolutionary; call me a crusader or anything this imperialist government wills. I have seen a light on the far horizon and I intend to march into its full circle either alone or with anyone who cares to go with me. To these same suppressors of our people, I say this: Look Out! Africa is a sleeping giant no more! She is just about to shake off the stupor...?"<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|pages=129-130}}<ref name=":22" />{{Rp|page=243}}<ref name=":27" />{{Rp|page=541}}</blockquote>