The “triangular politics” of mosque ownership and imamship in Kano State : the case of Sabuwar Gandu Juma’a Mosque

Abstract

Using the case study of the Sabuwar Gandu Friday mosque, whose building led to a conflict for ownership and control that extended over several years, this article discusses the conflict for mosques in Kano State. The apparent protagonists of this conflict are usually the leaders of the Sufi and Salafi groups who constantly compete for the control of sacred space, as well as their supporters. The article argues, however, that this conflict can only be understood in the light of a broader context that involves the religious actors, the Kano Emirate Council and the Kano State government. It is only in the light of this “triangular politics,” that the deeper legal and political dynamics of this conflict can be properly understood.