Lamido Sanusi is Kano's new Emir

"Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is the new Emir of Kano," the state government said, using a fuller version of his name. Hundred supporters of the late emir's oldest son - massed outside the state government building, destroying street signs until police fired in the air to disperse them. The former emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero, died on Friday at the age of 83, having spent 50 years on the throne.

Sanusi took the throne, which has few constitutional powers, amid tight security. He had been shortlisted by four “kingmakers” - part of ancient succession rules set up by an emirate known for its sumptuous displays of royal regalia and ritual.

There is no automatic father-to-son succession, but candidates have to come from leading families.

The Emirate of Kano was one of the great Islamic empires that dotted the Sahara from medieval times, profiting from caravan routes connecting Africa's interior with its Mediterranean coast. Former colonial ruler Britain kept most of the northern hierarchy in place and the emirate continued to hold sway over the largely underdeveloped region after independence in 1960. The emir is the second-highest Muslim authority in Nigeria