Princess Zainab Bayero faces eviction, hardship after father’s death

Since the passing of her father, the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, in June 2014, Princess Zainab Bayero has faced repeated evictions and financial hardship.

Once expected to live in comfort, the princess now endures a life marked by instability, debt, and isolation.

In July 2024, after The Guardian reported her circumstances, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf provided N6 million to help with housing. Part of the funds cleared debts, while N3 million secured a short-term rental.

However, the family – including Zainab, her mother, Princess Hauwa Momoh Bayero, and her brother, Ahmed Tijjani Ado Bayero – was evicted in October after the three-month lease expired, leaving them without shelter.

The family is now struggling to afford housing, school fees for Ahmed, and medical care for their mother.

In an interview with The Guardian, Zainab expressed the distress of repeatedly sharing her story: “It’s humiliating as a princess to keep speaking out publicly that we have no home. I don’t want to be stranded, raped, or killed – shelter is a basic human right. We’ve approached emirs, ex-presidents, governors, and ministers for help, but after promising, they withdraw for reasons I can’t understand.”

Zainab described the ongoing hardship, saying, “We’re in Lagos, in the rain, with our belongings outside and nowhere to go. This situation reflects poorly on the royal family. People judge and scrutinise me, but no one truly understands our difficulty. My mother was gravely ill last week, and I feared losing her. ” She said that a permanent solution is urgently needed: a home, funds for her brother’s education, and resources to revive her career as a filmmaker.

“I’m deeply worried about my mother’s well-being,” she added. “She’s exhausted by this struggle, and I’m afraid for her.”

Caption: Zainab and Tijani Bayero