Sultana Nazif, the daughter-in-law of Muhammadu Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano, says she doesn’t believe in women replacing their father’s name after marriage.

During a question-and-answer session on her Instagram story, a fan asked Sultana if she had changed her last name from Nazif to Sanusi after marrying Ashraf Adam, the son of Sanusi.

“Have you changed your name to Sultana Sanusi?” the fan asked.

Sultana replied, “No, I don’t believe in replacing your father’s name after marriage”.

Her stance is quite unusual, as in many cultures, women traditionally take their husband’s surname after marriage.

Some women, however, choose to hyphenate their last names or keep their maiden name for personal or professional reasons.

In August 2024, Sultana tied the knot with the Ashraf in Abuja.

She is the daughter of Suleiman Mohammed Nazif, a politician from Bauchi state.

Ashraf, on the other hand, is one of the sons of Muhammad Lamido Sanusi II.

Sanusi served as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 2009 to 2014. He was suspended by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan under controversial circumstances.

He would later become the Emir of Kano. However, in 2020, Sanusi was deposed by Abdullahi Ganduje, the state governor, for “disrespecting lawful instructions”.

On May 23, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf reinstated Sanusi as Emir of Kano.

[TheCable]