The stone laying ceremony for the reconstruction of the ancient Kasankali gate of Kano city was performed by His Highness, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr) Ado Bayero. The reconstruction is financed by NCMM and United States Embassy. The ceremony was preceded by the opening of an exhibition entitled "KANO CITY WALLS: VALUES AND PROSPECTS" at National Museum Gidan Makama, Kano.

The city walls, an iconic fortress that symbolises for the people of Kano city and its environs, an influential kingdom and economic hub in the then Western Sudan.

Hon. Abubakar Sadiq, Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, in his address, commended the people of Kano for their efforts in protecting the city wall from land poachers while urging them to support the NCMM in their efforts at reconstructing the walls, and restoring the legacy of their fore fathers that erected the walls to ward off external aggression and promote economic activities in the city. He also paid special tribute to His Eminence, Alhaji (Dr) Ado Bayero, the Emir of Kano for identifying with the NCMM towards the restoration of the city walls.

In his welcome adress at the occasion, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman, the Chief Host and Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, said that the construction of the city walls by the people of Kano, represents human daptation, deployment of labour and social organizations. The exhibition in his words, was conceived as part of the conservation and management strategies, designed to salvage the dilapidating Kano city walls from total extinction. He also commended the Emir of Kano Alhaji (Dr) Ado Bayero for his unflinching support to the cause of restoring the ancient city wall.

He also commended the German Embassy that assisted teh Commission with a grant of N9.3m earlier on, to help in the restoration of some edicie at Sabuwar Kofa, in 2002 to checkmate malaria and cholera epidemic in the area, as a result of environmental hazards.

While expressing gratitude to the Embassy of the United States of America for their donation of the sum of N1.2m as counterpart funding to restore Kansakali gate, he also noted that the NCMM is support the project with about N1.3m. Mallam Abdallah also commended the efforts of Kano State Government and its agencies like KNUPDA and the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, for their joint efforts at errecting barricades along Bayero University, Kano Road, which serve as a buffer corrider for the protection of the city walls. While calling for enforcement of laws against violators of the city walls, the Director-General expressed the Commission's preparedness for the submission of Kano city walls and Associated sites for enlistment into the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Guest Speaker at the occasion, Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule, an elderstateman, enjoined the people of Kano and other parts of the nation, to cherish their cultural heritage, as it plays a great role in the development of a nation. Citing the Asian nations as an example, he urged the people of Kano, not to copy an alien culture as it could lead to a loss of identity. In his words "the Asian tigers are the fastest growing economy today, because they have upheld their culture. Countries like Japan, China, India, Malaysia and Indonesia are all making progress today because they adhere to their cultures".

Tracing the origin of the great Kano city wall, Dr. Maitama Sule, recounted the history of the city wall and the leadership qualities of Bagauda, an Emir who started the process of organised administration in Kano, which brough about the building of the city walls by his grandson.

According to him, culture not only help in the development of a nation, but it also brings about peace and stability. He urged the people to stop plundering the city walls and bastardizing their culture, for in so doing, they would command respect. He also urged the international community to respect the various cultures of the world and allow nations to develop within the context of their culture in order to promote global peace and brotherliness.

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero who was represented by the Wamban Kano, Alhaji Abbas Sunusi in his address, urged the people of Kano to protect their heritage while expressing satisfaction and gratitude to the various countries that supported the project and also graced the occasion. He explained the historical importance of Kasankali City gates. While calling on the Minister of Tourism, to make it a matter of duty to help in reviving the cultural sector, he also enjoined the various countries and their Ambassadors present to do more in supporting the cultural sector as witnessed at the occasion.

In his goodwill message, the Ambassador of the United States of America to Nigeria, Mr. Terrence Mcaulay, represented by Mr. Peter Claussen, Public Affairs Councilor, congratulated NCMM for their efforts in rebuilding the ancient city walls of Kano, while promising that the United States of America will do its utmost best to support this noble project.

The Chinese Cultural Counselor, Mr. Shan Baoxing, re-iterated the benefits of the cultural collaborations and partnerships between Nigeria and the People's Republic of China, which has led to fruitful co-operations and exchanges in various fields. While donating the sum of one million naira, on behalf of His Excellency, Deng Boqing, the Chinese Ambassaor to Nigeria,Mr. Shan promised that the Chinese government would always respect Nigeria's diverse cultural heritage.

The Ambassor of Argentina to Nigeria, Ms. Susana Pataro, who was also a guest at the event, congratulated the NCMM and Nigerian authorities for having accomplished the updating of the inventory of their national and cultural sites as a pre-condition for any proposal to the World Heritage status, which Kano city was is tentatively awaiting. In her submission, the inclusion of Kano in the inventory of Nigerian properties, as well as the decision of restoring Kansakali gate, clearly expresses the political will of a country and its people in devoting technical and human resources for the preservation of the splendor and wonder of Kano to the benefit of future generation of Nigerians and for the rest of the world.

Dr. ShamSudeen Usman, the Minister and Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commision, in his goodwill message at the exhibition and stone laying ceremony, commended the NCMM, Government and Embassy of the United States, and his Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano for their interest in resuscitating the strong heritage of Kano tradition and culture, as symbolized by the stone laying ceremony of the Knsakali gate.

He also prayed that the projects will extend to cover other parts of the great wall of Kano, so as to become a tourist destination and revenue earner for the country, as the likes of other international tourist symbols like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire Building in the United States, the Great Walls of China, the Cairo Pyramids and Museum and the Colosseum in Rome.

Earlier on, ont he eve of the stone laying ceremony, a documentary film on the Kano City wall was premiered in Hotel Horizontal, Bompai, Kano with Dr. Sule Bello, Head of Department of History, ABU Zaria as the Chief Reviewer, to draw attention to the historic importance of the Kano City wall. Present at the exhibition and stone laying ceremony which was officially flagged off by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr) Ado Bayero were Directors from NCMM, Curators of teh Northern Museum Stations, Dr. Munzali Dantata, DG HIHOTOURS, Alhaji Aliyu Zuru Ibrahim, Director of Hospitality and Travel Trade Department who represented the Director-General, NTDC, Royal Fathers and Representative of various instiutions and Embassies in Nigeria.