By SULEIMAN HUSSAINI D/KUDU
In Kano, politics is loud. Microphones are many, loyalties shift like harmattan wind, and the man who speaks for the Governor is often the first to be attacked and the last to be praised.
For three years, one man stood in that storm and never lost his calm. His name is *Malam Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa*.
Last week, that calm was rewarded. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf swore him in as the new *Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Kano State*.
It was not just an appointment. It was a promotion earned in the full glare of the public.
A Son of Dawakin Tofa
Sunusi Bature was born in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State – a town that has produced many commissioners before him, from Alhaji Abdu Dawakin Tofa to Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to Prof. Aisha Abdul Ismail. e843
But his own journey did not start in politics. It started with a microphone.
22 Years Behind The Mic
He holds a *BA in Mass Communication from the University of Maiduguri* and a *Masters in Public Relations from Bayero University, Kano*.
For over 22 years, he worked across journalism, international development and corporate administration, including serving as Vice President, Nigeria Operations of UK-based Kingston Organic PLC.
He began as a radio reporter, rose to producer and editor, before transitioning into public service.
> “You began your career in journalism on a promising note, progressing from reporter to producer and editor before transitioning into public service as Chief Press Secretary and subsequently Director-General, Media and Publicity, to the Governor of Kano State.”
The Shield of The Governor
When Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf assumed office in 2023 amidst one of the most contested transitions in Kano’s history, he needed more than a spokesman. He needed a shield, a strategist, and a bridge.
First as Chief Press Secretary, then as Director-General, Media and Publicity, Sunusi became that man.
While others chose insults, Sunusi chose strategic framing. That style earned him the NIPR’s maiden *Spokesperson of the Year (Executive Arm)* and *Most Outstanding Spokesperson* awards, plus *Political Communicator of the Year 2023*.
The Man Who Institutionalized Communication
His greatest legacy as DG was not press statements. It was systems.
He created the *Special Reporters Initiative* which engaged over 150 young people across the 44 LGAs and MDAs – described as not just a media programme, but a youth employment scheme, a grassroots feedback mechanism, and a governance documentation project rolled into one.
He also improved welfare for NUJ, NIPR and Correspondents Chapel members, with his office expending over N150 million in 2026 alone on welfare – mobility, medicals, tools.
The Screening That Became A Manifesto
On Tuesday, 3rd November 2026, the Kano State House of Assembly screened him. He did not just answer questions. He laid out a vision.
He promised *proactive information management* to address public communication challenges.
He advocated collaboration to draft laws for regulating social media in alignment with Kano’s cultural norms and societal values.
And he promised to revive the state-owned medias:
– *Triumph Publishing Company* should continue producing hard-copy publications and have a substantive head appointed
– *Radio Kano Corporation* and *Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV)* would undergo strategic realignment to enhance their capacities.
What Kano Expects Now
The Society of Nigerian Broadcasters, the NIPR, NAWOJ, and the Dawakin Tofa Academic Forum have all celebrated the appointment as well-deserved, citing his competence, professionalism and over two decades of experience in broadcast journalism.
But the task ahead is bigger than celebration.
Kano now has a Commissioner who understands both sides of the camera – the reporter who asks the tough question, and the government that must answer it.
If he succeeds, he will not just be remembered as the Governor’s spokesman who became Commissioner. He will be remembered as the man who turned Kano’s information ministry from a propaganda office into a public trust.
*As his people in Dawakin Tofa say: “We are proud of you. Double your efforts, remain humble and never take for granted the trust and confidence that have brought you this far.”*
