The daughter-in-law of Muhammadu Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano, Sultana Nazif, has sparked an interesting conversation about women keeping their maiden names after marriage.
When asked during a question-and-answer session on Instagram if she had changed her last name from Nazif to Sanusi after marrying Ashraf Adam, Sultana replied, “No, I don’t believe in replacing your father’s name after marriage”.
This stance may seem unusual, as many cultures, traditionally, expect women to take their husband’s surname after marriage.
However, some women choose to hyphenate their last names or keep their maiden name for personal or professional reasons.
Sultana’s decision is particularly noteworthy, given her high-profile marriage to Ashraf Adam, the son of Emir Sanusi, in August 2024.
As the daughter of Suleiman Mohammed Nazif, a politician from Bauchi State, Sultana’s views on women’s identity and autonomy are certainly worth paying attention to.
