Image copyright Getty Images

From emirs to kings, Nigeria's traditional rulers are increasingly being humiliated by politicians - and mocked by young people who see them as representing an archaic institution.

The latest example of this was the brutal dethronement of the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II.

The state governor invoked his constitutional powers to depose the emir after accusing him of "insubordination".

No-one knows the number of monarchs in multi-ethnic Nigeria but there seems to be one ruling over every inch of land, often putting them at loggerheads with the politicians who have constitutional authority.

Nigeria's traditional leaders retain huge influence in many parts of the country but recent events have made some young people question the role of the monarchy in the 21st Century.

Mr Sanusi is the most high-profile of several cases in the last five months in which politicians have publicly brought monarchs to heel or the actions of some traditional rulers have led people to question their relevance.

Colonial-style exile

Mr Sanusi was removed for "total disrespect" of institutions and the governor's office, the government said.

But in truth, his removal was the culmination of a long tussle with Kano state governor Umar Ganduje, a powerful figure within Nigeria's governing All Progressives Congress (APC) party.

Getty

Muhammad Sanusi II

Deposed Emir of Kano

• 1961born into Fulani royal family

• 2009became governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria

• 2011named in TIME magazine's list of influential people

• 2013received award for promoting Islamic banking in Nigeria

• 2014sacked for alleging that $20bn (£12bn) revenue was missing

• 2014became 14th Emir of Kano

Source: BBC

Those close to him say the emir expected his removal but not his banishment to neighbouring Nasarawa state which his lawyers described as an "archaic practice" of the colonial era.

After gaining a court order, he has regained his freedom but the manner of his removal and subsequent detention showed the real balance of power between politicians and traditional rulers.

"There is no way you can reconcile the feudal gathering of traditional kinship with the application of a modern republican constitution," said Dr Jare Oladosun, an associate professor of history at Nigeria's Obafemi Awolowo University.

He said it was an insurmountable contradiction and favours the scrapping of the monarchy.

"You cannot have both, only one," he said.

For many, Mr Sanusi's removal confirmed what they have long suspected - that the country's monarchs are only symbolic heads with no real power.

Don't shake your head when the governor is speaking

Nigeria's constitution has no role for traditional rulers but they are nevertheless widely respected as custodians of both religion and culture.

And this can be seen as a form of power.

Olutayo Adeshina, a professor of history at the University of Lagos, said that by pledging to respect the culture "by protecting, preserving and promoting traditional values", the Nigerian constitution recognises the important role of traditional leaders.

"Traditional leaders possess some latent power which politicians are afraid of, hence the tension between the two.

"If they are not relevant, the politicians would ignore them. But you ignore them at your own peril," he said.

But anyone who watched a video widely shared on social media in January would question whether politicians still have much respect for traditional leaders.

A king in the southern state of Rivers was publicly ridiculed for shaking his head while governor Nyesom Wike was speaking.

The governor ripped into the mortified king in a gathering of traditional rulers, provoking laughter from those in the room.

"You just [go] and wear something that is bigger than you... to breach protocol."

The governor was mocking the monarch's traditional robe and elaborate crown.