For many Nigerians, marrying into a royal family sounds like a dream. It paints a picture of beaded crowns, grand ceremonies, and seats at high tables.

You can hear it in the bata drums echoing through the courtyard at dawn. You can feel it in the thunder of horses galloping during the Durbar. You can see it in the calculated steps of dancers moving in harmony at an Igbo festival.

Every morning in Kano, the Emir’s palace opens its doors to a steady flow of visitors. Traders come with disputes, students seek scholarships, and elders bring petitions.