A hooded cloak (burnous) of Arabic/North African style, the final major item of the Fulani royal gown ensemble in the Sokoto Caliphate emirates. Perani & Wolff report that Ibrahim Dabo of Kano (r. 1819-46) introduced the burnous (alkyabba) for the Kano royal family, that it was probably adopted from the Middle East in the late 19th century, and that it is made of imported wool, silk or velvet with arabesque floss embroidery. Unlike other gown items, which belong to the state, an alkyabba may pass to a ruler's heir.
At the installation the emir wore an embroidered alkyabba over his gowns.