The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has delivered a blunt verdict on Nigeria’s leadership. He said the nation has been weighed down for decades by what he described as “lousy leadership.”
Sanusi spoke at the Kano International Poetry Festival on Saturday. He said Nigeria’s challenges were the direct result of leaders who waste time on petty arguments instead of solving urgent problems.
“You rise and fall with the quality of your leadership — and Nigeria has had lousy leadership for a long time,” he said. “Every day you see it in the legislature: trivial debates, petty arguments, time wasted on things that don’t matter. While the world is discussing climate change and artificial intelligence, we are still fighting over Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, North, South, Christian, Muslim. These are the same conversations we were having in the 1960s. How did we end up here?”
Sanusi said Nigeria’s young population must rise to the challenge of reclaiming the country from old politicians. “The youth can easily retire all of them if they have the will. The time has come,” he declared.
He warned that if nothing changes, the cycle of waste and division will continue unchecked. Do you think Nigerian youths are ready to seize that responsibility?
Subsidy Removal and Reckless Borrowing
Turning to the economy, Sanusi defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidy. He said the policy saved Nigeria from bankruptcy. “Subsidy on consumption is madness. Billions were spent keeping European refineries open while ours collapsed,” he explained.
Sanusi recalled that as far back as 2012, he had warned that subsidy payments were unsustainable. “By 2012, I warned that government revenues would no longer be enough to pay subsidy — we would have to borrow just to fund it. That is exactly what happened,” he noted.
He also cautioned that Nigeria’s reckless borrowing would have grave consequences. “The way our governments borrow and squander money today will have a devastating effect on the economy in years to come,” he said.
Rate, Like 👍, Comment💬, share this article and Follow us on our social media handles. You can also Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
