Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has criticised Nigeria’s longstanding leadership crisis.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Emir said the country has endured “lousy leadership” for many years, a situation he linked to its persistent economic and social challenges.
Speaking on Saturday at the second edition of the Kano International Poetry Festival (KAPFEST), organised by Poetic Wednesdays Initiative (PWI), the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor stressed that national progress depends on quality governance.
He said, “You rise and fall with the quality of your leadership, and Nigeria has had lousy leadership for a long time.”
“You cannot give what you do not have until we begin to look at the people whom we choose to lead us. And that’s the truth. I mean, in most parts of this country, you look at people who are leading you and you say, ‘Oh God, is this really the person? How did we end up here?’”
The monarch lamented Nigeria’s fixation on ethnic and religious divisions, contrasting it with global debates on issues like climate change and artificial intelligence.
He said, “You see it in the news, you see what happens in the legislature, the kind of debates we are having, the kind of time we waste on issues that are totally unimportant, the pettiness.”
“Look at other countries – they’re discussing climate change, discussing artificial intelligence. We are still talking about Yoruba or Igbo or Hausa, Northern or Christian. We are still in conversations that we had in the 1960s.”
Sanusi also urged young Nigerians to demand change and challenge unproductive leadership.
He added, “Until the young people decide enough is enough and take this country from the old people who have held it down, nothing will change. You can retire all of them, easily, if you have the will.”
On fuel subsidy, Sanusi defended its removal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, arguing that subsidy spending was unsustainable.
He said, “If you look at the billions and billions that were spent on subsidy, if that money had been spent on refineries… I have nothing against subsidies if you are subsidising production.”
“My objection is the subsidy on consumption because we’re keeping refineries in Europe open. We’re giving jobs to refiners. And if we had taken action in 2012, we would not be where we are today.”
“Now, people say to me, ‘Why aren’t you talking?’ I say, what am I to say? This is exactly what I said would happen because, beyond a point, government revenue will not be enough to pay the subsidy. You have to borrow to pay it.”
The Emir further warned that Nigeria’s rising debt profile poses a threat to future economic stability. He said, “If the rate at which governments borrow and squander money continues, it will have a damaging effect on our economy in the years to come.”
Earlier, Nasiba Babale, Creative Director of the Poetic Wednesdays Initiative, said the festival, themed Poetry in a Time of Crisis, was designed to use art as a tool for peace, healing, and activism in Northern Nigeria.
He said, “KAPFEST is about reminding poets and artists that their voices matter. We believe poetry and art can be powerful tools for change, especially in times of deep national and regional crisis.”
The event brought together poets, scholars, and young creatives from across Nigeria to reflect on the nation’s challenges and imagine a brighter future through artistic expression.
