Sanusi seeks ban of CAN, JNI, Afenifere, ACF, Ohanaeze, others..by: Sanni Onogu, Abuja.
CENTRAL Bank Governor Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has recommended the ban of religious and socio-cultural groups. Sanusi, who spoke yesterday at a dinner organised by the Northern Reawakening Forum (NRF) in Abuja, listed such associations to include; the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Afenifere, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Ja’amatu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) chief said such bodies were self-seeking groups jostling for political space and relevance. He described the groups as political associations in religion and regional garbs. Sanusi said: “When I was approached to speak on the economy at the forum called the Northern Reawakening Forum, my initial reaction was that I don’t go to these regional and ethnic groups because I have a very strong views against Arewa, Afenifere, Ohaneze and other regional and ethnic groups. “And I think these regional and ethnic groups should be banned; including, by the way, Ja’amatu Nasril Islam (JNI), and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). “They should be banned because they are not religious organizations; they are not cultural organisations; they are political associations in disguise of religion and region.” He noted that forming a regional group had been the style of those seeking political relevance. Sanusi said: “If I want, when I leave office, I could do the same by setting up an Association of Cattle Fulani Muslims and create a group. “I find a series of old grievance between Fulanis and their Hausa neighbours and that is it. I become a nuisance and people have to deal with me.” He lamented that people now cash in on their headship of such organisations to gain access to the seat of governance. Sanusi said: “You go to the Aso Rock Villa; you go the Presidency and see somebody walk in freely. “The only reason he is there is because such person is the leader of a group that is threatening the security of this country. He hasn’t got anything
to contribute. “But he has to be called because if you don’t talk to him, there will be no peace; meanwhile, the Constitution says the Federal Government must promote associations that cut across ethnic and religious divides. “What do we have, we have a religious organisation or regional organisation that invites government officials to come and speak and they invite them and honour them. And what you get is glorifying these regions and religions. “The difference between a Muslim and a Christian in the North is nothing compared to the wide gulf between a rich Muslim and a poor Muslim or a rich Christian and a poor Christian. “We created differences through the kind of societies we have created. Societies that exclude people vertically and horizontally and let us understand that the insecurity that we have can only be resolved by addressing these marginalisation.” Sanusi had earlier noted that his study of Bible Knowledge up to school certificate level as a student in Kings Colleges opened his eyes to the wide internal gulf and divisions both in Christianity and Islam. He said: “By the way, at the age of eight, my parents took me to a Catholic boarding school. “In Kings College, I voluntarily took Bible Knowledge up to West African School Certificate level and what I discovered in my relationships with both Christians and Muslims is that on the face of it, you can’t get into any religion and have so many sects and get close enough. “At the end of the day it’s about human beings accepting a fundamental fact that faith is a personal thing. “What I believe cannot be imposed on the next person. I think that we all believe but unfortunately I think the elites in Northern Nigeria find religion to be a very good instrument in the contestation of space for political power and for distribution of resources. “This is not about taking the debate to the area of understanding the Koran or the Bible. It is about moving that entire conversation to those things that we need as human beings. “Do we have education? Do we have electricity? And do we have health? Whether you are a Muslim or Christian, a hungry man is a hungry man. A hungry Christian is a hungry man and a hungry Muslim is a hungry man. Economy is the major cause and answer to these problems.” Speaking on the agricultural potentials of the North, the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbe, urged the leaders in the North to invest massively in agriculture if they hope to salvage the land. Chairman of the event and Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, noted that the task of reawakening the North was herculean.thenationonlineng.net > Home > News

Ok Uncle Sanusi, am on the same page with u on this.

Why is he crying now he is the one that started it all by bringing Islamic banking and CAN sees it as religious agenda and start opposing it

sanusi make me laugh.. the constitution says ethnics group have the right to association. people are in a federation they have the right to seek what is best for them.

even if you were able to Ban all the Tribal Ethnic / Religious Unions like they did in Soviet Union would that still make Nigeria Functional , 53 years after Independence and this Giant is still crawling on its feet . Did America Ban World Jewish Coungres ,some Black associations and other Asian /latin American Associations for America to work.

No wonder the banking industry is having hiccups , why not Nigerians tell them selves the truth for once

Can this man focus on banking rather than politics? Gosh, this man has no clue on what CBN leadership is about

I subscribe, BUT on the condition that QUOTA SYSTEM and FEDERAL CHARACTER be banned too. Tribal/religious groupings may be pythons wrapping round and tying Nigeria's national progress; but Quota system and federal character are the ANACONDA snakes squeezing the very life out of Nigeria.
You cannot kill a lesser evil while leaving the bigger evil intact.

Yes it is true, but can is not among. C a n is just shouting about the over 20 million christians that has been killed in the north since the stupid almagamation. Sanusi just wants to incite people

manny4life: Can this man focus on banking rather than politics? Gosh, this man has no clue on what CBN leadership is about

Like Soludo abi, the man has a private life, speaks the truth even to his own people at a function organized by them, yet your hatred has blinded you. The man dies in him who in the face of tyranny keeps silent.

This guy nor dey look UCHE face at all....

I like his boldness and forthrightness....

Saying his mind irrespective of whose Ox is gored....

He may have good intentions by calling for the ban of these groups, but it doesn't work that way. He should know better as a learned man.

Freedom of association is one of the basic human rights all over the world. Nigerians are not exempted. So, its shameful for a personality like Sanusi to advocate for its ban.

Pressure groups has its shortcoming, but its advantage cannot be downplayed.
He should have called for the sincerity of purpose among the leaders in these group or better still, hands off politics and concentrate more on CBN.

Are these groups worst than the policy of federal character or quota system?

Are they just waking up from sleep

Onlytruth: I subscribe, BUT on the condition that QUOTA SYSTEM and FEDERAL CHARACTER be banned too. Tribal/religious groupings may be pythons wrapping round and tying Nigeria's national progress; but Quota system and federal character are the ANACONDA snakes squeezing the very life out of Nigeria.
You cannot kill a lesser evil while leaving the bigger evil intact.

You are still not sober. Why are you joining unrelated issues? The federal character issue can only be dealt with through constitutional amendments and we have a process for that, while Sanusi's proposal does not require any constitutional amendment.

You remain as dumb as you were last year when you were Eze. mumu

If Sanusi happens to be in the military, he would be a Coup plotter.

He is extremely anti- democratic person

What about Gideon Akaluka's lynching? Has it been sorted out?

If SLS becomes President tomorrow there will be a great confusion in this country.

Let us ban Islamic Bank to start with.

It is good we are seeing the mindset of this tyrant.