Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on a book Launch In Lagos.

“Let me start by saying that I am Fulani (laughter). My
grandfather was an Emir and therefore I represent all that has
been talked about this afternoon. Sir Ajayi has written a book.
And like all Nigerians of his generation, he has written in the
language of his generation.”

“My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian. The problem
with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of
1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I
cannot forgive people of my generation speaking in that
language.”

“Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are
being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like
Northern Nigeria, Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like
the Sokoto caliphate. The man from Kano regards himself as
bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from
Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each
other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, and they were
killing each other. “The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko,
Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become
one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person
from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom.They now
said it was a Muslim North.”

“The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called
the Northern Nigeria. Do you know what happened? Our grand
fathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not
been able to transform to being Nigerians. The fault is ours. Tell
me, how many governors has South-West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Manygovernors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any part of this country has produced good leaders. You talk about Babangida and the economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu. What state are they from in the North?”

“We started the banking reform; the first thing I heard was that
in Urobo land, that there will be a curse of the ancestors. I said
they (ancestors) would not answer. They said why? I said how
many factories did Ibru build in Urobo land? So, why will the
ancestors of the Urobo people support her?”

“We talk ethnicity when it pleases us. It is hypocrisy. You said
elections were rigged in 1959, Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged
election in 2007. Was it a Southern thing? It was not.”

“The problem is: everywhere in this country, there is one Hausa,
Ibo, Yoruba and Itshekiri man whose concern is how to get his
hands on the pile and how much he can steal.Whether it is in the
military or in the civilian government, they sit down, they eat
together. In fact, the constitution says there must be a minister
from every state.”

“So, anybody that is still preaching that the problem of Nigeria is
Yoruba or Hausa or Fulani, he does not love Nigeria. The problem
with Nigeria is that a group of people from each and every ethnic
tribe is very selfish. The poverty that is found in Maiduguri is
even worse than any poverty that you find in any part of the
South. The British came for 60 years and Sir Ajayi talked about
few numbers of graduates in the North (two at independence) .
What he did not say was that there was a documented policy of
the British when they came that the Northerner should not be
educated. It was documented. It was British colonial policy. I have
the document. I have published articles on it. That if you educate
the Northerner you will produce progressive Muslim intellectuals
of the type we have in Egypt and India. So, do not educate them.
It was documented. And you say they love us (North).”

“I have spent the better part of my life to fight and Dr. (Reuben)
Abati knows me. Yes, my grandfather was an Emir. Why was I in
the pro- democracy movement fighting for June 12? Is (Moshood)
Abiola from Kano ? Why am I a founding director of the Kudirat
Initiative for Nigerian Development (KIND)?

“There are good Yoruba people, good Igbo people, good Fulani
people, good Nigerians and there are bad people everywhere.
That is the truth.”

“Stop talking about dividing Nigeria because we are not the most
populous country in the world. We have all the resources that
make it easy to make one united great Nigeria . It is better if we
are united than to divide it.”

“Every time you talk about division, when you restructure, do you
know what will happen? In Delta Area, the people in Warri will say
Agbor, you don’t have oil. When was the Niger Delta constructed
as a political entity? Ten years ago, the Itshekiris were fighting
the Urobos. Isn’t that what was happening? Now they have
become Niger Delta because they have found oil. After, it will be,
if you do not have oil in your village then you cannot share our
resources.”

“There is no country in the world where resources are found in
everybody’s hamlet. But people have leaders and they said if you
have this geography and if we are one state, then we have a
responsibility for making sure that the people who belong to this
country have a good nature.”

“So, why don’t you talk about; we don’t have infrastructure, we
don’t have education, we don’t have health. We are still talking
about Fulani. Is it the Fulani cattle rearer or is anybody saying
there is no poverty among the Fulani?”

This is a great message to our generation. Are we truly ready to
develop and unite Nigeria?

Source: www.abusidiqu.com/?p=12797

He spoke the truth.

nice

Ours is truly a lost generation. (those born in seventies and eighties till the millennium).

No ideology, no true leader, no future to look forward to.

You read comments on nairaland and see the reasoning of peeps and you just wonder whether they truly can't see past their ethnicity.

Its a shame.

Good man and sensible write-up. He said it the way it is. There are good Nigerians from all tribes and there are bad people from all tribes. This is the type of people that needs to lead us. All these "we must divide" is all rubbish and greediness. Who knows what resources we are likely to find in the North 20 years from now? Why do we have to kick them (Northerners) to the curb because they lack oil from their region? Why do Yorubas and Hausas have to fear the Igbos and prevent them from getting to the seat of power? WHY? I refuse to listen to anyone who says an Igbo man cannot be trusted to rule Nigeria. There are millions of them who are worthy enough to be President.

The young generation from particular area in Nigeria have been badly adivised to hate other tribes. I am Yoruba and I can say Obasanjo's 8 year rule was a colossal failure. Any Yoruba man would have told you the truth and say Obasanjo was a failure. Few of my fellow citizens from SS/SE would have the gut to say his fellow kinsmen was a failure when he led the country. Just like the one we have in the office now is being potrayed as messiah. Whereas he has been a disaster so far. They would tell you he has performed well because he is of the same tribe as them. Ask a 23 year old Igbo guy or lady about having an Hausa President or ask an Hausa guy of the thought of having an Igbo as President. If our past leaders had done their work very well, the hatred today would not have been there. Nigeria would have been a better place if we free ourselves from greediness, ethnic and religious sentiments.


Why can't we just come together and say enough is enough? Nigerians, we deserve better.

@OP

These political grand standings by Sanusi Lamido Sanusi are mere hogwash. There is no template for Nigeria to occasion the development the Sanusi tends to preach. Nigeria was created to fail and it shows.

DerideGull: @OP

These political grand standings by Sanusi Lamido Sanusi are mere hogwash. There is no template for Nigeria to occasion the development the Sanusi tends to preach. Nigeria was created to fail and it shows.

Exactly my point! A mistake was made in 1914 and should be re-visited.

I quite agree that we all need to come together/unite to fix Nigeria. Everywhere in the world where the status quo has been challenged successfully, the people stand in unison, pay a price and remain resolute until they get what they want no matter how long it takes. But that may not be possible in this present Nigeria because of our diverse ideological orientation premised on ethnicity and religion. People in the south are much more motivated to seek change but folks in the north prefer the current structure in Nigeria, they will never support any revolution and they are supposedly more than 50% of the country. The north is a clog in the wheel of progress in this country. Our best bet is to correct Lord Luggard's mistake of 1914!

From the same man who told Nigerians not too long ago that 'Yorubas are the problem with Nigeria' ?

Wonders will never cease!

DerideGull: @OP

These political grand standings by Sanusi Lamido Sanusi are mere hogwash. There is no template for Nigeria to occasion the development the Sanusi tends to preach. Nigeria was created to fail and it shows.

Let's agree that Nigeria was created to fail.
Can we also agree that most if not all of the people that were involved in the creation are also dead.

My dilemma is, can't we find a solution, this generation I mean. We didn't create the problem, we were born into it. So we have to deal with it. And we should refuse the wishes of some dead folks to continue flourishing in our actions.

I have friends from all over the country and I can rightly say that they are good people.

All that is needed is an ideology that we can relate to.

The only sensible thing hv heard frm this aboki for a long time now

We nvr had a probs wif 1 naija. These aboki are willng to share or morelike dominate our resources but refused to share political power. They brought in their autocratic mentality into govt! N hve resisted all forms of progressiveness

I have thought very deep about Nigeria and I have come to the conclusion that there is no quick solution to our problems. A majority of the people in Nigeria are very fraudulent. From people in government to beggers on the street. Deception smells everywhere. If you feel dividing Nigeria is a solution, pls think again. Jonathan has not set up any tangible economic activity in his own state that will transform the lives of the people there. IBB has no large factory in the north. So when we divide into the different regions, who will be the leaders? Ghosts or aliens.if the leaders will still be same people we have in power, then what we succeded in doing will be breaking a big problem into smaller portions. Like in sanusi's writeup, you can see that he has not given a solution to the problem because at the moment there is non.

He simply presented the argument for maintaining the status quo eloquently but did not offer any new ideas. He is suggesting that by ignoring our problems that our problems will solve themselves. Nothing can be further from the truth.

We can be one united country running a devolved system of Government. That is the only solution to sustaining the unity of Nigeria!

What changed his mind? I thought he wrote an article saying Yoruba were the problem of Nigeria. Now, anyone holding such views does not love Nigeria! Is he laying the ground work for a Presidential run?

I admire Sanusi Lamido for the work he has done in Nigeria's Banking sector. DO you guys think he will make a good president?

saanil: I admire Sanusi Lamido for the work he has done in Nigeria's Banking sector. DO you guys think he will make a good president?

Nah, he is only good at Madam Yaro's (mistress) hide and seek game

What's this his talk about muslim North? Are there no indigineous northern christians?? All his talk is trash if he cannot recognise other people and their beliefs! That's actually what is causing divsion in Nigeria. Inequality and injustice by people who feel they are majority against the minority.

Has Sanusi ever shown interest in joining Politics? Has he shown any affiliation to any political party? Is he inclined towards PDP or APC? I could not find any article where I could find his political affiliation. Does anyone here have any articles to prove so?