Source: The Sun News On-line |

The Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, surprised guests present at the Musom Centre for the launching of the book of Sir Lanihun Ajayi at the MusoN Centre in Lagos.

The book titled: “Nigeria, Africa’s failed asset?” attracted many important dignitaries, intellectuals and some governors.

The argument by discussants centered on whether or not the colonial masters laid the foundation for the problems Nigeria is currently facing. Many argued that the British loved the North and that was why it gave more than 5o percent of the National Assembly seats to the North at independence.
Sanusi, however, stole the show when he spoke. His speech was anchored on the plank that the British and Nigerian rulers are responsible for the state of the situation Nigeria finds itself today.
Below is his unedited speech.

“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 can not 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 regard himself as Abakani. The man from Zaria was Abazasage. The man from Katsina was Abakani. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, 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 Many governors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any past 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 course 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 seat 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 enlity? 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 can not 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?”, he said

At your marks, get set go 9 I don blow whistle.

He whoo is notbguilty should cast the first stone,

Good read, I'd like him a lot more if he wasn't trying to Islamify the banks.

Kenezi:

Good read, I'd like him a lot more if he wasn't trying to Islamify the banks.

How?

what brought about Sanusis ranting, because Yorubas accused his Fulani/Hausa tribe of causing the Mess Nigerian is going through.
What i noticed from the speeches made by Yorubas at the Launching is, they are looking for New ally, but no Southern tribe will ever trust a Yorubaman, tell me how Ijaw will trust a Yorubaman after Yoruba Obas and Corrupt politicians secretly gave Obasanjo their Son Support to massacre innocent Odi Children for doing Yoruba people nothing, just only because of Oil money.
Now Yorubas want to distance themselves from Hausa/Fulani North, so that Northerners will take the Blame of leading Nigeria to Doom.
See the one of the reason i call Yorubas Chameleon.

ndu_chucks:


“So, anybody that is still preaching that the problem of Nigeria is Yoruba or Hausa or Fulani, he does not love Nigeria.

Please did he intentional omit to Include Ndigbo from his above quote? Or is that his way of acknowledging that Ndigbo is not the problem to his beloved cursed failed country?

chosen04:

Please did he intentional omit to Include Ndigbo from his above quote? Or is that his way of acknowledging that Ndigbo is not the problem to his beloved cursed failed country?

I just dedicated my 666 Post to his fulani man and his failed cursed country. I know this is not a concidence. Its devine

Having read over 30 of SLS's articles, I'm not surprised. This is vintage Sanusi. This is all he has lived for, and he hasn't dropped it, even now that he's part of government. One thing I infer from his write-ups is that he doesn't care whose ox is gored, he says his mind.

Imagine criticizing an author right there in his presence, openly stating his opinion at an avenue where many people 'lick ass'(to use nairalanders' favourite word), openly disgreeing with other panelists.

I also share the view that it is wrong to blame Hausa/Fulani for all the woes of this country. Nigeria's problem knows no tribe.

naijatoday:

How?

As soon as he got the job he began preaching the benefits of Islamic Banking against the western model which, at the time (and still is) was failing.

Jarus:

Having read over 30 of SLS's articles, I'm not surprised. This is vintage Sanusi. This is all he has lived for, and he hasn't dropped it, even now that he's part of government. One thing I infer from his write-ups is that he doesn't care whose ox is gored, he says his mind.

Imagine criticizing an author right there in his presence, openly stating his opinion at an avenue where many people 'lick ass'(to use nairalanders' favourite word), openly disgreeing with other panelists.

I also share the view that it is wrong to blame Hausa/Fulani for all the woes of this country. Nigeria's problem knows no tribe.

This man has guts.  The following statement by Sanusi should be very instructive to those accusing him of some northern agenda:

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.

He should focus on his CBN and not dable into history and Politics!

Suddenly because of orgin they made him CBN Head and he can not tell us about history and Politics!

what hes sayin isnt anything new and what he said applies to almost all african countries.

ndu-chucks - Is this man a  financial expert or a social studies teacher?
Don't you think that 'Marabout Sanusi' should start talking about his/ cbn's role on economic development, inflation control, interest rate control, creating an enabling environment for small to medium enterprises.

There is nothing like Urobo.
It is Urhobo.

The is nothing like Itshekiri
It is Itsekiri.

I coudn't find anything but denial in his words. It is all "don't blame me, don't blame yourself, just blame 'something'". Its what I call vintage emptiness, I pity anyone who will buy the sharia lovers book.

^^^^^

not necessarily i think

but nevertheless i still wonder the reason abuja wasnt built in Niger-delta

back2back:

He should focus on his CBN and not dable into history and Politics!

Suddenly because of orgin they made him CBN Head and he can not tell us about history and Politics!

He has been talking/writing openly about this(soicio-political issues) for years and just because he is a CBN don't meant he should stay mute! Just because you're a footballer don't mean you can play gold on the weekend!!

I like the fact this guy speaks his mind openly (ANYWHERE north or south; in private and in public), why dont we have CEOs, Governors etc writing articles on happenings in the financial, leadership  or any other bloody sector they just keep their 'intellect' to themselves or they don't like being challenged in the open?

“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 enlity? 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 can not share our resources.

Posted by: Beaf  

There is nothing like Urobo.
It is Urhobo.

The is nothing like Itshekiri
It is Itsekiri.

not good enough

I think that is a healthy piece there. I like his opinion on the issue and believe people ought to spend some time reading before castigating him for having an opinion on an issue that happens to affect the progress of the Nation.

Dis Guy:

He has been talking/writing openly about this(soicio-political issues) for years and just because he is a CBN don't meant he should stay mute! Just because you're a footballer don't mean you can play gold on the weekend!!

I like the fact this guy speaks his mind openly (ANYWHERE north or south; in private and in public), why dont we have CEOs, Governors etc writing articles on happenings in the financial, leadership  or any other bloody sector they just keep their 'intellect' to themselves or they don't like being challenged in the open?

Intellect and sharia are oil and water. Can you imagine someone from Jesus of Oyingbo posing as an intellectual? Let's not belittle the word.

well your opinion



Im talking more of the professors of Economics/Sociologist etc in our universities and Company CEOs

Dis Guy:


I like the fact this guy speaks his mind openly (ANYWHERE north or south; in private and in public), why dont we have CEOs, Governors etc writing articles on happenings in the financial, leadership  or any other bloody sector they just keep their 'intellect' to themselves or they don't like being challenged in the open?

@Dis_Guy
It is sacrilege to mention Sanusi among "professors of Economics/Sociologist etc in our universities and Company CEOs".
There is this dangerous fad of inferring that Sanusi is an intellectual (which is the same as calling the child witch evangelists in Akwa-Ibom intellectuals).
There are true intellectuals that can add positively to the debate of Nigerias ailments, others even from Sanusi's same Caliphate background. Sanusi just doesn't have it, statements of denial are very far from offering a solution.
The man should be quiet, instead of publicising statements of emptiness and denial.

@topic

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).

The British left Nigeria 49 years ago, yet the North is still behind educationally. The British left Singapore 46 years ago, today they are a developed country.
The question that comes to mind in reading the article is, what is his own "why" for the state the country is in, apart from nebulous claims that criminals come from every part of the country (which is so very obvious).

I think its inappropriate for Mr Sanusi to comment on social issues, why can't he focus on the financial sector?  He seems to attack rather than solve, we need a competent head of the CBN not a sociologist.  I am not impressed with his social perspective its patronising and defensive, he should save those kind of opinions for his peers in his leisure; Its like listening to Ben Bernanke talking about Slavery, African Americans and immigration.

Soludo was much more impressive, he gave confidence to Nigerians in the economy, even when things were gloomy, but time will be the judge its early days.  It would be more impressive if he wrote about the economic history of Nigeria and the way forward - [size=13pt]a vision[/size].

Beaf:

@Dis_Guy
It is sacrilege to mention Sanusi among "professors of Economics/Sociologist etc in our universities and Company CEOs".

bloody hell!!!!

[size=16pt]Im talking more of the professors of Economics/Sociologist etc in our universities and Company CEOs[/size]

I AM JUST SAYING WE NEED MORE BUSINESS LEADERS, PROFESSORS AND IF POSSIBLE PEOPLE IN POLITICS WRITE MORE ARTICLES !!!

The man should be quiet, instead of publicising statements of emptiness and denial.

NO the man should be challenged openly!!! people that have views should be allowed to air them and challenged openly!!

Dis Guy:

NO the man should be challenged openly!!! people that have views should be allowed to air them and challenged openly!!

My exact question is, what are his views?
He has regurgitated a few obvious bits and pieces, thats all. There are no angles (new or old), apart from hinting that everyone is to blame. Its almost like he is saying Nigerian DNA is bad, therefore all are all born to cause the country problems.
If he had views, we would debate them. Sadly, he has only denials and we don't the context in which he is denying.

Sanusi is seriously off point, the fact that we are not talking about the effect of his policy on inflation, employment or foreign exchange is proof positive that he is flattering to deceive.  
Instead, we are debating social commentary from one of Nigeria's so called financial experts. Come on.

Can we remind some people that Nigerians do not pay his wages for social commentary, people are already doing that for free, he is paid to create an enabling financial environment for investors and businesses at home and encourage foreign direct investment.

does he give these speeches before a major coup d'etat?.

i seem to remember a similar one a few months before he did his bank takeover.

methinks sanusi is on point,matter of fact he is sharper than an arrow here

more intergration is what we need in this country not less

some of u guys that come here and talk about tribe,i wonder how old u are?40,50?

any nigerian under 30 is relatively unconcerned about which tribe u are from

abi when u dey university u dey choose your clique according to tribe? even the chick u toast na tribe?

we have fashola coming up and a few other governors that should do good,also i think soludo might be very good for anambra we have to wait and see

paddy_lo:

methinks sanusi is on point,matter of fact he is sharper than an arrow here
more intergration is what we need in this country not less
some of u guys that come here and talk about tribe,i wonder how old u are?40,50?
any nigerian under 30 is relatively unconcerned about which tribe u are from
abi when u dey university u dey choose your clique according to tribe? even the chick u toast na tribe?
we have fashola coming up and a few other governors that should do good,also i think soludo might be very good for anambra we have to wait and see

Open your eyes to what is written. Nobody is talking about tribe, outside of what Sanusi himself mentioned.
Nigeria needs more integration? Based on what? Toasting chicks or joining cliques or being below 30? Based on what?

Jarus:

Having read over 30 of SLS's articles, I'm not surprised. This is vintage Sanusi. This is all he has lived for, and he hasn't dropped it, even now that he's part of government. One thing I infer from his write-ups is that he doesn't care whose ox is gored, he says his mind.

Imagine criticizing an author right there in his presence, openly stating his opinion at an avenue where many people 'lick ass'(to use nairalanders' favourite word), openly disgreeing with other panelists.

I also share the view that it is wrong to blame Hausa/Fulani for all the woes of this country. Nigeria's problem knows no tribe.

ndu_chucks:


This man has guts. The following statement by Sanusi should be very instructive to those accusing him of some northern agenda:

[quote ]
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[quote][/quote]

I think I am beginning to like this man for his guts. He is directly (not indirectly) telling his boss Yar’adua that Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged his election. At least let’s give him some credits. I don’t know how many people in Government today have similar guts.