Is Lamido Sanusi wasting away in Kano?

By Dr. Ahmed Adamu



Sitting on the throne of the Kano Emirate stool is the no-nonsense and fearless, I
dare say saviour of the Nigerian financial sector. The global and African central
bank governor of the year (2010), a whistle blower and fighter, one of the 100
most influential people in the world (2011), an Islamic scholar and a ranking Fulani
noble man.
His name is Sarki Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. He saved 24 commercial banks in Nigeria
that were on the brink of collapse. You won’t be wrong if you say he is
perceived as the most courageous public servant who took mustered the courage
to expose what many reckoned as excessive corruption and financial
mismanagement against the government of his time. His bravery and boldness
came with a stiff price that caused his suspension from office, not knowing that
truth will pay him even more few months after.


As the Nigerian central bank governor, his policies were against the extreme
capitalists who accumulated illegal wealth at the expense of the poor. He was the
people’s bank governor, and ensured softer banking policies for the masses and
guaranteed their deposits. He sacked powerful bank managing directors and
charged them for their corrupt practices, a move that many termed “Sanusi
Thunami”. The introducer of the cashless economy and an orator and mentor to
the young people.

He was the first from northern Nigeria to become the MD of the First Bank Plc,
one of the biggest financial institutions in Africa. A renown economist with 30
years of banking experience, he is also a development economist and practitioner.

In his anti-corruption campaign, he opposed the Nigerian petroleum subsidy
regime that subsidises corruption. He is the emir of the second ranking royal
kingdom in northern Nigeria. He once asked his followers to revenge on attacks
by Boko Haram militant group, a call that led to an attack on his mosque killing
more than 150 of his people.

Having briefly described who Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is, who I would rather call SLS,
one would believe that such a person is a national resource that any country will
long to have. I do not see a better time when Nigeria needed the services of SLS
again than now. A time when the historical democratic revolution became possible
in Nigeria, a time when the long awaited change arrived, a time when the masses
look up with high hope and optimism into the future, and a time when the
country is yearning for seasoned technocrats to actualise the real change.

Unequivocally, this is not the time for trial and error in some sensitive
government positions, it is not time for political compensations.
It is time to build a new Nigeria; the tested and trusted ones must be brought
forward even against their wishes to deliver national assignments. However, they
must be mixed with younger ones to train and inspire them.

Nigeria does not want to fail again. The democratic prosperity of the country lies
on the success of this administration, so it is the responsibility of all Nigerians to
pitch in and contribute toward upholding the democratic virtues in Nigeria. The
failure of this administration will be tantamount to dampening the spirit of
democratic transparency and honesty. The struggle that Nigerians undertook to
ensure democracy prevails must be compensated with excellent performance by
the government, and this cannot happen without people like SLS.

This is the time we need to flush out corruption entirely from Nigeria, the time
to put back our economy back on track. The time to restore the value of the
Naira, the time to diversify the economy, and the time to create more jobs. And
SLS has all it takes to help this administration achieve these objectives. I will call it
a suicide mission if Nigeria fails this time around, while people like SLS are just
watching on the throne.

It sounds delusional for some promising royal families to be obsessed to the
traditional institutions. There is much more SLS can offer to humanity than just
being a king. It is sad that such a resource person is consumed by obsession for
traditional institution. Despite SLS’s vast experience, he is now confined to a
particular place, ruling only the people of Kano without much economic and
political power to make decisive changes. SLS is now under the state control
managed by politicians, whose rules sometimes supersedes that of the king.


In modern democratic structure, traditional rulers have little or no role; most of
their duties are now placed on relevant government ministries and departments.

The question therefore is what is the compelling roles of kings in our societies
today that will prevent them from offering their services to the country? Some
will say they settle disputes and serve as a monument of the historical lineage of
the then powerful kings, who fought wars and institute governance pre-colonial
era.
The king is more or less ceremonial, because in every district, he has
representative who is closer to the people and settles their disputes. So, a king
can even rule from anywhere, as long as he receives reports from the districts
and royal heads. With Sharia courts, people may not have to resort to the
emirates to settle grievances any more. I do not intend to condemn the entire
traditional institution, because at least I am a fan of durbar back in Katsina, and I
love to see the traditional heads in their royal horses with beautiful decorations.

Therefore, you can see now SLS is beyond just being a Kano king, in fact, he was
the preferred presidential candidate of many, and until he was appointed emir, he
was among the front presidential hopefuls. His speech at the Abuja TeDex
convinced many young people that he has what it takes to rule not just Kano but
Nigeria.

Nigerians should rise and demand for the service of SLS once again. He
should pull off that turban and take eight years sabbatical leave from the emirate
and come to Abuja as minister of finance, and then he can go back and rule Kano
till his death. While he is on the sabbatical leave, he can keep visiting the emirate
just like the way Buhari visits his farm regularly. SLS may wish to continue wearing
his royal attires, and will always go to Kano for the official durbar ceremony
twice a year.
Therefore, I call on PMB to appoint SLS as a minister in his cabinet, and force him
to accept the offer in the event he hesitates.





Dr. Ahmed Adamu,Petroleum Economist and Development Expert,Pioneer Global
Chairperson of Commonwealth Youth Council,University Lecturer (Economics),
Umaru Musa Yar’adua University Katsina

Good write up.

A very deep,intelligent and analytical write up,but unfortunately Sanusi should remain in Kano to Govern his people.

There is no need for the Emir to use ghost writers,to bring to the attention of the Government that he is available for service.

Yes he has a lot to offer,so do other intelligent Nigerians looking for Solutions too to Nigeria's financial troubles.

I remember that Goodluck Jonathan did not want you as the Emir,but you fought and played your politics so well,and eventually became the Emir.

So,stay in Kano and deal with your people and the local politics of Kano.

President Buhari will be doing this Country a disservice,by bringing you in as a Minister.

He remains one of the finest we have pride of the north except that he does go rogue. He will do well as conscience of society now as emir! Allah ya ja zamani mai mataba sarkin kano!

Thread for the zombies and slaves of the almajiri hausa/fulanis to massage their little hypocritical ego.

There are 7000 better than the Emir that has not bowed down to corruption and equally intelligent.
Let these myopic and imbecilic leaders provide enabling environment or clear off.