Lousy Leaders, Lost Opportunities: Sanusi Decries Years Of Nigeria’s Prolonged Misrule, Mismanagement, And Poor Leadership
By Oludare Joshua
Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed concerns regarding Nigeria’s long-standing struggle with subpar leadership, condemning the quality of leaders that have governed the nation for years.
Speaking at the second Kano International Poetry Festival (KAPFEST) in Kano on Saturday, Sanusi remarked that had the federal government not eliminated the fuel subsidy, the country might have faced bankruptcy. The event was organized by the Poetic Wednesdays Initiative (PWI).
During his address, the monarch emphasized the importance of good governance in transforming the nation’s current state, stating, “You rise and fall with the quality of your leadership, and Nigeria has had lousy leadership for a long time. We must scrutinize the individuals we elect to lead us.”
Sanusi expressed his frustration with the prevailing political discourse in Nigeria. “In most parts of this country, you look at the people who are leading you and wonder, ‘Is this really the person? How did we end up here?’ You see it echoed in newspapers and media reports.”
He criticized the focus on trivial debates within the legislature, contrasting Nigeria’s discussions on ethnic differences with more pressing global issues, such as climate change and technological advancements. “We are still entrenched in debates from the 1960s, discussing divisions of Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Northern, or Christian,” he lamented.
The emir challenged the youth to seize the opportunity to take control of the nation’s future, asserting that they have the power to displace the aging leaders who have failed to fulfill their responsibilities. “With determination, the youth can retire the entrenched leadership and bring about change.”
He also reiterated his stance against fuel subsidies, stating that they were never a sustainable solution and could have led to bankruptcy without their recent removal by President Bola Tinubu. He reflected, “If you consider the billions spent on subsidies, that money could have been invested in refineries. My concern lies with subsidies on consumption; we are keeping foreign refineries operational while our own are neglected.”
Sanusi warned that the current trend of government borrowing and mismanagement could have dire implications for the nation’s economy in the future.
Earlier in the program, PWI Creative Director Nasiba Babale highlighted KAPFEST’s theme, “Poetry in a Time of Crisis,” which aims to encourage poets to employ their art as a medium for advocating peace in the face of the challenges troubling Northern Nigeria.
