The 16th Emir of Kano, His Highness Muhammad Sanusi II, has announced his decision to withdraw support from President Bola Tinubu’s administration in explaining the benefits of its economic reforms to Nigerians.
Speaking on Wednesday at the 2025 Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture, the Emir attributed his decision to what he described as the government’s unfriendliness towards him and its lack of credible representatives capable of articulating its policies effectively.
“I have decided not to speak about the economy or the reforms, nor explain anything regarding them. If I explain, it would only benefit this government, and I don’t want to aid this government,” Emir Sanusi stated.
He added, “I choose not to help this government. You see, they are my friends. If they fail to act like friends, I will not act like one. I observe their actions, and they lack credible individuals who can effectively explain their policies. However, I am not here to assist. I began by offering support, but I have decided to stop.”
While noting that the government must take responsibility for its decisions, the former Central Bank Governor highlighted the consequences of decades of poor economic management.
“But I will say one thing: what we are going through today is, at least in part—not totally—a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management,” he said.
Sanusi further remarked, “People were warned decades ago that if they continued down this path, this is where they would end up. They chose not to listen. Is everything being done today correct? No. However, when the government is prepared to discuss the economy, I will likely engage. For now, I am here to honour Chief Gani Fawehinmi.”
Emir Sanusi also used the platform to urge Nigerians to embrace the values of integrity and hard work, which he described as essential to societal progress.
“What we need to do is revisit our values. Do we truly possess those values? Are we genuinely committed to our work? What is the integrity with which we approach our tasks? For someone like Gani, these are the lessons from his life,” he emphasized.
He also reflected on societal divisions, urging Nigerians to focus on their shared humanity rather than superficial distinctions.
“If you are a thief, you are a thief—whether you are Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Muslim, Christian, a lawyer, or otherwise. That is your identity,” he stated. “You could be from the North or the South, wealthy or poor, a President or an Emir. These are aspects of your identity. Can we please begin to reflect and stop taking pride in superficial, misleading distinctions?”
