Sultan, Emir’s home truth to kinsmen

While serving as governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was notable for his hard stand on national issues. He was vociferous and had moments of disagreement with his fellow ministers and even with Goodluck Jonathan, former president and his then principal.

But, the ex-minister never went as far as hitting his kinsmen, especially when ‘northern interest and religion’ are involved.  

Now as Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, and custodian of his people’s culture and religion, the Emir of Kano has said what some would consider sacrilege and it is trending on social media-Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even published on notable national dailies.

Not just the Emir of Kano, as well, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto, joined voice with Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II to tell their Northern Nigerian kinsmen home truth.

Thanks to Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna State for providing the platform for these royal fathers to challenge the status quo and stereotypes in the north. It was at the recently-concluded Kaduna Investment Forum that these culture custodians and influencers spoke.

Between the two royal fathers, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II seemed to be more angered by the stereotypes held over the years in the north and, which had held back its development. He was visibly angry that while the Muslim world has moved on, Muslims in northern Nigeria still lurk behind time.    

The sermon according to Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II is thus: “We refuse to recognise that the rest of the Muslim world has moved on; we have this myth in Northern Nigeria, where we try to create an Islamic society that never existed. We are fighting culture, we are fighting civilisation. Islam is not univocal- there are many viewpoints. We have allowed the most conversation of them to prevail.

“We need to understand the root of the problems of Northern Nigeria, because we have adopted an interpretation of our culture and religion rooted in the 13th century that refuses to recognise that the rest of the Muslim world has moved on.

“Other Muslim nations have pushed forward girl-child education; they have pushed forward science and technology. They have pushed forward the arts. We have this myth in Northern Nigeria, where we try to create an Islamic society that never existed.

“What is the purpose of a large population that is uneducated and jobless? We (Northern Nigeria) have a complete failure of social policy. To address this, we must reclaim our religion. Some 200 people died from meningitis, a governor actually said it was caused by fornication? Meningitis as punishment for fornication has absolutely no basis in Islam; treat meningitis, don’t say God is punishing victims- it is science, not religion”.

Of course, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II commended Governor El-Rufai for his investment in education and engaging foreign investors, and observed that growth will not come from rising oil prices or from borrowing and spending government money; but from investments.

His last blow to his kinsmen was, “Kings College produces progressive intellectuals but Baruwa College produces Northern Conservative Aristocrats”.

Though also hitting hard, Sultan of Sokoto did his with caution.

“Our political leaders please put politics aside and focus on the development of our people. I have always talked about programmes that will touch the lives of the common man in the villages, on the streets pushing trucks, carrying water to sell to survive. We want programmes that will touch the lives of these people, not programmes that will touch lives of the elites alone.

“There are governors building airports worth billions of naira while our roads are death trap. Governors who are building airports when we don’t have functional clinics, Governors are building airports just for their private jets. Let’s put the building of airports and other white elephant projects aside and face issues that will bring water, food, good health, security and make people go about freely without molestation.

“Let’s do politics of development, because I know very soon, we would be in 2019. We will us our votes to remove all the governors that refused to work for us. If you think 2019 is far, it is not far, it is very much around the corner. Therefore, my fellow citizens of the world, for those governors who work for us, we will vote them back, for those who have not worked for us, we will tell them to go back home and learn how to govern us better and try their luck next time.

“We don’t have any other option than to make sure that this project being put together by the Kaduna State governor succeeds and for this to succeed, there must be peace. Nobody will invest in a place where there is instability”.

However, the royal fathers were not happy that the north is in denial, especially as the North East and North West of Nigeria are among the poorest parts of the world, not just Nigeria.

But, the big issue is how the message will sink down and rouse the expected action, especially a forward-looking north.