‘God took me away from the humiliation’ — Sanusi reflects on exile after dethronement

Muhammadu Sanusi II has said his years away from Kano following his dethronement as emir shielded him from potential humiliation and allowed him to pursue further academic work.

The Emir of Kano made the remarks while delivering the Fola Adeola annual Ramadan lecture, where he spoke on the theme of resilience. He used his own experience as an illustration, arguing that people too often attribute their circumstances to other individuals rather than to God.

“I’ve seen people who beg, cringe, and bow to human beings. They humiliate themselves because they feel this person is the one who holds the path to their position,” he said. “Too often in our lives, we attribute things to human beings, but they are all created.”

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Reflecting on his own career, Sanusi noted that he was suspended as Central Bank Governor in 2014, only to be installed as Emir of Kano three months later. He was dethroned in 2020 by then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and reinstated in 2024 by incumbent Governor Abba Yusuf.

“Several years ago, I was removed as emir; four years later, I came back. I’m now in the same palace, I’m on my throne,” he said. “I think of all the things that could have happened if I were in Kano in the last four years, the humiliation I could have faced — but God was so merciful. He gave me a chance, I went and did a PhD, and I’m back.”

He added that attachment to positions was, in his view, misplaced. “If I’m taken away from positions, it’s not a big deal. It’s better for you to leave there and keep to yourself principles than to stay there and earn the wrath of Allah.”