Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has lamented Nigeria’s long history of poor leadership, saying the country has been “unfortunate with lousy leaders for a long time.”
Sanusi made the remarks on Saturday, while speaking at the second Kano International Poetry Festival, KAPFEST, held in Kano.
The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor said Nigeria’s struggles were a direct reflection of the quality of its leaders, stressing that the country cannot make progress without competent governance.
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“You rise and fall with the quality of your leadership, and Nigeria has had lousy leadership for a long time,” Sanusi declared.
“You cannot give what you do not have until we begin to look at the people who we choose to lead us. And that’s the truth.”
He added that many Nigerians are often dismayed by those who hold positions of power.
“In most parts of this country, you look at people who are leading you and you say, oh God, is this really the person? How did we end up here? You see it every day in the newspapers. You see it in the legislature.
“You see the kind of debates that we are having, the kind of arguments, the kind of time we waste on issues that are totally unimportant, the pettiness,” he said.
Sanusi also pointed out that Nigeria would have been bankrupt if the federal government had not removed fuel subsidy, insisting that policy reforms and accountability are critical to the country’s survival.
He further urged Nigerian youths to take the initiative in shaping the nation’s future.
“With determination, the youths can retire the old leaders and take over. The will is all that is required,” he challenged.
