Letters

On Emir Sanusi’s constructive criticisms

Published by

December 9, 2016 1:45 am

I salute His Majesty, Muhammadu Sanusi II, better known as Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (SLS), for staying true to type, irrespective of whose ox is gored and for allowing the chips to fall where they may.

Sanusi is a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He was appointed on June 3, 2009 for a five-year term, but was suspended from office by President Goodluck Jonathan on 20 February, 2014, after claiming that a $20 billion fraud was committed in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Sanusi is the grandson of Muhammadu Sunusi (the 11th Fulani Emir of Kano). He was a career banker and ranking Fulani nobleman, and also serves as a respected Islamic scholar.

The global financial intelligence magazine, The Banker, published by the Financial Times, conferred on Sanusi, two awards: the global award for Central Bank Governor of the Year, as well as for Central Bank Governor of the Year for Africa. He was also listed in the TIMES 100 list of Most Influential People of 2011.

His majesty has redefined bureaucracy, royalty and the true meaning of public trust via-a-vis the much taunted politics and political considerations for national development, despite his banking and aristocratic pedigree.

He is a super critic and I believe many critics need to study him to learn one or two lessons on constructive criticism as against the destructive ones.

His recent expose on President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and loans from Central Bank of Nigeria is vintage SLS, a well researched knell jerk. As expected from garrulous and sycophant presidential aides, instead of adorning a sober reflective kaftan, they raced to the market square to spew spurious spins and diatribe on SLS.

It is low on their part to demand that SLS should resign as Emir of Kano and join a political party to run against Buhari if he wanted to criticize Buhari.

I pray Nigerians to note that if our political class fail to provide the needed leadership of serving as the much needed compass for a drifting government, SLS and other royal leaders are welcome to join hands in salvaging the country and put things aright for the benefit of all.