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Tag: Muhammadu Sanusi II

  • Kano Emirship: A’Court stays action on Bayero, Sanusi tussle, returns parties to S’Court

    Kano Emirship: A’Court stays action on Bayero, Sanusi tussle, returns parties to S’Court

    The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, relieved actions earlier delivered against the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as 16th emir of Kano.

    The Appellate Court, upon taking cognisance of the transmission of the record to the Supreme Court, directed all interested parties to exercise caution pending the hearing of their appeals at the Apex Court.

    In a unanimous ruling delivered on Tuesday by a three-member panel of Justices, led by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, the Court agreed with the withdrawal of the application filed by the Kano State Government after transmission of the record of Appeal to the Supreme Court.

    Resuming hearing to the rule on enforcement of it’s earlier orders, counsel to Kano state government Barrister Ibrahim Wangida intimated the court a notice of appeal moved against a stay of execution held on Friday, 14th March 2025.

    Barrister Wangida had told the court all necessary legal actions had been perfected, including the transmission of the record to the Supreme Court.

    The transmission of record of the appeal to the Supreme Court by implication and by decided authorities or judicial precedent operate as a stay of any action of the ruling of the Court of Appeal of 14th March, 20015

    Justice Abang, had on Friday, 14th March 2025, ordered a stay of execution of its earlier judgment that validated the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th emir of Kano.

    The Judge also ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum as well as the sheriff of the court and trial court, as was the position before the trial court in its delivered on 13/6/2024 in suit no. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024.

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    Dissatisfied with the ruling of Justice Abang, counsel to the Kano state government, Wangida faulted the Friday 14th March ruling, which he considered a gross error of provisions of the Constitution. He said the appeal was already filed before the Apex Court.

    Responding tobthe notice of the application, Counsel to the appellant, Abdul Fagge, Senior Advocate, who did not object to the notice, told the court the respondent acted within the constitutional provision.

    Kano State Government reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II as 16th emir of Kano pursuant to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024. The same law validated the disposed of Aminu Ado Bayero as 15th emir along four first class emirs appointed by former Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

    Bayero however, returned to occupy the Nassarawa mini palace in Kano with heavy security cover while challenging his sack by State Government through Dan Agundi.

  • Between Kperogi and Muhammadu Sanusi II

    Between Kperogi and Muhammadu Sanusi II

    Sir: I read Professor Farooq A. Kperogi’s article titled “Emir Sanusi’s Quid Pro Quo for His Friends Turned Fiends” with keen interest. Although well-written and rich in rhetorical flair, I believe it unfairly misrepresents the character and contributions of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, as well as the broader context of his remarks.

    Sanusi’s commentary on economic reforms is not new, nor is it driven by self-interest as implied in the article. His economic positions, controversial as they may be, have always been rooted in his commitment to transparency, accountability, and fiscal prudence.

    During his tenure as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi spearheaded reforms that stabilized the financial sector and exposed corruption, notably the mismanagement of funds in the petroleum industry. His leadership saved the Nigerian banking system during the 2009 global financial crisis. These efforts reflect a consistent commitment to economic pragmatism, not the “self-loving sadism” Kperogi ascribed to him.

    At the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture, Emir Sanusi addressed Nigeria’s economic challenges within a historical framework, highlighting how years of poor management led to today’s difficulties. His statement about not defending the current government’s policies was not a quid pro quo demand but an expression of discontent over the failure of political leaders to reciprocate loyalty or act decisively for national progress.

    Sanusi’s critique of governance has often transcended personal affiliations. For instance, he openly criticized the Jonathan administration despite being part of the government apparatus, risking his career in the process. His comments at the lecture reflect this same principle: his loyalty is to ideas, not individuals.

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    The article unfairly caricatures Sanusi as an unrepentant neoliberal apologist indifferent to the suffering of the masses. While he has supported subsidy removal and exchange rate harmonization, his positions are informed by Nigeria’s fiscal realities. Subsidy regimes, historically marred by corruption and inefficiency, drained trillions of naira from public coffers without addressing systemic energy sector challenges.

    Critics often overlook the fact that subsidies disproportionately benefit the elite rather than the poor. Studies by organizations like the World Bank and Nigeria’s Budget Office have shown that wealthier Nigerians consume more fuel and thus benefit more from subsidies. Sanusi’s advocacy for subsidy removal is aimed at redirecting these funds toward targeted interventions, such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure, which directly benefit the masses.

    Contrary to the claim that Sanusi derives “delight from the misery of the masses,” he has consistently called for equitable resource allocation and the empowerment of marginalized communities. As emir, he launched initiatives to promote girl-child education, gender equity, and poverty alleviation in Kano State. His reforms in the Kano Emirate Council prioritized addressing social injustices that have long plagued Northern Nigeria.

    For instance, his campaign against child marriage and his emphasis on the importance of education for girls drew both applause and backlash. These efforts single out his commitment to social progress and human dignity.

    Kperogi’s critique of Sanusi’s remarks is passionate but offers no clear alternative solutions to Nigeria’s economic woes. If we agree that Nigeria’s economy has suffered from decades of mismanagement, what is the path forward? Should we continue subsidizing consumption at the expense of critical investments? Sanusi’s prescriptions, while debatable, are at least anchored in economic logic and long-term sustainability.

    Nigeria’s challenges require a balanced, solutions-driven discourse. It is unproductive to reduce complex issues to personal attacks or to dismiss individuals who have contributed significantly to national development. Emir Sanusi’s positions are not beyond critique, but such critiques should engage with the substance of his arguments rather than resorting to ad hominem attacks or speculative interpretations of his motives.

    Nigeria is at a crossroads and leadership—whether in government, traditional institutions, or civil society—must rise to the occasion. While Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II is not infallible, his track record of service, advocacy, and reform deserves a more balanced appraisal. Let us focus on building a Nigeria where ideas are debated with civility and respect, rather than turning important national conversations into platforms for derision.

    •Usman Abdullahi Koli,mernoukoli@gmail.com

  • Emir Sanusi takes offence

    Emir Sanusi takes offence

    Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, was unsparing of the Bola Tinubu administration’s economic management style last week in Lagos when he gave a few remarks at the 21st memorial lecture of Chief Gani Fawehinmi organised by the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Without his effervescent and controversial remarks, it is doubtful whether the NBA (Ikeja branch) lecture would have attracted the kind of publicity it received in the following day’s media reports. The emir, whose throne is still disputed in court following his deposition by former governor Abdullahi Ganduje and reinstatement by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, can be trusted to attract newspaper headlines any day.

    In his remarks at the NBA lecture he seemed unsure he still had friends in the administration, perhaps because he doubted their commitment to his efforts to reclaim the stool he believed he lost unfairly when the then governor, Dr Ganduje, who is now the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, deposed him. When he spoke of their lack of commitment to him, it was an oblique reference to the protractedness of the court cases barring him from being the undisputed Kano emir. When he spoke about the administration’s controversial and unnerving economic reforms, it was also an indication that he still recognised them as friends who were nevertheless reluctant or unwilling to behave as friends. If they were reluctant to requite his love, he would not feel bound to help them, he said, inferring both their absolution and their pigheadedness.

    Said he: “I have decided not to speak about the economy or the reforms, nor to explain anything regarding them. If I explained, it would only benefit this government, and I don’t want to aid this government. I can stand here today, to be honest, and give a few points that are contrary, a few points that explain perhaps what we’re going through and how it was totally predictable—most of it, and maybe avoidable. But I’m not going to do that. They’re my friends. If they don’t behave like friends, I don’t behave like a friend. So, I watch them being stewed, and they don’t even have people with credibility who can come and explain what they’re doing. But I’m not going to help. Let them come and explain to Nigerians why the policies that are being pursued are being pursued. Meanwhile, I’m watching a very nice movie with popcorn in my hands. What we are going through today is, at least in part—not totally, at least in part—a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management.”

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    The administration’s response was rather copious but also tame. They do not need his approval, Information minister Mohammed Idris said, suggesting pointedly that the administration understood that the emir was unable or unkeen to subsume personal interest under national interest. Indeed, apart from justifying their economic measures and proving that they had the competence to explain themselves, contrary to the emir’s cavil, the administration centred its rebuttal on the shocking fact that for Emir Sanusi, it was all about his person, not strictly the policies of the administration nor presidency staff. In his remarks at the NBA lecture, the emir deployed pungent satire to capture the administration’s troubles with Nigeria’s long-suffering public. Hear him: “I don’t want to aid this government; I’m watching them being stewed; they don’t have people with credibility who can explain their policies; I’m watching a very nice movie with popcorn in my hands…”

    Emir Sanusi has always been controversial and impetuous. The problem, as the Information minister said, is not that he took issue with any government policy, the big problem is how he failed to realise that his statements show the disturbing inner workings of his mind: his immense self-centredness, his obsession with his ‘immaculate’ worldview, and his incredible willingness to sacrifice anything, including friendship and patriotism, to achieve his private and limited objectives. He is probably right that despite pursuing the right course and policies, the administration has been awkward in explaining themselves. He is also probably right that some of the administration’s policies have been blunted or even inadequate in tackling the country’s socio-economic crisis. And who can refute the emir’s conviction that some of the administration’s officials have been ill-equipped for the tasks at hand. Yes, the emir has ample reasons to be cautious about his optimism, but he also probably flaunts and exaggerates his eloquence which he sometimes substitute for substance, as his alleged profligate first term on the Kano throne indicated, not to talk of his equally controversial and partially undisciplined tenure at the CBN also showed.

    In his NBA lecture remarks, Emir Sanusi may have displayed uncommon candour, but he probably underestimates the intelligence and character of many of his listeners, some of whom would have been dismayed at how petty he sounded. To withhold advice to the nation, if not an administration he confessed was staffed by his friends, simply because he was spurned, is to display the crassest measure of self-importance and meanness anyone is capable of exhibiting. His audience would have seen him for what he truly is, a man and traditional ruler strangely lacking in wisdom and noblesse oblige. If he didn’t see the pitfalls of being viewed as a man lacking in generosity of spirit, then he is in fact overrated, regardless of his intellectual profundity and eloquence. When he made the statement of not being eager to help the administration, the applause was muted, and the snickers subdued. His audience probably shuddered at his confessions and shrunk at his lack of circumspection. Indeed, there is a limit to candour and selfishness.

    Emir Sanusi forgets himself very quickly. He may disregard the reasons behind his dethronement, but it will be baffling if he also downplays the superficial and crassly political reasons for his restoration to the throne. He is a ready and clearly willing tool in the fight between New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a former governor of the state, and Dr Ganduje, Gov Yusuf’s predecessor. The combatants can’t stand each other, and will deploy anyone or tool in the service of prosecuting the war. This is why the restored emir is useful, probably only or mainly as a battering ram. But few Kanawa can forget that Dr Ganduje managed to carry out his wish against the emir through a process that passed muster. There was a query, an inquiry, then a dethronement. The inquiry was largely hinged on the emir’s alleged profligacy and refusal to be accountable, a strange behaviour for someone who rose to the position of Governor of the nation’s Central Bank. Had the emir been less voluble and critical of the governor’s policies and style of governance, Dr Ganduje, who was immersed in controversies of his own, would have been sparing. But the emir displayed immense sense of entitlement, not responsibility, and he further scoffed at the efforts to remove him, culminating in his deposition in March 2020.

    Emir Sanusi possesses the capacity to always reenact his overreach, sermonising against his unfriendly friends as well as his enemies with equal passion. In the NBA lecture, he trained his guns on the current federal administration, revealing to everyone’s amazement that he was doing so because the administration refused to acknowledge him in certain ways and over certain issues. This style has become, for him, idiosyncratic. He will repeat the NBA-like harangue now or in the future when anyone, friend or foe, crosses his path. He can’t help it. There is no altruism in his methods, and he does not care. Consumed by self-consideration, he will not be denied what he thought heaven and tradition, not to say intellect and aristocracy, has vouchsafed him. It is just as well that one of his closest friends is the stormy petrel of Kaduna politics, the inimitable Nasir el-Rufai, a former governor. Both are incurably entitled, and both can be appallingly acerbic when denied. They do not think they are ever wrong; indeed they do not think they can be wrong. Intelligent, courageous, proud of their Fulani heritage, and imperial and ruthlessly vindictive, all that remains for them, as their chequered years in politics and monarchy have exposed, is to develop the character necessary to produce the staying power they covet and the pillars to anchor their tall ambitions.

  • Jubilation in Kano palace as Emir Sanusi emerges victorious at Appeal Court

    Jubilation in Kano palace as Emir Sanusi emerges victorious at Appeal Court

    The palace of the 16th Emir of Kano, on Friday erupted in jubilation, following Muhammadu Sanusi II’s victory at the Court of Appeal.

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday set aside the June 20, 2024 order by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano, nullifying the steps taken by the Kano State Government pursuant to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024, including Sanusi’s appointment as the 16th Emir of Kano.

    The Court of Appeal held that the order nullifying the steps taken by the Kano State Government pursuant to the 2024 Emirates Council Law was made by Justice Liman without jurisdiction.

    The appellate court ruled that the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, on behalf of the dethroned 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero, in which Justice Liman issued the June 20 order restraining Sanusi’s reinstatement as 16th Emir, was invalid, as the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear it.

    Friday’s ruling brought to end the long-running legal dispute that threatened the peace of the Kano Emirate.

    Read Also: Kalu, Emir Sanusi II, Agary, Abaribe, others raise a voice…

    The Court of Appeal on Friday declared that the Federal High Court could not have intervened in the matter which pertains to the Kano State Emirate Council law.

    The three-man panel, headed by Justice Mohammed Mustapha, emphasised that the principal reliefs sought by aggrieved kingmaker, Dan Agundi, on behalf of Bayero, fell outside the scope of fundamental human rights and were, in fact, related to chieftaincy matters.

    Citing Section 251 of the Nigerian Constitution, the court pointed out that the Federal High Court does not have the authority to handle issues related to chieftaincy. 

    Sanusi’s supporters on Friday said the verdict is a clear endorsement of the legal framework governing the Kano Emirate and a decisive affirmation of Sanusi’s rightful position as the 16th Emir of Kano.

    Earlier, a Kano State High Court had issued a restraining order against Bayero and four other sacked emirs, preventing them from laying claim to the Emirship title. 

  • FG’s tough decisions only way to rescue 10-year mismanaged economy- Sanusi

    FG’s tough decisions only way to rescue 10-year mismanaged economy- Sanusi

    A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Muhammadu Sanusi II, has applauded the Federal Government for taking tough decisions, saying it is the only way to rescue the country’s 10-year mismanaged economy.

    Delivering his keynote speech at the second day of the Rivers State Economic and Investment Summit in Port Harcourt, Sanusi said the reform of any economy required taking difficult decisions.

    He said such decisions might be painful and unpopular but were necessary to save the future of those experiencing the temporary hardship.

    Sanusi said politicians interested in reflections were always fond of running away from taking such difficult decisions and called on Nigerians to be realistic about their expectations.

    Insisting that there was no other way to salvage a decade of mismanaged economy apart from taking tough decisions, the former CBN boss advised the citizens to wait a little while to see the turnaround of the economy.

    Sanusi said: “At this momentum in our history when the country is desperate to chart a new course in economic thinking opting for a paradigm shift that seeks to harness our vast potential and propel us towards sustainable growth and prosperity, the decision to centre government around economic development and investment promotion is a very thoughtful and brave decision by the government of Rivers State. 

    “This is more so because the reform of an economy whether of a state or a federation at large requires difficult decisions. It involves policies that may be painful and unpopular which don’t usually go down well with politicians who need a reelection. 

    “But that is the only way to guarantee a better future for same people it will be hard upon. And at this point it is important for us as Nigerians to be realistic. The mismanagement of the last ten years will not be undone in six months or one year. 

    “And we need to understand that some of the difficult decisions that are taken will take time to work through the economy. It will take a little while for us to see a turnaround. But those decisions are absolutely necessary in order to save the economy. 

    “We always knew we have to go through this process if we did not change course. And we have seen this movie in Zimbabwe. We have seen it in Venezuela. 

    “We have seen it in Argentina and it is a movie we do not want to be part of. I do hope that we will make this transition a short one and go back to economic growth. But it is the right thing to do”.

    Sanusi said as the second largest economy in Nigeria after Lagos, Rivers State had a big opportunity to emerge as a beacon of progress in the face of hopelessness by building a resilient dynamic modern and effective system that fostered economic development and prosperity.

    He said: “With rich arable land, abundant oil and water resources as well as the strategic location of the state, Rivers can be one of the investor’s paradises not just in Nigeria but in West Africa if the right things can be done. 

    Read Also: Court stops reinstatement of Sanusi as Kano Emir

    “The recent boom in mechanised agriculture, international trade, transportation, tourism, real estate and ICT that are being witnessed in the state are evident that development is not too lofty a dream to achieve and they are testament that Rivers is ripe for investment and growth”.

    The Emir, however, contended that sustainable development could only happen through deep thinking, deliberate and strategic actions as well as the political will to perform and achieve it .

    He said: “Rivers is blessed with abundant resources. However sitting on oil or any natural resource is not enough for economic development. I have said that if we are to dig out all the oil that is under Nigeria soil and sell it and share the money among  all Nigerians, we will at best be a lower  medium income country. 

    “Oil is a resource but not enough to make us a wealthy country. To achieve development it is important we take some specific steps that transcend natural resources, to diversify and institutionalise foundational economic frameworks. To fully reap the blessings of oil itself chiefly because it is not wholly controlled by the state there is a need to consider its viability and risks.

    “To ensure a prosperous future, we must embrace innovation and reforms to make the state attractive for investment and capable of realistic growth. It is the capacity of state institutions to ensure quality in thinking and skills of the population that will be critical to the delivery of results. 

    “Japan and Singapore do not have any mineral resources neither do Germany, Switzerland, Australia or Rwanda to give a few examples. By no means however, will anyone compare the standard of living, life expectancy or any other development benchmark in these countries with most of the countries with plentiful mineral resources such as Nigeria. 

    “Again, despite having abundant of mineral resources countries like Russia, the UAE, Norway and others have developed not only by those resources given to them by nature or providence but by successful and deliberate vision to diversify through the quality of their governance, institutions and people”.

    Sanusi maintained that  resources could  be a blessing or a curse but said the choice belonged to the leaders insisting that the leaders we had were the curse and not the oil.

    Sanusi said: “Human capital and good governance are why countries that are complex in their characteristics such as India, Brazil, China and the USA have developed through innovation, intellectual property education and strong public institutions.

    “If we are serious about development we have to stop expecting oil to do everything for us. Everyone in Nigeria talks about investment, infrastructure and development. But few actually considered that no investors will simply deploy resources in the name of investment unless they see that the environment is prepared to accommodate their business, make it proper and protect it. 

    “Capitalism does not flourish and create wealth for everyone by the number of bridges and office edifices that the government built but by strong fiscal and trade institutions that create a level playing field and incentives to ease business. 

    “Your roads and bridges will eventually decay and you have to either borrow to build new ones or become helpless. With an easy business environment and a skilled population, economies have transformed and grown to mega cities”.

    The Emir said it was not enough to want to bring investors or achieve economic development in Rivers without laying the requisite foundations for the economy.

    He said Rivers must develop required human capital, design education and skilled training that were for for the century.

    Sanusi said: ” We have to lay some foundations for the economy to stand on. For this we must emphasise human capital and design education and skilled training that are fit for this century such that the IOCs for example don’t have to bring expatriates to work on their offshore and onshore. 

    “The state education system should create a skilled population that is fit for the requirements of any investor to safeguard employment of your citizens. The standards of the civil service have to implement investor friendly policies that will attract and regulate these investments. 

    “The judiciary must be independent and judges must be seen to rise above any suspicion of corruption. The laws should be such as to protect investments and our taxation system should not be an extortional system”.

    In his recommendations to prepare the ground for investment, Sanusi asked the state government to Invest in the people saying that Rivers needed robust education  and skilled training programme aimed to prepare the youths to be the future workforce. 

    “You need innovators and entrepreneurs that will supply services across all value chains and industries, and it is important to raise the quality of schools by investing in teaching capacity, learning tools and pedology that will nurture a culture of creativity and problem solving.

    “It is critically important to invest in vocational training and apprenticeship to close education gap, aligning with the needs of our economy”, he said 

    He said the state must carry out  institutional reforms to foster a business friendly environment adding that Rivers must evolve an efficient legal and judicial system as well as invest massively  in strategic infrastructures.

    Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who earlier spoke at a cocktail party at the Banquet Hall on Wednesday night vowed to sustain the drive at mobilising critical stakeholders with attractive investment portfolios in the business community to join forces with his administration to chart an economic growth trajectory of the state.

    Fubara told the captains of businesses that the economic summit would provide salient data that would assist his administration to draw up economic roadmap for the state.

  • Emir Sanusi secures release of inmates with N5m

    The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has paid N5 million to settle the fines imposed on some inmates at Kurmawa and Goron Dutse prisons within the Kano metropolis to secure their release.

    Speaking when he visited the prisons during Ramadan, the Emir urged the inmates to consider their stay at the prisons as the will of God and a period to reflect on their conducts and learn lesson.

    He advised them to make good use of the Ramadan period to seek Allah’s forgiveness and intervention.

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    Emir Sanusi urged them to be of good behaviour to avoid any act that would drag them back to the prison.

    The Acting Comptroller of Kano State Prisons, Aliyu Yahuza, described the monarch’s visit as a clear indication of his concern for his subjects.

  • Kano Emir organises special prayer for Ganduje’s second term

    The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, on Saturday organised a special prayer session, at the Kano Central Mosque, to pray for Allah’s protection and guidance of the state Governor Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s administration, as he is about to enter into his second term in office.

    The prayer session led by the emir, was attended by all the District Heads, Chief Imam of Kano, distinguished scholars among others. While the governor attended with some members of the State Executive Council, some Special Advisors to the Governor, among others.

    Emir Sanusi who took time to explain why it was necessary for forgiveness in anything that has to do with governance and social relationship, insisting that “Misunderstanding is sometime caused by sycophants. It is therefore necessary for us to always pray for Allah’s protection from such elements.”

    Sanusi made it clear that, “It is not bad for anyone to hold on to his or her opinion about happenings in the society. But what is necessary and paramount is the fact that after election, all people should come together and see to the successful tenure of government in power.”

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    It was because of that he deems it necessary that Ganduje administration deserves all necessary support and cooperation for the development of our dear state.

    We must all come together and make Kano greater. We must work hard and pray for the rightful development of our state and the nation in general,” he said.

    He prayed that, “May Allah shield us from the handiwork of sycophants from our sides. We shall continue to pray for peace and tranquillity in our dear state. People should understand that, what is most important is for them to pray hard that May Allah help our leaders. And May He give them good advisors.”

    In Kano, according to the Emir, there are political leaders, traditional leaders, religious leaders and leaders of the business community. When those leaders come together “…that will also reflect on the society. So we shouldn’t allow for any misunderstanding between these categories of leaders,” he cautions.

    Sanusi said, “Whoever wants to create confusion and misunderstanding between these categories of leadership, is somebody who goes astray. This is just it. And such a person doesn’t want the development of our state. In fact he doesn’t love the state at all.”

    While calling on the governor to always investigate any story that goes to him, he explains that, sometime people would just fabricate stories and start spreading rumour, with the intention of causing confusion.

    “Sometimes some people will do something without your consent. But some individuals will just go ahead and start spreading rumor that it was you who planned for that. While that thing happens without even your knowledge. So we will keep on praying for a peaceful Kano and for a successful tenure Your Excellency,” Emir says.

    He prayed for Ganduje to be kind hearted and urged him to be a leader with large heart, who embraces all “…as our leader, ours is to obey and pray for a better and peaceful Kano. It is even Islamic that when one makes mistake, he should apologize,”

     

  • Ganduje, 30 gov candidates sign peace accord

    Thirty- one governorship candidates in Kano, including Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Wednesday, signed the second round of Peace Accord for violent-free election on Saturday.

    Addressing reporters shortly after the signing ceremony held at Bayero University Kano, Co-Chairman of the Committee and Kano Catholic Bishop, Rt. Reverend John Namaza Niyiring, appealed to the candidates to see election as a game with sportsmanship and not a do or die affair.

    The Bishop also called on the youths not to allow themselves to be used by the politicians in disrupting the desired peace for their selfish whims.

    “Whosoever is not satisfied with the results after the elections should follow the available peaceful channels to seek redress and not to engage in violence,” he stated.

     Sheikh Nura Manzo, the Chief Imam of Kofar Ruwa Jumaat Mosque in Kano, also appealed to the contestants and the youths to be peaceful and avoid any act that will lead to violence.

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    He said: “Whosoever commits an atom’s weight of good will be rewarded for it by God Almighty and whosoever commits an atom’s weight of evil shall be punished for it in the hereafter.”

    Emir of Kano Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, represented by Alhaji Aliyu Maharazu, the Bauren Kano, said the country is in need of political security, which can only be achieved by abiding with regulations.

    He pointed out peace is very crucial to achieving this while calling on politicians to learn from other nations that have faced instability around the world.

    Also the former representative of Nigeria at the United Nations, Ibrahim Gambari warned against hate speech, reminding candidates development can only be achieved where there is peace.

    The Kano Commissioner of political Wakil Muhammad said he will redouble his effort in ensuring peaceful conduct of the election as he did during the presidential election.

    ‘’I beg you, if any blood has to be shed during the election let it be my blood,” the CP said.

    In a declaration of commitment to the peace accord, the Kano state governor and candidate for the All Progressive Candidates APC, Ganduje assured the committee he will do all that it takes to ensure peace before, during and after the elections.

    He asked for a group photo with the other candidates in which the cameras were all on him standing by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate Abba Kabir Yusuf.

    In a brief address to newsmen after the event, the PDP candidate also assured that he will keep to the terms of the accord.

  • “Put education, the poor at the centre of development financing”

    The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, has challenged Africans and development experts to rethink development financing to reach the poorest communities on the continent in order to give them access to markets, education and healthcare.

    Emir Sanusi who made this known in his keynote at the 21st Eminent Speakers Lecture Series of the African Development Institute at the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’lvoire stressed that “development needs to impact those at the bottom of the pyramid.”

    According to a release by the AfDB, Sanusi is quoted saying: “And as Africans and policy makers, our mindset, our attitude and our approach to development needs to change.

    “If you ask me whether the African Development Bank Group should invest in roads and railways in Kano, or invest in education, I would choose the latter.

    “I would choose training the people so that they can become Engineers and build their own roads in future. l would train the girl child who would grow up to address the issues of contraception and control population growth.”

    For the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, education and healthcare must be at the top of Africa’s development agenda, for and above investment in physical infrastructure, to better deal with issues like what he called the continent’s “looming demographic disaster”.

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    He urged policy makers and multilateral finance institutions working in Africa to place vulnerable populations threatened by extreme poverty, social and economic inequality at the centre of their planning. Their projects, programs, policy and capacity support initiatives must also address poor nutrition, communities threatened by desertification, and reversing the scourge of under investment in social services like healthcare, housing and education.

    “Africans must learn to think for themselves; We must learn to do development in ways that meet each country and each community at their levels of development.

    “We must build roads that link poor farmers to the markets. We must integrate development within the socio-cultural and political realities of Africa,” Emir Sanusi added.

    He called for increased investments in “soft infrastructure” whilst applauding the Banks current level of investments in hard infrastructure such as roads, ports, railways and power.

    “There are many parts of Africa where basic needs are yet to be met, so development financing should be tailored to meet the basic needs of the poor those who live under a Dollar per day, and often die daily, because they lack access to basic amenities,” he said.

    In his Welcome Address, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank said the Executive Directors and Management of the Bank were honored by the visit of the renowned monarch to the Bank to deliver the Eminent Speakers Lecture.

    Adesina lauded the eminent speaker’s achievements in the fields of economics and public policy and reminded the audience of the Emir’s achievements as a former Central Bank Governor of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    In his opening remarks, Dr. Celestin Monga, Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management of the African Development Bank, announced that the Eminent Speakers Lecture Series is one of the most significant initiatives of the African Development Institute, the knowledge promotion and capacity development department of the foremostpan-African development institution.

    In his closing remarks, Mr. Charles Boamah, Senior Vice President of the Bank underscored the essence of the Emir’s presentation. “His Royal Highness has urged us all not to forget perhaps the important tenet of development financing, that development is first and foremost about the people. This is something to always remember.”

     

  • 2019: Emir tasks women on voting candidates with their interest

    The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, has challenged Nigerian women to vote in leaders whose electoral campaign prioritizes promotion of women welfare and abuse against women in the society.

    The Emir made the call at his Palace during a courtesy call made by The Strong Women Network, a group of rising women in Nigeria, sequel to the launch of her maiden project in Kano, during an all-female conference with the theme: “Matters Arising to Afresh Womanhood” (MATA 2018.)

    While pointing out that no current aspirant for the 2019 general election has included women development in his/her campaign, the monarch stressed that it is high time women started to scream out and protest against this development.

    He urged them to work against the interest of any leader who does not represent them well, adding that, “women have suffered too long in silence, just as the populace has lost sense of the choice of what we want in a leader especially in Northern Nigeria.”

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    Emir Sanusi further hailed the group for the launch of a platform where young girls and women can be inspired, while challenging them to ensure that, “it does not end in mentorship but you should work hard to see that at least, a woman is elected into the state House of Assembly in Kano so that laws that protect women against violence especially in marriage would be enacted and implemented as it is being done in other Muslim countries like Egypt and Algeria.”

    Speaking earlier, convener of the group, Yasmin Obadaki, noted that the maiden conference, MATA 2018, was put together to address the challenges being faced by women in today’s society especially in career pursuit, family life, entrepreneurial culture, health, politics and nation building among others.

    MATA 2018 featured discussions led by high-profile and influential women achievers in the society including the first female and current Branch Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria in Kano state, Hajiya Ameena Pindar Abubakar who spoke on “Women in Leadership”, and a renowned expert obstetrician and gynaecologist, Professor Hadiza Galadanchi, who addressed “The Role of Women in Maternal Mortality.”

    All the speakers during the conference stressed the need for women to support each other and contribute to national development by making impacts in their own little way, through their respective works.

    They also stressed on the importance of girl-child education as the bedrock of societal development.

    There were also plenary and breakout sessions led by two teams of panelists comprising career and family women, politicians and entrepreneurs who discussed and answered questions in relation to the topics: “A woman’s work-life balance” and “Women as the biggest Challenge to Female Entrepreneurs.”

    MATA 2018 as also graced by  Hajiya Laila U. Buhari, senatorial aspirant; Hajiya Hauwa El-Yakubu, senatorial aspirant; Her Lordship, Salma Ahmed Dan-Baffa; Sophie, On-air Personality Cool FM Kano; Mrs Sa’adatu Aminu Ibrahim, Kano’s first female chartered accountant to mention but a few.

    Other highlights of the event were exhibition and sales of different items by Kano-based brands at the MATA stalls as well as networking among about 700 participants.