The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has criticized Nigeria’s political leadership, accusing members of the ruling class of lacking the values required for responsible governance.
According to him, while many public officials are highly educated, they often fail to apply that knowledge in governance.
“You can go and pick 109 Nigerians at random without election put them in senate chambers and the result may not be different from what you’re getting now because the truth is you have highly educated people in government but they leave their education behind.”
He questioned the conduct of elected representatives, particularly those in the National Assembly, expressing concern over their inability to challenge authority when necessary.
He criticised what he described as a culture of “praise singing,” where public officials avoid confronting leadership with honest feedback.
“Why should a senator or a member of the House be a praise singer for anyone?” he asked, stressing that those in government must be able to tell leaders the truth, even when it is uncomfortable.
The former CBN governor also criticised the broader political class, stating that many individuals entrusted with leadership positions no longer reflect the values of society.
Sanusi further took aim at state governors, arguing that individuals who attain such offices should move beyond personal financial interests. He warned against a system driven by “stomach infrastructure.”