The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has strongly criticized the continued appointment of individuals with questionable integrity into public office, warning that Nigeria must break the cycle of rewarding those who have looted public funds with positions of power.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Wednesday, the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor decried what he described as a collapse of the country’s value system, where materialism is now glorified above honesty and public service.
“A society in which material wealth, no matter how you get it, is respected… where people who are known to have stolen money get rewarded with ministerial appointments… that society will continue to reproduce itself,” Sanusi said during the televised interview.
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He condemned the prevailing culture of recycling discredited figures into government, arguing that it undermines trust in public institutions and entrenches corruption. “Many people go into government to make money, but you don’t go into government to make money,” he stated.
The monarch lamented that values such as diligence, compassion, and integrity have been eroded, replaced by a society that now worships wealth—regardless of how it is obtained. “We have been ruled by people who have no values… They define themselves by what they own: houses, private jets, billions in bank accounts,” he added.
Sanusi also drew attention to the state of the civil service, blaming its deterioration on political interference and a lack of institutional integrity. He pointed to the legacy of the late Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, as an example of the kind of leadership and values Nigeria urgently needs to emulate.
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He called for a complete overhaul of the nation’s value system and institutions, stressing that true reform must begin from the grassroots. “It is not about the president or ministers alone. Every Nigerian must take responsibility for changing the narrative,” Sanusi said.
His remarks come at a time of growing public frustration over allegations of corruption and lack of accountability in government, sparking renewed debate on the ethical standards of those in leadership.
Sanusi, a vocal advocate for transparency and governance reform, was reinstated as Emir of Kano in May 2024 and has continued to use his platform to push for societal transformation.