Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says Nigeria’s present woos are traceable to the poor quality Leaders that the country has produced over the years.
He said it is regrettable that Nigeria has not been fortunate with quality leaders for a long time, noting that most of those who have been at the helm of affairs at all levels can well be described as lousy.
Speaking at the second Kano International Poetry Festival (KAPFEST) held in Kano on Saturday, Emir Sanusi also argued that the country would have gone bankrupt had the federal government not removed the contentious fuel subsidy.
He maintained that good governance is key to the salvaging Nigeria from its current unfortunate condition, adding, “You rise and fall with the quality of your leadership and Nigeria has had lousy leadership for a long time.
“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. I mean, 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 on the newspapers.”
Offering further insight on the nation’s challenges, the Royal father said, “You see it in the news. You see what happens in the legislature. You see the kind of debates that we are having, the kind of arguments that we have, the kind of time we waste on issues that are totally unimportant, the pettiness.
“You look at other countries, you look at other parts of the world, people are discussing climate change, discussing artificial intelligence.”
According to him, it is quite unfortunate that most leaders and the elite are focused on the mundane instead of issues that should move the the country forward.
He said, “We are still talking about Yoruba or Igbo or Hausa, Northern or Christian, you know, that is, we are still mired in that debate. We are still in conversations that we had in the 1960s.”
However, he challenged the youths to rise up and takeover the country from the old people that have been managing it, saying with will, the youths could easily retire all them and takeover.
On the subsidy removal, the First-class monarch argued that subsidising fuel was never sustainable and the country would have gone bankrupt by now if President Bola Tinubu didn’t remove it.
“If you look at the billions and billions that were spent on subsidy, if that money had been spent on refineries, I have nothing against subsidies, if you are subsidizing production.
“I said it very clearly, my objection is the subsidy on consumption because we’re keeping refineries in Europe open. We’re giving jobs to refiners.
“And if we had taken that decision in 2012, we would not be where we are today. Now, people say to me, why aren’t you talking? I say, what am I to say? This is exactly what I said would happen because beyond a point, government revenue will not be enough to pay the subsidy. You have to borrow to pay the subsidy.”
He also warned that the rate at which governments in the country borrow money and squander it will have negative effect on the country’s economy in years to come.
Speaking earlier at the event, PWI Creative Director, Naseeba Babale, said KAPFEST with the theme, “Poetry in a time of crisis”, is aimed at reminding poets on how they can use poetry and art to advocate for peace in a time of the crisis bedeviling Northern Nigeria.
The programme was organised by Poetic Wednesdays Initiative (PWI), a Nigerian youth-led literary organization dedicated to promoting literature and literary activities, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
Founded by Salim Yunusa, the initiative organizes the annual Kano International Poetry Festival (KAPFEST), hosts literary events, and has a strong presence on social media to engage with a broad audience.