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Alternative Views On Sanusi Lamido Sanusi By Lawrence P. Ganchok
Sanusi Lamidi Sanusi is a man of great intellect beyond the shores of Africa. SLS is the kind of material that any world organization can easily grab to advance the cause of humanity because of his intelligence, eloquence and charisma.
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as a Presidential candidate will have given any other candidates in Nigeria bloodied noses. The usual accusation on him would have been the usual-he is Fulani, a Northerner, born to rule, his degree is in Islamic Shariah etc but never for charisma, leadership qualities, international connection and recognition or pragmatism.
Over 10 years ago when a Journalist asked SLS (when he was still the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor) if he will one day join politics and contest for the presidency of Nigeria, Sanusi said his only wish was to one day become the Emir of Kano-the stool once occupied by his grand father.
SLS is a personality full of energy, vigour and out spoken. Even as CBN Governor, SLS spoke truth to authority without wincing because he is not given to frivolities. His utterances caused him his CBN Governorship cut short without extension because President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan could not stomach what SLS was openly talking about the ruins in his government. SLS left and went back to Kano.
Then came the death of Alhaji Ado Bayero, the former Emir of Kano. The perfect opportunity presented itself for SLS to achieve his long time dream of becoming the Emir of Kano. The Kano Emirate Council King Makers was said to have voted Alhaji Ali Ado Bayero (the current new Emir). This was also the favourable choice of President Jonathan but then Gov Kwankwaso preferred SLS and he was announced as the new Emir of Kano. Everything possible was done to arrest and detain SLS by the FG to stop his turbaning but Kwankwaso provided the shield for Sanusi inside the Govt house until the day of turbaning.
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi achieved his most cherished dream. It is not for me to know, understand or appreciate his contribution to the society since I don't live within Kano but his overflowing intellect can always be felt anytime he is at a public function. Such was the man of immense gift of knowledge and eloquence caged within the confines of the laws of Kano State Government. SLS chose by himself to subject his internationally acclaimed intellectual prowess under the Kano State laws.
Then came 2019 elections where his benefactor Kwankwaso was now in PDP and supported his inlaw as the next Gov of Kano State. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano is no small person in the affairs of Kano State and Nigeria. Where exactly would have SLS loyalty and support gone to during the election considering the dept of gratitude owed Kwankwaso for making his dream a reality?
The Governorship election in Kano was keenly contested and the incumbent Ganduje almost lost if not for his witty idea of deploying every available machinery to block supposed PDP stronghold from coming out to vote in the rerun in some selected areas in Kano. Ganduje got his mandate back. Unfortunately, it was difficult for SLS to live within the boundaries whenever he saw things not going right. Sanusi will always speak his mind and he did. A person of Sanusi intellect knew he was living on borrowed time the moment Ganduje got his mandate back.
Ganduje plotted his graph perfectly by capitalizing on what are glaring inadequacies in the State Laws by legitimately asking the Kano State House of Assembly to enact laws creating 4 more Emirates with first class status. Or else, how do you imagine the whole Kano State with 44 Local Govts having only one First Class Emir?
The 4 additional Emirates are happier people because traditional power has been devolved to them and they are no longer answerable to the centre. SLS is also alleged to have carried out acts of insubordination-imagine Ganduje as Gov attending a function inside Kano and Emir Sanusi refuses to attend or disobeying directives or whatever is the insubordination.
If Ganduje (a Fulani man like SLS) is the Gov and the laws establishing the Emirate and other traditional institutions are under Kano State laws, and Ganduje knows the value of power, no leader will take this. It looked like a desecration of the traditional institution but no, all was done within the ambits of the law. SLS accepted his fate and moved on.
Why my personal opinion about SLS? He is a man I respect so much for his charisma, intelligence, eloquence and ability to speak the truth to authority anytime even though he is one of the power brokers in Nigeria.
My only dissatisfaction with SLS was why he accepted to subdue his great potentials under a state law? Immediately he was released from the feudal clutches, smart El Rufai appointed him into the the Board of Kaduna Investment Commission and as Chancellor Kaduna State University. I understand the UN also gave him a role. These are people and bodies that want to advance the cause of their organizations by bringing on board people who make things happen.
A smart Ganduje could have utilized SLS more positively for the good of Kano and Nigeria.
Some have gone to insinuate that SLS should contest the Governorship of Kano and probe Ganduje. I laugh. Four new Emirates in Kano today can work against SLS winning the governorship election in Kano because in concert with the incumbent, SLS may not win Kano. Secondly, SLS is not a Governorship material. SLS is a presidential material whose goodwill will bring a lot of positive things to Nigeria.
Now that SLS is free from the feudal clutches, he should deploy his all for the good of Nigeria in whatever capacity. There are no barriers before him as long as all that he does and says are within the ambits of the law. After all, he has the powers that be behind him. He is of the Fulani stock with extensive connection across Africa and the globe. |