“I Didn’t Understand Poverty Until I Became Emir” — Sanusi Speaks on Nigeria’s Deepening Crisis

The Emir of Kano and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has revealed that it wasn’t until he became a traditional ruler that he fully understood the depth of poverty plaguing Nigeria’s rural population.

Sanusi made the statement on Saturday in Abuja during a public lecture titled “Weaponisation of Poverty as a Means of Underdevelopment: A Case Study of Nigeria,” held in honour of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who recently turned 60.

“Many of the elite in Nigeria do not know what poverty is. As an economist and former CBN Governor, I saw the numbers,” Sanusi said.

“But I did not know poverty until I became Emir. You go to the villages and see the water they drink, the houses they live in, the two-block classrooms without roofs.”

Sanusi Slams Misplaced Priorities in Governance

Sanusi criticized the Nigerian leadership for prioritizing urban infrastructure projects like overhead bridges and underpasses while neglecting the basic needs of rural communities.

“Do we actually love the people or do we just love ruling over them? We make overheads and underpasses for ourselves in the cities while those in the rural areas cannot reach hospitals,” he said.

Calling the situation a national crisis, the Emir urged political leaders to rethink their development priorities and lead with empathy. According to him, meaningful leadership must begin with understanding the pain and struggles of the people.

El-Rufai and Usman Yusuf Echo Concerns on Poor Leadership and Corruption

Also speaking at the event, former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, expressed frustration over Nigeria’s leadership challenges. He lamented the electorate’s repeated failure to vote for competent leaders.

“We keep electing people who only know how to grab power but don’t know what to do with it,” El-Rufai said.

In his remarks, Professor Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), emphasized that many of the issues seen in hospitals are rooted in poverty, not just medical conditions.

“Most cases presenting at hospitals stem from social and economic conditions rather than medical causes,” he said, blaming corruption and governance failures for worsening multidimensional poverty in Nigeria.

Call for Urgent Policy Redirection

The event served as a stark reminder of the disconnect between Nigeria’s ruling elite and the lived experiences of the poor, especially in rural areas. The speakers collectively called for urgent reforms, citizen-centered policies, and a new leadership ethos driven by empathy, competence, and accountability.