…Nigeria rewarding criminals with power, leadership, says Emir Sanusi.
KANO, NIGERIA – The iNews Times | The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has delivered a scathing critique of Nigeria’s political class, accusing the country’s leadership of eroding national values and entrenching a culture where corruption is not only tolerated but celebrated.
Speaking in a televised interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former Central Bank Governor warned that Nigeria is headed for moral and institutional collapse if urgent steps are not taken to restore a culture of accountability.
“Our entire value system has collapsed,” Sanusi declared. “We are ruled by people who have no values, no legacy, no name behind them, and no intention to leave a name after them.”
According to the outspoken monarch, the modern Nigerian leader measures success not by integrity or service, but by material accumulation.
“These are people who define themselves by how many houses they own, how many private jets they have, how much money they have in the bank,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to them that people look at them and only see thieves and criminals who have looted the commonwealth.”
Sanusi lamented that in today’s Nigeria, material wealth regardless of its source commands respect. Worse, he said, known corrupt individuals are often rewarded with political power.
“In a society where people who have stolen public funds get rewarded with ministerial or senatorial appointments, that society is doomed to keep reproducing corruption,” he warned.
He criticized the public’s growing indifference toward corruption in high places, suggesting that the absence of moral outrage has emboldened unethical conduct.
“We no longer have a sense of disgust for people who hold public office and amass wealth illegally,” Sanusi noted. “Instead, we reward them with more appointments and more opportunities to steal. That’s what Nigeria has become.”
Challenging the foundational logic of public service, Sanusi added: “You don’t go into government to make money. But sadly, in Nigeria, many people go into government because they want to make money.”
The Emir’s remarks have reignited national conversations about ethics in leadership, particularly at a time when the public is increasingly disillusioned with governance and accountability.
As public trust erodes and the line between public service and personal enrichment blurs, Sanusi’s warning serves as a stark reminder that the soul of the nation lies not just in policies, but in principles.
