Sanusi Speaks Out: Nigeria’s Economic Woes Rooted in Decades of Mismanagement

**distances himself from Tinubu’s government as Falana emphasizes legal clarity on Kano’s single Emirate

In a fiery critique of Nigeria’s economic trajectory, former Emir of Kano, Dr. Muhammad Sanusi II, has attributed the nation’s financial struggles to decades of poor economic policies and mismanagement. Speaking at the 21st Memorial Lecture in honor of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Sanusi lamented the lack of competent hands in the current administration to drive economic recovery.

Sanusi, a respected economist and former Central Bank Governor, made it clear that he no longer supports or engages with the Tinubu administration’s economic policies. “I don’t want to help this government. They are my friends, but if they don’t behave like friends, I won’t act like one. They lack credible individuals who can articulate their strategies,” he stated.

The ex-Emir also emphasized that the current economic challenges were inevitable outcomes of long-standing fiscal irresponsibility, warning that failure to address systemic issues would lead to further hardship.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) reiterated that Kano State is legally bound to have only one Emir. Speaking at the same event, Falana congratulated the 16th Emir of Kano on his victory at the Court of Appeal, stressing that traditional rulership is not a matter of fundamental human rights but rather of state law.

“The Court of Appeal has spoken. Any further challenges to the ruling will likely end the same way at the Supreme Court,” Falana stated, urging the Nigerian Bar Association to uphold the rule of law in such matters.

The lecture, attended by prominent legal and political figures, highlighted the late Fawehinmi’s enduring legacy of truth and justice in Nigerian society. As the debate on governance and tradition continues, the call for competent leadership and respect for the law remains at the forefront of national discourse.