The Emir of Kano and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said that his real understanding of poverty came only after he ascended the throne as a traditional ruler
Speaking at a public lecture in Abuja on Saturday to mark the 60th birthday of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, Sanusi said the theme of the event — “Weaponization of Poverty as a Means of Underdevelopment: A Case Study of Nigeria” — reflected a harsh reality many leaders overlook.
“Many of the elite in Nigeria do not know what poverty is,” Sanusi said. “As an economist and a former CBN Governor, I saw the numbers. But I didn’t truly know poverty until I became Emir.”
He described the shocking conditions he witnessed in rural areas — from unsafe drinking water to dilapidated schools with no roofs.
“Do we actually love the people or do we just love ruling over them?” he asked. “We build overheads and underpasses for ourselves in the cities, while people in rural areas cannot even access basic healthcare. We are in crisis. The real focus should be on how to get out of it.”
Sanusi urged those in leadership positions to lead with empathy and put the needs of the people first.
Also speaking at the event, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai lamented that Nigerians consistently elect unqualified leaders.
“We keep electing people who only know how to grab power but don’t know what to do with it,” he said.
On his part, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf, stated that many of the issues hospitals handle today are not even medical.
He blamed Nigeria’s widespread poverty on corruption and poor governance, and emphasized the need for citizens to take responsibility by making better electoral choices.
Follow Us on Facebook – @LadunLiadi; Instagram – @LadunLiadi; Twitter – @LadunLiadi; Youtube – @LadunLiadiTV for updates
He felt it first hand