The Emir of Kano and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, says he truly grasped the reality of poverty only after ascending the throne.
Speaking at a public lecture themed “Weaponization of Poverty as a Means of Underdevelopment: A Case Study of Nigeria”, Sanusi noted that many Nigerian elites are disconnected from the daily struggles of the poor.
“As an economist and former CBN Governor, I saw poverty in numbers. But I didn’t understand it until I became Emir,” he said. “When you visit villages and see the water they drink, the dilapidated schools, and the absence of basic infrastructure, it hits differently.”
He questioned the priorities of leadership in the country, pointing out the contrast between urban development projects and the lack of basic amenities in rural areas.
“Do we love the people or just love ruling over them?” he asked. “While cities enjoy overhead and underpasses, rural communities can’t access hospitals. We are in a crisis, and our focus should be on how to get out.”
Sanusi urged leaders to lead with empathy and a genuine commitment to improving the lives of those they serve.
