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Ganduje is a Monster, But Sanusi Is Not a Victim

By Farooq A. Kperogi, Ph.D. Twitter: @farooqkperogi Governor Abdullahi “Gandollar” Ganduje is no doubt a contemptibly philistine mons...

By Farooq A. Kperogi, Ph.D.
Twitter: @farooqkperogi

Governor Abdullahi “Gandollar” Ganduje is no doubt a contemptibly philistine monster of avarice and debauchery who dethroned Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano because he couldn’t stomach the former emir’s disapproval of the electoral fraud that brought him to power.

There is also no doubt that Sanusi’s unrelenting public censures of the rotten, if time-honored, cultural quiddities of the Muslim North discomfited many people who are invested in the status quo, and this became one of the convenient bases for his ouster.

But Sanusi isn’t nearly the victim he has been cracked up to be by his admirers and defenders. First, he rode to the Kano emirship in 2014 on the crest of a wave of emotions stirred by partisan politics and came down from it the same way.

Even though he wasn’t initially on the shortlist of Kano’s kingmakers, APC's Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso (who is now in PDP) made Sanusi emir in 2014 to spite PDP’s President Goodluck Jonathan and shield Sanusi from the consequences of his unmasking of multi-billion-dollar corruption at the NNPC. Apart from his unceremonious removal as CBN governor for his whistle blowing, he was going to face other untoward retributions from the Jonathan administration, but his appointment as emir put paid to it.

Now, Sanusi lost his emirship to the same partisan politics that got it for him in the first place. In an ironic twist, he was made emir by an APC government for making privileged revelations that disadvantaged a PDP government, and was removed as an emir by an APC government for his overt and covert acts that could have benefited the PDP in 2019.

In other words, Sanusi’s emirship was molded in the crucible of partisan politics and was dissolved in it.

Nonetheless, Sanusi, given his intellectual sophistication and pretenses to being an advocate of egalitarianism, had no business being an emir. Monarchy is way past its sell-by date not just in Nigeria but everywhere. It’s an anachronistic, vestigial remnant of a primitive past that invests authority on people by mere accident of heredity. Any authority that is inherited and not earned, in my opinion, is beneath contempt.

Emirship isn’t only a primeval anomaly in a modern world, it is, in fact, un-Islamic. In Islam, leadership is derived from knowledge and the consensus of consultative assemblies of communities called the Shura, not from heredity.

 Monarchies in the Muslim North, which have constituted themselves into parasitic, decadent drains on the society but which pretend to be Islamic, are grotesque perversions of the religion they purport to represent. Anyone, not least one who makes pious noises about equality, that is denied the unfair privileges of monarchy is no victim.

Most importantly, though, Sanusi embodies a jarring disconnect between high-minded ideals and lived reality. He rails against child marriage in public but married a teenager upon becoming an emir. When the late Pius Adesanmi called him out, he told him to “grow a brain.” He suddenly became the patron saint of conservative Muslim cultural values.

He expended considerable intellectual energies critiquing polygamy among poor Muslim men, but he is married to four wives. His defense, of course, would be that he can afford it, and poor Muslim men can’t. Fair enough. But transaction-oriented reformists lead by example.

Fidel Castro, for example, stopped smoking when he campaigned against it. It would be nice to say to poor, polygamous Muslim men, “Why are you, a poor man, married to four wives when Sanusi, a wealthy man and an emir, is married to just one wife?”

That would have had a much higher impact than his preachments. In spite of their moral failings, Buhari, Abba Kyari, and Mamman Daura would be much more effective campaigners against disabling polygamy by poor Muslim men than Sanusi can ever be because they are monogamists even when they can afford to marry four wives.

This is a legitimate critique since Sanusi has a choice to not call out poor Muslim men who marry more wives than they can afford since polygamy is animated by libidinal greed, which is insensitive to financial means.

Sanusi habitually fulminates against the enormous and inexorably escalating poverty in the north, but even though he is an immensely affluent person, he has not instituted any systematic mechanism to tackle the scourge of poverty in the region in his own little way.

Instead, he spends hundreds of billions of naira to decorate the emir’s palace, buy exotic horses, and luxuriate in opulent sartorial regality.

And, although, he exposed humongous corruption during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and dollar racketeering during Buhari’s regime, he is himself an indefensibly corrupt and profligate person. In two well-researched investigative pieces in 2017, Daily Nigeria’s Jaafar Jaafar chronicled Sanusi’s mind-boggling corruption as emir of Kano, which apparently didn’t abate until he was dethroned.

Sanusi was ostensibly a Marxist when he studied economics at ABU, which explains why he exhibits flashes of radicalism in his public oratory, but he is, in reality, an out-of-touch, unfeeling, feudal, neoliberal elitist who is contemptuous, and insensitive to the suffering, of poor people.

He supported Jonathan’s petrol price hike in 2012 and even wondered why poor people were protesting since they had no cars, and generators, according to him, were powered by diesel, not petrol! 

When his attention was brought to the fact that only “subsidized” and privileged “big men” like him use diesel-powered generators, he backed down and apologized. But I found it remarkably telling that until 2012 Sanusi had no clue that the majority of Nigerians used petrol-powered generators to get electricity.

In a September 1, 2012 column titled, "Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s Unwanted 5000 Naira Notes," I noted that Sanusi was "one of the most insensitive, out-of-touch bureaucrats to ever walk Nigeria’s corridors of power."

Again, in my December 10, 2016 article titled, "Dangerous Fine Print in Emir Sanusi's Prescription for Buhari," I wrote: "If you are a poor or economically insecure middle-class person who is writhing in pain amid this economic downturn, don’t be deceived into thinking that Emir Sanusi is on your side. He is not. His disagreements with Buhari have nothing to do with you or your plight. If he has his way, you would be dead by now because the IMF/World Bank neoliberal theology he evangelizes has no care for poor, vulnerable people."

On April 6, 2017, I wrote a Facebook status update that anticipated Sanusi’s dethronement and predicted that he might be president after his dethronement. I wrote:

“Did you pick up on the cryptic but devastating critique of Kano State Governor Ganduje’s government in Emir Sanusi’s wildly trending Kaduna speech? That’s gotta hurt. Remember that the power to appoint and dethrone traditional rulers rests exclusively with state governors. Now, pissing off the federal government AND the state government AND an entire region’s conservative cultural elites with bitter, uncomfortable truth-telling is a lethally combustible mix.

“I make no pretenses to possessing oracular powers (because I don't), but I predict that, like his grandfather, Emir Sanusi II will be deposed. But, unlike his grandfather, he may end up becoming Nigeria’s president after his dethronement. Kano’s loss would then be Nigeria’s gain which, in a strangely circuitous way, would also be Kano’s gain since Kano is part of Nigeria.

“Sanusi shouldn’t be Kano’s emir; he should be Nigeria’s president. I have strong disagreements with the neoliberal orthodoxy he subscribes to, but it would be nice to have a truly informed and educated man as president for once.”

Now, do I still want Sanusi to be Nigeria’s president? I am not too sure anymore. First, I doubt that the forces that got him out of the throne would allow him to become president, but should he decide to run for president in 2023, people who will vote for him should realize that he is neither a saint nor a victim.

68 comments

  1. I had my dictionary by my side to be able to understand some words. Nice articles Dr.

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    1. Incisive, that's the game plan

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    2. Great article. Big, big English! I'd have preferred everyday English.

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    3. prophetically apt and satirically inspiring.Keep the flame burning

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  2. This piece is well crafted. It is educating and insightful.

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  3. Sanusi is a both a tragic hero and a victim of circumstance.











    As a staunch PDP person and also as an avid reader, the role(s) played by Sanusi in getting this government to power is dubious, treacherous and potent, the potency is so potent that he had a bite of same. He was a fifth columnist in the then government, a false witstle blower and had the habit of leaking confidential memos to the press, again, an extremely over ambitious person (pointers to this would be seen too)
    I've never seen and do not know any northerner as sound, brilliant, versatile, knowledgeable and blunt like Sanusi, not even my cherished Adamu Ciroma of blessed memory, and Sanusi's reliance on his brilliance unknown to him is not enough, royalty doesn't cure weakness neither does it confer behavioural necessities. We must all learn when to stop, when to talk, and if we must talk, when and how, what pattern and approach should the talk take. You might not agree with me, you might believe truth is always truth, I agree with you but again, there are some positions you occupy or attain that even your silence can be twisted into fifty different tunes, therefore, you convey your messages systematically, Sanusi was clearly against Ganduje and he was too clear about it, Obas are not politicians, they are custodians and extremely ceremonial, that derives their powers from politicians in affairs of their respective states. Fine, Kwankwanso is your man, but you can only wish him well, give him money through proxy and watch. Sanusi walked into his tragedy, Sanusi had always wanted to be an Emir, that he got and abused. Kings' role in politics ended in late 50s., Those that wanted to remain in politics were dethroned, Alafin Adeyemi II was dethroned because of his trasigident approach to politicians and the death of Bode Thomas sealed his fate, Sanusi's grandfather shrouded his shoulders to Ahmadu Hello (his cousin) and got booted out, Olateru Olagbegi, the Olowo of Owo supported Akintola against Awolowo, Ajasin masterminded his dethronement. As brilliant as Sanusi was, he refused to learn from history and whoever fails to learn from history is doomed to repeat it.
    The powerful monarchs ever, Adesoji Aderemi, Ado Bayero, Oba Sijuwade, Adeyinka Oyekan all played their politics with their mouths shut but made political impacts. Awujale and the Sultan of Sokoto are also good examples, their politics is sound but very mathematical.
    Sanusi wanted to liberate the North, advocates Equal rights, condemn Child marriage, against Alamajiri, concerned about illiteracy in the North, polygamy fuelled by poverty and all, ignorantly or maybe intentionally failed to acknowledge that these deficiencies are the tools of the northern elites and ruling class. The North is ruled by a few that have entrenched themselves into power and the system from time immemorial. Trace the history of any Northerners in power today, you'd realise that their fathers, families have been in the system since the formation of Nigeria. The illiteracy is the tools sustaining them, will an educated and enlightened person want to remain a slave or continually sing 'rankadede' after been served 2 spoons of tuwo? So when Sanusi's problem started, vast majority of the powerful northerners, knowing fully well that he is a preacher against their domineering tools steered clear, those that initially showed interest later vamozed. Good heart choked by other organs.
    I read a report that when Buhari was sick in London, Sanusi lobbied to become the VP, Sanusi never debunked this when alleged and this might be true because in a fight or battle between a Lion and a goat, the Elephant when contacted said he has no interest whatsoever in the fight, you should know the fate of the goat had long been sealed.
    Thanks for your time.

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    1. Another masterpiece after a masterpiece!

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    2. The fact still remains that somebody within not just ordinary person powerful influencer, who is ready to pay the price must advocate against the status quo. This, which SLS has done. If people continue to be passive not would change. I'm not polishing Sanusu but the better truths has told them in the not mindless of the consequences over him will linger in their minds forever, subtle is inevitable. You will begin to notice gradual attitudinal cum social adjustment from the north. And with ElRufai snatching the show, there is similar attribute btw the duo. Human beings have their positive and negative sides.

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    3. Thank you for your brilliant observations. Kanawa like, who have had the opportunity to receive sound western and Islamic education know the problems of the North and the half-educated, evil and greedy men who will not let free the 'talakawa' by providing them quality education, which I believe is the basis of progress. I make no apologies by picking on the opposite gender since I have found no evidence of any Kano woman who supports the status quo. Hear one so-called Islamic scholar on the dethronement of Sanusi "he (Sanusi) was pro women... against our Islamic and African values.." That about sums up what many think about women, and I am assuming one who thinks and makes such a statement either has no mother, daughter, sister, aunt or female colleagues, or he just has no respect for the female species. And what exactly is Islamic, African or even Nigerian culture?
      Sanusi's destiny lies not in being an Emir, for any reform he proposes will be curtailed by the selfish and greedy brigade. He's had a taste of it and it's now time to tighten his belt, associate with like minded people (Northerners, Southerners, Westerners etc) and get on with the real job of getting Nigeria and the north out of the clutches of despots. It doesn't always have to be through politics. Just educate people so that they know their rights and demand accountability from those who are meant to look after their interests.
      Hey, I was meant to be responding to your brilliant piece, but then got carried away. Thank you. Safiyya

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    4. Brilliant and insightful analysis

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    5. Agreeing with Kperogi's analysis except the part about Sanusi as a future president of Nigeria. Project Nigeria has expired. Somebody please tell Farooq

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  4. Quite an interesting and balanced treatise. I however insist on one point. Men are not always in control of the circumstances they think they are in control. Things are going to roll in very unexpected directions.

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  5. You are a reservoir of knowledge, may Allah continue to spare your life. Amin Professor

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  6. Prof. I must say you're being criticized by many for speaking the truth. As expected, you'd have many enemies for voicing out the truth. However, to be candid, you remain my mentor and icon.

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  7. sanusi's dethorment had awaken and increased alarming rate of his intergrity that ppl began to see him as a future presidential candidte, but the giant anticipation of presidential sit from yoruba land would impede him.i doubted only allahs will can.but i look at it this angle. any governor coming in 2023 in kano if not sanusi him self or from his political kindred .may dethrone the aparent emirs and return sanusi to his throne.tnx our prof

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  8. This prophet of Nigeria's journalism has never written an article as balanced as this. I seem to agree with every word in the piece. I initially thought he would pitch his mighty pen completely against Ganduje in espousing Sanusi.

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  9. Prof. I must say you're being criticized by many for speaking the truth. As expected, you'd have many enemies for voicing out the truth. However, to be candid, you remain my mentor and icon.

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  10. Dr, you nailed it on the head. Well balanced write up.

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  11. Nice write up! as it read my mind some not all, because, arguably the idea that against polygamy to poor men by deposed emir is welcomed and gained supported even in Islamic religion.

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  12. Great piece from the oracle's mouth. God bless you Sir.

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  13. This piece got me a lil bit more informed.

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  14. Well, I disagree with you take on a lot of issues: but kudos on this one.
    You tried to be as non-partisan as possible.
    Definitely one to keep for future reference.

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  15. Instead, he spends hundreds of billions of naira to decorate the emir’s palace, buy exotic horses, and luxuriate in opulent sartorial regality.
    You forgot to mention his role in the beheading of one Gideon in the 90s

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  16. Kperogi at it again. It appears a balanced piece though.

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  17. I have said it during his days as cbn governor that we need him as president but was surprised he coveted the emirship. Maybe a good reason was to be shield from the claws of pdp back then, which sheds more light to his dethronement as to that being possibly a mapped out plan all along so he can pursue political office.

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  18. Dear Dr. Kperogi,

    Thank you for your expository article on Lamido Sanusi II. In spite of his own chequered past, Sanusi has warmed his way into the hearts of many Nigerians with his reformist agenda, and he is now a contender for the Presidency in 2023. However, your article did not fully discuss Sanusi's sympathy for Islamic extremism which is at the heart of Nigeria's current securityg crises. Sanusi has been connected to a radical group that was responsible for the heading of an Igboman Gideon Akaluka in Kano for allegedly desecrating the Koran. It is my considered opinion that no Northern leader who has sympathy for fundamentalist Islamic movements is capable of dealing decisively with Boko Haram, ISWAB or the Fulani Herdsmen Militia as clearly demonstrates by President Muhammadu Buhari. It will be appreciated if you can throw more light on this (radicalism) aspect of Sanusi II, so that Nigerians will be better informed.

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Jude Uddoh
    New York
    jcuddoh@gmail.com

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  19. Is the presidency the birthright of Fulanis? Why should a Fulani take over from another Fulani that did not do well. For VP, I tacitly support but as a president in 2023, is a no no for me. The Fulanis can no longer be trusted with power as they are usually very sectional, bellicose and vindictive. As Vp with president from the southeast e.g a person like Peter Obi, he can be given the responsibility to specifically address the numerous problems in the north, which have always been his primary concern. The north as constituted today, is a total disgrace to the black race.

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  20. It says all. Until now I have never come across most of these facts. Thanks Dr.

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  21. Your balanced postulation of the person of Sanusi is very much appreciated. I consider the travail of Sanusi as a dethronement of the clearest voice of truth from the north in contemporary time. Therefore we are also very clear that the prebendal system of governance reeking with corruption would rather support a platform of silence that perpetuates all the ills bedeviling the north. In the final analysis, Farooq, I would rather cast my vote for someone with the courage to confront our collective demon in this country.

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  22. Speaking on his library consisting of more than 42000 books worth more than 200 million, a primary school in the palace, Kofar Kudu SPS, are struggling in terms of infrastructure. SLS is not a victim

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  23. This is exactly what I've been meaning to say without having the words to do so. More ink to your pen Sir

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  24. Please take it easy with the grammar Prof. My brain was tasked all through the article-

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  25. Farooq Kperogi of the acid comment and silvered tongue!
    How l wish l had your erudite delivery, which gives such sophisticated sarcasm to the deadly accuracy of your critical, measured perspective !

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  26. Farooq Kperogi of the acid comment and silvered tongue!
    How l wish l had your erudite delivery, which gives such sophisticated sarcasm to the deadly accuracy of your critical, measured perspective !

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  27. No amount of derogatory words can depreciate Sanusi's dignity and respect we have for him. U did well to impress your bosses!

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  28. As usual, a very true and deep article!

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  29. I really respect Prof. His oratorical disposition has surely no equal. He is a panoply of knowledge and cornucopia of deep research. I always marvel at his unrivalled exclusive penchant for words. Anytime I read his article I feel as if I'm getting the information for the first time. The way he renders his articles is completely paralleled to none!

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  30. Please sir try to use simple English for us the litle leaner's

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  31. All Nigerian politicians and those who have benefitted from the porous system whether in the govt or opposition are not victims.
    Great write up doc!

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  32. Nice piece doc,most write ups in Nigeria about Sanusi have no in-depth nor this refined

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  33. How I wish that all Southerners would read this. The way they are pushing their "Planned Dethronement" narrative, is becoming worrisome. I don't also want him as president. He is more of an activist.

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  34. Masterpiece...power they say is transient. SLS is a radical who isn't in touch with reality. He tries to gain relevance by barking with no action to back it up.a true leader leads by example & not put up hypocritical tendencies.

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  35. Objective,fair and balanced piece! This should at least enlighten who ever does not wan to be bias

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  36. All this are political move from the Northerners to manipulate Nigerians so that a Northern can remain as a President on Nigeria in 2023

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  37. Wow! Well said and quite revealing!!!

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  38. Nice one Proverbs 17 vs 11 answers it all


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  39. You make so many valid points Mr Farooq, however:
    1)Sanusi didn't campaign against polygamy but the bad decision that is marrying wives without being able to handle the liability.
    2) you cant call him "marxist" in one breath and still call him neo-liberal on the other, the two philosophies dont mix.
    3) If Sanusi is truly corrupt, his detractors have the chance to prove that now, let's see how that goes.
    Overall a good piece to read sir. Thankyou.

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  40. Good and excellent piece. Concerning SLS,especially at the backdrop of his known past life in religious fanaticism,i can comfortably say that not all that glitter are gold

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  41. It was worth my time. The chronicle of events from his days as the CBN governor till his dethronement made it more enthralling to read. May your ink never run dry sir.

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  42. My dear, Dr. Farooq, thanks for enlightening the general public. What you just revealed today concerning the Islamic view on emirship or leadership is praiseworthy.

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  43. I'm much convinced that if Sanusi will be given chance to be a Nigerian President, his 1year term will be much more better than 8years of this trashes and disappointment!
    Tell me about whom I doest know of!!!

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  44. I think this Sanusi episode is a plan from the cabals to install a president in this country come 2023. Sanusi is playing saint to wins peoples mind so that he can be a good product come 2023. If Sanusi could have Favour from ElRufia that means something fishy is going on underground

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  45. Brainy brainy prof. or should I retort a prophecy...? Thanks

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  46. Dr Farouk,
    Well crafted article, you should have told us we will need a dictionary by our side when reading.

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  47. "Libidinal greed" got me. This young man knows the English language.
    However, I prefer to concentrate on the positivity in Sanusi's agitations more than on his failings as a human being. We all have our weak points, including Kperogi.
    Sanusi is a victim just as we for whom he fights sometimes.
    When he exposed the forex fraud in high places, he said the truth, notwithstanding his own alleged financial crimes.
    If he married four wives,among them a teenager, he did no wrong to himself or the constitution. Those paupers who emulate him are wrong and should be told so. I see nothing wrong here
    If Kperogi insists Sanusi isn't fighting for us, does he want us to believe he (Kperogi) is?!

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  48. Well explained but there are some clues that portray the writer's political partisanship

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  49. PROFESSOR KPEROGI HAS BEEN A VIRULENT CRITIC OF ALL REGIMES, NOT ONLY THE CURRENT ONE. HE SPEAKS TRUTH TO POWER. SO THE QUESTION OF PARTISANSHIP IS OUT OF IT MY BROTHER.

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  50. Dr., it is painful enough to have a man who is uncertain about the managerial method to employ in running Nigeria. I would be an amplification of our National quagmire, if we decide to replace him with a man whose life is characterised by selfish/misguided equivocations.
    HRH Sanusi, is educated but not resolute; as clarified by your essay above. Don't you think we deserve a fine grind of character as our next president; if we must make Nigeria great again?

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  51. Dr. Thank you for an Epistle coined with fact an experience

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