Emir Muhammadu Sanusi issues a stark warning to Nigeria’s political elite, accusing leaders of sabotaging national progress

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, said on Wednesday that Nigeria’s political class is deliberately sabotaging the nation’s progress, accusing the elite of treating public office as a private inheritance rather than a national trust.

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Sanusi issued the criticism in Lagos during the 15th anniversary of Enough is Enough Nigeria, where he delivered a sharp message on leadership failure and public accountability.

Sanusi Issues Stark Warning as he charged citizens to confront the country’s structural decline.

Sanusi said Nigeria has repeatedly missed crucial chances for development because political leaders prioritise personal and family interests over national wellbeing.

He argued that the refusal to embrace reform was not accidental but often a deliberate act designed to preserve privilege within a narrow circle of power holders.

The Emir said the result was a “manufactured” system defined by ethnic rivalries, religious tension and competition for personal gain. He urged young Nigerians to reject this inherited dysfunction and build a nation that fulfils its long-neglected potential.

He said citizens must recognise that the country belongs to them, not politicians, and that each individual bears responsibility for protecting one part of the national fabric.

Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said Nigeria cannot progress unless its youth unite across class, culture and region to articulate a coherent national vision.

He stressed that the country must be rebuilt on values of service, accountability and unity rather than self-interest and division.

He insisted that the path to a stronger nation lies in citizens collectively demanding integrity and purpose from leaders and from themselves.

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Sanusi said Nigeria must become a country that competes confidently on the global stage rather than one trapped in cycles of internal rivalry.