Sanusi didn’t mince words as he criticised the prevailing culture of impunity in the Nigerian political space
“Thieves Shouldn’t Be Ministers” – Emir Sanusi Blasts Rewarding Corruption in Nigeria
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has strongly condemned what he described as the collapse of Nigeria’s moral compass, warning that the continued glorification of corrupt public officials is fuelling the country’s underdevelopment and institutional decay.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) bemoaned how Nigerians now respect wealth regardless of its source—even when it’s stolen from the public treasury.
“The entire value system of the country has been eroded,” Sanusi declared.
“A society in which material wealth, no matter how you get it, is respected, is glorified, where people who are known to have stolen money get rewarded with ministerial appointments, that society will continue to reproduce itself.”
Sanusi didn’t mince words as he criticised the prevailing culture of impunity in the Nigerian political space, saying the country routinely recycles the same corrupt figures by giving them fresh access to public office.
“We don’t have a sense of disgust for people who hold public office and amass wealth; we reward them with appointments, with more public offices, and more opportunities to amass wealth—and this is what Nigeria has become.”
He argued that many people in government lack values and are primarily driven by greed rather than public service.
“Many people go into government to make money, but you don’t go into government to make money,” he said pointedly.
Calling for a total values reorientation, the Emir described many current and former office holders as individuals obsessed with materialism at the expense of integrity and legacy.
“We have been ruled by people who have no values; they have no name behind them, and they have no desire to leave a name after them.
These are people who define themselves by what they own—how many houses they have, how many private jets they have, how many billions they have in bank accounts,” he added.
“It is not important to them that people look at them and only see thieves, criminals who have taken the commonwealth.”
Reflecting on the legacy of former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, 50 years after his assassination, Sanusi called for a rebirth of national ethics and principled leadership.
He stressed that unless Nigeria rebuilds its value system and stops rewarding corruption, the cycle of failed leadership and mass poverty will persist. Read More
