The Emir of Kano gave his first interview since taking the throne to an editor of BBC Hausa, Mansur Liman.
Muhammad Sanusi II speaks about the influence of his emirate and how his experience in finance will help bring much needed investment to the area.
His Royal Highness Muhammad Sanusi II. Photo: BBC
Sanusi sees existing system of ruling in the emirate as a unique one, because communication within it is “from top to the bottom and from bottom to the top.”
“The institution has a tremendous ability for transforming the way the people think, the way they perceive, the way they accept policy and the way they collaborate on government.
“Let people understand they are going back to the Islamic roots, as in many ways people are leaving the teachings of the religion. Islam preaches education for all adherents.”
About child marriage Sanusi said that the situation when girls are being taken from schools and married off “is not consistent with the teachings of the religion.”
On how to change the present predicament of the North
“First of all, the Federal Government has to understand that the economic conditions in the north and the level of poverty and marginalisation are likely to be fertile ground for breeding extreme ideologies. It happened in the Niger Delta, with the Niger Delta militancy, and it happens everywhere, where people feel economically excluded, politically disempowered.
“It’s important that we handle this thing (fanatic ideas) from a military and security prospective and make sure that the military advance of insurgents is stopped and crushed.
“There has to be a proper Marshall plan (economic support, recovery initiative). There is no investment in irrigation, there is little investment in agriculture productivity, there’s little focus on western education and the general quality of live and employment generation of the north.”
Sanusi stated that situation is relatively calm because “over the last four years there has been a lot of work done by the State Government in infrastructure, creating jobs and so on.”
The Emir of Kano is sure that as long as the people are gainfully employed they are not likely to join the insurgency.
From ordinary citizen to Royal Highness. Does Sanusi miss anything?
“Every public office, every position has costs. Every privilege comes with a responsibility, and you have to give up some things.”
The Emir of Kano notes that there are “sacrifices you need to make.”
“But you also know that there is a tremendous capacity for doing good, and contributing to the lives of people and leave in a legacy that hopefully you’ll be rewarded for in the hereafter,” he concuded.
Kano is a key town in the north, where the Federal Government keeps battling with Boko Haram insurgency.
The role of emir is apolitical but this does not make it less important in any way.
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