At the risk of boring you with Sanusi talk, I am pasting here a copy of my recent write-up on Sanusi. It's an imaginative writing but a summary of my past real life debates with people on the Sanusi issue, on Nairaland and elsewhere. It's not exhaustive of my opinion on the whole issue, but after realizing that most of the debates I have had on the issue border on same issues, I put this up as reference to future debaters. It has been published by Daily Sun newspaper of Wednesday, October 14, 2009, full back page.

Enjoy:

AN ENGAGEMENT WITH TWO SANUSI CRITICS

At the canteen. Few minutes after one o’clock. It was breaktime, with everybody treating himself to sumptuous lunch. There was nothing much to discuss on football other than how Man City were ‘PDPed’ to lose to Man U. Gani Fawehinmi had been buried and lunchtime discussions over the legal icon diminished by the day. Sitting in front of me was a respected colleague, Lagbaja, with a copy of a national daily in his hands and expecting his food, having already placed an order.

“Yes, I said it, this Sanusi is an elephant in a China shop”, began an obviously exasperated Lagbaja.

“Why did you say that?” I cut in uninvited. “Or are you just reading that article written by Sly Edaghese?”

Lagbaja: “Yes, I’m just reading that article. Or are you saying the writer is wrong?”

Me: “Ok. I have also read that article in the morning but I don’t agree with the writer much as I respect his opinion”

Lagbaja: “Ok. Good. But do you know that this Sanusi man doesn’t know jack about Economics? He doesn’t know the implications of his actions on the larger economy. After taking such draconian and rash decisions, he is now seeking ways of salvaging the situation. He has been in London. He has been on CNN, BBC etc. In fact, this man comes across as a clueless aboki man that got CBN governorship position by ethnic consideration”

Me: “Sincerely, I’m really disappointed in your last statement and would have moved to another table if not for the demand of respect. But I will take my time to engage you, perhaps you may see reason on why we must look at issues beyond tribal prism”

Lagbaja: “ Don’t run away my friend, answer my questions”

Me: “Okay, You said this man doesn’t know jack about Economics. He had a Masters degree in Economics from one of Nigeria’s most respected Universities. He has over twenty years experience in banking. He is acknowledged, almost unanimously, as Nigeria’s banking industry’s best brain in risk management. Did you study Sanusi’s profile at all? Did you notice some salient events in his career progression?”

Lagbaja: “Why did you omit his Sharia degree? Okay, I know he was with UBA for a number of years before moving to First Bank.”

Me: “Okay, apologies for omitting his Sharia degree but I don’t think that diminishes his knowledge of banking and economics which he needs to carry out his present job”

“So what are the salient events in his career progression which the press don’t know, but you know?” , sarcastically asked Lagbaja, adjusting his spectacles.

Me: “There is nothing I know that the press don’t know or have not mentioned. I only called them salient because they are deductive from his profile and career rise”

Lagbaja: “ What are they?”

Me: “Coming fresh from Sudan, banking profession-rusty, with a degree in Sharia, do you think a bank like UBA will offer him the position of principal manager if they didn’t see anything exceptional in him? If he didn’t have any special quality, do you think UBA will ignore his six off-banking Sudan years to give him such a high post? We are not talking about ministry or parastatal here and the last time I checked, UBA was not a northern bank. Did you also notice his rapid promotion in UBA, including being promoted twice in the same year(1997)? Have you read about how he moved to First Bank? Do you know that he got the job by phone call, without lobbying or submitting application, with First Bank practically begging him to come and fix their risk management area? Imagine a bank as big as First Bank begging an AGM in another bank to come and join them as ED. And within a couple of years on First Bank’s board, he was made GMD, even ahead of those that had been on board before him. These are private sector establishments. So I feel uncomfortable when people dismiss this man as an opportunist that got CBN governorship job because of ethnic consideration. I dare say that this man would have made the list of top 3 contenders for the apex bank job irrespective of region he comes from”

Lagbaja: “Hmmnn, you and this your Sanusi. Ok, I agree he is good. But have you asked him why he read Sharia, and in a violent Sudan for that matter?”

Me: “First, I have never met Sanusi. But I don’t think he owes us any explanation for studying Islamic studies. I don’t know why Nigerians continue to make issue out of petty matters like this. At a point in our lives, we all make decisions that are strictly private. Erastus Akingbola, for example, is an ordained RCCG Pastor that preaches on the pulpit. Does that make him less effective as a banker? Was that an issue when he was made CIBN president? And I’m sure that wouldn’t have been an issue if he was made the CBN governor? So I don’t know why Nigerians are making issues out of Sanusi’s private decision to be an Islamic scholar(just like Pastor Akingbola or Segun Agbetuyi). Do you expect him to spend all his life, including private life, on banking? Obasanjo, after a successful military career and eight years as civilian president, decided to get a degree in theology, who cares about his private decision?  Sanusi is a Kano prince and he may have an eye for emirship after his career as a banker, and being knowledgeable, Islamically, may be of help. But has that diminished his knowledge of banking and economics? Didn’t FBN, a private sector establishment, know that before making him their CEO?

Lagbaja: “Okay, what’s your take on Soludo? Don’t you think Sanusi is out to rubbish Soludo’s achievements?”

Me: “Honestly, I don’t think so. Soludo to me, did what he felt was the best to do at that time and Sanusi is doing what he feels is the best now. Soludo focused on strength while Sanusi is focusing on ethics. During the Soludo’s second term debate earlier this year my take was that Soludo should be given second term, given the priceless saying that no nation retires its best general during war time. Soludo, I had thought, was our best general at the time. I always added, however, that Sanusi would not be a bad choice if we must replace Soludo. This was my position at that time”

“Do you still hold that position?”, asked Lagbaja, adjusting his tie.

“Well, I have reviewed my assertion that Soludo was our best general. Also from experience, I’m reluctant to say Sanusi is also our best general now. There may be a few others that can do the job better than Sanusi but I still don’t think Sanusi is a bad choice just as Soludo was also not a bad choice at that time” I answered.

Lagbaja: “Are you saying Sanusi, with just a Masters degree in Economics, is better than Soludo, a professor of monetary economics with international acclaim?”

Me: “Well, I have a friend who, after watching Sanusi’s senate screening exercise, said just that. But I’m personally indifferent on that. But I want to call your attention to an important fact that attitude and professional experience are as important as academic credentials when picking somebody for a position. Look at Fola Adeola, the founder of GTB. He had an HND and before he left the Nigerian corporate scene, he was arguably Nigeria’s most respected CEO and GTB still benefits from the brand he built for them till today.”

Lagbaja: “Stop the redherring, do you, like your friend, also believe that Sanusi is better than Soludo?”

Me: “Don’t pull words out of my mouth. I never said such. I hate comparing people. But I dislike when skills, experience and personality are being sacrificed on the alter
of paper qualifications. I won’t say more than that.”

Suddenly buzzed in Tamedo, who came for lunch late and sat beside us.

Tamedo: “Mr man, tell me, sincerely, how much did Sanusi pay you to do PR job for him? Because I can see how passionately you have been defending him since I joined you here”

Me: “The Sanusi I know will not pay anybody 50 kobo to defend him”

Tamedo: “ So, you know Sanusi. No wonder”

Me: “My friend, I expected you to know that when I say I know somebody, it doesn’t necessarily mean physical knowledge. I know Sanusi through reading over 30 articles of his. From one’s writings, you can draw reasonable conclusion on his thinking, on his personality, on his type of person. We know Karl Marx, Fredric Engel, Shakespeare etc through their writings.”

Tamedo: “Okay. Now, tell me, are you saying this Sanusi is not pursuing a northern or Islamic agenda?”

Me: “Honestly, I doubt it. This man is a long term advocate of one Nigeria. He is a disciplinarian that doesn’t deal with people based on tribe and ethnic affiliation. One of his closest friends is Atedo Peterside, founder of IBTC, ”

At this point, Lagbaja cut in, “Yes, you reminded me of something. Do you know Atedo feted him on the night of August 14, the day he axed the five CEOs? Also why did he use Atedo in the famous London town hall meeting?”

Me: “Atedo is a Christian from Rivers state and Sanusi a Muslim from Kano. Both went to King’s College, Lagos and have been friends since then. So I don’t see anything wrong in hosting your old school mate who just got a job. I however have a problem with Sanusi’s choosing of Atedo to make the opening speech in the London roadshow. Atedo Peterside and Fola Adeola no doubt come across as two of Nigerian executives with proven integrity and high regard for ethics, and are qualified as face of integrity, but with Atedo still chairing StanbicIBTC, I think Sanusi should have done better using another person. Mind you, I also don’t agree with Sanusi in every matter”

Tamedo: “Interesting . . . . . . . now answer my northern and Islamic agenda poser?”

Me: “Look, I am a Yoruba man and a proud one, but I have gone beyond reading tribal meaning to everything. The five bank chiefs were sacked due, purely, to financial recklessness, poor corporate governance and flagrant disregard for basic banking ethics and principles. Imagine giving N13 billion unsecured loan to a family nanny under various names? These are issues we should be discussing rather than crucifying a man that is passionate about cleaning the Augean stables. People that worked with him UBA confirmed his no non-sense approach to issues. The most interesting thing about this man is that he had taken on even leaders of his tribe in the past. He is a proud Fulani man as me and you are also proud Yoruba men and I don’t see anything wrong in his being proud of his origin in asmuch as he didn’t use that as a basis for dealing with people. He had taken on religious and political leaders from the north in the past. He had defended people of other tribes and religions as well. Do you recall the 2005 National Confab?”

Tamedo: “I hardly follow politics but I can remember the talkshop and the hoopla that followed it”

Me: “Okay, do you remember the outcry by Nigerian Muslims that the appointment of Justice Niki Tobi and Reverend Father Martins Hassan Kukah as Chairman and Secretary of the conference respectively, was partial? Sanusi criticized this clamour by his Muslim brothers as baseless. You need to read his article, ‘In Defence of Reverend father Martins Kukah’. And as another take-home, in Sanusi’s article ‘The Adulteress Diary’, the man took Yerima and other northern Sharia governors to the cleaners. If you also recall the call, some years back, by some northern political leaders, that the continuous incarceration of Al-Mustapha, Bamaiyi, and Mohammed Abacha, was unjust when Frederick Fasehun of OPC was released. Sanusi wrote strongly against this claim, dismissing as dissimilar the offences by Fasehun and Bamaiyi and co. I am however not disputing the fact that Sanusi goes overboard in some of his articles, like ‘Afenifere: A syllabus of Error’, but a dispassionate look at even those offensive write-ups will tell one that the man was not an ethnic bigot as some uninformed folks would make us believe. Guys, this is eleven minutes to two, I have to be upstairs to say my prayers and be at my desk by 2’o’clock, cheers”

Tamedo: “Quick one before you go. Did you say you were off to the Mosque upstairs to pray? Leaving office for prayers. Birds of a feather. I read from Vanguard’s Rotimi Fasan’ column last week that Sanusi also used to leave his work for prayers during prayer times. He even wrote that he heard Sanusi was a polygamist.”

Me: “Sincerely, I don’t know whether to cry or laugh. I also read that Fasan’s column and I was utterly disappointed. This is how low people have stooped just to criticize this man. What, for God’s sake, has his sparing five minutes of his time by 2 and 4 o’clocks got to do with his performance as CBN governor? What do we say of the people that spend the first thirty minutes of their office hours fellowshipping? What do we say of banks that make this mandatory? What has his being a polygamist got to do with the issue at hand? Wasn’t Gani a proud polygamist? Didn’t he do his job effectively? Dudes, the earlier we begin to shed our parochial mindset in the analysis of national issues, the better for us. Odaabo”


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Similar articles by the same author:
The Lamido Sanusi I didn't know: http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=147240%20
Enter Sanusi The Sanity Harbinger:
A Tale of Two Predictions:

Coming soon:
Fasehun's Diatribe on Sanusi: A Comment

. . . .and we also had a robust debate here: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-315179.0.html

You need to get off Sanusi's d*ck. For real.

Standing Ovation

the thisday artlicle is locked (passworded).
is it any different from what you posted here?
you wirte like Dele Momodu (that is not a compliment).
I am in support of Sanusi's steps (although he needs to be more tactful in speech), however i am not a fan.
i am too distrustful of the entire Nigerian elite to be a fan of any.
you hero worship of Sanusi is a bit excessive.i doubt if you would be able to analyse his actions critically.
I also share the same respect for Atedo Peterside.the only Nigerian banker i respect.
yet i am not comfortable with his choice of words during that town hall meeting.

Not knowledgeable enough about the Nigerian banking climate to comment on your position but I enjoyed the write up.

mbulela:

the thisday artlicle is locked (passworded).
is it any different from what you posted here?

One needs to register on ThisDay website to read past articles. It is only then that you can log in and read not only this, but other past articles on their website.
The ThisDay article was written and published in June, but the one posted here was written in September and published in Sun on Oct 14. They are different articles.

mbulela:

you wirte like Dele Momodu (that is not a compliment).

In other words, I'm a praise singer. Honestly, I'm not praise-singing SLS. I just can't stand the passion with which Sanusi critics go about spreading their unsubstantiable allegations.

mbulela:

I am in support of Sanusi's steps (although he needs to be more tactful in speech), however i am not a fan.
i am too distrustful of the entire Nigerian elite to be a fan of any.
you hero worship of Sanusi is a bit excessive.i doubt if you would be able to analyse his actions critically.

I admit I'm actually going excessive with the defence of Sanusi, but if you read newspapers or go through internet discussion forums or listen to his critics speak, you will pardon me.
I read a lot of articles in the newspapers on the whole issue and I find ridiculous the arguments brought forward by many critics. I passionately dislike when somebody is dismissed because of tribal affiliation. Even before the Sanusi issue came up, far back as 2007 on NL here, I have argued with so much fervour  on this issue of playing ethnic card in politics. That is why, even at my inconvenience, I have written so much on the Sanusi issue. Mind you, I'm not a blind supporter of SLS. I have criticized a couple of his actions too like the quick release of debtors list without taking time to verify its accuracy, his call, though figurative, that the CEOs should be shot etc

mbulela:

I also share the same respect for Atedo Peterside.the only Nigerian banker i respect.
yet i am not comfortable with his choice of words during that town hall meeting.

Welcome!

Jarus:

“Okay, You said this man doesn’t know jack about Economics. He had a Masters degree in Economics from one of Nigeria’s most respected Universities. He has over twenty years experience in banking. He is acknowledged, almost unanimously, as Nigeria’s banking industry’s best brain in risk management. Did you study Sanusi’s profile at all?

Hi Mr @jarus, I had asked you for proof of this in the past but got no reply. I had asked of the effect of his risk management prowess on UBA, a bank that in today's scenario, got distressed and got acquired by Elumelu's STB. And why was Kingsley Moghalu (an internationally acclaimed risk expert) hired by the presidency for CBN.

Did you notice some salient events in his career progression?”

I know of a lady in one of Nigeria's banks who progressed rapidly, looking at her profile/ resume, it was clear that she had very little in terms of academia or professional experience.
This lady simply knew very important people by their access to huge funds made deposits to the tune of billions of Naira. She rose to the position of executive director in no time. My guy , this is sanusi a prince from Kano. Who are those that recommended and clamoured for his appointment. Don,t you know there were influential individuals probably of northern extraction who propelled him to the top ? The same influence First bank must have looked to tap.
My guy are you conversant with the banking sector? This is Nigeria we are talking about.

@Adigun, I have answered responded to these questions in our past discussions on this issue on NL here, I don't have time to repeat myself again.

Meanwhile, Daily Trust has joined Sun in publishing this article:
http://www.weekly.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1510:a-memorial-foundation-for-me-no-thank-you&catid=1:comments&Itemid=109

. . . and Daily Trust also publishes:
http://www.weekly.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1544:an-engagement-with-two-sanusis-critics&catid=1:comments&Itemid=109

Jarus:

@Adigun, I have answered responded to these questions in our past discussions on this issue on NL here, I don't have time to repeat myself again.
Meanwhile, Daily Trust has joined Sun in publishing this article:
http://www.weekly.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1510:a-memorial-foundation-for-me-no-thank-you&catid=1:comments&Itemid=109

Sorry I had missed your answer (if you gave one) earlier. I need this answer to give people who have doubts about your guy (Sanusi). People have serious questions about his risk management credentials.
A link to your previous answer will suffice if you don't mind.
I hope you are not trying to be evasive.

I just did a dig on 2 previous occasions where I had challenged you with this question but I did not find an answer as you alleged. Look at the links below, where I had posed you with the question and please tell me where you replied.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-320128.32.html#msg4503814

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-320128.96.html#msg4511728

I take it that you are just being plain evasive on the question.
You will do people on this forum and indeed Nigerians if you stop trying to sell lies by making frivolous unsubstantiated claims.

just remembered it was davidylan dat threw dOse questions 2 me in my thread wia I claimed dat SLS wud av made top 3 contenders irrespective of region and I answered elaborately.

I will reply u too, probably later today as am browsing from fone now, can't type much.