The former Central Bank Governor, and Emir of kano His royal highness muhammadu Sanusi the second , surprised guests present at the Muson Centre for the launching of the book of Sir Olaniwun Ajayi.

Below is his unedited speech.

“Let me start by saying that I am Fulani (laughter). My grandfather was an Emir also fulani my uncle and guardian was also the immediate late Emir of kano Alhaji Ado Bayero and therefore I represent all that has been talked about this afternoon. Sir Ajayi has written a book. And like all Nigerians of his generation, he has written in the language of his generation.

“My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian. The problem with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of 1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I cannot forgive people of my generation speaking in that language.

“Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like Northern Nigeria, Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like the Sokoto caliphate. The man from Kano regard himself as bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, they were killing each other.

“The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko, Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom. They now
said it was a Muslim North.

“The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called the Northern Nigeria. Do you know what happened? Our grand fathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not been able to transform to being Nigerians. The fault is ours.

Tell me, how many governors has South West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Many governors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any part of this country has produced good leaders.

You talk about Babangida and the problems of our economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu. What state are they from in the North?

“We started the banking reform; the first thing I heard was that in Urobo land, there will be a curse of the ancestors. I said they (ancestors) would not answer. They said why? I said how many factories did Ibru build in Urobo land? So, why will the ancestors of the Urobo people support her?

“We talk ethnicity when it pleases us. It is hypocrisy. You said elections were rigged in 1959, Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged election in 2007. Was it a Southern thing? It was not. “The problem is: everywhere in this country, there is one Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba and Itshekiri man whose concern is how to get his hands on the pile and how much he can steal.

Whether it is in the military or in the civilian government, they sit down, they eat together. In fact, the constitution says there must be a minister from every state.

“So, anybody that is still preaching that the problem of Nigeria is Yoruba or Hausa or Fulani, he does not love Nigeria . The problem with Nigeria is that a group of people from each and every ethnic tribe is very selfish. The poverty that is found in Maiduguri is even worse than any poverty that you find in any part of the South.

The British came for 60 years and Sir Ajayi talked about few numbers of graduates in the North (two as at independence) . What he did not say was that there was a documented policy of the British when they came that the Northerner should not be educated. It was documented. It was British colonial policy. I have the document. I have published articles on it. That if you educate the Northerner you will produce progressive Muslim intellectuals of the type we have in Egypt and India. So, do not educate them. It was documented. And you say they love us (North) more than the south.

“I have spent the better part of my life to fight and Dr. (Reuben) Abati knows it. Yes, my grandfather was an Emir. Why was I in the pro-democracy movement fighting for June 12? Is (Moshood) Abiola from Kano ? Why am I a founding director of the Kudirat Initiative for Nigerian Development (KIND)?

“There are good Yoruba people, good Igbo people, good Fulani people, good Nigerians and there are bad people everywhere. That is the truth. “Stop talking about dividing Nigeria because we are not the most populous country
in the world. We have all the resources that make it easy to make one united great Nigeria . It is better if we are united than to divide it.

“Every time you talk about division, when you restructure, do you know what will happen? In Delta Area, the people in Warri will say Agbor, you don’t have oil. When was the Niger Delta constructed as a political entity? Ten years ago, the Itshekiris were fighting the Urobos. Isn’t that what was happening? Now they have become Niger Delta because they have found oil. After, it will be, if you do not have oil in your village then you cannot share our resources.

“There is no country in the world where resources are found in everybody’s hamlet. But people have leaders and they said if you have this geography and if we are one state, then we have a responsibility for making sure that the people who belong to this country have a good nature.

“So, why don’t you talk about; we don’t have infrastructure, we don’t have education, we don’t have health. We are still talking about Fulani. Is it the Fulani cattle rearer or is anybody saying there is no poverty among the Fulani?”, he said.

This is a great message to our generation.

@lalasticlala
@Seun
Kindly push thread to front page

there are only a few brave men that I still respect in this political dispensation and Sanusi Lamido (Emir) is one of them. I think he is absolutely right. if national interest is placed far above personal or regional interest as the case may be then I can see nigeria getting to there. I don't see any national justification for the call of secession . or maybe someone can help me with 10?
Even if we discover a reason to become a "regional entity" am sure there are 99 reasons why we must must fight remain a "national entity"


.FTC atlast...Dedicating this space to all those that are yet to make FTC that your time is near...

Nonsense, we must divide this country. Na by force to stay with person?

temptnow:
Nonsense, we must divide this country. Na by force to stay with person?

While i am not against your opinion ,I will like you to give a genuine reason why you think it should happen

If a state like Texas that is producing more than the whole nigeria is not calling for secession. Then are we wiser?

andersonbaba:

there are only a few brave men that I still respect in this political dispensation and Sanusi Lamido (Emir) is one of them. I think he is absolutely right. if national interest is placed far above personal or regional interest as the case may be then I can see nigeria getting to there. I don't see any national justification for the call of secession . or maybe someone can help me with 10?
Even if we discover a reason to become a "regional entity" am sure there are 99 reasons why we must must fight remain a "national entity"


.FTC atlast...Dedicating this space to all those that are yet to make FTC that your time is near...

Sighs...like you just said my mind and I don't even know what to tell you

[/font]

baridamhoney:



While i am not against your opinion ,I will like you to give a genuine reason why you think it should happen

my dear...am not sure he has. he could be following the band wagon chant. D;

I strongly believe that regional government will make more sense than this type of federal system that Nigeria is practising.

otukpo:
I strongly believe that regional government will make more sense than this type of federal system that Nigeria is practising.

my dear, it is very easy to say that something will work most especially when it has not been tried. we don't have a regional focused govt already some states are already funding terrorism ; we don't have a regionally focused govt yet some states are already taking laws in there hands ; we don't have regional govt already some states are sponsoring protesters and rebels in other states in order to influence their internal policies. like a friend will say, "if you cannot wash your family's toilet, what is the probability that your will be regularly clean" or do we think Jesus does not know what he meant by 'love your neighbour as your self' because we can never be successful if we don't learn how to live by each other's happiness and not misery.
swt@ the problem of this country is not a particular group but you and I

Am tired of reading epistle why Nigeria is slowly sinking,Telling us Why won't solve the problems at hand.

See manipulation, so the British didn't want the fulanis educated, but down here we were made to believe the fulanis were given the right to rule, and they are educationally disadvantaged.

The truth is, it is easier to hate than to love.
To love is a command that engages everything in us.

And there is an element of self righteousness (ego) that feeds on hate.

Boleyndynasty2:
Am tired of reading epistle why Nigeria is slowly sinking,Telling us Why won't solve the problems at hand.

That's how we got here, because we failed to ask why at an earlier stage.

menxer:


That's how we got here, because we failed to ask why at an earlier stage.

I get your point but we need HOW now not WHY.

Boleyndynasty2:
I get your point but we need HOW now not WHY.

"How did we get here?" and "why are we like this?" points in the same direction.

"how do we get out of here"? Will still need "why are we like this"? to be answered.

menxer:


"How did we get here?" and "why are we like this?" points in the same direction.

"how do we get out of here"? Will still need "why are we like this"? to be answered.

I think we've heard enough of How/why we got here, it's time we start asking the How do we get out of this mess questions

Boleyndynasty2:
I think we've heard enough of How/why we got here, it's time we start asking the How do we get out of this mess questions

We Equally know how to get out of this mess, we just need the will to do right.

Boleyndynasty2:
Am tired of reading epistle why Nigeria is slowly sinking,Telling us Why won't solve the problems at hand.

...lol... we just have to endure. This is because the only think that can change nigeria as a country is RE-ORIENTATION. Although, it might take a long time to change the mindset we adults. But atleast our children will not continue in this direction

May God bless Nigeria

menxer:
See manipulation, so the British didn't want the fulanis educated, but down here we were made to believe the fulanis were given the right to rule, and they are educationally disadvantaged.

The truth is, it is easier to hate than to love.
To love is a command that engages everything in us.

And there is an element of self righteousness (ego) that feeds on hate.

You are right my brother

menxer:


That's how we got here, because we failed to ask why at an earlier stage.

just like the popular saying goes, if you don't know where you are coming from, you can't know where you are going to. The America of today knew how much they suffered before independence, the black Americans knew how much they suffered before getting freedom, the south-africa of today knew how well they suffered before independence and that is why they all see every reason to be United than being divided.. but what happened to Nigeria?

Boleyndynasty2:
I get your point but we need HOW now not WHY.

my dear, I believe if the preaching of Love get suck in our head... How to become a better nation will be no issue...why do you this every ordinary citizen of the US usually recite the slogan "God bless America " and not God bless Mr A? it is because America includes Mr A and millions of people. Therefore if everybody is blessed, Mr A can never have a problem with others

.

Boleyndynasty2:
I think we've heard enough of How/why we got here, it's time we start asking the How do we get out of this mess questions

Babe. I think in the process dealing with our current situation, we strong need to know how we got here so that we don't continue journeying in a "Circle" making the same mistakes

.

CSTR2:
I could give you atleast 3 cogent reasons with historical basis why Nigeria may never work and why a smaller, cohesive , culturally homogenous nation states may be the better alternative in the long run, but I won't because there is no point.
Many people have given such cogent reasons on this forum many times including the pro-Nigerians though unwittingly. We see what we want to see after-all.

bro, I Strongly love to know your reason, whether they are faulted ones . this is because it is very easy to give an opinion, but the question is, Is it nationally valid or regionally valid?

.

CSTR2:
The USA is federal nation where states have ''near-sovereign'' level of autonomy and resource control.
Don't ever compare America with Nigeria again in terms of reasons for patriotism and unity, if you want anybody to take you serious.

my brother, don't be fooled by the "beer parlour gist" have you tried reading the US history and government? the Federal Govt has powers over the security, mineral resources, economy and many more... just like the way it is being done in nigeria. the US president also have his representatives in each state.
The major difference between nigeria and US is that their state executives look inward to also develop their state instead of sitting down to wait for federal government allocation. what Obasanjo did to Lagos was a blessing in disguise for them

tuniski:

We Equally know how to get out of this mess, we just need the will to do right.

Exactly, that's the point am trying to tel her

andersonbaba:


my brother, don't be fooled by the "beer parlour gist" have you tried reading the US history and government? the Federal Govt has powers over the security, mineral resources, economy and many more... just like the way it is being done in nigeria. the US president also have his representatives in each state.
The major difference between nigeria and US is that their state executives look inward to also develop their state instead of sitting down to wait for federal government allocation. what Obasanjo did to Lagos was a blessing in disguise for them

Mineral resources exploration and revenues generation are under the purview of states or even individuals who owns the area where such resources are struck. Ofcourse, the federal government has oversight for federal taxes and an agreed percentage emanating from the resources , but that is just it -OVERSIGHT.
States have their own police, though external defence and investigation of crimes crossing state lines rests with FG as expected. We have the federal economy and state economy. And the state economy is vey autonomous.
Carlifornia is the 6th largest economy in the world by GDP and negotiates trade deals with nations as long as it does not contradicts federal laws for states under US sanctions.

CSTR2:
.

CSTR2:
.

CSTR2:
.

Mr cstr2 why did u back out...hmmmmm...you did not only flee u also edit ur comments and put a dot... The beauty of an argument is for someone to learn

andersonbaba:

Mr cstr2 why did u back out...hmmmmm...you did not only flee u also edit ur comments and put a dot... The beauty of an argument is for someone to learn

andersonbaba:


Mr cstr2 why did u back out...hmmmmm...you did not only flee u also edit ur comments and put a dot... The beauty of an argument is for someone to learn

I didn't back out. I am still here.
I just have a habit of deleting my posts. Anybody that wants to learn can learn from my posts you quoted.

baridamhoney:

na me you dey laugh abi?

CSTR2:
Mineral resources exploration and revenues generation are under the purview of states or even individuals who owns the area where such resources are struck. Ofcourse, the federal government has oversight for federal taxes and an agreed percentage emanating from the resources , but that is just it -OVERSIGHT.
States have their own police, though external defence and investigation of crimes crossing state lines rests with FG as expected. We have the federal economy and state economy. And the state economy is vey autonomous.
Carlifornia is the 6th largest economy in the world by GDP and negotiates trade deals with nations as long as it does not contradicts federal laws for states under US sanctions.

Bros get your facts right sir . The oil in the US I still in in hand of their Federal Govt. they concessioned it out to private individuals that manage them.
and about the state policing, always note that is still subject to their federal police. have you not seen situations where FBI takes over matter from a state police dept? just like the commissioners of police in nigeria