(DDM) – The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has sharply criticised Nigeria’s political class, accusing them of dragging the nation backward.
Speaking at the second Kano International Poetry Festival (KAPFEST), Sanusi said Nigeria is trapped in petty debates on tribe and religion.
The event, organised by the Poetic Wednesdays Initiative, was themed “Poetry in a time of crisis.”
Sanusi lamented that while other nations are discussing artificial intelligence and climate change, Nigeria remains stuck in old arguments.
He said the country continues to waste time on Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, northern or southern, Christian or Muslim divisions.
The monarch insisted that Nigeria has suffered from poor leadership for decades, leaving citizens trapped in bad governance cycles.
He declared that a nation rises or falls on the quality of its leaders, and Nigeria has consistently lacked good ones.
According to him, many leaders in office today are unworthy of the trust placed in them by the people.
Sanusi challenged Nigerians to reflect on the calibre of people in leadership and question how such choices were made.
He noted that the quality of debates in the legislature reflects a worrying trend of pettiness and misplaced priorities.
The emir pointed out that leaders spend precious time on irrelevant disputes instead of addressing urgent national challenges.
He warned that the current culture of wasteful governance, corruption, and reckless borrowing poses grave risks to the future.
Sanusi also criticised the habit of squandering borrowed funds without accountability, warning of long-term economic damage.
He urged Nigerian youths to rise up, retire incompetent leaders, and take responsibility for reshaping the nation’s future.
He said with determination and unity, young Nigerians could easily transform governance and end decades of stagnation.
Sanusi maintained that the choice of leaders will determine whether the country continues to decline or finds redemption.
He stressed that no country can develop while clinging to outdated divisions that should have ended in the 1960s.
The emir’s remarks drew applause from participants, who agreed that poetry and art can inspire urgent social change.
Earlier, PWI Creative Director Nasiba Babale explained that the festival aimed to highlight art as a tool for peace.
She said northern Nigeria’s crises demand voices of creativity to awaken consciousness and push for a new direction.
Sanusi’s intervention adds to growing calls for Nigeria to abandon tribal politics and embrace real governance reforms.
Observers note his message resonates deeply with youths disillusioned by the failures of the old political order.