Reno Omokri, the former aide to former Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan, took to his verified Facebook account to blast the dethroned Emir of Kano, Mohamed Sanusi, regarding him as a hypocrite. He questioned his sincerity concerning his recent stand on Almajiri and Talakawas which has become an emergency in the North.
Sanusi in recent times has made use of every opportunity he had to indict the Northern elites on the issues of Almajir and Talakawas. He spoke against the poverty in the North, making it clear that it is the fault of the Northern elites that poverty, illiteracy, disease, and insecurity is ravaging the Region. At the birthday celebration of the Governor of Kano state, Nasir El Rufai, Sanusi spoke to the applaud of many but it is obvious that the majority of Northern elites are not pleased by his message. This is judging by the video of the occasion available online were many of the Northern politicians were seen making phone calls as he was speaking.
Sanusi has been criticized by conservatives in Northern Nigeria for making several comments on socio-political issues impacting the region. He called for an end to child marriage, building more schools instead of mosques, and infrastructural development. Sanusi has called for population planning and has said that polygamy is increasing poverty in the region. Sanusi has also advocated for eugenics to solve the Almajiri issue.
In November 2014, Sanusi urged his followers to fight Boko Haram, after the bombing of the Great Mosque of Kano which recorded over 150 casualties. In December 2014, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau accused Sanusi of deviating from Islam and threatened his life. Sanusi replied that he is “safe with Allah”, and likened Shekau’s extremist comments (describing Sufis as unbelievers) to those of the heretical Islamic preacher Maitatsine.
Again, Sanusi spoke out on government policies, breaking with royal tradition during his reign. He criticized the government of misplaced priorities. In 2017, the emirate council was under investigation for corruption. Many saw this as retribution over the comments he made. The investigation was later called off by the state legislature following intervention by the ruling class.
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In 2019, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje signed into law the creation of four new emirates. This unprecedented move saw Sanusi’s traditional domain as emir reduced. According to the law, the Kano emir will only preside over 10 local government areas out of the 44 in the state. In March 2020, the state legislature launched a new investigation on Sanusi for violation of traditional practices, this was coming after a high court ruling restraining the corruption investigation against Sanusi.
Meanwhile, Sanusi’s newfound love for Almajiri’s and Talakawas and his feather-ruffling speeches against the Northern elites did not sweep Reno Omokri of his feet as it did many Nigeria. He took to Facebook to question his sincerity, making a comparison with what Sanusi was saying to what he has done for the Almajiri’s and Talakawas. He reeled out the amount of money Sanusi has spent on himself, pointing out that he did not achieve anything for the Almajiri’s and Talakawas.
Writing thus:
“As Emir, Sanusi spent billions to renovate his palace, and ₦37 million on phone calls in 3 years. He furnished his palace with ₦152.6 million, and bought vehicles worth almost ₦200 million. He had a personal library worth hundreds of millions. All at taxpayers expense. Please Google everything I just wrote. I deal in facts, not speculation. How much did he spend on the almajiri he loved so much? Sanusi talked passionately about educating almajiri and talakawas. Yet, whilst he was Emir, he built not even a single school for them. The billions of Naira he spent renovating his palace could have built 500 schools for the talakawa he ‘loves’ so much!”
Many Nigerians are also suspecting that what was playing out with Sanusi is mere politics geared towards Nigeria Presidential election in 2023. It has been strongly believed in many quarters that his dethronement was a plan by the North to draw sympathy towards him so as to Project him as a Presidential candidate in 2023.
Sanusi who is the 14th Emir of Kano is from the Fulani Sullubawa clan ascended the throne in 2014, following the death of his great uncle Ado Bayero. Prior to his ascension, Sanusi was an economist and banker. He served as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2009 to 2014 when he was suspended by President Goodluck Jonathan after raising the alarm on the US$20 billion NNPC scandal.
Sanusi has headed to an unknown location after regaining his freedom from confinement in Nasarawa state following a court order to release him.
By Nonso Ekwunife
AFRICAN TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK