From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, on Monday asked Nigerians to brace up for a tougher time come 2003, declaring the country will be into a deeper hole than it was in 2015.
He also said the country “is living on extra time” due to the myriads of challenges confronting the country.
Sanusi insisted that Nigeria would face a more difficult time in 2023 and called Nigerians to be ready to take tougher decisions in the interest of the country, warning presidential aspirants to be prepared for the onerous task of rescuing the country from the precipice.
The former CBN Governor and leader of the Khalifa of Tijaniyya sect in Nigeria, stated these at a reception for him as part of activities marking the 80th birthday of Babanla Adinni of Egbaland, Chief Tayo Sowunmi, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.
“To be honest, we are living on extra time. In 2015, we were in a deep hole. In 2023, we will be in an even much deeper hole than in 2015,” Sanusi said.
“The challenges facing all those people who are struggling to be president, I hope they understand that the problems that they are going to face are multiples of the problems that were faced in 2015 and all of us have to be ready for difficult decisions and if they are taken, we are all going to pay for it.
“But the solution is not for all of us to jump into politics; this country needs good politicians. It needs Imams, Pastors and Bishops who are going to stand up and remind them (politicians) of the fear of God. It needs technocrats who are going to critique their policies, it needs traditional rulers who are going to speak as the conscience of the people, everyone has a role to play and we should try to play that role to the best of our ability.”
Sanusi also denied eyeing the presidential seat in 2023, saying he is content with being the spiritual leader of the Tijaniyyah.
He noted that he had served in various capacities both in past and present, declaring “I will forever be grateful to Allah.”
“I think the most important thing is that we should continue to pray for our country that whoever emerges as president, governors, senators, members of the House, leadership at all levels that we get good leaders.
“And I think that we should also remind ourselves as Muslims and as citizens that we owe it to ourselves because we know that this country deserves better than we have been giving ourselves.
“Allah commands you that you place trust only in the hands of those who are capable of handling that trust. If you choose somebody who is incompetent to lead you if you choose somebody who is weak to lead you, if you choose someone who is dishonest to lead you, you can only blame yourself because Allah says you should only give that trust and He also explains to us what it means to be capable of holding that trust.
“Someone who has the competence to do the job and who can be trusted. Now, if we go and choose leaders who are not competent because they give us money or because of personal interest and I keep saying to my brothers in Tijaniyyaa that we should stop praying for people who come to talk to us to say come and pray for me to be governor, come and pray for me to be president, they go and people money go, read the Quran to them.
“We should look at all the candidates, we should choose the people that we think are competent and honest and then we decide who we want to pray for, not who comes to us with money or who comes to us to beg us, whether or not they come for us. And we should go and vote for them and they should pray to Allah that our sincere belief that these are the people who are in the best interest of our nation,” Sanusi stated.
Speaking on behalf of the Sowunmi Family, Segun Sowunmi asked if Nigeria should be expecting a future president in Sanusi.
Sowunmi, a former Spokesman to Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said: “People who are Khalifa of your quality must never ever be relinquished or extinguished. So, they (people) asked me to ask you, are we going to be looking for a president in future? Do I even have the answer? I Do not know. But one thing I have said to them is that, for as long as you live, I have taken the liberty to say, you will always be a Nigerian patriot, a detribalised Nigerian, a leader of leaders, a holder of Ummah of Islam, the spiritual leader of the Tijanniya and the leading light of everything beautiful.”