Muhammadu Sanusi II, Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has expressed deep concern over the erosion of ethical values across the Nigerian social and political landscape.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, the monarch called for a radical change in how Nigerian society perceives and rewards those in public office.
“The entire value system of the country has been eroded,” he said.
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Sanusi criticized the glorification of ill-gotten wealth, warning that continued celebration of individuals with questionable financial backgrounds will only perpetuate corruption.
“A society in which material wealth, no matter how you get it, is respected, is glorified, where people who are known to have stolen money get rewarded with ministerial appointments, that society will continue to reproduce itself.”
He lamented that Nigerian society lacks a strong moral compass when dealing with corrupt public figures, often rewarding their misconduct with more influential roles.
“We don’t have a sense of disgust for people who hold public office and amass wealth; we reward them with appointments, with more public offices, and more opportunities to amass wealth, and this is what Nigeria has become,” he stated.
Sanusi, further argued that many individuals who hold government positions are lacking in moral and ethical upbringing, often treating public service as a means of personal enrichment.
“Many people go into government to make money but you don’t go into government to make money,” he said.
He criticized the current political leadership for being driven by greed and materialism, rather than integrity and legacy.
“We have been ruled by people who have no values; they have no name behind them, and they have no desire to leave a name after them. These are people who define themselves by what they own; how many houses they have, how many private jets they have, how many billions they have in bank accounts. And they think that is something.
“It is not important to them that people look at them and they only see thieves, they see criminals, they see people who have taken the commonwealth. It is simply not important because for them, values do not matter,” he stated.
Reflecting on the legacy of the late General Murtala Mohammed, Sanusi emphasized the need for a collective effort in restoring ethical values across Nigerian society.
“I think we need an entire regeneration of values. It is not about one person, the president or the governors, or the ministers cannot on their change this country,” he stated.
He concluded by stating that reform must begin with strengthening institutions like the civil service, which he claimed has been weakened by political interference.
