Opinion

Panorama: 2023: Khalipha Muhammadu Sanusi II and Overwhelming Political Influence

Published

4 years ago

October 23, 2021

Eric

By Sani Sa’idu Baba

My dear country men and women, permit me to begin in earnest today, with a strong confession, which dwells on the influence of the revered and influential royal father, HRH Khalipha Muhammadu Sanusi II (CON), who doubles as the leader of the Tijjaniyya Sufi order in Nigeria, bestowed on him by one of the most respected Islamic leaders in the world.

My confession is not because he is a politician, but he is a factor in the political equation of Nigeria come 2023. Perhaps, some people especially my dear brothers and sisters from the South might not know the magnanimity and influential capacity of the position he occupies in addition to his existing pedigree and value that has made him unique.

In fact, as a leader of the Tijjaniyya sect of Nigeria’s Sufi Muslim community, Sanusi is now the second-most-important and most respected Islamic leader in Nigeria after the Sultan of Sokoto. My opinion today is due to several reasons rolled into one. You will discover why in a jiffy.

But the topic has to do with the recent discussion that I had with a patient, Malam Abdullahi Maikano who I later got to know was a chief servant of the late Emir Khalipha Muhammadu Sanusi I in his Wudil palace where he lived. He was narrating how Wudil-Maiduguri road became extremely busy, especially when he was appointed the Khalipha due to the large number of different sets of people visiting him on daily basis, and the influence he had in almost every aspects of life of the people of Kano, and the members of the Tijjaniyya Sufi order in Nigeria.

As he was narrating, I was reflecting on the historical repetition that happened and the one about to occur with his protégé, his grandson HRH Khalipha Muhammad Sanusi II. And that informed my writeup today.

Before I go into my primary focus today, let me introduce briefly the history of Tijjaniyya Sufi order in Nigeria. It is a Sufi Muslim order that is distinguished by the simplicity of its followers, the premium placed on the virtue of tolerance, and the religious scholarship and promotion of education by its founder, Shaykh Ahmad Tijjani, and succeeded by Sheikh Ibrahim Niass (1902-1975), who maintained its core values and mission. These attributes have given the Niassene Tijjaniyya a degree of flexibility and openness to innovation that is lacking among more conservative branches of Sufism and many other forms of Islam. The Tijjaniyya Ibrahimiyya is now the largest and fastest growing Sufi religious order in Nigeria. The logic that informs the behavior of Tijjani religious leaders as they interact with other Muslim groups, compete for religious followers, and engage the state in a pluralistic political arena, is subtle and complex. Shaykh Ahmad Tijjani, the founder of the Tijjaniyya Sufi order between 1809 and 1815CE predicted that Divine flood would occur on his Sufi disciples when people would be joining his Sufi order in multiples. Today, the number of Tijjaniyya Sufi order followers in Nigeria has been estimated to be about fifty millions, dispersed across every nooks and crannies of Northern part of the country and the South especially Southwestern part Yoruba dominant region of the country. The implication is that, at a certain period of time, someone among the Tijjaniyya members would emerge as the Flag-bearer of the divine flood. Through him, people of multifarious backgrounds would be embracing the Tijjaniyya order. In 1929, Shaykh Ibrahim Inyass made proclamation of the status, Flag-bearer of the divine flood and a Khalipha (successor) of Shaykh Ahmad Tijjani.

He made the proclamation during the annual maulud celebration of his father’s family at a village called Kosi near Kaolack (Kaulaha) in the Republic of Senegal. He was eventually recognized by the people as such, to the extent that the leadership of the Central Zawiyah of the Tijaniyyah in Fez, Morocco under the headship of Sayyid Abdus-Salam Sayyid in 1930s went to Kaolack, Senegal on a homage visit where all the insignia of office of Khilafah were submitted to him. These include a walking stick, a pair of sandals, a book of special prayers and awrād. Through the invitation of Emir of Kano, Al-hajj Abdullahi Bayero, Shaykh Ibrahim visited Kano, Nigeria for the first time in 1937. Although, Rüdiger Seesemann suggests that the visit took place in 1945. Whatever may be the date of the visit, the Tijaniyyah Sufi order through Shaykh Ibrahim Inyass spread from Kano to other cities in Nigeria.

We could recall that, many Nigerians of all faiths cheered in June 2014 when Sanusi was chosen to become the Emir of one of the country’s largest cities, to succeed his great uncle, the late Emir Ado Abdullahi Bayero. Six months earlier, he had clashed with former President Goodluck Jonathan after he questioned and adamantly insisted on the missing oil money. Emir Sanusi’s antecedents seems to be a reoccurrence of history. His grandfather, Emir (Sir) Muhammad Sanusi I was also dethroned by Sir Ahmadu Bello in the year 1963 as a result of power tussle between them, same way that his grandson was after 57 years by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, a situation that many believed from the perspective of the fact that the Sanusi’s family has always been stand for the truth irrespective of that might cause them. You can imagine someone sacrificing one of the most prestigious royal sit in Nigeria, just to maintain his legacy of being honest and truthful? That was when Emir Muhammad Sanusi I, was appointed the Khalipha of Tijjaniyya Sufi order of the whole country after his dethronement as the Emir of Kano in 1963. It was after his death that the late Alhaji Isyaka Rabiu, the father of Abdussamad Isyaka Rabiu succeeded Emir Sanusi Lamido’s grandfather to occupy the high position as the Khalipha. This is exactly where the history has done its part, by repeating itself on the historic emergence of Sanusi as the substantive Khalipha in May, 2021. There were lot of rumors surrounding the issue before his appointment, only to discover that some of his detractors were doing all they could to halt the occurrence of the inevitable. One thing they failed to understand is that, greatness is inherent. When one door closes, another one immediately opens, probably a much better one.

Let me comeback to my primary focus of today. I am not the first and I will not be the last to demonstrate the influential potential and capacity of HRH Khalipha Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II. His uncommon pedigree and reputations has sold him beyond Nigeria, Africa but the world at large. In 2011, New York based Time Magazine has named him in the 2011 TIME 100, the magazine’s annual list of the most influential people in the world when he was the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria. The full list and related attributes appear in the May 2 issue of the magazine. The Time 100 list recognizes the innovation, activism and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals. According to TIME Managing Editor, Richard Stengel; “The TIME 100 is not a list of the most powerful people in the world, it’s not a list of the smartest people in the world, it is a list of the most influential people in the world. They’re scientists, thinkers, philosophers, leaders, icons and visionaries; people who are using their ideas, their visions and their actions to transform the world and have an effect on a multitude of people.” Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who can easily be described by any of these attributes, was named to the 2011 TIME 100 list alongside world renowned Nobel Laurel in Economics, Prof. Joseph Stiglitz, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President, Barack Obama, British Prime Minister, David Cameron, U.S. Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, Lionel Messi, FIFA Footballer of the year among others.

This is the second time in the history of the TIME 100 that a Nigerian is named, and Sanusi is one of the only two Africans to have made the then list. It will come as no surprise to those, both at home and abroad, who have come to respect Sanusi’s astute, conscientious and courageous leadership of the Central Bank of Africa’s most populous nation, at a time when the sector required tough and decisive intervention. His vision and actions earned him the reputation as one of the most respected and authoritative voices on financial and economic matters on the continent, including a special invitation in November 2010 by the US Congressional Sub-Committee on International Monetary Policy and Trade, to give testimony at a congressional hearing titled “The Global Financial Crisis and Financial Reforms in Nigeria.” In January 2011, Sanusi was named African and Global Central Bank Governor of the Year by the Banker Magazine, a publication of the Financial Times.
This time around it will not be any different I believe. Many people thinks that the victory of APC in Kano during the 2015 presidential election was only attributed to the then Kano State Governor, Engr Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso only. Although he played a significant role in the polity, but I strongly believe that one factor had immensely helped in securing the victory. We could recall that, just before the elections, there was bomb blast in the Kano State central mosque on November 28, a mosque that is located in the emir’s palace. The tragic event had claimed many lives and left many injured. From that day, a lot of people decided that they would never come out to exercise their franchise due to the fear of similar attacks and rumors of reoccurrence. Because it seems the insurgents were just at the midst of the people at the time. Suddenly, Emir Sanusi climbed a pulpit and miraculously reversed the decision of most of the people on exercising their franchise just a day to the election. That had contributed immensely to the massive victory of the opposition. But let me make it categorically clear that he did not asked his people to specifically vote for this or to reject that because our Emir is not a politician. Many has misinterpreted a legacy standing for the truth as being political opposition, certainly no. This is exactly what happened in 2019 when Emir Sanusi stood firmly with the people and insisted that justice be adhered to, to ensure peace reign. A situation that consequently metamorphosed into what has culminated to led to his unjust removal, which is not the focus of my piece, but a different topic for another day.

Another issue that justifies my assertion on the inevitable influence of Khalipha Sanusi on the fate of political aspirants at both states and national level is the uncommon loyalty of the millions of members of the Tijjaniyya Sufi order that he now leads in Nigeria. The usual norm is that both leaders and followers of the movement does not associate themselves with politics and politicians at whatever level. But as one that belongs to the sect, I must confess that the dynamic nature of the situation will certainly reshape how it goes, especially in the next coming election. In recent times, millions of members reversed the longstanding practice of remaining aloof from politics and are actively ready to showcase their loyalty to Khalipha at all levels of government in Nigeria should he indicate directly or indirectly where he prefers. But everyone knows that his love for good governance is non-negotiable, and that he always supports at all levels that he attained in his carrier. His recently launched book, titled for the good of the nation is indeed a must read. He is probably the first Nigerian to have ever embarked on the commendable massive fund raising for girls child education in Nigeria, and that could not be unrelated to his uncommon influence. He cut across almost every tribe and every religion in Nigeria. He’s a true unifier. When he was in Kano, uncountable number of Nigerians from every nooks and crannies of Nigeria visited him. And its the same today. The influx of people from the North to his Lagos residence is overwhelmingly high, not to talk of when he comes to Kaduna. That was even before he became the Khalipha. You can imagine millions of people waiting for his directives! I am not saying HRH Khalipha can give power. Only GOD does. But we must confess that GOD has equipped him to be influential enough to change narratives. Period.

Sani Sa’idu Baba writes from Kano, and can reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com

Opinion

Skills Acquisition: Way Forward for Nigeria’s Educational Development

Published

2 days ago

June 19, 2025

Eric

By Ayo Oyoze Baje

“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways” – Robert Greene

As concerned Nigerians keep deliberating on the best way to navigate the twists and turns inherent in our education delivery system, if yours truly has his way secondary school students should be spending three days of each week for theoretical knowledge and two for practical skills development. These include skills such as tailoring/fashion design, hair dressing and carpentry. Others include building construction, painting, domestic farming, singing, acting, oratory and comedy.

This has become more expedient because in 2023, Nigeria ranked 100th out of 100 countries in Coursera’s Global Skills Report in terms of skill proficiency. Incidentally, the country also ranked low within the Sub-Saharan Africa, placed 12th out of 13 countries.In fact, other African nations such as Botswana and Cameroon outperformed Nigeria in the same report. This was an indication of a significant skills gap in the country. But recent indicators suggest an increase performance that should be built on. For instance, Nigeria showed the fourth-highest year-on-year growth rate for Professional Certificates enrollments on Coursera. This clearly suggests a growing awareness and participation in skills development initiatives which should be built on.

For instance, the unemployment rate in Nigeria stands at about 4.84% in 2025, according to Statista. com. This translates to an estimated 5.74 million people who are unemployed. Similarly, the youth unemployment rate is around 7.50% according to Trading Economics.

Given the current global influence of information technology, the expanding impact of Artificial intelligence ( AI ) and the soaring influence of climate change. Others include the increasing need to ride the freaky waves of economic survival, and the stifling space for employment, not only in Nigeria but across the globe. Yet, the country is abundantly blessed with rare talents in different fields of human endeavour.

Mention names such as Silas Adekunle, known for his robotics expertise and the world’s first intelligent gaming robot or Riya Karumanchi, who invented a device to assist visually impaired individuals the importance of skills acquisition in the development of the talents of our youth gradually dawns on us.

It is a similar scenario when the name of
Hassan and Hussaini Muhammad, who created a way to convert petrol, water, salt, and alum into hydrogen cooking gas crop up. And out there there are other young Nigerian inventors such as Khalifa Aminu (FM transmitter), Muazzam Sani (remote-controlled car), and the team behind the smart walkway light and automatic irrigation. The importance of skills acquisition cannot therefore, be over emphasized.
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Put in its simple terms, skills acquisition is crucial for Nigerian students academic development, because it enhances their employability, as well as boosts entrepreneurship. In fact, it contributes to overall national development. According to experts on educational development it empowers students to be self-reliant, reduces poverty and unemployment, and also provides them with a global perspective.

The impact and import of students’s skills acquisition is amply deployed in Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun state. There, students are exposed to the practical aspect of whatever course they are studying such that seasoned professionals are invited to deliver the practical aspect of their theoretical knowledge.Such is the impact that engineering students have become problem solvers. They have constructed pavements, fences, designed and built solid infrastructure.

Furthermore, the Centre for Agricultural Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CATES) has come up as a key initiative at the same university. As a noble cause it was established to foster practical, solution-oriented approaches to agricultural and entrepreneurial development within the university and the wider community. The skills promoting aspect of it is that CATES focuses on areas such as poultry technology, aquaculture, cassava farming, and mushroom culture. It also operates a vegetable farm and a plantain farm on campus. All these explain why graduates of the citadel of knowledge become self employed, with several of them kick starting the process right from the University as undergraduates. All these boost their financial independence while they contribute to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Skills acquisition therefore,
increases employability, more so in today’s competitive job market. Having relevant skills makes students more attractive to employers. These include skills such as digital literacy, communication, and problem-solving, which are highly valued across various industries.Entrepreneurship programs teach them how to start and manage their own businesses. This eventually, leads to economic growth and improved living standards with appreciable Human Development Index, HDI. By equipping students with practical skills, skill acquisition programs can assist to lift individuals and families out of the terrifying trap of poverty and ultimately reduce the unemployment rate for the country.

From the global perspective, many skills are transferable across borders. This is one good lesson learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nigerian students can latch on it to participate in the global economy through remote work or international collaborations. It also fosters confidence in students, assist them to adapt to the global socio-economic dynamics,while instilling a sense of accomplishment in them, thereby contributing to overall personal growth.

Of great significance, is that
a skilled workforce is essential for the nation’s economic growth and technological advancement. Overall, the skill acquisition programs contribute to building a more productive and innovative society. So Nigeria work on the report which highlighted specific skill areas where it lags, especially technology and data science.

Nigeria should also learn from countries that stand out for their high levels of skill acquisition and development. These include Northern European nations such as Finland, Norway, and Sweden which consistently rank high, along with Switzerland, Singapore, and Germany. These countries often prioritize education, training, and creating opportunities for their populations to acquire and utilize a wide range of skills. As rightly noted by Malcolm X: ” Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today”.

Opinion

The Unsung Patriots: When Integrity Stands Above National Honours

Published

1 week ago

June 14, 2025

Eric

By Sani Sa’idu Baba

Nigeria’s Democracy Day ought to be a solemn reminder of the sacrifices, resilience, and commitment of individuals who have stood tall in the face of tyranny and injustice. It is a day that should celebrate not only democracy itself, but also the patriots who have preserved its fragile flame. Yet, in what many see as a deliberate and politically motivated omission, several Nigerians of high calibre, unimpeachable character, and unassailable contributions to nationhood were left out of the national honours list announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

This omission is not a matter of oversight. It is a calculated decision that speaks volumes about the political insecurities within the corridors of power. One name that resonates profoundly in this discourse is Chief Dele Momodu, adopted son of the late MKO Abiola, a journalist, publisher, presidential aspirant, and fearless voice of the people for over four decades. Chief Momodu is a man who has not only chronicled Nigeria’s history but has lived and shaped it through his unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and democratic ideals.

Let us be honest, this is not about merit. If it were, Chief Dele Momodu’s name would have featured prominently on that list. This is about fear, fear of principled rejection. It is about avoiding the kind of national embarrassment that befell the Buhari administration when internationally acclaimed writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie openly declined a national honour because she believed it lacked genuine integrity. Her rejection was not out of arrogance, but from a place of conviction, a deep sense of responsibility not to allow her name to be used as an endorsement of a government she could not, in good conscience, support.

President Tinubu’s government, undoubtedly aware of Dele Momodu’s outspokenness and principled stance, likely feared a repeat of such rejection. Because men like Chief Momodu would not want to accept such honours from those who have allegedly turned our hard earned democracy into a civilian dictatorship. For him, a national honour must be more than a political gesture, but a reflection of national values, a reward from a government that truly serves its people.

Chief Momodu has never been one to seek validation from the powerful. His life’s work has been about amplifying the voices of the voiceless, challenging injustice, and standing firm even in the face of exile and persecution. That is who he truly is. I believe that he will happily accept a national honour from a government that embodies the ideals of democracy not one that plays lip service to it. It’s only a matter of time!

This June 12, as we mark another chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey, we must also reflect on the kind of leadership we celebrate. It is not enough to decorate the loyal and the silent. True honour lies in recognising the bold, the honest, and the principled even when their truths are uncomfortable.

To Chief Dele Momodu, and others like him who continue to walk the path of integrity, your absence from the national honours list is not a dishonour. In fact, it is a badge of honour in itself. For in a time where sycophancy is rewarded, your principled silence, your steadfast commitment to truth, and your refusal to compromise, speak louder than any medal ever could. Nigeria sees you. History will remember you.
Your recent 65th birthday celebrations which was meant to be simple and low-key but turned into a well organised global celebration all in your honour speaks volumes.

May your integrity continue to inspire a generation that refuses to trade truth for personal gains.

Happy democracy day…

Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba writes from Kano

Opinion

Nigeria’s Reforms Have Put the Country on the Global Economic Map

Published

2 weeks ago

June 8, 2025

Eric

By Abdul Samad Rabiu

As my country steadies itself, Britain, its Western allies and their companies should deepen this partnership

As ghosts of the 1930s haunt the global outlook, the scramble for trade deals has seized control of government agendas. The United States has leveraged its “tariff war” to secure better terms, driving both friend and foe to the negotiating table. British deals with the US and India have provided some refuge from the prevailing gloom.

Less reported – but with similar potential – was last year’s signing of the Enhanced and Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) between the UK and Nigeria , the former’s first such agreement with an African nation. Quiet in its arrival, the pact may yet echo louder.

As someone who has built multinational businesses across Africa, I know the vast opportunity the continent offers, and Nigeria in particular, which alone accounts for a fifth of sub-Saharan Africa’s 1.2 billion people. But I also understand the limitations we have often placed on ourselves when it comes to securing investment.

Lowering barriers to trade is crucial, and for that Britain’s ETIP looks prescient. However, investment and business potential will remain discounted as long as African nations cling to state intervention – from subsidies and price controls to exchange rate distortions – all of which have consistently bred dysfunction and economic instability. Fortunately, Nigeria has now decisively turned a corner, embracing market economics under a liberalising government.

In Morocco this week, Foreign Secretary David Lammy indicated Britain’s position is shifting too. Setting out his strategy for Africa, he said British policy must transition from aid to investment. “Trade-not-aid” is no new idea – but it is the first time a British government has so clearly echoed the demand the African continent has voiced for years.

In making that shift, Nigeria is taking the lead for a continent to follow. So many Nigerian administrations I have known have been hostage to economic events, doubling down time and again on state intervention rather than having the conviction to reform. This administration is proving different. After two years of difficult reforms, Nigeria – under President Bola Tinubu – is now poised to fulfil the promise of its vast natural resources, rapidly growing population of over 200 million people, and strategic coastal location along the Gulf of Guinea.

First, the Tinubu administration removed a crippling fuel subsidy – the most significant policy reform in years. At 25 to 30 cents per litre, petrol in Nigeria was among the cheapest in the world. But the subsidy was bankrupting the government: by 2023, it consumed over 15 per cent of the federal budget – roughly equivalent to the proportion the UK spends annually on the NHS.

When President Tinubu ditched the fuel subsidy on his first day in office, criticism quickly followed. Prices, at least for the time being, have risen. However, statistics must be understood in light of the wide-ranging distortions the subsidy created.

Officially, fuel consumption in Nigeria has dropped by 40 to 50 per cent. But that is not because Nigerians’ petrol use reduced by this amount. In reality the country was subsidising the region, with cross border fuel smugglers profiting from arbitrage. The illegal trade was so blatant that on a visit to neighbouring Niger a few years ago, then-President Mohamed Bazoum even joked about it, thanking Nigeria for the cheap fuel. Though the move was politically unpopular, the subsidy had become unsustainable. Now, spending is being redirected toward development and infrastructure – laying the foundations for long-term growth.

Second, the country has moved from a fixed to a market-determined exchange rate. Previously, only select groups could access the official rate – especially those with political connections; the rest had to rely on a more expensive parallel informal market determined by supply and demand. But selling dollars at an artificially low rate only entrenched scarcity, a problem compounded by an opaque exchange mechanism that deterred foreign investment.

Every two weeks, we used to make the 12-hour drive to Abuja to seek dollar allocations for imports – camping out at the Central Bank for three or four days. Now, I no longer need to go. I’ve met the new Governor only once in two years – because I haven’t had to. Monetary orthodoxy has finally arrived, bringing with it the liquidity that both domestic and foreign businesses depend on to smooth trade and de-risk investment.

Third, the shackles of politics are being prised from business, bringing greater certainty, fairness and stability to the landscape. Five years ago, I woke up one morning to find that the port concession for a new venture of mine had been revoked. It turned out my company was outcompeting a friend of an official of the Nigerian Ports Authority. In the end, it took then-President Buhari’s personal intervention to save the enterprise.

Had I not been politically connected, the business would have folded – along with the 4,000 jobs it provided – at a time when job creation was, and remains, Nigeria’s most urgent challenge. Today, such connections are no longer necessary. The playing field is being levelled, flattening the political ridges and dips that once skewed the game.

Many of these reforms required political courage to withstand the force of criticism. Prices rose as distortions were removed, yet the administration held firm, even as vested interests co-opted public discontent for their own ends.

Indeed, many of the benefits of reform are still to be felt by the wider public. But economic fundamentals must be fixed before that becomes possible. That lead-time often tempts market reformers to reverse course, or avoid reform altogether. Now that Nigeria has made it through the toughest phase, its direction should be clear to investors.

For Britain, the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership with Nigeria was a strategic bet on reform, resilience and long-term reward. Nigeria is now delivering its part of the bargain. As my country steadies itself, the UK, its Western allies – and their companies – should deepen this partnership.

Abdul Samad Rabiu is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist

Culled from Daily Telegraph (UK)