Sanusi Laments Moral Decay in Nigeria, Condemns Rewarding Corrupt Officials

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed deep concern over the collapse of moral values in Nigeria, warning that the country’s future will remain bleak if dishonest public officials continue to be rewarded with more power.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor did not hold back in his assessment of the country’s value system.

“The entire value system of the country has been eroded,” Sanusi said.

He faulted a society that glorifies material wealth acquired through questionable means, pointing to a disturbing trend where people known to have stolen public funds are appointed to high government positions.

“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 said.

Sanusi condemned the way corrupt individuals are celebrated rather than shunned, stating that many public officials are driven by greed and lack proper upbringing and values.

“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 added.

He argued that many in power have no interest in legacy, only in acquiring wealth.

“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,” the emir stated.

Reflecting on the legacy of former military Head of State, Murtala Muhammed, Sanusi stressed the urgent need to rebuild the moral foundation of the country.

He believes true change cannot come from leadership alone, but from a collective effort by both leaders and citizens.

“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 said.

Sanusi also criticised politicians for weakening the civil service, insisting that restoring integrity to governance must include empowering civil servants to resist illegal directives.

He emphasized that values such as honesty, diligence, and compassion must once again take precedence over wealth.