Abuja—DAUGHTER of Muhammad Sanusi II, Emir of Kano, has said her father will gladly let go of the throne if it stands in the way of the truth.
This came as the Emir himself said people who thought he was troublesome would have a lot more to deal with when his children came on the scene.
Speaking in Abuja during the first annual Chibok Girls lecture, Shahida who represented her father at the programme, who said the monarch had dedicated his life to the truth, insisted that her father had always wanted to be the emir, but believed in the truth.
According to her: “My father is not afraid of giving up his throne if it stands in the way of speaking the truth. Those who think that my father would keep quiet because he wants to hold on to his throne, I think they don’t know my father.
I know that he has always wanted to be the emir of Kano but to him, if it comes between what is right, what his conscience tells him and choosing the throne, he would happily give up the throne.
My father has always been a part of one controversy or the other and it’s normal for us. We are not scared anymore. “And honestly, he has been a source of inspiration and pride.
He never fails to fight. He fights for progress, liberty, justice and equality. Those who think they know my father should know that he will never be silenced by blackmail and intimidation.
He lost his position once as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and I remember his quote that you can suspend a man but you can never suspend the truth. I know he does not mind being the most unpopular emir so long he speaks the truth.”
Meanwhile, the emir in a video message to the Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG, group at the Chibok girls’ inaugural lecture, commended the group for its persistent demand for the rescue of the girls and said the abduction of the Chibok girls raised questions about governance.
Sanusi also urged the BBOG group to broaden its area of advocacy to include women and gender issues. The monarch, who was not present at the lecture, sent his daughter, Shahida, to represent him. He said he decided to send his daughter because she had demonstrated she would not take abuse from any man. According to the emir:
“Those who are opposed to my views or think I am a problem have a much bigger problem to deal with in the next generation of the Sanusis,” he said. “They are far more radical, they are far more progressive, they far more committed and they are far more fearless. So, it is time we address all these issues before these tigers come on the scene.”
Friday marked the third anniversary of the abduction of 276 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State. While 81 of the girls have regained freedom, 195 of them are still in captivity.
Of late, Sanusi has been in the news over some candid views that have attracted criticisms. At the second edition of the Kaduna Investment Forum, the traditional ruler called on northern leaders to accept the realities of the modern world, and educate the girl child.
Before then, he called on all religious and traditional leaders to refrain from beating their wives, adding that they will lose their titles if they do so. He also corrected the “Islamically incorrect” views of Abdulaziz Yari, the governor of Zamfara state, who said meningitis is a product of fornication. Last weekend in Morocco, Sanusi said Zamfara state started the implementation of Sharia in Nigeria but now has the highest poverty rate in the country.
In response to Sanusi’s teachings, messages on and off social media have accused the emir of squandering N3 billion of Kano emirate’s money on buying two Rolls Royce and on hiring chartered flights.
Sanusi was also accused of “kissing, holding and romancing ladies in public” with the picture of him hugging a woman in public.
Source – Vanguard
