The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has warned that President Bola Tinubu needs honest advisers who will tell him the truth about Nigeria’s problems, not praise singers who only seek his favour.
Speaking in Abuja, Sanusi said many of those around the President prefer to flatter him instead of offering sincere advice that can move the country forward.
He cautioned that sycophancy in government has become a major obstacle to good governance and accountability.
“Our leaders listen but only to those who tell them what they want to hear,” Sanusi said. “Nigeria has too many sycophants in government. Those who speak the truth are seen as enemies of the state.”
The Emir described the culture of exaggerated praises at meetings and public functions as harmful to leadership.
He said some officials begin every conversation by hailing the President’s greatness rather than discussing the real issues facing Nigerians.
“You sit in a meeting, and the President is there. The first thing people say is, ‘Mr. President, I want to thank you for your great leadership. God has blessed Nigeria by making you our leader,’” he said. “By the time they finish laying that foundation, it is their advice that the President accepts.”
Sanusi noted that those who speak truthfully are often labelled enemies, adding that such attitudes weaken the nation’s ability to solve its problems.
“That is why people like Atedo Peterside and myself are always seen as enemies of the state because people don’t like hearing the truth,” he said.
He urged ministers and presidential aides to show courage and integrity in their roles. According to him, serving the President does not mean losing one’s conscience. “Those who work with the President must understand that it is not in their benefit to turn themselves into praise singers,” he said. “You disgrace yourself and the office you hold when you do that.”
Turning to the economy, Sanusi commended the Tinubu administration for ending fuel subsidies and unifying the exchange rate.
He described both decisions as “painful but necessary,” but warned that the reforms could fail if the government does not reduce waste and excessive borrowing.
“If you stop paying subsidies but continue borrowing more, it means you’ve filled one hole only to dig another,” he said. “The real challenge now is the quality of government spending and the management of the revenues saved.”
The Emir, who once served as Governor of the Central Bank, blamed years of poor policy decisions for the current hardship in the country. He recalled that those who opposed subsidy removal in 2012 are the same politicians now enforcing it. “In 2012, we warned that the subsidy was unsustainable, but politics took over,” he said. “Now the same people who led protests against it have inherited the problem and had no choice but to do the right thing.”
He also questioned the size of the current cabinet and the lifestyle of government officials. “Why do we need 48 ministers? Why do we need long convoys of vehicles and endless travel expenses?” he asked. “We cannot preach sacrifice to the people while living in luxury at the top.”
Sanusi stressed that economic reforms must be backed by moral leadership and discipline at the highest levels of government. “Good policy without good governance is like planting a tree and refusing to water it,” he said.
“Nigeria’s leaders must stop surrounding themselves with praise singers and start listening to the truth even when it is uncomfortable.”
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
