Losing positions isn’t the end; faith in God sustained me – Sanusi

Muhammadu Sanusi II has revealed that his years away from Kano following his dethronement as emir spared him from potential humiliation and gave him the opportunity to pursue further academic work.

Speaking at the Fola Adeola Annual Ramadan Lecture, Sanusi reflected on resilience in difficult times, using his personal journey as a case study. He stressed that people often misattribute power and outcomes to individuals rather than recognising that circumstances ultimately change according to God’s will.

“Too often in our lives, we attribute things to human beings, but they are all created,” Sanusi said. “Remembering that situations are not permanent, that Allah changes your circumstances, helps you cope and conduct yourself.”

He warned against humiliating oneself in pursuit of favour from powerful figures, noting that many wrongly believe their fortunes depend entirely on others. “I’ve seen people who beg, cringe, and bow to human beings. They humiliate themselves because they feel this person is the one who holds the path to their position,” he said.

Sanusi cited his own career as an example of how fortunes can change over time. He recalled that after being suspended as Central Bank of Nigeria governor in 2014, he later became emir. Following his dethronement as emir in 2020, he spent four years away from the palace, during which he pursued a PhD, before returning to the throne in 2024 under Governor Abba Yusuf.

“I think of all the things that could have happened if I was in Kano in the last four years, the humiliation I could have faced, the people I would have had to deal with, the people I would have had to report to,” Sanusi said. “But God was so merciful, so kind. He took me away from that. He gave me a chance, I went and did a PhD and I’m back.”

Sanusi emphasized that losing positions should not be viewed as the end of one’s life or purpose. “If I’m taken away from positions, it’s not a big deal. At the end of the day, I ask myself, have I done anything to offend God?” he said. “It’s better for you to leave there and keep to yourself principles than to stay there and earn the wrath of Allah.”

Sanusi served as CBN governor from 2009 to 2014. He was dethroned as emir in 2020 by then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, and reinstated in 2024 by Governor Abba Yusuf.

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