The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has raised serious concerns over the deteriorating moral standards across various sectors of Nigerian society, particularly within the public service.
According to the former Central Bank governor, a large number of individuals who occupy public offices today were not given proper home training or moral guidance, which reflects in the way they misuse public funds and abuse positions of power.
He said …
“I think what has failed in this country is upbringing. The truth is that many people you have in public office today were simply not well brought up. When I was in Kings College in Form 1 and 2, we had a class called Civics and it was taught by the principal himself.”
Sanusi explained that foundational values such as honesty, service, and integrity were taught at a young age during his school years. He believes that such early moral education is largely missing today, leading to a generation of leaders who are driven by selfish interests rather than the desire to serve the public.
“From a very young age, you were taught certain values. You were taught the importance of honesty and integrity, you were taught the importance of human rights, you know it’s important to leave a good name. You know that when you go into public office, it is an opportunity to serve. You do not go into public office to make money,” he said.
He criticized the lack of ethical grounding in today’s politicians, stating that many of them join government purely for personal gain. This, he says, is a direct consequence of poor upbringing and the absence of civic education.
He further emphasized that Nigerian society must stop the cycle of promoting individuals who have misused their positions, looted public funds, and failed to serve the people responsibly.
“The entire value system of the country has been eroded. We have been ruled by people with no values, they have no names behind them and 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 their bank accounts,” he said.
He added …
“A society in which material wealth, no matter how you get it, is respected and glorified—where people who are known to have stolen money get rewarded with ministerial appointments—that society will continue to reproduce itself.”
The Emir lamented the lack of accountability in Nigeria’s political and social structures, stating that corruption is now being normalized and even rewarded. He noted that the absence of consequences for wrongdoing only encourages more public officers to steal and amass wealth.
“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.”
Reflecting on the legacy of the late Head of State, Murtala Muhammed, 50 years after his leadership, Sanusi called for a complete transformation of Nigeria’s moral compass.
He argued that the responsibility to bring about this change rests not only on political leaders but also on the general populace, stressing that virtues such as honesty, hard work, and compassion should take precedence over the pursuit of wealth.
He added …
“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 own change this country.”
Sanusi concluded by highlighting how politicians have contributed to the decay of Nigeria’s civil service, a key institution of governance. He stressed the urgent need to rebuild and strengthen the civil service so that public servants can confidently resist unlawful orders and carry out their duties with integrity.