Former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has said that Nigeria is living on extra-time due to the multiple challenges confronting the nation.
Sanusi made the statement at a reception organised on Monday, 7th February, 2022 in qhis honour as part of activities marking 80th birthday of Babanla Adinni of Egbaland, Chief Tayo Sowunmi.
Khalifa Sanusi, who is also the leader of the Tijaniyya sect in Nigeria further warned aspiring Presidential candidates in the 2023 general elections to prepare for the massive task ahead
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He said, “to be honest, we are living on extra time. In 2015, we were in a deep hole. In 2023, we will be in an even much deeper hole than in 2015”.
“I hope all those who are struggling to be President understand that the problems they are going to face are multiples of the problems that were faced in 2015. All of us should be ready for difficult decisions and if they are taken, we are all going to pay for it”.
“The solution is not for all of us to jump into politics, this country needs good politicians, it needs imams and pastors and bishops who are going to stand up and remind the politicians about the fear of God”.
“It needs technocrats who are going to critique their policies, it needs traditional rulers who are going to speak as the conscience of the people, everyone has a role to play and we should try to play that role to the best of our ability.”
“I think the most important thing is that we should continue to pray for our country that whoever emerge as President, governors, senators, members of the House, leadership at all levels that we get good leaders”.
“And I think that we should also remind ourselves as Muslims and as citizens that that this country deserves better than what we have been given ourselves”.
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“Allah commands you that you place trust only in the hands of those who are capable of handling that trust. If you choose somebody who is incompetent to lead you, if you choose somebody who is weak to lead you, if you choose someone who is dishonest to lead you, you can only blame yourself because Allah says you should only give that trust and He also explains to us what it means to be capable of holding that trust”.
“Someone who has the competence to do the job and who can be trusted. We should not choose leaders who are not competent because they give us money or because of personal interest”.
“I keep saying to my brothers in Tijaniyyaa that we should stop praying for people who come to talk to us to say come and pray for me to be governor, come and pray for me to be President, they go and take people’s money to go and read the Quaran for them”.
Sanusi urged that all candidates must be scrutinised and only those who are competent and honest should be chosen.
“We should look at all the candidates very well. We should choose the people that we think are competent and honest and then we decide who we want to pray for, not who comes to us with money or who comes to to beg us, whether or not they come for us.
And we should go and vote for them and they should pray to Allah that our sincere belief that these are the people who are in the best interest of our nation“.