Emir Sanusi Says Dethronement Spared Him Humiliation, Enabled PhD Completion

Muhammadu Sanusi II has said that his four-year absence from Kano following his dethronement as emir spared him potential humiliation and gave him the opportunity to further his academic studies.

Speaking at the Fola Adeola Annual Ramadan Lecture, Sanusi used his personal experiences to highlight resilience during challenging times, stressing that circumstances, not individuals, ultimately shape outcomes 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 cautioned against self-humiliation in pursuit of favour from influential figures, noting that many wrongly assume 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 added.

Sanusi cited his own career as an example of changing fortunes. He recalled that after being suspended as Central Bank of Nigeria governor in 2014, he later became emir. Following his dethronement in 2020, he spent four years away from the palace, during which he completed 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.”

He emphasised that losing positions should not be considered the end of one’s 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? It’s better for you to leave there and keep to yourself principles than to stay there and earn the wrath of Allah,” he said.

Sanusi served as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2009 to 2014. He was dethroned as emir in 2020 by then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and reinstated in 2024 by Governor Abba Yusuf.