The Emir of Kano and former Central Bank Governor, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has urged ministers and presidential aides to prioritise honesty over flattery in their dealings with Nigeria’s leaders, warning that excessive praise and sycophancy are harming governance and economic reform.
Speaking at the Oxford Global Think Tank Leadership Conference in Abuja, Sanusi said Nigeria’s leadership crisis has been deepened by a culture of fear and conformity that discourages truth-telling.
“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.”
He criticised the practice of officials showering political leaders with praise at official events, saying it undermines good governance and prevents meaningful reform.
“You sit in a meeting and the first thing someone says is, ‘Mr. President, thank you for your great leadership.’ By the time they finish laying that foundation, it is their advice that the President accepts,” he said.
Sanusi urged senior officials to “restore integrity to public service” by offering honest counsel, adding that blind loyalty and self-interest have hindered national progress.
“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.”
On economic matters, the Emir commended the Tinubu administration’s decision to remove fuel subsidies and unify exchange rates, calling them “painful but necessary.” However, he cautioned that without fiscal discipline and transparency, such reforms could fail to deliver long-term benefits.
“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 is the quality of government spending and how saved revenues are managed.”
Sanusi also criticised government waste, questioning the need for an oversized cabinet and lavish spending on convoys and foreign trips.
“We cannot preach sacrifice to the people while living in luxury at the top,” he said.
At the same event, economist and banker Atedo Peterside echoed Sanusi’s concerns, saying the government must show that funds saved from subsidy removal are being used to improve citizens’ lives.
“Pain does not automatically bring gain,” Peterside said. “Gain only follows pain if government eliminates waste and supports the poor.”
The conference, themed “Reimagining Leadership and Governance in a Changing Africa,” brought together policymakers, economists, and academics to discuss accountability, fiscal responsibility, and institutional reform.