The Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar has attacked the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, over his recent scathing criticism on Northern leaders.
Governor Yari lambasted Emir Sanusi; accusing him of using a Rolls Royce that is worth N132 million while condemning others and blaming them for the “palpable poverty” thwacking the North.
The Governor fired his cutting remark to Emir Sanusi in a statement issued by Special Adviser to the Executive Governor on Public Enlightenment and Communication, Ibrahim Dosara.
Yari asked HRH Sanusi to either practice what he preaches or forever keep his peace.
This, according to him, is because in a situation where epidemics are taking our children, maternal mortality, uneducated youth, social vices and incompetent leaders are the national scourge, “all he wants to do is ride a Rolls Royce in the face of palpable poverty.”
Yari was, no doubt, irked by Sanusi’s aspersion that he had not done enough to prevent the Type C meningitis epidemic ravaging his state.
Sanusi also specifically pointed Zamfara as one of the poverty endemic state in Northern Nigeria.
He said: “The oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the UNDP in 2015 published data on the incidence of poverty in Nigeria showing that, on average, 46% of Nigerians are living in poverty.
“This is based on the UN’s Global Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index which focuses on Education, Health and Living Standards.
“Although this average is in itself bad, it masks even more serious internal inequalities and incidences of extreme poverty by region and gender.
“So for example the South-West of Nigeria has less than 20% of its population living in poverty while the North-West has more that 80% of its population living in poverty.
“In the North-East the figure is 76.8%. Over 90% of the people in Yobe and Zamfara States are living in poverty compared to 8.5% in Lagos and around 11% in Osun and Anambra states.
“The response to this speech has been a barrage of personal attacks and insults aimed at silencing any voices that dare shine the light on the society to which we are saying Bring Back our Girls.
Reacting, Governor Yari said he firmly believes that a country that goes to its pastors and Imams who recommend prayer and fasting as the solution to every social misfortune, from matrimonial disagreements, to social and economic complications needs to be wary of the wrath of God in the event of an epidemic of unquantifiable proportion such as Type C meningitis.
Calling Sanusi a hypocrite, he cited a prophesy foretold by Sheikh Mahmood Jaafar.
He maintained that Sanusi is one of those whose hypocrisy would bring an epidemic of monumental proportions to Nigeria.
Sheikh Jaafar had argued in that sermon that “Sanusi Lamido is one of the enemies of Islam who would assume all traits of a good Muslim but deep inside them is a hatred of Islam, and the people far beyond human imagination.”
In the statement, he asked HRH Sanusi to champion what he preaches instead of brandishing a multi-million Naira Rolls Royce and then running from pillar to post preaching poverty.
Another critic of Sanusi, who pleaded anonymity, also argued that Sanusi is the least person to preach poverty reform in Nigeria.
He argued that “Emir Sanusi has never struggled, he didn’t go to public school to acquire both western and Islamic education.
“He has never use his hands to cultivate food in the farm, he has never trade in the market to survive, he doesn’t go to public hospital, he has never been in the midst of the TALAKAWAS in anyway.
“So, how would he know the reality on the newspapers mostly published by unethical press?
“Poverty isn’t a choice.
“He became CBN governor without applying for the Job, he became an Emir without stress. He had an opportunity read to be an intellectual without tears and fears.
“He doesn’t need to tell us there’s poverty, what is needed from him is, the way out from poverty and that has to do with action not noise pollution,” he stated.
