By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has said Nigeria’s development has been crippled for decades by what he described as “lousy leadership,” insisting that the country’s leaders have failed to match global progress.
Sanusi, who spoke at the second edition of the Kano International Poetry Festival (KAPFEST) on Saturday, warned that without visionary leadership, Nigeria would remain stuck in outdated ethnic and religious debates while the rest of the world advances.
“You rise and fall with the quality of your leadership, and Nigeria has had lousy leadership for a long time,” the former Central Bank Governor declared. “While other nations discuss climate change and artificial intelligence, we are still debating tribe and religion, issues that belonged to the 1960s.”
He challenged Nigerian youths to rise to the occasion by retiring the old political class and taking charge of the nation’s future. “With will and courage, the youth can take over this country,” he said.
On the economy, the emir defended the federal government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, describing it as the only option that prevented bankruptcy. He criticised past administrations for wasting trillions subsidising consumption instead of building local refineries.
“My opposition has always been to consumption subsidy. We kept European refineries in business while neglecting ours. If the right action had been taken in 2012, we would not be in this mess,” he argued.
Sanusi also expressed concern over the rising debt profile of Nigerian governments, warning that reckless borrowing without investment would undermine economic stability in the years ahead.
The three-day poetry festival, themed “Poetry in a Time of Crisis,” brought together more than 400 poets and literary enthusiasts from across Nigeria. It featured performances, an art exhibition, a poetry slam with over N1 million in prizes, and a panel session with the emir himself.
Creative Director of Poetic Wednesdays Initiative (PWI), Nasiba Babale, said the festival was designed to use poetry and art as platforms for peacebuilding and advocacy in Northern Nigeria. She expressed hope that KAPFEST would grow into one of the country’s leading literary events.
During the event, veteran writer and founder of the Creative Arts Foundation, BM Dzukogi, received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to literature and the arts.