THE 16th Fulani Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II, has reiterated the enduring relevance of traditional institutions in Nigeria’s governance architecture, insisting that constitutional provisions are not required for him to offer counsel to elected leaders on issues affecting the nation.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief monitored by News Point Nigeria, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria said his authority to advise the President or state governors flows naturally from his position as a traditional ruler and leader of the people, not from constitutional endorsement.
“I don’t need the Constitution to tell me to advise the President,” Sanusi said. “If I think there is something wrong in the country, I should go to the President and say, ‘Mr President, I think this is wrong.’ I don’t need the Constitution to tell me that.”
He extended the same argument to state governance, stressing that while governors hold executive authority, traditional rulers retain moral legitimacy and grassroots influence.
“I don’t need the Constitution to tell the governor that I think this is what we should be doing. I get that authority from being a leader of the people,” the Emir stated.
Sanusi acknowledged that some stakeholders advocate for clearly defined constitutional roles for traditional rulers but maintained that advisory functions are inherent in leadership and societal trust.
“We respect that you have executive authority as governor; times have moved,” he added.
Beyond governance, the Emir used the platform to make a strong case for greater women’s participation in politics and nation-building, arguing that inclusive governance is impossible without adequate female representation.
According to him, women play crucial roles in social and economic development and must be better represented in elected and decision-making positions to strengthen democratic outcomes.
Sanusi also delivered a forceful condemnation of gender-based violence, rejecting cultural justifications for domestic abuse and calling for firmer action against perpetrators.
“You cannot beat a woman because your culture says you can beat her,” he said. “She is a Nigerian citizen entitled to protection. These rights are inviolable and cannot be violated in the name of culture.”
He argued that violence against women is not unique to Africa or Nigerian traditions but stems from unequal power relations where men dominate and women are left unprotected.
“It’s not about African culture. It’s about power relations. Where men have power and women are not protected, men will take advantage of that power and oppress them,” Sanusi said.
The Emir highlighted that women are not the only victims of such power imbalances, pointing to children, the poor and persons with disabilities as frequent casualties.
“In our society, the weak and the vulnerable are victims,” he noted. “If you go to hospitals, you will find crippled women, blind women who are victims. You will also find cases of paediatric sexual abuse.”
He stressed that citizenship and humanity must override cultural excuses, insisting that modern societies must protect fundamental human rights.
Sanusi further turned attention to Nigeria’s growing crisis of out-of-school children, arguing that every child has a fundamental right to basic education and that removing a child from school should be treated as an offence.
“Every child is entitled to a basic education. If you take a child out of school, you are supposed to commit an offence,” he said.
However, he blamed government failure rather than parental neglect, noting that enforcement is impossible where schools are unavailable.
“How many people have ever been arrested for taking children out of school? The government has not provided the schools,” he argued.
Addressing child marriage, particularly in parts of northern Nigeria, Sanusi linked the practice to poverty and lack of educational infrastructure rather than cultural preference.
“You go to a village and there is only a primary school. A girl finishes school at eleven, and between eleven and eighteen, what arrangement have you made for her?” he asked.
With no access to secondary education, skills centres or meaningful opportunities, he explained that poor families often marry off young girls out of fear and desperation.
“The poor father is scared she will get pregnant on the road. The next young man that comes, he marries her off,” the Emir said.
He called on governments to tackle the root causes by investing in schools, teachers and vocational centres.
“These cultures reflect poverty. Let’s build the schools. Let’s provide primary and secondary schools with teachers, then we will see if people still refuse to send their children to school,” he said.
Sanusi concluded by warning against blaming culture without addressing structural failures, insisting that sustainable solutions lie in education, protection of rights and inclusive governance.