Nigerians were thrown into a state of utter shock at the dethronement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and were even more shocked after Aminu Ado Bayero, the son to Sanusi’s predecessor was installed as the new Emir within a short period.
However, it seems the immediate family of the deposed Emir was not shocked as his daughter Shahida predicted the dethronement in 2017 at the first Annual Chibok Girls Lecture in Abuja where she gave a powerful thought-provoking speech.
According to The Nation, Shahida said as much as Sanusi would love to rule the people of Kano, he would never trade his conscience for such position. She said her father would willingly give up the throne rather than be silenced. This is because Sanusi is a vocal advocate of egalitarianism in the North which is still ridden with poverty despite the enormous wealth of the elite and state.
In Shahida’s speech, she inferred some people had resorted to blackmailing Sanusi with his Emir position in a bid to stop him from fighting for the progress and equality of his people.
“My father never fails to fight. He fights for progress, liberty, justice and equality. So those people that think they know my father should know that he will never be silenced by blackmail and intimidation. He lost his position once when he was suspended from CBN. I don’t know if you can remember the famous quote when he said you can suspend a man but you cannot suspend the truth. Whenever confronted with the choice of what is right and popular, you must always do the right thing. He taught us and I know he doesn’t mind being the most unpopular Emir so long as he speaks the truth.
“As for the throne, he always says it is God who gives power and only He can take it away. When God says your time is up, it is up. But before then, no one can do anything to you. I am sure he will like to remain an Emir for the rest of his life as it was all he wanted to be but I know he would not at all cost.”
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Shahida further said: “It is about doing the right thing no matter the consequences. I know if my father has to choose between the throne and his conscience, he will give up the throne. He has already accomplished his ambition of succeeding his forefathers and frankly he is the same person I know as a banker and CBN governor. As an Emir, he has not changed and he will be the same person even as an ex-Emir if he comes to that. But he will never be silent. Whether he is in the arena or not, this is our battle to fight…”
Meanwhile, supporters of the deposed Emir have begun campaigning for him ahead of the 2023 General elections. Campaign vehicles carrying the picture of Sanusi have been spotted in different parts of Nigeria.