Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on Saturday in Abuja said he did not know poverty until he became Emir.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Emir Sanusi said this in his goodwill message at a public lecture in honour of Mr Rotimi Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State.
Speaking at the public lecture titled: “Weaponization of poverty as a means of underdevelopment: A case study of Nigeria,” the Emir disclosed he got to know what poverty truly is when he mounted the throne.
“Many of the elite in Nigeria do not know what poverty is. As an economist, former CBN Governor, I see the numbers, but I did not know poverty until I became Emir,” Sanusi Lamido said at the public lecture to commemorate the 60th birthday of Amaechi.
He went further to say: “And you go to the village and see the water they drink, the houses they live in, the two block classrooms without roofs.
“Do we actually love the people or do we just love ruling over them? What are our priorities?
“We make overheads and underpasses for ourselves in the cities while those in the rural areas cannot reach hospitals. We are in a crisis, how we will get out should be our focus”.
Speaking further, Sanusi charged those saddled with the responsibility of leadership to inculcate the virtues of empathy with those they have been given a responsibility to lead.