Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi loses at home, gains abroad

BY OUR REPORTER (with NAN report)

The Emir of Kano, north west Nigeria, His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, currently embattled at home, has been appointed an Advocate of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2019-2020.

A statement by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Thursday, in New York, stated that the appointment was sequel to the UN Member States agreement to accomplish the SDGs by 2030.

The Advocates are 17 influential public figures from around the world who are tasked by the Secretary-General to promote the Goals, raise awareness with new audiences, maintain global commitment and call for greater ambition and scalable action to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

Sanusi is the only Nigerian on the 17-man list of SDG Advocates co-chaired by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway.

According to Guterres, the Advocates are tasked with driving the action, building the ambition, and solidifying global political will of the SDGs.

“We have the tools to answer the questions posed by climate change, environmental pressure, poverty and inequality.

“They lie in the great agreements of 2015 – the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

“But tools are no use if you don’t use them. So, today, and every day, my appeal is clear and simple; we need action, ambition, political will, more action, more ambition and more political will,” said Guterres.

He further said that the Advocates are to raise awareness, inspire greater ambition, and push for faster action on the SDGs, which were adopted by world leaders on Sept. 25 2015.

“They are expected to use their unique platforms and leadership to inspire cross-cutting mobilisation of the global community to build the momentum for transformative and inclusive development by 2030.”

The Advocates selected from Governments, entertainment, academia, sport, business and activist organisations around the world, are also expected to leverage and build bridges between their unique audiences, and work together to drive progress.

The Kano State government, a couple of days ago, created four new councils – Rano, Karaye, Bichi and Gaya – to be headed by new emirs with the status of first-class emirs out of Kano.

This followed the amendment of the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs law by the Kano State House of Assembly, paving way for the decentralisation of the Kano Emirate council.

The bill, known as Kano Emirs Appointment and Deposition Amendment Bill 2019, was promptly signed into law by the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Muhammadu Sanusi, former governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank, is an advocate of good governance and strong critic of poor political leadership in northern Nigeria, in particular, and Nigeria generally.