Muhammadu Sanusi II, Emir of Kano, has called for a clearer separation between religion and politics, saying religious leaders should focus on their spiritual responsibilities while politicians concentrate on governance.
Sanusi spoke in Abuja on Thursday at the public presentation of “Military Transformational Leadership in Action: The Buratai Era”.
He said the increasing overlap between religious and political roles had created a situation where there was little distinction between clerics and politicians.
“It is not the responsibility of politicians to give us religion. They are there to give us education, to give us health care, and to give us an economy,” the Emir of Kano said.
“Allow the religion to be in the hands of those who are religious leaders. It is also not the duty of religious leaders to get into politics.”
He said the blurring of the two spheres had become pronounced in Nigeria.
“Right now, there’s no distinction between imams and bishops and senators. Everybody is a politician,” he said.
‘POLITICISATION OF RELIGION’ COULD FUEL VIOLENCE
Sanusi also linked the politicisation of religion and ethnicity to Nigeria’s security challenges, saying the country’s crisis did not begin with banditry, Boko Haram or terrorism.
He said the problem started with divisive rhetoric in political discourse and the increasing tendency of Nigerians to identify themselves primarily along ethnic, regional and religious lines.
“It started with the violence in words that we saw in newspapers and that we heard from politicians, where we started categorising ourselves not as Nigerians but as northerners and southerners, Muslims and Christians, Yoruba and Igbo and Hausa,” he said.
According to him, such divisions created an environment conducive to the emergence of violent movements.
He warned that unless Nigerians reversed the politicisation of ethnicity and religion, the country could be laying the groundwork for another round of violence.
“Until we begin to walk back from the politicisation of ethnicity and the politicisation of religion and free our politics from these base considerations, we are only laying the foundation for a new round of violence,” he said.
Sanusi urged Nigerians to return to a stronger sense of national identity and focus on development.
“We have to go back to seeing ourselves as Nigerians, as people committed to this country, and focus on what is important, which is the development of our people.”
‘STOP POLITICISING INSTITUTIONS’
The emir said strong leaders and strong institutions are needed for the country to function effectively.
“The truth is we need both. A strong leader cannot perform if the institution itself is not strong. And no matter how strong an institution is, if you place a weak leader on top of it, he destroys it,” he said.
Sanusi said institutional strength should be measured by adherence to legal and professional responsibilities rather than coercive power.
He cited the judiciary as an example, saying a strong judge should act impartially and not be influenced by politicians or financial inducements.
Sanusi also called for the military, police, Central Bank of Nigeria, judiciary and press to remain insulated from partisan politics.
“We need to stop politicising institutions: the military, the police, the central bank, the judiciary, and the press. These are institutions that are there to hold political society in check,” he said.
He warned that such institutions could not effectively provide checks and balances if they became absorbed in the interests of political actors.
“The moment we all get absorbed into the projects of politicians, we cannot hold political society in check,” he said.
Sanusi also said institutions needed to think beyond the four-year electoral cycle that typically shapes the decisions of elected politicians.
“The army cannot think in four-year cycles. The police cannot think in four-year cycles. The central bank cannot think in four-year cycles,” he said.
“We have to think 20 years, 30 years, 50 years, whereas elected officers are thinking in four-year cycles; they’re two different mindsets.”