Sanusi II to Shettima: Dangote, Abdulsamad Are Kano’s, Not Lagos-Bred
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO — The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, on Thursday firmly asserted that Nigeria’s leading industrialists, Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabiu, originated from Kano, countering narratives suggesting they were products of Lagos’ business environment.
Speaking at the Institute of Chattered Secretaries and Admnistrators of Nigeria ( ICSAN), 60th anniversary celebration and inauguration of its Kano chapter, the Emir said it was important to “set the record straight” on the origin of Nigeria’s most successful entrepreneurs, insisting that historical facts support Kano’s claim.
“It is not surprising that the two richest Africans we have are from Kano — Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabiu,” Sanusi said.
“I am informed that Lagos is trying to claim that it produced them. We are happy that people are claiming our sons, but just for clarity and for the record, Kano produced them.”
The Emir went further to argue that both business magnates merely expanded their influence through Lagos, stressing: “Kano produced Abdulsamad. And the two of them went to Lagos to teach them how to do business. So I hope that correction is noted. We produced them, they went, they saw, they conquered.”
Beyond the debate over economic origins, Sanusi used the platform to highlight Kano’s historical significance, recalling that the ancient city was once “the third largest city in Africa after Cairo and Fez” and a dominant commercial hub in trans-Saharan trade.
He said Kano’s legacy explains its continued production of influential figures in commerce, adding that the city has long been “the undisputed commercial centre in sub-Saharan Africa.”
Turning to governance, the Emir also warned about the decline of ethical standards in Nigeria’s public institutions, blaming decades of erosion in civil service integrity for the country’s challenges.
“Nothing can last without an ethical foundation,” he said. “You don’t go to the civil service to make money. You go into government to serve people.”
Sanusi urged the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) to lead a national revival of ethics in both public and private sectors, calling for professionals to become “ringleaders of a campaign for ethical rejuvenation.”
He concluded by encouraging participants to engage with Kano’s economy, jokingly inviting them to “go to Kurmi Market, spend some money, and contribute to the GDP of Kano” before departing the event.