THE SUSPENSION OF SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI by Femi Fani-Kayode

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is not my favourite person and I have differences with him on many issues. I must however commend his immense courage for speaking out and exposing the monuemental corruption in the government that he once served and that has now decided that they no longer require his services.

Two weeks ago he claimed that 20 billion US dollars had gone missing from the coffers of the NNPC. Today he has been suspended and relieved of his duties for exposing the rot and speaking the truth. I have little doubt that the next thing that will happen is that he will be subjected to a formal probe and the EFCC will be called in to investigate his tenure of office. They will throw everything that they have got at him including the kitchen sink simply because he refused to play ball with them and cover up their penchant for monuemental corruption and graft.

Some of us have been there before and we know what it is like. If you speak truth to power and you take on the system be rest assured that the system will fight back and they will attempt to destroy you and all that is yours. Yet none of that matters because the only thing that is relevant is the fact that history and posterity will be kind to Sanusi on this matter based on the choices that he has made.

He spoke out when others chose to remain silent and to compromise. Unlike others, he refused to sell his soul to the devil and to sell his heritage and birthright for a mess of pottage. Despite the significant differences that I have with this man in terms of our different outlooks to how and what Nigeria ought to be as a nation I salute him and commend him for his efforts.

I also make bold to say that with his noble stand he has assured himself of a great place in the next dispensation and he will play a key role in the future of this country one way or the other. May God guide and protect him in all his endeavours and may he continue to speak out with courage and strength and not allow himself to be intimidated or silenced.

Long is the road of righteousness and truth and it is often tarred with the spikes of persecution, misrepresentati

on and falsehood. Yet at the end of the day it is the only road that is worth taking and it is the only one that leads to lasting honour and glory.

May that honour and glory find Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and may God reward him for putting the interests and welfare of the Nigerian people before that of the woeful and rotten administration that he once served.