IN BED WITH MUHAMMADU SANUSI

Please, it is not that kind of bed o. In this context it means, in agreement with his thoughts. But first let me thank my new friend, Babangida Sule Jnr, who made this meeting very possible and my big aunty, Fatima Wali- Abdurrahman and my egbon, Kola Karim, who have helped me get very close to His Highness. You see my people, I am a huge fan o, up to the point of obsession. When His Highness is discussing the economy, Nigeria or his philosophy of life, I will just be looking like a teenage girl watching Michael Jackson dance on stage. Yes, that is electrifying. That was how Sule called me early on Sunday morning, where are you, Duke? Can you get here in 15 minutes? His Highness wants to see you. I was in Magodo and about to do something – cough, cough. I jumped down, wore clothes and amid protests of Duke naaaaaa, come and finish – I ran to Ikoyi overtaking all the LASTMA on the road. His Highness is a very handsome man o. He sat in a regal fashion and spoke very deliberately. The man is sound, kai. Not all these ‘guguru’ people who will be talking on television. His position on the economy remains the same, his position on corruption and its debilitating effects on the polity remains the same but it’s his philosophy about life that really caught me. “Edgar, I sacked myself from any position, the next day I was appointed.” Wow! Wow!! “Edgar, I do not define myself by the position. I am Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and not the CBN Governor.” Ohhhhh My God! This is very far from the “do you know who I am” we hear from Lilliputians who by chance get some local government appointments. His Highness represents a long line starting from about 200 years and he will carry himself with the dignity and royalty his birth requires. As he spoke, I was just sitting there listening and learning like a sponge. Nigeria never understands its brilliant outliers. Nigeria always cuddles the ‘emi lo kans’ and chews and spits out the brilliance of the type of Khalifa but this particular child of the Niger has refused to be cowed as he still maintains his respect internationally and is still followed massively by hordes of Nigerians. As he bade me farewell, I felt like hugging him but I for turn to a pillar of salt, because I am not sure you can hug him – this no be Obi Cubana. So, I bade him farewell and rushed back to Magodo to see if I could finish where

I left off. Mbok see what they told me – go back and meet Emir, let him sort you out. – sharrap. Some people are not just children of history.