‘It’s humbling being Samira Sanusi’s brother’
Mustapha Haruna Sanusi is brother to Samira Haruna Sanusi, President of the Samira Sanusi Sickle Cell Foundation, an Abujabased NGO. She is also the author of ‘S is for Survivor’, a memoir about her personal experiences with Sickle Cell Anemia and getting
Daily Trust: How would you describe your sister? Sanusi: She is a strong and hard working person. She is also very caring. I call her the charitable mother. She carries everybody’s problems on her head, and in a way makes her like the mother Theresa of this generation.
DT: What was growing up like with her? Sanusi: Growing up with Samira was very special because she is my immediate elder sister. We got to play together a lot. We relate like friends sometimes and when we go out people mistake us for a couple.
DT: Can you share a fond childhood memory?
Sanusi: She loves taking pictures and dancing. I also remember us running around the house and she demanding to be respected.
DT: When did it dawn on you that your sister is famous?
Sanusi: That was when she came back to Nigeria after her bone marrow transplant. I shy away from attention because people always refer to me as the donor. I remember when we went out once and someone came up to her and said he recognised her. Samira’s sickle cell advocacy and how she shared her experience living with Sickle Cell Anaemia drew attention to her. She told people that it could be managed and urged parents not to give up. She didn’t do
it for the fame, but it came anyway.
DT: How do you feel having a famous sister?
Sanusi: It makes me happy because it’s easy for her to reach out. People already know her and her story. It’s an honour to have a sibling famous for a good reason.
DT: What misconception about her will you like to correct?
Sanusi: She’s a straightforward person that loves to help people. But at the same time sometimes people don’t like to help themselves. So when she reaches her limit some misinterpret that she doesn’t want to help.
DT: If she wasn’t president of a sickle cell foundation or an author, what other profession do you think she would have excelled at?
Sanusi: She would have made a good detective because she is very observant. DT: What easily gets her upset?
Sanusi: She’s mostly a very happy person and hardly gets upset. But what will easily upset her is when she is hungry or wants a particular delicacy at a certain time. DT: How does she relax?
Sanusi: She loves to read and watch TV shows
DT: What was the last good book you read and why?
Sanusi: It’s ‘S is for Survival’ which chronicles her experience dealing with sickle cell anaemia. I found it very difficult to read when it was published because I know the story and her journey. It was difficult for me to read it back then.