I’m at my happiest in classroom – Emir Sanusi

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has said he finds his greatest happiness in the classroom, either as a teacher or a student, describing learning as a lifelong process.

Sanusi stated this on Friday while speaking with journalists after attending classes at Northwest University, Kano, where he was recently admitted to study Common and Sharia Law.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria revealed that the programme marks his third bachelor’s degree, recalling his earlier experiences as an undergraduate.

“The first time I was at level 200 was in 1978, and the second time was in 1992. So, this is actually my third bachelor’s degree I’m going for,” he said.

The monarch, who already holds a PhD, explained that his decision to study Law was the fulfilment of a long-held personal ambition, noting that pursuing a Law degree later in life is not unusual.

“I am at my happiest in the classroom either studying or teaching because it is a process of learning.

“Law is a subject many people go to after retirement; People like General Obasanjo, Alex Ekwueme, Nasir el-Rufai, Osita Chidoka. So this is not strange at all. It is a subject that we all need to live with.

“The law is all over us. It is the law that holds society together,” he said.

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Sanusi stressed the importance of legal knowledge in everyday life, saying law provides the framework that shapes human interactions, governance, and civic responsibility.

He also highlighted the civic value of education, arguing that learning plays a critical role in producing responsible citizens.

“The more education you have, the better citizen you become,” Sanusi said, adding that he had already gained new insights after only a few days in class.

In a light-hearted moment, the emir joked that studying Law could help him better confront his critics.

“Maybe if I understand the law, I can give my traducers some trouble — maybe I’ll sue them,” he said.

Sanusi expressed gratitude to the University management for granting him admission and used the occasion to commend lecturers, urging society to show greater appreciation for educators.

His admission into the university’s degree programme in Common and Sharia Law has attracted public attention, with images and videos of the monarch attending lectures alongside younger students circulating widely on social media.