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Summary: Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi, the Emir of Kano, has asserted that educating the girl-child is the most effective strategy to curb intergenerational poverty and the country’s socio-economic challenges.
Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi, the Emir of Kano, has asserted that educating the girl-child is the most effective strategy to curb intergenerational poverty and the country’s socio-economic challenges. He said this during his keynote address at the maiden convocation of Miva Open University, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in Lagos on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
Addressing the graduands, the Kano Emir stated that when girls are educated, it would significantly reduce maternal and neonatal deaths, malnutrition and the number of out-of-school children.
He said, “If there is one single silver bullet that goes through many of the developmental issues that we face, it is educating the girl-child.”
The Emir also described education as a fundamental right rather than a privilege reserved for a few, arguing that it’s a powerful tool that helps women gain economic independence, reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates, and make informed choices about family planning.
“Education is not a privilege. It is not a reward for those fortunate enough to be born in the right city, to the right family or with the right resources. Education is a right. And when systems are built that deny it, they do not merely fail individuals, they fail nations,” he said.
Nigeria has a severe education crisis as 18.3 million children are out of school, and more than half of them are girls. A 2025 report shows that child marriage, poverty, conflict, gendered roles, cultural norms, and insecurity are drivers of this crisis.
