The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has successfully completed a doctorate in Islamic law at the University of London, United Kingdom.
The former Central Bank of Nigeria governor’s thesis, titled “Codification of Islamic Family Law as an Instrument of Social Reform: A Case Study of the Emirate of Kano and Comparison with the Kingdom of Morocco,” was approved without any corrections.
In an emotional video that has since gone viral, Sanusi is visibly moved as he receives the news of his thesis approval during a virtual meeting. The video captures the monarch being congratulated by his academic peers, marking the culmination of years of rigorous study and research.
Sanusi embarked on this academic journey after his removal from the throne in 2020 by the then-Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje. Following his dethronement, Sanusi relocated to the UK to focus on his studies, eventually enrolling in the Ph.D. program at the University of London.
In addition to his recent achievement, Sanusi has a rich academic and professional background. In 2019, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in finance by the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Earlier in his career, he earned a second bachelor’s degree in Islamic studies and fiqh from Africa International University in Khartoum, Sudan, in 1997.
Sanusi’s academic journey began with a degree in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981, followed by a Master’s degree in Economics from the same institution. Between 1983 and 1985, he taught Economics at Ahmadu Bello University before transitioning to a distinguished career in banking, culminating in his appointment as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2009.
