By Musa Wada.
In this interview, we are very happy to meet up with Dr. Sanusi Abdul Sanusi, the MD/CEO of SANAN REAL HOMES, a real estate development company that has carved a niche for himself as one of the biggest players in the real estate business in Nigeria. The philanthropist per excellence who cannot stop giving because that is what he knows how to do best in his humility never hesitated in answering the many questions put to him about his business, the estate management industry in Nigeria, his philanthropy, politics and most importantly to him, his family and many more….Read on
You are welcome sir, to this very important interview session as it is a long time waiting to have you with us.
Thank you for having me. I am very sorry for the delays in granting you this interview and take it from me due to factors beyond my control for which I am sorry for. The press, which we call the third estate of the realm is very important to our daily living and to the advancements of our quest to build a modern society, democracy, awareness and most importantly businesses. You have my absolute respect and I am indeed grateful for this unique opportunity granted me.
For the benefit of our readers, please can we meet you though your name rings a bell across the nation, for the benefit of those who may be hearing from you for the first time, who really is D Sanusi Abdul Sanusi?
I am simply the MD/CEO of SANAN REAL HOMES, a real estate development company and I am grateful to the Almighty Allah that this company has grown over the years to become one of the major players in the real estate business of Nigeria and it is also a thing of pride to me and self fulfilling to hear you call me a philanthropist per excellence. I am happily married with children and that is simple me for you.
For the sake of this interview sir, we will like to start from your philanthropy. What is the real secret behind your philanthropic gestures?
The secret of living is giving and it is a lesson I learnt from my father, in essence, by contributing to the well-being of others, you are arguably creating a better society. This is an ethos i indeed lives by and nothing more. By giving, I think I am daily demonstrating the exact meaning of philanthropy and making a positive impact on the causes that matter to the people. As long as I live, as an ethos of mine, i pledge to donate substantial chunk of my wealth freely given to me by the creator to the betterment of the society and by so doing exemplarily put a charge for other ultra-rich individuals to do the same in the country and beyond and by so doing make the world a better place for all.
Thank you, sir. Do you have a foundation in place which you use as instrument in carrying out your charity and philanthropic work?
I have donated immensely to the cause of humanity through my foundation called “The Sasan foundation” It is a charity organization I established many years ago primarily to give succor and hope to all so that no man, no matter his background or condition of his birth will be left behind but to live out his life assisted to reach the peak of his talent and destiny.
Wonderful. Sir can you indeed recount some of the areas your foundation have intervened in the country so far?
If records are anything to go by, it has shown that we have since The inception of my foundation successfully financed and intervene in the schooling and graduation of many engineers, medical doctors, nurses and other professionals through this foundation. I am known as one of the pillars of education in my senatorial zone of Kogi State which is the Ankpa/omala/Olamoboro Federal constituency and I have shown this commitments and dedication in curbing illiteracy and poverty in this regard through this foundation. It is very instructive to note that the three major purposes of existence on earth is to live the life of divine abundance, worship and love God as well as love our neighbors as ourselves. This is encapsulated in all the holy books, be it the Quran or the holy Bible. One of the very best lessons I learnt from my parents which has immensely influenced my philanthropic life is that you cannot say you are rich when the people living close to you live in abject poverty.
It is strange sir, that despite your good philanthropic works and gestures over the years you do not want to make headlines as others do. Why so?
I love philanthropy but not advertised philanthropy which entails making headlines in the newspapers, radios and indeed the instrumentality of the press, is not for me. I detest it because I am doing this as an instrument in the hand of God to help better the lives of humanity and the God who sees in secret in his time has been rewarding me abundantly also in secret. The praises of men do not matter to me. I thank God for giving me the capacity to register my name in the hearts of those people through my educational and poverty alleviation initiatives.
Let us now touch on your real estate business where you have achieved a whole lot in the industry and now one of its major players in the country. Tell us about your company?
Thank you. My company known as SANAN Real Home Limited is an indigenous and one of Nigeria’s, by the grace of God, a leading real estate firm offering services in construction and property developments. The company can today boast of an impressive portfolio of historic real estate landmarks scattered all over the country. In order to provide various flexible plans on all its properties, SANAN REAL HOMES finishes to taste both medium and high income earners houses, as the company intends to bridge the gap in the housing deficit in Nigeria. Since the birth of the company, SANAN REAL HOMES Strategy is to build a trusting relationships by keeping to promises and even exceeding clients expectations with its properties spread across the country.
While growing up, apart from having a big dream, what do you love most?
Yes, while growing up as you rightly said apart from having a big dream, I have always loved to be unique and outstanding in whatever I do. As some one that have the people at heart, I know that I cannot achieve my big dreams with white collar job. Thus, i established myself to be able to participate and contribute to the development of my immediate society, community and humanity in general. Thus, I ventured into real estate which eventually gave birth to the company you see today.
Many are surprise today that even with the present state of the economy, you are doing well. What is the secret?
Obviously, I am doing well today as one of the big players in the real estate sector of our economy because of the enabling environment created by the renewed hope administration of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Through the implementation of his strategic agenda which has within a short time changed the real estate business in the country,, Today, i can boast of quality and functional estates in prime locations with it comes, its affordable prices which has led to the company becoming one to be reckoned with. The company has grown to be classified among the first class and leading real estate companies in Nigeria and indeed beyond. My entrepreneurial achievements, works of charity and philanthropy as well as community development efforts in the past few years have earned me several honours and awards which I cannot exhaustibly mention here. All to the glory of God.
Let us now talk about politics and the economy of the country as it is the pivot of development and growth. Are you into politics?
It is trite that everyone, in one way or the other, is a political animal and in relative term I would say even though I am not yet a professional politician because I am not yet a practitioner or an actor in the field, but I have my political views. If politics is about the people and the advancements of their well being, I think so also is business and philanthropy. I will leave it as that for now.
So, because we cannot ascribe you today to any political party affiliation or patronages I think you are qualified and one of the ideal person to answer this questions. The impact of the two years renew hope administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?
I think that to me the present administration of President Tinubu have performed relatively well and I have no apology to this assertion of mine. Judging from where we are coming from, is there any alternatives to his policies and agenda? To me the answer is no. Yes, his reforms and agenda especially the removal of oil subsidy and the harmonization of the exchange rate regime may have brought an unintended immediate pain to all but it is a necessary bitter pills prescriptions we must have to swallow as citizens desirous of a better future for our country, we sacrificed to make our country great again because for me, I believe in the words of Mikhail Gorbachev, the former reformist President of Russia who said during the heat of his implementations of his Glasnost and Perestroika agenda for the total reforms of the Russian economy that “ A pessimist is a well informed optimist” . The President has indeed handled the crisis in the economy very well based on the data and evidence at my disposal, the economy is fatly on its way to full recovery, our Federal Direct Investments inflows had tremendously increased by more than 50% over the past two years of the present administration, the Naira is stabilizing, the economy is being diversified successfully, there is a check on corruption and many more. I think with a little more time and the supports of Nigerians, we are close to Uhuru, trust me and you can take this assurance to the bank for safe keeping. our country should be proud at this time to have a real strategist as its leader at this junction in its history. This is simply because throughout history it is rated that no nation no matter how endowed has ever achieved any substantial leap without a leader who gives it a strategic plan. This president is a strategic leader and what we need to do is rally round him, forget the bring him down political syndrome that have for so long blocked our clear way to development and growth and not long from now, the light at the end of the tunnel for our country will manifest.
The next election is fast approaching as we have just marked the two years of the present administration at the saddle of leadership in the country, there is those who feels the president have not lived up to expectations. What is your views about this?
What are the basic requirements of measuring a performing leader or president?. I will continue to state unequivocally and without any apology that based on data and evidence at my disposal not even manufactured by this administration, the present administration should be proud of itself for the change witnessed so far in the narratives of the country both politically and economically. The days where we live in the wilderness is almost over, corruption is down drastically because the government is showing the positive signs that it is a business unusual administration and dispensation. Politically, nobody has reportedly been gagged, and the judiciary is already showing signs of its independence from the apron of the executive and so also is INEC. I am proud that at this junction in Nigeria. we have a president who epitomized the struggle for the actualization of our democratic yearnings and cravings. My friends and countrymen, make no mistake about this, the anti democratic forces among us are still around masquerading as democrats for which we must be careful. My last word is that we must remember that there is never a paved expressway to an individuals or nations truly beneficial freedom and this is because when freedom is offered on a golden platter, the valour of the platter far, too often, overshadowed the offerings. Let us all be patriotic by always putting our nation first as Donald Trump, the president of America always say. Can President Bola Ahmed Tinubu take us to the promised land ?, the answer is not blowing in the wind because I believe, yes he can.
You indeed seems to be proud that you are a great family man. How fulfilled are you?
We are indeed living in a world where the world is full of pain than with compassion but believe me choosing to be compassionate to others is the best and most fulfilling decision I have ever made. Through my works of charity, I always see myself coming like a comet and leaving through a mark of light that makes people smile. I want to build a world where no one will be left behind but be given the tools and helped to live a life to the highest level of his talent as enshrined in his destiny. My family is the best asset I have in life and it is fulfilling to have them because if I pass through this way again, I definitely would want to have my beautiful wife and children as the reasons of my happiness and existence as they are to me now.
