Month: August 2021

By Uzair Adam Imam

Traders at Kwanar Tifa in Tudun Murtala, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, have lamented the deplorable condition of the only road that passes through the community. They decry that this hampers business activities in the area.

The traders also called on the authority in the state to come to their aid.

Kwanar Tifa is a centre of commercial activities for the Tudun Murtala and the surrounding communities.

Apart from small scale industries that offer job opportunities to thousands of youths, men and women, there is a phone market that gives business opportunities for many more people in the area.

Hassan Ibrahim, one of the traders in the area, called upon the state government to rescue traders in the area. He added that many businesses might crumble if nothing is done.

“The reconstruction of this road will not only benefit us as it connects Tudun Murtala, Rimin Kebe, Dawakin Dakata and other areas, but also boost business activities in the area”, Hassan said.

He further added that sometimes trucks find it very difficult to convey goods to the area.

“Sometimes, the drivers would park a distance away or in the puddles created by the stagnant water.

“This costs us more money. You have to pay extra money to the labourers to bring the good here.”

Also, drivers complained of the nuisance faced while plying the road.

“Sometimes, when we come here, our trucks get stuck because of the erosions. The road is terrible,” said a driver, Haruna Idris.

The Daily Reality learnt that the Chairman of Nassarawa Local Government, Auwalu Alhassan Shu’aibu, alias Aramfosu, once visited the area to ascertain the level of damage on the road.

According to a trader, Abubakar U. Lawan, the chairman promised the traders that the road would soon be reconstructed.

He said, “There was a time when the Chairman of Nassarawa Local Government, Honorable Aramfosu, came here to see this road.

“At that time, he made promises, but those promises have not been fulfilled.”

All attempts made to hear from the chairman was proved abortive.

By Ishaka Mohammed

After many fruitless applications, job seekers in Nigeria get frustrated. As some delve into crime, others retire to idleness, leaving everything to fate. Neither of these options is advisable. Nevertheless, there’s no need to stop trying. The following instances might suffice.

In Nigeria, being called a SAN comes with prestige. The bearer of the title is an experienced legal practitioner, considered professionally (and to a large extent, economically) successful. It means Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), yes? But, no, there’s a different angle to it.

Many young Nigerians can bear an unfortunate version of the acronym SAN. They don’t have to study law, not to talk of being called to the Bar.

To cut it short, a guy and two ladies meet (for the first time). In response to the question of what he does for a living, he replies, “I’m a SAN.” The ladies are amazed due to his age, so they try to congratulate him, but his conception of the acronym fills the scene with abundances of laughs. He gently says, “I am a Senior Applicant of Nigeria (SAN).” The guy has applied for many jobs, but he has yet to secure employment. After listening to his story, the ladies offer him a job.

That’s in a Nollywood movie, though. Now, let’s discuss reality. A friend and former colleague is currently an officer in the Nigerian military. At a point in his life, he handed copies of his credentials to a cybercafé attendant and asked him to keep applying for jobs that matched the credentials; he would pay after every application. That was after being tired of visiting the café all the time.

Road Safety, Prison Service (now Correctional), Navy, name it — my friend had sat tests or gone for physical screenings, but none had worked in his favour. He was literally tired, so exhausted that when he was called for a physical screening after his last application, he had concluded to ignore it. If not for the timely intervention of his family, he wouldn’t have gone for the screening. He made it afterwards and the rest is history.

The above instances clarify that you have no reason to give up. You don’t have to wait for the required “connection”. Keep trying. Thomas Edison once said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” That one more time might be the last effort required. That one more time shouldn’t be about today or tomorrow; it shouldn’t be about the number of attempts; it should simply be about whether or not you have attained your desired goal.

As a Nigerian, you can irrevocably say that many things have gone wrong in your country. The rate of unemployment is high and scary. Thanks to members of the political elite, who are busy hijacking what is meant for the citizenry.

Attempting to minimise unemployment in the country, successive governments have come up with beneficial programmes targeting the youth. However, the politicisation of selection processes and inconsistent remunerations have sabotaged the otherwise commendable initiatives. For instance, many of the past N-Power volunteers are still owed stipends after one year of exiting the programme. And even while in the scheme, a significant number of these youth often received overdue allowances. What about the Special Public Works Programme for 774,000 unskilled labourers? The three-month programme ended in March 2021, but many of the beneficiaries have yet to be paid. It’s worth stressing that each beneficiary is entitled to just N60,000 (spread across three months).

Despite the ugly situations in Nigeria, try this one. In collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Federal Government of Nigeria is enrolling 20,000 recent graduates in full-time paid employment for twelve months. In addition, the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme is for young graduates.

I partook in a briefing session on Zoom with one of the programme’s team members, Erere Oghoghome, on Tuesday the 17th of August, 2021. According to her, the programme will engage 100,000 people across five years, and the first cohort will be inducted by October 2021. That means the call for applications will be out in the coming weeks. Every eligible and interested person is expected to have developed a craving for a particular skill.

Aside from being paid employees for the period of the programme, fellows stand the chance of being retained by their host organisations. Plus, they’ll join the alumni network upon completion of the programme, and the team will be the first choice for organisations seeking personnel to fill vacancies.

The basic requirements are: graduated not earlier than 2017, less than 30 years of age, unemployed, and possessing NYSC discharge or exemption certificate.
At this juncture, I implore anyone who meets the requirements to keep tabs on the UNDP in Nigeria for this rare opportunity. It might just be that one more step to their dream job.

Other than using the experience to land a job after the programme, one can deploy the skill, money, or both in self-employment. Remember, fellows will be paid as graduate employees, not given stipends.

Therefore, it’s vital that unemployed graduates apply for the programme. There’s no harm in trying.

Ishaka Mohammed writes from Kaduna. He can be contacted via ishakamohammed39@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Fresh violence has reportedly erupted in Yelwan Zangam community, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

A report by the Daily Trust and other sources has indicated that about thirty people have been killed.

Meanwhile, security personnel have been deployed in the affected area.

Recall that a few days ago, suspected Igwere youths butchered about 30 Muslim travellers who were on a religious visit from Bauchi to Ondo State.

As of the time of filing this report, no comment from the Police or any official of the Plateau State government has reached The Daily Reality.

Details shortly…

The military officer identified as Major Dalung abducted Tuesday at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, was reportedly found dead.

The officials of the Academy or the Army Headquarters, Abuja, have yet to confirm the murder of the officer.

The Chronicle, among other news channels, reports that other victims of the daring attack include a Lieutenant Commander, Wulah and a Flying Lieutenant, CM Okoronwo. They were shot dead during the invasion of Afaka barracks of the NDA. Another victim, 2nd Lieutenant Onah, sustained is currently at the NDA hospital with injuries from gunshots.

Recall that the Defence Academy earlier promised to track the shooters and rescue the kidnapped officer after the attack.

The attack was the first of its kind, which the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) described as “embarrassing” to the nation.

By Bashir Shu’aibu Jammaje

Some people or newspapers apply a form of persuasion that is often used in media to further some agenda, such as a personal, political, or business, by evoking an emotional or obligable response from the audience. That is, ‘propaganda’, in layman’s terms. 

Today, various amounts of modern media can be used to supply propaganda to its intended audience, such as radio, television, films posters, handouts, music, to name a few. It is perplexing to see a well-known media like BBC Hausa doing that. I became overwhelmed when I see their post on the case of Sadiya Haruna and the Kano State Hisbah Corps – and not ‘Board’. Kwankwaso removed them from being a board, some say, to intentionally make them less powerful. Why?

I have never seen Sadiya Haruna in a Kannywood film. I then got to the comment section of the BBC Hausa post and read Abba Almustapha’s words, asking them to give him an example of a single film she has ever appeared in. I gave him a call to confirm if she has ever performed in a Kannywood film. His answer was a definite no. 

I only know Sadiya as a popular online sex counsellor for men and women via her social media pages. And, she makes Wakokin Yabo, ‘songs of praise’ videos along with Hafeez Abdullahi.

Since the birth of Kannywood in the early 1990s, it is purportedly founded as a reaction to the imported foreign films, mainly from India and America, that the society, in general, sees as culturally and religiously unsuitable for them. The filmmakers are being accused of so many bad things that they try a lot to hide other nasty things that happen in our society – and we all know that. I’m not, in any way, standing up for them, just that it is high time some people brought their intense hatred towards Kannywood down. And besides, Islam is a social religion – its very purpose is to intervene in human affairs.

Finally, I think BBC Hausa and others should tell Kannywood they are sorry for coming up with a chance to paint them in a bad light.

Bashir Shu’aibu Jammaje writes from Jammaje Academy. He can be reached via bashjam90@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Sabiu

A 57-year-old suspect standing trial on rape charges mysteriously died on Tuesday at the Chief Magistrate Court II in Yola.

The suspect, identified as Mohammed Sani, was a butcher, and he was from Wauru Jabber in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

A report by Punch has indicated that the suspect had been detained in prison for a year following his alleged involvement in sexually assaulting a minor.

The incident occurred after the suspect had been seriously sick.

Men of the NCS had since taken the body to the mortuary.

By Aminu Nuru

Fellow Nigerians, 

It has become necessary for me to write this letter, having heard the grunts of some Nigerians on what they described as ‘glitz’ and ‘glamour’ wedding ceremonies and events of my son, Yusuf.

It is important to clarify why I choose to write on this topic while there are more pressing issues endangering the peace and stability of our dear nation. I decide to write to you because I consider this grunt to be directly aiming to attack my integrity and the reputation I built in my more than five decades of selfless service to the country.

Forgive me if I sound harsh in this letter; I am still shocked by the killings of innocent Muslim travellers in Jos. As it stands today, I could barely eat well. I hope you noticed how starved I look at the venue of the wedding Fatiha and later at the Presidential dinner in honour of the bride and groom. I could not even stand on my feet, just as everyone did to welcome the new couple.

Fellow Nigerians, you should understand by this time the personality traits of your President. I am a terrible introvert, a man of few words. This is a confession, and you may think it is a deficiency. Still, I am content with it, for silence teaches me how to be calm and concentrated in a time of turmoil, endure and be patient in critical situations, and reflect and find solutions in the face of problems. Besides, I believe that not every moment is worth or requires me to write or speak to my people. 

Please don’t misconstrue my silence as a trick to shield my leadership shortcomings. I may not be a perfect leader, but, deep down, I know I am patriotic, and my intentions are pure, and I always strive to give the best to my people. This is not seif-romanticism; a half an hour heart-to-heart interview with my dear wife would unveil to you how tirelessly I work for a better Nigeria, sometimes even at her detriment.

Back to the main matter, I write you this letter. I understand that many of you took to social media to criticise my only son, Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari. There are even false accusations by some pundits that public funds are used to sponsor wedding events.

Let me set the record straight: it is in your interest to know that no kobo from the public treasury was used to finance any wedding event. Therefore, these allegations are groundless, baseless and mischievous. I will be the last President to approve public funds for the wedding of my son.

I understand that my success in life, especially in the political gallery of Nigeria, has made so many people have deep-seated envy for me. But, if not for that, how can you accuse a tested and trusted leader, who has the mandate of his people twice, for embezzlement and misappropriation? Or am I not blessed enough – in wealth and friends – to give a befitting wedding to my only son? 

If your memory fails you, let me quickly remind you that I was a former Petroleum Minister, Governor of the North-Eastern region, Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and  Head-of-State. In addition to this, I have inherited a large farm from my father, which I personally run to date. I think someone with this pedigree can legitimately afford all that we have seen in the events of Yusuf’s wedding.

I could understand that some of you were perplexed that we can afford to pay five hundred thousand naira (₦500 000) as dowry for our son, but do you bother to check the price of an average well-fed cow in the market today? We have not fewer than a hundred heads of cows on our farm in Daura. So a simple check will cure your deliberate ignorance.

Lately, I learned that you were also worried that iPhones were shared with family and friends at the wedding dinner held at the Presidential Villa in honour of the bride and groom. I think I will blame myself for your worries here. My failure to write about myself extensively, which will give you a glimpse of the circle of wealthy friends I keep, results in your fears. Let me be blunt with you here, my friends immensely donated to the wedding. Just imagine what could be donated to a person of my calibre on the occasion of his only son’s wedding. The party of donations we saw at the burial ceremony of Obi Cubana’s mother was undoubtedly a child play.

Fellow Nigerians, as a democratic leader, I acknowledged and acted upon your grunts accordingly. Let me say this for the last and the repeated time: public treasury is a trust; I cannot temper with it to satisfy my personal or family needs. I have never used public office to enrich myself or anyone. It pains me to come across those false allegations that public funds are used to sponsor the wedding.

And for those that falsely accused me – the purveyors of falsehoods – I leave you with the lines from the poem of my late comrade – Jiya Mamman Vatsa – titled “Judgement Day Na Wa”.

Aminu Ahmed Nuru can be reached via aminuahmednuru@gmail.com.

By Daha Tijjani, PhD

Celebrity endorsement is a technique in advertising that possesses persuasive power to influence consumers’ decisions and target audiences. As a result, it remains a popular way for marketers to promote their brands, products, and services.

In political communication, it is one of the tools used to project the image of political parties and candidates in the minds of electorates and ultimately influence voters’ decisions.

However, numerous studies have found that several products have failed to attract customers’ attention despite being endorsed by celebrities.

Several researchers have investigated the effect of celebrity endorsement on products. However, few studies have looked at the impact of celebrity endorsement on political parties and their candidates. Also, little is known about the effects of celebrity endorsement and branding of political parties when it comes to developing economies.

Thus, knowing the effects of celebrity endorsement and branding of political parties and their candidates will give valuable insights to the party leadership on what strategy they should adopt when embracing a celebrity to help their brand.

As a result of this perceived lacuna, a group of researchers from universities in Nigeria, Ghana, Malaysia, and Germany examined the effects of celebrity endorsements of political parties using the Nigerian 2019 Presidential elections as a case study. The study report was published by Technium Social Science vol 22 (2021): A new decade for social change. 

The study investigated and discerned the factors motivating eligible voters in Nigeria to vote, using the predictors (Endorser Credibility, Political Brand Credibility, Political Brand Equity, and Voting Intention). The study also examined the mediating role of Political Brand Credibility (PBC) and Political Brand Equity (PBE) towards Voting Intention (VI).

The data for the study was collected in 2019 from 320 eligible respondents with Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) from the cluster of 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory.

The study has found that the endorsement of celebrities alone does not necessarily influence electorates to vote for political candidates. Instead, the credibility of the party and its equity play a pivotal role in the voting intention of voters.

Despite being credible with attributes such as Attractiveness, Trustworthiness and Expertise, the study further revealed that the celebrity endorser is not a good predictor of positive voting intentions. Likewise, the findings revealed that a credible endorser would not have a positive and significant effect on a political party’s brand equity.

Taken collectively, the new empirical findings in this study would provide a new understanding of this new political marketing strategy in the Nigerian context. Furthermore, the insights gained from this study may assist the political parties to focus and invest more effort, resources, and energy in branding their parties with meaningful manifestos that would touch the lives of the electorates.

How to Cite: Abdurrahaman, D. T., Owusu, A., Bakare, A. S., Apejoye, A., Ibrahim, M. M., & Ahmad, T. H. (2021). Assessing the effects of Celebrity Endorsements of Political Parties: An empirical study of Nigerian 2019 Presidential Elections. Technium Social Sciences Journal, 22(1), 676–699.Retrieved from https://techniumscience.com/index.php/socialsciences/article/view/4266

Note: The corresponding author can be reached via dahatijjani@gamil.com or Twitter handle @dahatijjani.

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

A statement signed by the Academy Public Relations Officer, Major Bashir Muhd Jajira, confirmed the early morning reports of the deadly attack at the Kaduna facility.

It states that “the security architecture of the Nigerian Defence Academy was compromised early this morning by unknown gunmen who gained access into the residential area within the Academy in Afaka. During the unfortunate incident, we lost two personnel and one was abducted.

“The Academy in collaboration with the 1Division Nigerian Army and Air Training Command as well as other security agencies in Kaduna state has since commenced pursuit of the unknown gunmen within the general area with a view to tracking them and rescue the abducted personnel.”

The statement adds that the community and the cadets undergoing training at the military school are safe. It finally assures the public that the shooters will be arrested and the abducted officer rescued.

The security situation continues to deteriorate in especially parts of Kaduna and other northwestern states of Nigeria. However, the government and its security operative claim to be doing everything to tackle the situation.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Reports coming from Zamfara State have indicated that suspected terrorists operating in northwestern Nigeria have killed four persons and abducted 50 others in an attack they launched on Goran Namaye in Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

Confirming the attack in Gusau on Monday, Muhammad Shehu, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, said the attackers came in their large number, raided the town around midnight on Sunday, and afterwards killed four persons and kidnapped 50 others.

However, he noted that the police tactical operatives had been deployed to the affected area.

According to him, CP Yakubu Elkana has ordered his men to embark on a search-and-rescue operation for the abducted persons immediately.

He added that the CP had assured residents that they would do everything possible and collaborate with other sister security agencies to maintain peace and order in the state.

Zamfara State has over the years been ravaged by the activities of kidnappers and gunmen who incessantly attack communities regularly.

Governor Muhammad Bello Matawalle has vowed to curb the menace on several occasions, but it seems all is to no avail.