Month: May 2023

By Abdurrahman MN

Many of us have undoubtedly noticed the alarming increase in phone-snatching cases in the Kano metropolis over the past few months. However, in recent weeks, a concerning shift has occurred. We are now witnessing more audacious attacks that have resulted in the loss of several lives.

It appears that some criminals have abandoned their usual tactic of targeting victims who refuse to surrender their phones and have adopted a new strategy of incapacitating victims from the start before making off with their phones and valuables. The police have also released images showing the growing sophistication of the criminals’ custom-made weapons, which inflict severe injuries and can lead to the quick demise of unfortunate victims.

Following the reports of numerous deaths resulting from these incidents in recent weeks, a groundswell of calls for action has emerged on social media. However, it has become evident that the authorities responsible for addressing this problem are woefully ineffective in fulfilling their mandate and instilling a sense of security in the terrified populace. This call for action was not directed at them but at ordinary people who have grown weary of the escalating terror and pervasive uncertainty accompanying each new case. It is a plea for individuals to take matters into their own hands and punish the culprits as they see fit through vigilante justice and mob action.

I do not intend to delve into the underlying criminal motives of these hoodlums and the terror they have inflicted upon our minds, as many have exhaustively discussed and understood. Instead, I would like to address the legitimacy, extent, and extremes of the resulting extrajudicial punishments meted out by the public.

As theorised by Max Weber, the state holds a monopoly on violence. In exchange for relinquishing their right to inflict harm upon each other, individuals entrust the government with the responsibility of maintaining sustainable peace and order through the imposition of laws and legitimate use of force (incarceration, penalties, etc.). When the state fails to uphold its end of the social contract, individuals resort to taking up arms to protect themselves.

Regarding the legitimacy of such actions, I recall writing about the case of Deborah’s blasphemy and subsequent lynching. I still firmly maintain my view on the illegitimacy of jungle justice. According to Islamic and Nigerian legal provisions, dispensing justice without legal authority is a grave offence. However, there is a crucial distinction between the original crimes committed in the two cases (Deborah’s blasphemy and phone snatching): the threat to life. In the latter case, the victims face a potentially lethal assault, whereas the former represents an affront to the collective conscience of the Muslim faithful.

The permissibility of self-defence against a threat to one’s life is not the point of contention; logic and law permit the defence of one’s life when under attack. The critical issue here is determining the limit of self-defence and when a retaliatory attack exceeds the boundaries of self-defence.

There is a significant difference between a victim of theft who harms or kills their assailant in self-defence and a mob that ruthlessly lynches the assailant after the fact. While amputation or physical punishment, as seen in some cases, is gruesome, it is still preferable to murder and serves the same intended lesson. Under Sharia provisions, a victim of an attack is only permitted to retaliate with the necessary force to protect themselves and repel the assault. For example, responding with a forceful blow to a spell that could be dispelled with a simple slap would be wrong.

Therefore, it is understandable and alarming to witness people advocating for the outright murder of anyone caught stealing a phone. Some individuals are explicitly advocating for the “slaughtering” of the culprits upon capture. This raises concerns about the kind of person who would consciously attempt to take another human life, even if the victim had committed an offence deserving of punishment. How would such an act affect (or corrupt) their conscience in the long run? Wouldn’t entrusting justice solely to the masses, without the necessary checks and limits, spiral out of control and harm innocent individuals?

Yes, I agree that the current trend of mob action will likely deter hoodlums and reduce the recurrence of such incidents as we are witnessing today. However, what happens when people are emboldened to take physical action against any perceived wrongdoing? Do we possess enough moral rectitude to prevent ourselves from crossing reasonable boundaries in our frenzy?

The government is responsible for safeguarding our lives, property, and conscience by taking decisive action against these hoodlums. Such action would serve as a powerful deterrent to potential offenders, discourage criminal attempts, and spare the masses from the traumatic ordeal of violent mob action.

While the act of jungle justice in this instance may yield short-term positive results where the obligated authority has failed, I believe that ultimately, restoring that power to the hands of the state would serve us better. Unfortunately, destroying the walls of legal fortification and moral conscience may come back to haunt us. I fear that when the monster we are currently encouraging has no more prey to pounce upon, it may turn its salivating jaws toward us now that we have stripped away the protections provided by the walls we dismantled ourselves.

In conclusion, the rise of phone robbery and the subsequent resort to extrajudicial punishment highlights the failures of the authorities to ensure the safety and security of the populace. While the public’s frustration is understandable, we must be cautious about the extent and extremes of vigilante justice. Instead, we should strive to hold the government accountable and demand effective measures to combat crime, ensuring a fair and just society for all.

Abdurrahman MN writes from Kano and can be reached via abdulmnasir99@gmail.com.

Dear Sir,

First and foremost, I must offer my humble congratulations on your election victory. By electing you into this exalted office, the people of my dear Kano State have no doubt placed their tomorrow’s trust in you to lead us with compassion and dedication towards a better, prosperous future, and we are hopeful that you will rise to the occasion.

Dear Abba Gida-Gida, as you take on this vital role, we urge you to prioritise the needs of the good people of Kano above all else. 

Kano faces numerous challenges, including economic inequalities, healthcare disparities, educational deficiencies, traffic congestion, and dilapidated roads, which become hazardous for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists: increased crime rates, environmental degradation and strain on public services like schools and hospitals. We require a leader committed to tackling these issues head-on and finding lasting solutions that benefit all residents, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.

During your campaigns, you have had the opportunity to mingle and connect with many individuals, giving you a deeper understanding of their struggles and challenges. Therefore I urge you to know their worth and show concern for their well-being.

I must also encourage you to prioritise transparency and accountability in your administration. The people have a right to know how their paid taxes are spent and whatever decisions are made on their behalf. Open communication and free accessibility to your office will go a long way in building trust with the general public.

Finally, we ask that you lead with compassion and empathise with the needs of your people. Our State is diverse, with unique, distinctive opportunities and perspectives that make us stronger and shoulder above our peers.

As Governor, you are responsible for ensuring that all residents feel seen, heard, cherished and valued. By working together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Once again, congratulations on your election. We look forward to working with you to make our state the best.

Abbas Datti wrote from Kano via abbasdattibashir@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has cried out over a siege on their office by the Department of State Services, DSS

In a press statement released by the Commission on Monday, they alleged that the DSS denied their operatives and members of staff access to their office at No.15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.

They said the DSS barricaded the entrance of their facility with armoured personnel carriers.

The Commission described the development as strange, stating that the Commission and DSS had cohabited in that facility for 20 years without issues.

The EFCC also made it known that the development has disrupted their activities and has wider implications on the fight against corruption.

“By denying operatives access to their offices, the Commission’s operations at its largest hub with over 500 personnel, hundreds of exhibits, and many suspects in detention have been disrupted.
Cases scheduled for court hearing today have been aborted, while many suspects who had been invited for questioning are left unattended.
Even more alarming is that suspects in detention are left without care with grave implications for their rights as inmates.
All of these have wilder implications for the nation’s fight against economic and financial crimes,” part of the statement reads

As at the time of writing this report, the DSS is yet to give reasons for the siege.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

President Bola Ahmad Tinubu has made his first appointments as Nigerian President.

Tinubu, who was sworn in this morning, appointed Ambassador Kunle Adeleke, as State Chief of Protocol to the President.

The President also appointed Dele Alake as Presidential Spokeperson and Olusegun Dada as Special Adviser to the President on Digital Media

Further Details later … .

By Lawan Bukar Maigana 

An expert in agricultural economics will soon be chairing the National Economic Council, NEC. Kashim Shettima is an economic strategist whose skills in profit and wealth maximization earned him accelerated promotions in the banking industry. 

Apart from the inimitable Jim Ovia, the founder of Zenith Bank, nobody professionally grew faster than the Vice President-Elect, who championed the cause of Zenith Bank’s growth.

Shettima’s eye-catching performance in the banking system endeared him to the then Governor of Borno State, Dr Ali Modu Sharif, who first appointed him as Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development in 2007. He would later become Commissioner of Agriculture as well as Commissioner of Health, and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Every transition in Shettima’s life is merit-based. He doesn’t get things on a platter of gold.

The former banking guru is known for his honey badger courage, who never hesitates to attack animals much larger than itself, including lions and crocodiles.

Shettima knew the consequences of standing with his boss, President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the time, all abandoned him, but the lion’s bravery in him motivated him to stand by what he firmly believed in. His bravery is worthy of emulation because he always hunts big and gets them. 

The former Governor, in his campaign, has explicitly spoken about the issues affecting this country and extensively suggested realistic mechanisms with which the problems of unemployment and insecurity would be addressed. His focus is largely on the youth, the leaders of tomorrow. 

Like Tinubu, who used his global-certified skills in profit and wealth maximization and management to transform a super slum Lagos into Shangri-la, Shettima similarly rehabilitated Borno when he was governor. The state was overwhelmed by insurgents, but he never feared rebuilding and reforming every facility they destroyed. 

Even strategic attacks on his convoy didn’t stop him from travelling to LGAs to give them hope, reconstruct their houses, and sympathize with them. 

Nigeria is suffering from massive unemployment, insecurity, and a poor road network, among other developmental challenges. I am confident Shettima and Tinubu will rewrite Nigeria’s story in the most brilliant way.

Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Maiduguri and can be reached via email: lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Maryam Idris Bappa

Introduction

It was May 2023, and as I surfed the net for ideas on how to spend children’s day with my family, I imagined that my parents had likely not undergone this dilemma. I also realised it had been a decade since I considered myself part of Children’s Day. But, of course, I had once been a child, and I had once been celebrated. This prompted me to take a trip down memory lane to recall my childhood experiences.

The fact is that as of the early 2000s, there was no internet, to begin with. There were hardly any mobile phones in Nigeria or GSM,  as it was referred to back then. So scouting the net for activities was not a practice. Moreover, it was in the mid-2000s that landlines were domestically replaced with the GSM. So any planned activity had to be offline. And the news had to travel within a certain social circle.

News of any fancy activity was restricted to fancy neighbourhood kids who had arranged visits to fancy kids’ fairs, amusement parks and the rest of the hullabaloo typical of the elite social classes in their well-laid-out residences.

As for me, living in a neighbourhood of people from different socio-economic backgrounds meant I had to mingle with what was available. The only place where Children’s Day stimulated jubilee was the Western cultured school I attended outside the neighbourhood. This is because a foreigner co-founded it. The school organised march pasts by carefully selected participants who were expected to participate in school for the parade that day. The rest of us were given leave to remain home as a public holiday.

As one of the children staying home on Children’s Day, I vividly have no recollection of any activity significant to the occasion. Both my parents were working-class citizens who were exempted from the break. Nonetheless, any day off school was never a day wasted. Aside from that, the neighbourhood I grew up in comprised families of different social classes. Some with more exposure than others. That was where my home stood.

My Home

I lived in a few places in my childhood right before teenagerhood. But where my earliest conscious and vivid memories sprouted was from the age of five, when we moved to Gyallesu, Makama Road Zaria. There we lived until I became a decade old.

As mentioned earlier, my neighbourhood, Gyallesu, was a mixed neighbourhood of different socio-economic classes of families.

My home, a semi-detached three-bedroom duplex, comprised four families of similar cultural lineage. Like many post-colonial houses, the design had all rooms opening to living and dining quarters. With an indoor kitchen opening to a backdoor. There were also boys’ quarters of tenants of different ethnic groups, many of whom were students of an  FCE nearby. 

There was also a businesswoman who was very fond of me. As a tiringly interrogative child, I would arrest her time immediately when she returned from a journey and eagerly listened to her travelogues while munching on her gifts. She was good company, and I would spend many times in her single bedroom.

The other rooms that housed male student tenants were off-limits on adult orders. I was allowed only polite hellos, and any long conversation had to happen in the compound, under the vast open sky. The reason, which I assume many of you will know. But that is a different topic.

I also had friends within my compound.  The family we shared a wall with had a daughter roughly my age. We would play together in the mix,  attend Islamiyya, and sort out our differences. She was my best friend, and we would explore the neighbourhood outside the confines of our sizeable green-gated compound.

My Neighbourhood

Outside the compound of my home was a street I was not familiar with the name of. This access road ran abreast of my house to the east and west, joining the FCE and Makama roads.

Therefore, my closest neighbours were those along the same access road, on the same and opposite lane. Most houses there were working-class families whose children attended the same school as mine. We would sometimes go together or return the same. On the opposite lane was a polygamous home, a shop, a pharmacy and other homes. The families there were a bit different from ours. Quite content to keep to themselves.

The heart of Gyallesu was the Makama road, which stood perpendicular to one end of our street and was a tarred road bustling with majorly commercial activities. Along it stood provision stores, pharmacies, tailoring shops and a community school. Naturally, children attending the school would face a certain stigma and sometimes object of whispered ridicule by the more affluent kids. But how could the bullies have understood that those kids enjoyed decent education,  closer proximity and cheaper fees?

An essential presence in Gyallesu stood at the end of Makama Road. It was called the Banadeen gate, a security entrance gate to our neighbourhood. One that would be helpful in incidental unrest when the notorious Shi’a leader, also a resident of our neighbourhood, put up personal defences right at the gate. The Shiite presence would pose an internal threat constantly to the residents, yet a comfort during the external invasion. Moreover, the gate would only admit workers after clear identification, an added security point.

So, the neighbourhood contained most of the basic amenities necessary for daily activities. Moreover, security was good, and education was also an integral factor, for at its borders were the Ahmadu Bello University Kongo and the FCE.

One thing was sure. Gyallesu, in the early 2000s, was a very good neighbourhood with room for everyone. Its secure atmosphere allowed children to mingle freely within its streets. In those times, the best memories of my childhood were engraved.

The Chronicles

The choice of the word ‘Chronicle was indeed intentional. For in a child’s mind, the memories that stand out the most were those with the most adventure and mischief.

To say there were many memories of my childhood in Gyallesu is understated. But in the turbulence of these memories, as they filled my head with the sweet nectar of satisfaction, were memories that would corner a smile on my lips for one reason or another. Few among them were our play territories, Quranic learning school, extra-curricular activities and my earliest personal achievements.

1. Play territories

The first thing you should know about children playing in a neighbourhood is that their guardians always set limits or boundaries. The rush, unfortunately, was on breaking them.

Beyond our approved area of play, we would speedily cycle beyond the approved speed limit considered safe by our parents. This violation did not stop at going beyond approved distances but also to dangerous places.

Remember the water hole Simba and Nala went to after being told strictly by Mufasa not to? Yes, we could take our freshly air-pumped bicycles down dangerously steep slopes to go to a river our parents were likely not aware of its existence, spending hours practising jaw-dropping dares.

Thinking of the imagined thrashing we would get if caught was not worthy of stopping us. So we went anyway.

Children will be children.

2. Quranic learning school.

Mischief can be found everywhere, even in the least likely place. My compound friend and I were no exception.

Off Makama Road, we would take the road to our Islamiyya on foot, happily crunching at our remaining break funds we used to buy local delicacies and eat during lessons, which was, of course, frowned upon by teachers.

But the biggest mischief we would put up was finding a reason to race home after lessons. We ensured this by looking for trouble from one person or the other, who clownishly chased us off before my friend’s brother intervened and then threatened to report us back at home. But we would call off his bluff as we thought we also did him a favour by giving him a chance to play the hero of saving us.

We would hide any bruises gained from the ordeal from our parents to prevent further chastise.

3. Extra-Curricular Activities

When I say extracurricular activities, I imagine something productive we would engage in outside school and play.  

For me, this came as a collective effort by the children of my compound to engage in agricultural activities. We all painstakingly participated in planting mangoes and yams for our imagined consumption shortly. But, alas, our dream was to be short-lived as the neighbourhood goat would intervene and eat up our young sprouts, despite our attempts of barbed wire-fencing the young shoots.

This planted anger in our hearts and enacted our intentions for revenge. But, as fate would have it, the accused goat was caught in action. We took turns torturing the goat, which I would not explain. But in the end, it avoided our territory, and we never planted again.

Thinking of the incident brings satisfaction and shame to my now-adult mind. I have learned that the best memories may not always be the strongest but also the worst.

4. Personal Achievements

Above age five, I was beyond being celebrated for milestones. It had to come from something I did in school, at home, or religiously. This memory was from my first attempt at fasting.

At the age of 8, my competitive nature, typical of children, pushed me into attempting 13 hours without food or water.

As a first-timer, the hailing of my siblings and peers got me through the first 10 hours before my biological clock ticked time for protest.

I fought against all pleas and threats to complete the last hour of my fast. Fortunately for me, the Adhan for breaking fast was called just as the silver cup of pap I downed after finishing a plate of Akara touched the table. My mother declared that my fast was valid against the adverse remarks of my disappointed peers.

If you are wondering why I consider this a personal achievement. It is because I think my trial is my most outstanding achievement. The fact that I had not allowed myself to be peer-pressured into my self-prophesied untimely demise was a testament to my strong will and independence.

Conclusion.

Children’s Day may be celebrated differently among different generations. But every childhood is unique per individual.

Now a mother, the childhood I envision for my children is one I hope that someday they remember and cherish the experiences and lessons gained from it.

Happy children’s day to all the children, youth, adults and aged.

Maryam Idris Bappa can be contacted via bappamaryam6@gmail.com.

By Nura Jibo

Nigeria is full of legal arrogance! Festus Keyamo, the self-acclaimed and so-called human rights lawyer, goofed big time!

Two days before the APC handed over its affairs to an incoming president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Keyamo exposed his legal naivety about his party’s (APC) politics and its glaring failure and unconstitutionality.

Keyamo, of all people, never mind collecting his ministerial appointment from the onset. But today, this lawyer shamelessly said that the position that President Buhari has given him is unconstitutional!

This is a lawyer telling Nigerians he presided over illegality for a few years! Somebody is supposed to be a custodian of the law—a so-called legal luminary, for that matter! The drama in all these APC guys’ lives is that they know they failed woefully in leading Nigeria. And given that they must leave the scene in a day or two, it’s time to start trading blame before most of them are called to face the law because most of them presided over the affairs of Nigeria with impunity!

For Festus, please return all the largesse you enjoyed in that office on May 29, 2023, to the incoming government. Only then will we prove your illegality claim, and we will all thumb it up to you for cutting across your legal eye teeth!

Nura Jibo is a Lifetime Member of the West African Research Association (WARA), African Studies Centre, Boston University, United States. He can be reached via jibonura@yahoo.com.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

For the past 10 years, Bayern Munich have enjoyed a complete monopoly on the Bundesliga title. They often won it at a canter with no legitimate threat from any of the other German league big guns like Dortmund, Leverkusen and Leipzig. That’s why when Bayern lost their penultimate game at home to Leipzig, an unexpected door was opened for Dortmund to pip Bayern to the title. 

It’s human nature to always side with the underdog. That’s why almost all neutral football fans rallied around Dortmund to get the job done at home to ninth-placed Mainz. However, Dortmund’s players didn’t read the script. They contrived to miss chance after chance and conceded two goals at the other end in the first half that, extinguished their title ambition. Even Bayern players can’t believe their luck at full-time. In short, Dortmund managed to hand over the Bundesliga title back to Bayern on a platter of gold. 

Dortmund players were crestfallen at full-time. They were well aware of the fact that this is their lifetime opportunity to slap Bayern’s painful dominance of the Bundesliga. And they bottled it. 

Spare a thought for the legendary Marco Reus. This is a player who sacrificed winning titles elsewhere in favour of loyalty to his boyhood club, and all he got was an absolute spanking from the club he snubbed several times. This is a player who missed the World Cup triumph in 2014 through injury, only for him to watch his beloved Germany triumph at the Maracana in the showpiece event. Surely he deserved to end his career with a flourish. 

It will take ages (perhaps another decade) for Bayern Munich to have another poor season for other Bundesliga clubs to have a sniff at the title. Bayern are head and shoulders above all the other clubs in terms of history, prestige, revenue, worldwide support, you name it. I think it is going to take a monumental collapse from Bayern and an out-of-the-world season from Dortmund and co before a different name is inscribed on the Bundesliga title.

By Hafsat Ja’afar

Whatever you do, no matter how, no matter what, the mouth that eats salt and pepper must speak ill or otherwise of you to your ears or behind your back. Chin up and do whatever you want anytime, anywhere, with any person of your choice, as long as it is in line with your religion and culture. Wherever you find yourself, your self-esteem and dignity come in handy.

“What will people say?” They won’t stop talking about what doesn’t matter to you anymore. Everybody should bear his father’s name; why take Panadol for someone’s headache?

Your choice of clothing is too modest for my liking. Look elegant, captivating and seductive to show them you’re single and ready to mingle. Wrapping yourself like Shawarma, sandwiching that voluptuous body you have with baggy clothes and a gigantic veil won’t get you a ‘civilised guy’. You’ll be mistaken for a married woman.

These are the dumbest pieces of advice of the century ever. Living life to the fullest mostly comes with a penalty. As social animals, it is evident that we must respect society. But living for the community can be a nightmare sometimes.

During a chat with colleagues, a woman in her mid-forties confessed that she keeps two sets of clothes for every occasion when going out. One is for neighbours, and people of her community (modest wears), and the other set is for the event she’s attending, covered and dazzling in Swarovski, a see-through veil, and expensive jewellery. She can’t get dressed at home, for what people will say.

As a classroom teacher, I was told to stop telling people what I do for a living. Instead, I should refer to myself as a businesswoman. I asked what am I selling then? Just tell them you’re into selling turaren wuta [incense business] and atampa online; that suits you better. You may be looked down upon, and people gossip about you being an ordinary teacher.

Minding your Business 001 should be part of a secondary and tertiary education curriculum. It should be made a core course, not an elective, for people to learn when and how to mingle into the affairs that suit them.

Stop peeping with a 1000-megapixel eye for the mistake of others as your topic of discussion. Sweetheart, keep your eyes off things that are out of your league. Channel your energy towards positivity, not negativity and negative thoughts.

Everybody is entitled to his opinion and the life they choose to live. Make yours a memorable one.

Hafsat Ja’afar wrote from Kano via jaafarhafsat@gmail.com

By Umar Sani Yakubu

“In a few weeks from now, we shall be done with the junior secondary school certificate examination, and from then on, I am done with Western education.”

Above is what my ears brought to me as it was uttered in the Hausa language after I walked past some probably junior secondary school students in the Bauchi metropolis.

This statement by a young lad disturbed me. It proves to me how true it is that Bauchi State is counted as one of the states in the country with a high rate of out-of-school children.

However, proving that Bauchi State forms part of the state in Nigeria with a high rate of out-of-school children, this development has led to much criticism from concerned citizens as to why the state would join such a demeaning but objective reality. First, some critics blame the decade-long insurgency in the Northeast, where the state emerges. While some blame the root cause on parents’ lackadaisical attitude in enrolling the children in school, political opponents of the government accuse it of not providing the needed atmosphere for learning.

 Albeit, whatever it is that led our dear state into such a situation, the state government must be at its feet to make sure things are done well.

Relatively, it was against that backdrop that I was amazed at the government’s inattentiveness to the course in encouraging the students to do better in their studies. I point out the recent remarkable performance of some students who emerged from and represented the state in a national competition and were victorious above all the remaining participating states in the country.

Those students have been celebrated and recognised by many concerned individuals in Bauchi State and beyond; unfortunately, the state government has yet to say a word about the development.

 Is it this way that the government plans to make their youngsters remain on the course of changing the blackmailing narratives?

 I don’t believe all is right. But, of course, something must be wrong somewhere.

Suffice it to say; we are all witnesses to when the government in the state recognised and rewarded mere social media actors, etc. If political and social media actors can be recognised and even rewarded, why not a best-performing student who earned respect not only for themselves and the school but also for the state in the eyes of the world?

These students from Government College (Special School) Toro who participated in the recent National Inter-secondary Schools Quiz competition organised by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council and came out first must be recognised and celebrated by every serious state government where they emerged, especially as they are trained in a government-owned school as opposed to any proud private schools.

As Bauchi State is in a dangerous situation as its youth quit education for other heinous acts like Sara Suka, the state government must be reminded that giving such recognition and even awarding scholarships is vital in encouraging children to see the light in the path of their education.

Consequently, celebrating students of the state with remarkable performance in school and even rewarding them with scholarships stands to draw the attention of the wayward to education and encourage those already in the system to put in more effort.

Finally, with my confidence in the present administration of His Excellency Governor Bala Abdulkadir Muhammed, I hope the best brains from Government College Toro will be identified and rewarded for making the state proud in the competition above.

Gone were the days in Bauchi when international scholarships were given to the best brains, many of whom are now professionals in their respective careers.

 Sani is a concerned citizen from Bauchi State and can be reached at saniumaryakubu@gmail.com.