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By Uzair Adam

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved a minor cabinet reshuffle and senior staff posting in the state civil service as part of efforts to strengthen governance and improve service delivery across key ministries.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, the Governor directed the redeployment of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr.

Haruna Isa Dederi, to the Ministry of Transport. Similarly, the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Barr. Mustapha Nuruddeen Muhammad, has been reassigned to the Ministry of Environment as Permanent Secretary.

The Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, who has been serving in an acting capacity at the Ministry of Transport, will now return to her substantive ministry.

Governor Yusuf instructed all officials affected by the changes to hand over to the most senior officers in their respective ministries.

The handing over and taking over exercise is to be concluded immediately, effective from Tuesday, September 23, 2025, before the close of business.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to accountability, efficiency, and purposeful leadership, the Governor said the reshuffle was designed to maximize capacity, align responsibilities, and ensure that government delivers effectively on its mandate to the people of Kano State.

He urged the newly redeployed officials to work with dedication and called on government staff to extend maximum cooperation to them in the discharge of their duties.

By Dr Abubakar Bello

The recent controversy over an alleged honorary doctorate awarded to musician Alhaji Dauda Kahutu Rarara has sparked debate across northern Nigeria. Initially, reports indicated that the European-American University conferred an honorary doctorate on him in Abuja. However, days later, the institution publicly denied endorsing such an award, describing the event as fraudulent.

This is not the first time Rarara’s name has been caught in institutional back-and-forth. At one point, the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) was said to be planning a conference to celebrate his contributions to music and politics. Yet the university later backtracked, insisting the information was fake. The recurring pattern suggests not a lack of merit on Rarara’s part, but rather institutional hesitation in dealing with a figure whose art, political songs, and social influence are both celebrated and contested.

There is clear precedent for cultural icons receiving academic recognition. The late Mamman Shata, perhaps the most revered Hausa musician of the 20th century, was formally honoured by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. That recognition secured his place not only in the cultural memory of the Hausa people but also in academic history. By that measure, Rarara too will, sooner or later, be recognised by universities both within Nigeria and abroad for his cultural and political contributions. The real question is: which university will take the initiative?

Across Nigeria, universities have rightly celebrated industrialists, politicians, and philanthropists with honorary degrees, sometimes even surprising their own local institutions, as happened when other universities honoured Katsina’s business mogul, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, taking Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, his home-state university, by surprise. Yet cultural figures, especially musicians whose work captures the pulse of society, are too often overlooked until history forces recognition.

This is an opportunity for Nigerian universities to redefine what they celebrate. Honorary degrees are not just ceremonial gestures. They are statements of value, affirmations that music, political commentary, and popular culture are as vital to society as commerce and politics.

Whether in Katsina or beyond, Nigerian universities have the opportunity to lead by recognising Rarara. Doing so would not only honour one man but also promote the significance of indigenous music and political expression in our collective intellectual and cultural heritage. The controversy over fake awards should not overshadow this larger truth: Rarara’s contributions are genuine, and he deserves formal recognition.

 Dr Abubakar Bello wrote from the Department of Biological Sciences, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina. He can be reached via bello.abubakar@umyu.edu.ng.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Italy is witnessing widespread labour unrest as dockworkers, unions, and students have launched strikes and demonstrations to protest the shipment of weapons to Israel amid the Gaza conflict.

In Ravenna, Mayor Alessandro Barattoni and local authorities stopped two trucks carrying explosives meant for Haifa, citing solidarity with Palestinians and concerns over loopholes allowing arms transit through Italy.

In Genova, dockworkers participating in a strike have blocked access roads to the port and rallied under the banner of preventing Italian ports from facilitating arms transfers. Similar protests are underway in Livorno. Public transportation services have been disrupted in cities such as Rome and Milan, and several schools have been closed.

Unions are demanding that the Italian government suspend both commercial and military cooperation with Israel, close legal loopholes related to transit of arms, lift any humanitarian blockade on Gaza, and formally recognise the State of Palestine.

The protests highlight increasing internal tensions in Italy’s politics, especially under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, which has traditionally aligned more with Israel diplomatically. Observers suggest the strike actions test if citizen and labour moral pressure can influence the government to curb arms exports and transit.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

In a significant gesture of goodwill, the European-American University (EAU) has formally extended an offer to award genuine honorary degrees to Nigerian celebrities, including popular Hausa singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara, who were recently victimised by fraudsters.

This development follows a widely publicised incident in Abuja, where impostors falsely claiming to represent the university organised a sham ceremony and presented fake honorary degrees.

In an official statement, the university confirmed it has reported the fraudulent event to the Nigerian Police for investigation. The EAU stated it believes the recipients, who also include Alhaji Ahmed Saleh jnr, Mustapha Abdullahi Bujawa, and Tarela Boroh, were “innocent victims” who acted in good faith.

The university has now invited the individuals to contact its Nigerian representative, Professor Luke Okojie, to begin a proper validation process. Subject to their consent and a review of their credentials by the university’s Honorary Degrees Committee, they will be awarded legitimate degrees at the EAU’s official Nigerian convocation this November.

The university explicitly stated that no fees will be required throughout the process, a point emphasised to distance its legitimate operations from the actions of the scammers.

By Aisha Musa Auyo

When you can be kind and helpful, do it immediately. Don’t procrastinate or wait for the “right time.” You may not live to see that time, or the person you want to help may not. The point of power is always now.

I’m inspired to share this because two recent incidents made me reflect deeply. One was the death of a close relative, the other, the passing of an acquaintance I only met once but stayed connected with through social media.

In the first incident, an aunt of mine came from another town for her monthly hospital appointment. She usually arrived a day before to avoid being late. That evening, after visiting some relatives, she spotted a shawarma shop and sighed: “Zan so na ci shawarma ko da sau ɗaya ne a rayuwata” (“I would love to taste shawarma at least once in my life”).

My cousin, who was driving, ignored her words and sped past. I pleaded with him to go back, but he insisted the shop was closed and wouldn’t open until 7 p.m., which is true. My aunt looked disappointed.

Later at home, I begged him again to get me shawarma bread so I could prepare it for her. He brushed it off, saying he was tired, and reminded me she’d be leaving early the next morning. “You can always make it for her next month,” he said. But my heart wouldn’t allow me to postpone it.

Eventually, he bought the bread, and I stayed up late preparing the fillings, finishing by midnight. I set my alarm for 4 a.m., woke up, rolled, and grilled the shawarma. By 5 a.m., it was ready. When I handed it to her, she was overjoyed. She couldn’t believe I went to such lengths to fulfil her simple wish. She prayed for me with a smile, and we said our goodbyes.

Later that day, she called to say she had arrived home safely and that my shawarma exceeded her expectations. She even saved some to take home. Though I joked, it must have been cold by then. She prayed again for me before hanging up the phone.

A few days later, she passed away.

I was in shock. Just last week, she was with us, longing for shawarma. I wept, but deep down, I thanked Allah that I didn’t delay. That shawarma became her first and last.

The lesson is clear: never delay an act of kindness. Tomorrow is not promised for you or for them.

Aisha Musa Auyo is a doctoral researcher in Educational Psychology. A wife, a mother, a homemaker, a caterer, a parenting and relationship coach. She can be reached via aishamuauyo@live.co.uk.

By Uzair Adam

The Kano State Hisbah Board says it has stopped a human trafficking attempt involving four women who were to be moved from Kano to Lagos, Benin Republic, Togo, and Ghana before being smuggled to Saudi Arabia.

Deputy Commander-General of Hisbah, Dr. Mujahideen Aminudeen, confirmed the operation in a statement on Monday.

He said Hisbah operatives intercepted the traffickers on Sunday along Zaria Road.

The prime suspect, Bashir Sani Ibrahim, was arrested by Hisbah personnel, Muhammadul Bashir.

The victims include Harira Muhammad, 30, from Jigawa; Sailuba Ibrahim, 30, and Rakiya Umar, 30, both from Kano; and Hadiza Muhammad, 35, from Yobe.

According to Dr. Aminudeen, each of the women had already paid N2 million, with an agreement to pay another N1.5 million when their visas were processed.

“Altogether, each one was expected to pay 3.5 million,” he said.

He warned Nigerians against falling for such schemes.

“People are deceived and their money is taken. When they arrive abroad, they don’t know whose hands they will fall into.

“Some are forced into prostitution, others into drug trafficking. Many regret the decision for the rest of their lives,” he cautioned.

Dr. Aminudeen advised that such huge sums could be used to start businesses at home. “If you have N2 million or N3.5 million, that is enough capital for a legitimate trade,” he said.

He added that Hisbah has handed over the suspects and the victims’ documents to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation.

By Anwar Usman

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has promised to implement the findings of the Fact-Finding Committee on Incessant Attacks, Killings and Destruction in the state in the last 20 years.

Gov Mutfwang had, in May 2025, inaugurated a 10-member panel to unravel the causes of the incessant violence in the state since 2001.

The committee had on Wednesday submitted the report of their findings to the governor, where they revealed that over 11, 000 people were killed in two decades of crisis in the state.

The ten-member pannel also revealed that no fewer than 420 communities across 13 local government areas had been attacked between 2001 and 2025.

The governor, commenting on the report while hosting members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors at the Government House Jos, assured that the government would ensure justice for the victims.

Muftwang, who vowed to implement the recommendations of the report, also promised to submit it to President Bola Tinubu.

By Muhammad Abubakar

In a historic diplomatic shift, the governments of Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom have formally recognised the State of Palestine. The announcement, made in a joint statement on Sunday, marks a significant moment in international support for Palestinian statehood.

Leaders of the three countries said the recognition was aimed at advancing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, reaffirming their commitment to a two-state solution. They urged both Israel and Palestine to return to negotiations and called for an immediate halt to violence in the region.

The move has been welcomed by Palestinian officials, who described it as a “courageous step towards justice and self-determination.” However, Israel has expressed strong opposition, warning that such recognition could undermine peace efforts.

The decision by three of the world’s most influential Western nations is expected to increase pressure on other countries to follow suit, potentially reshaping the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the global stage.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Kano State Police Command has apprehended two men linked to a case of armed robbery and attempted murder that took place in Lagos State.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the arrest in a statement released on Saturday.

According to him, “The Kano State Police Command has achieved a significant breakthrough in a recent case of armed robbery and attempted murder, thanks to its robust intelligence and community collaboration.

“On September 11, 2025, the command’s tactical operatives, acting on intelligence, arrested two suspects at Na’ibawa Quarters, Kano. They are: Mathew Adewole, 25, of Na’ibawa Quarters, and Mukhtar Muhammad, 31, of Unguwa Uku Quarters, Kano.”

Haruna explained that during questioning, one of the suspects, Adewole, admitted to attacking a Lagos resident identified as Lil-Kesh at Bera Estate, Chevron, on August 19, 2025. The victim reportedly suffered severe injuries, including a deep cut on the neck.

“The suspect forced the victim to transfer N2,120,000 from his account via mobile phone to Mukhtar Muhammad’s account,” the police spokesman added.

He further stated that in compliance with directives from the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Command had been intensifying its intelligence operations while also strengthening community policing and security partnerships to counter criminal groups.

The suspects have since been transferred to the Lagos State Police Command for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, praised the officers for their professionalism and acknowledged the support of residents.

He assured the public that the police would continue to work with other security agencies to sustain safety across the state.

“The command remains committed to maintaining law and order, working closely with other security agencies and stakeholders to ensure a coordinated approach to combating crime,” the statement noted.

Armed robbery has continued to pose a major security challenge in Nigeria, often cutting across state borders.

The Kano Command had earlier reported the arrest of three suspected robbers linked to a case in Abuja where a stolen vehicle was recovered.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid a glowing tribute to his wife, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as she marks her 65th birthday today.

In a heartfelt message, the President described the First Lady as “the love of my life” and praised her for being a steadfast partner through years of struggle, political exile, and leadership.

“You are more than my wife. You are my confidant, counsellor, and the steady flame illuminating my path,” Tinubu wrote, noting that their children and grandchildren see in her a model of compassion and faith, while Nigerians recognise her as a symbol of strength and grace.

The President lauded Mrs Tinubu’s quiet sacrifices, describing her as someone who has served Nigeria not from the podium but from the heart of their home.

“As your husband, I thank God for your life, health, and unwavering love. As your President, I salute you as the First Lady whose warmth and empathy continue to touch millions of lives,” he stated.

Tinubu concluded with a personal message of love and gratitude, calling her presence in his life a “treasure.”

The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, a former senator, is marking her milestone birthday with prayers and family celebrations.