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By Sulaiman Maijama’a

A barrage of questions troop into my inbox daily from people outside the writing circle, declaring their interest to come in. Some questions are worthy enough, while some are funny and crazy. For example, a young lady asked me to teach her “Article Writing” via WhatsApp. Another once asked, “can I become a writer in one week?”  Somebody told me “kai kam rubutu bayi maka wahala“. What a wrongful assumption!

Let me, in order not to give a wrong impression of myself, humbly submit that I’m just a fledgling writer aspiring to be a pen wizard one day. My decision to write on “writing” this time was prompted by the fact that those who excelled are too busy to avail themselves and become beast of burden for aspiring writers. Be that as it may, a dot in the circle (like me?) may have something to offer. And as the saying goes, “there is love in sharing”. Thus, I will share the following tips for aspiring writers:

1. BE PASSIONATE AND AMBITIOUS. This, in my view, is the first step to becoming a writer. Writing is daunting, time-consuming, attention-demanding and a continuous learning process.  Whoever tells you the contrary is leading you astray. But your passion and ambition are the driving force that will keep propelling you to defy all odds and cross the blocks on your way to the promised land. I believe that one (1) inspiration can overcome ninety-nine (99) perspiration.

Haven’t you ever asked yourself why some people who read English or Mass Communication write poorly or don’t write? But others who are trained scientists are writing professionally standard _Medical Doctors, Zoologists, Agriculturalists among others write well. This is to tell you that writing is a product of passion and ambition. Regardless of what you read, you can be a writer per excellence.

2. MASTER YOUR LANGUAGE. Reasonable proficiency in a language is a prerequisite for any writer who wants to be taken seriously by his readers. Not necessarily English Language, but any language you write in. Master the language to the level that the native speaker will appreciate you. Nobody can afford to devote his time to reading trash in the name of writing. Nobody will take you seriously when your essay contains grammatical errors, sentence fragments, dangling modifiers, and incoherent and incohesive sentences and paragraphs.

3. READ. I do not know a better way a writer can improve than by taking an avid interest in reading. Reading good writings is what makes good writers. And the volume of the text you read must supersede the magnitude of your writing. For instance, you need to read and analyse at least ten articles when writing a single piece. Before you write a single book, read and review one hundred books. Do you know that when a writer stops reading, it reflects in their writings?

4. HAVE MODEL(S) AND MENTOR(S). In any profession one wants to excel in, they must have people they look up to. Different writers have different styles of writing. As a young aspiring writer, identify your hero(s), look up to them and read them more. While having a model(s) will help you raise the bar of your success by dreaming bigger, having a mentor(s) will, on the other hand, help you be on the rightful terrain to the promised land. Mentors are a blessing; they show you the way, and when you feel like giving up, they reinvigorate your confidence.

5. WRITE FREQUENTLY. It is impossible to learn writing by theory; it is learnt by the practical application of theoretical ideas. But, like a muscle getting stronger by exertion, writing improves through frequent practice. If you write frequently, you will discover that today’s writing is better than yesterday’s. Your writings this week are better than those of previous weeks. That’s one magic about it. So, never get tired of writing if you want to become a good writer.

6. HAVE AN AREA OF INTEREST.  A writer should specialise in a given area, preferably the area they are more interested in. For instance, some people are sport-loving, some follow every trend in politics, some on entertainment, some on terrorism etc. The wisdom behind identifying an area of interest is that whatever you are interested in, you will not find it too daunting but rather fun that will push you to break the glass ceiling. But this does not mean limiting yourself to a single area; a good writer should be able to write on every topic under the sun.

7. DON’T BE DECEIVED BY ENCOMIUMS: Writers carried away by flattering are likely to feel complacent. Most of the encomiums coming from people are not genuine. Regrettably, this has led to the downfall of many writers. Some people will overrate you; some will send you positive responses even without reading you. However, positive responses are motivating, but be relaxed, know your level and keep improving.

8. ACCEPT CORRECTIONS AND KEEP LEARNING. Nobody has a monopoly in this business. There is no level of professionalism a writer can attain where they are above mistakes. Even globally recognised writers make mistakes. Always keep your doors open for corrections, learn from them, and keep learning every day.

Maijama’a is a student at the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano and wrote via sulaimanmaija@gmail.com.

By Babatunde Qodri

It can be argued that ever since Nigeria got her independence in 1960, the country hasn’t gotten worse like it’s today. Every year is filled with insurmountable challenges beyond the control of both leaders and citizens. It appears, sincerely, as if the country has been cursed. Every opportunity to believe in Nigeria’s prosperity is dashed by a litany of crises ranging from insecurity, poor education and health systems and economic downturn. The country seems to have been brought to her knees.

The occasion of independence does not move people from different corners of the country. On the contrary, the convention of this remarkable celebration is a history remembered with joy and happiness. Many other African countries celebrate their independence with scores of impressive feats, despite avoidable crises. Unfortunately, the case isn’t the same here in Nigeria, where leaders expected to make people proud resort to disappointing charades to the country’s detriment.

The ongoing industrial action by university lecturers says a lot about how blighted Nigeria has been. Students have been away from classrooms for months. One would expect that a 62-year-old country should have grown past deleterious distractions capable of creating barricades in the way of her education system. It hurts that a sector as eminently necessary as education can be allowed to suffer while the Government continues to fund frivolities. The question is, which country develops or has developed without serious attention to education? 

In other words, education in Nigeria is now in a comatose state. It’s hard to believe that this is Nigeria where Sir Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, and others once lived and governed. Nigeria’s present predicament, evident in her leaders’ shameless willingness and obsession with greed, has ruined those past years of free education packaged to liberate Nigerians for genuine patriotism. What used to be, in terms of quality, transformative education now constitutes a culture of abandonment, taking a heavy toll on the survival and growth of the country.

Insecurity is another problem. Severalerians have been in captivity for years. We are now the headquarters of banditry and kidnapping for ransom. Non-state actors have taken advantage of the country’s vulnerability to unleash horrors daily. And the complete loss of strength by people constitutionally paid and expected to protect lives and property heightens fears. Because of this unwholesome reality, the country has become a no-go area for foreign investors who should have helped her economically. The fact that people are becoming strangers in their homeland explains the mass migration of Nigerians out of the country in search of averagely better and more peaceful climes. Internal unrest, sadly, continues to drag the country backwards.

This reality is worsened by intractable corruption. Despite being an oil-producing country, it’s still disgusting to hear that Nigeria cannot refine her oil, which makes the country hugely indebted. While other OPEC countries leverage the international market amid restrictions posed by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis, Nigeria is wallowing in a financial crisis resulting from endless oil theft. Isn’t it funny that the country has to borrow to service her debt? This is indicative of the depth of mess in which Nigeria is in.

Unarguably, Nigeria needs urgent solutions through the diversification of its economy. We must take advantage of modern agriculture to produce what we consume and vice versa. The country should stop wasting funds meant for critical goods on exotic cars for politicians. Our Government must invest in the education sector, health care system, and others.

Plus, effective legislation is paramount. Nigeria is in dire need of a fresh set of leaders with brand new ideas, leaders who are committed to viable plans and collective change. The issue of climate change must also be given urgent attention. Climate change and poverty have the exact root cause, and their impact contributes to the national underdevelopment the country is witnessing.

As we move into 2023, Nigerians should understand that our country deserves a befitting future. So we must be interested in candidates who will focus on doing the right thing at the right time. We must go for candidates with clear readiness and vision to transform our education system and uphold justice and transparency. We must do away with activities capable of fueling the embers of disunity in the country. 2023 should be about these.

Babatunde Qodri can be reached at babatundelaitan@gmail.com.

By
Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq
1st October, 2022

The Personal Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Hussaini Ɗankantoma, has kicked off what he described as house to house campaign for the presidential, gubernatorial and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State.

Speaking shortly after meeting the Kaduna State APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Uba Sani, Ɗankantoma noted that the Kaduna State is very strategic for the realisation of Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

He further noted that the landmark achievements of the APC’s led administration in the country will boast Tinubu’s chances of winning the election. On the other hand, Ɗankantoma expressed optimism that Senator Uba Sani would address all the challenges confronting the Kaduna State and revamp all the critical sectors in the state.

He further called on leaders of the party in the state to close ranks and work harmoniously for the victory of the APC’s presidential candidate in 2023.

By Khadijah Tijani

There are many untold stories of Muslim women who are dissatisfied in their marriages due to sexual starvation. But unfortunately, people are not ready for the conversation. Many reasons are responsible for the apathy towards this problem.

Here are some of my thoughts:

Most women are “expected” to have a lower libido than men. However, experience has shown that many women have a high libido but often find ways to actively suppress their unattended desires. People think it’s a rare thing, but really, it’s more common than you think.

They are “expected” to accept whatever their husbands throw at them without complaining. But, since polygamy is not for women and divorce is not easy to get, they endure the sexual incongruity and bottle in the heightened emotions.

They are “expected” to focus on their children and care less about their sexual urges. However, in reality, some women begin to understand their sexuality only after reaching full maturity (age 35 and above). For some, this may happen after birthing all their children! They become more self-aware and assertive enough to demand sex. In fact, some women don’t stop wanting sex even after menopause! Conversely, men tend to become less sexually active in their late 30s and 40s. They’re more likely to be physically and emotionally absent from home due to work, business or further studies. For some men, even if they’re present, chronic medical conditions may have set in, putting them at risk of erectile dysfunction and lower sex drive.

They decide not to complain because no one will listen anyway. 8 out of 10 women would rather not speak against sexual dissatisfaction because of these high expectations. If they ever summon the courage to speak, they are often shushed by families, friends and religious clerics. Many don’t have access to professional help or the money to pay for such services.

In a survey I conducted among a small group of married Muslim women last year, I found out that 40% of them have difficulty achieving sexual satisfaction. This could be due to an inability to reach orgasm (a real psychosexual disorder) or enjoy regular, satisfying intimacy with their husbands. A larger percentage of these women cannot express their dissatisfaction for the reasons I have mentioned above.

The first solution to this problem is for men to normalize taking feedback from their wives. Don’t assume that you’re done because YOU are done. You don’t even need to ask if she’s satisfied; you only need to look at her face and feel her body language. A well-bedded woman will keep smiling at you for the rest of that day, if not longer. She will show other verbal and nonverbal cues to endorse that you have done a good job.

You need to acknowledge and validate her feedback to show that you care.

“I can see that you are smiling all the way. So that’s a good sign, right?”

Or,

“You’re not smiling. What’s wrong?”

“You know I’ve been under too much stress lately. Please give me some time to rest. I’ll make it up with you very soon.”

These validations will reassure her of your interest in satisfying her and encourage her to open up and communicate her needs.

If there’s an unsettled problem, feel free to talk about it. Avoid sweeping issues under the carpet and using sexual starvation to punish your wife. It works sometimes, but it can also be counterproductive at other times. She may begin to doubt herself and second-guess her choice of marrying you. This may negatively impact her mood and self-esteem.

And if you’re one of those who joke about the importance of sex and intimacy in marriage (“is sex a food?” Really?!), remember that the lady can get everything she needs without marrying you; let’s face it. She left her father’s house just for sex and procreation!

Also, remember that shaitan is always lurking around to identify loopholes to invade your marriage. A dissatisfied wife is one of such loopholes. She might begin to hear whisperings on how to satisfy her needs through haram ways. She may start cheating subtly, looking for means to unleash the pressure and engaging in unwholesome activities to douse the tension. We seek Allāh’s refuge against such.

In conclusion, I implore men to study their wife’s sexual needs and try to satisfy them as much as possible. Communicate freely and assist each other to achieve happiness through halal intimacy. Seek professional advice and therapy if possible. Do not shame your spouse for wanting a little bit more than usual. What makes your marriage what it is, if not the permission for intimacy?

Khadijah Tijani is a medical doctor. She writes from London, Ontario and can be reached through askodoctorkt@gmail.com or @AskDoctorKT.

By Muhammad Sabiu

A lady who looked to be in her early 20s was found stoned to death at the famous Eleven-Eleven junction in Calabar.

The incident is believed to have occurred early on Friday. A few stones were found next to her at the roundabout, and there were some visible wounds all over her remains.

Despite sympathizers having gathered around her motionless body in an attempt to identify her, the identity could still not be established.

At around 8 a.m., a pickup vehicle with some police officers arrived on the scene, preparing to evacuate the body.

As of the time of filing this report, The Daily Reality source has not been able to get information indicating that the police in Cross River State have reacted to the incident.

Eleven-eleven roundabout is next to The Millennium Park, where the military and the State government stage significant parades and celebrations.

By Aisha Musa Auyo

Perhaps the only group of people that see women beyond their looks are the blind. They judge us based on our character and attitude and, with time, our intellect and intelligence.

I often get judged based on my looks, which pisses me off. It took time, patience, and convincing to come to terms with the reality that people will always judge one by his looks. I want us to ponder that our looks have nothing to do with our intelligence and demeanour.

Personality psychologists have argued that physical appearance is a significant factor in personality development because people form opinions by what they see in a person physically and respond to that person accordingly. In turn, people tend to fulfil the expectations they believe others have for them. 

For example, short people are said to be too aggressive or demand too much respect, or tall people are foolish. And in our society, it’s believed that rich people are evil and will go to hell, while poor people are good people. So they say, “Ku ci a nan, ma ci a can”, meaning “You enjoy this life, and we – the poor – will enjoy in the hereafter”. 

Other common myths that align personality with looks are: slim girls tend to be arrogant and lack patience, while chubby girls are easygoing and humble. Looking good and dressing well makes you arrogant automatically, or driving an expensive car is a showoff. 

Please, let’s study people before we pass judgement, as people’s behaviour evolves with time, education and experiences (these are what make and shape us) regardless of their physical traits. Let’s not allow people’s expectations or comments to shape our thinking. I know it’s easier said than done, but can we try?

I can remember some years back when I went to write a Senior Secondary School entrance aptitude test. After greeting the panels, one of them said, “Miss, I hope you have something to bring to the table beside your good looks. I was 13 years then, and his rhetorical question sent a doubt in my mind that I may not pass the exams. It took convincing myself that if I couldn’t do it, I wouldn’t be illegally adopted as a mercenary for someone else, implying that if I had allowed his comment get me, I might probably fail the exams. This is an example of how people’s expectations shape our thinking.

After the general exams, we were to go for another test, this time one by one with the examiners. I was given a mathematics exercise to solve fractions and square roots. God helped me solve that equation in less than a minute, and the judges were awed. It happened that I was the first one to solve that particular question since they started the test that very day. That man asked me again, which school are you attending? To him, it must be the school that is good, not me. 

A similar incident happened recently during my PhD coursework. I was doing statistics tutorials for my cluster, and the news spread that a tutorial was going on. Some groups of women decided to join. As they entered the class and saw me at the board with a marker, one of the women said, “so there’s a brain inside that fine face”. 

I retorted. My brain is finer than my face, in my mind, of course, as this woman is old enough to be my mom. But this time around, I didn’t let her statement intimidate me. All thanks to age and experience. I just pretended not to hear and continued with the class: If I’d allowed that to get through me and said what came to my mind aloud, it would prove that slim ladies are arrogant.

These cases should sound like compliments, but they’re an insult. Why do people believe that beauty and brains are mutually exclusive? What does our look have to do with our brain? My best friend, the best in mathematics in our class, is one of the most beautiful people I’ve met. She’s a civil engineer now.

My other best friend, a tall, fair, beautiful Fulani lady, is now a medical doctor. I have also met short people who are soft-hearted and humble. I’ve met wealthy people who are down-to-earth, simple and have a kind heart. I’ve met not so good looking people who are also not so brilliant but have strength in kindness, empathy, and excellent marketing skills. 

Each person has strengths, so also weaknesses. For example, a blind person may have superpowers that someone with eyes may not. I’ve seen disabled people do things with their only leg or hand that are humanly impossible. 

This debate of physical traits and how they manifest in our personality is beyond human comprehension, for it involves genetics, life experiences, grit, tenacity, and willpower. This unending nature-nurture debate could only be laid to rest if we agree that these matters are beyond us.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero has called on women to follow in the footsteps of Prof. Umma Ahmad Jalingo, the president of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES).

He made the call Thursday at the closing ceremony of a 3-day conference on Fiscal Sustainability and Policy Response for Economic Recovery in Nigeria held in Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Kano.

The Emir commended her efforts and tasked her to work to the best of her ability to ensure success and to also be the subject of example in the history of NES and Nigeria as a whole.

He added that the conference and the papers presented were very relevant to current Nigeria’s economic situation.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A renowned Kano lawyer, activist, commentator and philanthropist, Barrister Sunusi Musa was among the 62 lawyers elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

The LPPC, in a statement signed by its secretary and the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Hajo Bello, disclosed this on Thursday, September 29 2022. Hajo also disclosed that the new SANs would be officially conferred with the rank on November 21, 2022.

The title of SAN is the equivalent of the Queen’s Counsel in the United Kingdom. It is conferred on persons qualified to practice as barristers and solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and who have distinguished themselves in the practice of law.

Over the years, the rules governing the conferment have been amended to accommodate law teachers and scholars who have contributed immensely to the teaching and learning of the law. Federal and state prosecutors who have excelled in the practice of law within the dictates of their engagement are also now considered for the SAN title.

The LPPC, which is chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, also have members like the Attorney General of the Federation and distinguished heads of courts and reputable senior advocates as its members.

The basic requirements for a lawyer to be elevated to the inner bar include:

1: Good Character and calm temperament;

2: Must be qualified to practice as a legal practitioner in Nigeria for not less than ten years;

3: Must have appearances at the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and other courts of record;

4: A good law office and law library are considered in the case of lawyers in private practice, amongst other things.

Few privileges are also enjoyed by SANs to the exclusion of other lawyers. These include:

1: Sitting at the inner bar or front roll and being given the opportunity of mentioning their cases before junior counsel;

2: Must appear with a junior counsel in a civil case;

3: Appear in a distinct robe on certain legal occasions;

4: The title also attracts more legal fees and professional patronage from clients and members of the public.

By Isa Muhammad Inuwa

Thousands of Muslims in Kano, Nigeria, had Thursday converged at the Umar Bin Al-Khattab mosque, where they offered funeral prayer in absentia for the repose of the soul of the deceased Sheikh Youssef Al-Qardawi, who passed on in Doha, Qatar, recently.

Leading the congregation, Imam Sheikh Yahaya Tanko delivered the prayer interluded with four Takbirs (Allahu Akbar! chants) and supplications.

Addressing the crowd shortly after, Sheikh Tanko recalled that the distant funeral prayer was first conducted by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), in Medina, for the soul of Al-Najjashi, the then late Emperor of Abyssinia (present Ethiopia). Al-Najjashi was deemed to have converted from Christianity to Islam before his death.

Also speaking to the gathering, Professor Muhammad Babangida of Bayero University, Kano, announced that the late Sheikh Al-Qardawi was “a famous Islamic scholar of international standing, who spent the largest part of his life contributing to Islamic knowledge, through his teachings, writings and extracting solutions to religious matters (Fatwa)”.

He added that the late Al-Qardawi authored no less than 170 books, some of which consisted of several volumes. He said he was head of numerous Islamic bodies and that he migrated from his home country Egypt to Qatar because of threats to his life by anti-Islamic forces.

He described the deceased as a moderate jurist who maintained a middle course in proposing solutions on matters of Islamic jurisprudence. “He neither swerved to the extreme nor tilted to the most lenient side”, adding that he was very apt in addressing current issues arising in modern life in his publications and jurisdictions.

The scholar also described Al-Qardawi’s death as a significant loss to the entire Muslim World, whose replacement is difficult to find. He then asked God to forgive the deceased and rest his soul in the highest abode of Paradise. 

By Uzair Adam Imam

A 2022 and the 63rd annual national conference of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) ended successfully Thursday, September 29, 2022.

The conference, which started Tuesday, was aimed at providing possible ways to enhance fiscal sustainability in Nigeria as the country ranks fifth on the list of ten countries with the highest debt exposure.

The event hosted academics, politicians and traditional rulers from all parts of the country to grace the event held in Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Prof. Umma Ahmad Jalingo, the second woman president of NES and the first one from the north in 63 years, commended the successful completion of the event.

She said the past three days had been very impactful, adding, “Today, September 29, has marked the culmination of this program with yet an important component.”

His royal highness, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, commended the organisers for holding the conference in Kano.

The emir said the conference was relevant, looking at Nigeria’s current economic situation. He also commended all the papers presented.

Some of the papers presented included “Impact of Fiscal Policy on Financial Inclusion and Development in Nigeria” by Taiwo A. Segun, “Fiscal Policy Options and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria” by Muhammad B. Ado and “Public Debt and Poverty in Nigeria: The Role of Governance Quality” by Omowuwi O. Idowu, among others.

NES was founded in 1957, three years before Nigeria’s independence, and aims to provide intellectual leadership in understanding and to manage economic, social and political changes in Nigeria.