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By Abdulmajid Mudassir

I dreamt a good dream, a perfect dream about Kano. I consider Kano the best part of myself. Words are indeed scantier than dreams. The Kano of my dream is nearly impossible to describe. It is the Kano that cannot be found elsewhere in a hurry. Dear reader, I will describe it to you. 

The Kano of my dream is a society where education is the most valued treasure. It is where primary and secondary education is free, compulsory and easily accessible in the real—not political—sense of the word. The Kano from whose territories illiteracy has entirely vanished. The Kano, where tertiary education is affordable and accessible by anyone who wishes to pursue it. Education is the bedrock of any thriving society. Education is to a society what fresh water is to thirsty lips. 

People often say: “health is wealth”. In the Kano of my dream, there is the required number of doctors, nurses, midwives, paediatricians, obstetricians and public health officers who are patriotic and caring. There is also an adequate number of hospitals and materials. Listening to people begging for money via radio stations for medical care is horrific. 

Kano has been blessed with seductive fertile lands: there is virtually no farm produce we cannot grow. I dream of Kano growing food in excess. 

Is a just society not the best society? I dream of Kano, where injustice of any kind is zero-tolerated. Where the weak can successfully seek redress with ease. 

I dream of Kano, where good road networks and potable water in rural areas are available. 

I dream of Kano, where there is respect for the values and dignity of women and where the youth are considered the engine of growth. 

It has been said that every limit is a beginning as well as an ending. All that you read above are hopes. How can we achieve all our hopes? George Elliott, the author of the Middlemarch, said: “hopes are often delusive.” But is hope not delusive only when the wrong remedies are applied? If we carefully observe, understand and plan for the solutions to our problems, they are surmountable. 

Although there is a concentration of pupils in rural areas, primary schools in rural areas give very little or no consideration to knowledge, skills and new ideas needed by these pupils to function effectively in their environment (e.g. farming practice and management, community development, fishing, sheep and goat rearing, hygiene, nutrition etc.). Moreover, the teaching focuses more on recitation and repetition instead of thinking and problem-solving. 

The curricula shall be radically reformed. It should incorporate the subjects needed in rural areas. Our primary and secondary schools should not only focus on general but also a family improvement, community development, and occupational education. Failure to do this will cause the youth to drift away from rural areas, eventually leading to more crimes and job lottery in the Kano metropolitan area. 

To achieve the above, the government shall reopen teachers’ training colleges. Furthermore, primary schools should observe and prepare pupils who distinguish themselves in terms of sharp thinking, problem-solving and creativity for those schools. 

Research shows that not more than 35% of the potentially cultivable lands are used in Kano. Therefore, the government shall revivify our dams, provide more irrigation channels, construct road networks, and provide materials for land improvement in preparation for intensive farming by the teeming unemployed labour force willing to participate in farming. 

As a state estimated to have over 15 million people, it is horrific to learn that no manufacturing company produces merely distilled water in the whole state. Government should concentrate more on providing the sophisticated and expensive machines and other materials desperately needed in our hospitals instead of focusing on building new blocks in the existing hospitals where it is unnecessary. 

It is now the time for Kano City to develop vertically instead of horizontally in building construction. What if we have multiple twenty-and-above-storey buildings in Kantin Kwari Market? The urban planning authority should help with ways to encourage people to build multiple storeys instead of making several buildings with one level. 

Waste materials shall be adequately recycled. In addition, there shall be a widespread plantation of trees. 

What seems a foreboding is the emergence of the modern Almajiri system of education. The situation must be handled properly, for it is a time bomb. The system should be reshuffled and incorporated into the modern education system. 

Our lack of trusted leaders pains me the most. But, with good governance, we can achieve something meaningful. It is, therefore, a collective responsibility to make sure we go out en masse on election days to vote for suitable candidates. 

The leaders know everything except what the followers know better. Therefore, public opinion shall matter in all governmental policies. 

All forms of productive competition, such as agricultural produces and writings (such as this), shall be encouraged. 

Happiness and sports are always hands in gloves. The Kano Pillars should utilise the legacy of Golden Stars—a founding member club of Kano Pillars. Golden Stars used to select only players who were squarely passionate about football, not money, fame or anything else. That action made them win 32 out of 36 matches in a football tour they took in the late 1980s across West Africa. 

If we keep it right, other things will keep it right. If we brave all the difficulties, it may cause to make this state great: a thrice-blessed Kano is attainable. But it is an accumulation of trouble to think that making Kano great is not a collective responsibility. We have no right to urge greater change until we have tried as much as possible to alter the wrongs beneath our hands. Let us work together to make Kano a smaller edition of the terrestrial paradise.

Abdulmajid Musassir is among the winners of the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via abdulmajidmudassir@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has accused his Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) counterpart, Alh. Atiku Abubakar, of being a liar.

Tinubu Tuesday argued that Abubakar was a liar who could not explain the source of his wealth, adding that there were a lot of contradictions in the information he gave.

Addressing the North-West Muslim leaders in Kano, Tinubu said, “They asked one of them. How did you get rich? He said he was doing transportation and motor vehicle business.

“He had forgotten that civil service (sic), you cannot do any other thing if you are a custom officer but farm. Who is lying to who? Who is contradicting who?” 

Tinubu mockingly threw the label against Abubakar to the delight of his supporters, who cheered him on at the event.

However, in 2020, Tinubu was reportedly accused of stealing public funds after Peoples Gazette’s report exposed some documents showing how Tinubu stole to enrich himself.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, was able to retrieve over N13 billion that was earmarked illegally.

The funds are the profits of unauthorised payments made between 2017 and 2021 under the subsidy regime.

Recall that this was reported in a recent paper on the National Inherent Risk Assessment of Money Laundering in the Nigerian Extractive Sector that was obtained from the website of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, or NFIU.

The document stated: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the agency responsible for the investigation and prosecution of corrupt subsidies in the oil and gas in Nigeria, recovered N12,998,963,178.29 as proceeds of illegal payment made within the subsidy regime between 2017 and 2021.”

Corruption involving fuel subsidies has raised concerns in Nigeria. For instance, according to the World Bank, increased gasoline subsidies put the Nigerian economy at high risk.

This is because the payments might have a major impact on public finances and raise questions about the sustainability of the country’s debt.

By Suhaibu Safiyanu Bagwai

Indeed, one of the most important developmental aspects of modern Nigeria is the growth of public opinion, which, aided by universal education and the mass media, can today keep the government in check as has never happened before. We can still march on through our fastidious conscience and occasional rebellion or our constant prodding of society’s leaders for better things. Even in a perfect world, there will always be men who will dream of other worlds, of better things, since not everyone is likely to be enthused by their current world, let alone someone who lives in Kano, a state that is riddled with corruption, social insecurity and illiteracy, bloated by debts and battered by economic volatility, poorly planned buildings and poor refuse disposal and management, to mention but a few.

Kano is one of the seven ancient Hausa kingdoms, and the principal inhabitants of the state are the Hausa people. A commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria, the “Centre of Commerce”, with a population of about 20 million people. The large population of people and the ease of doing business in the state have added to the crowded nature of the state. Nevertheless, it has maintained its commercial status for centuries, although the economy is friable, despite the inconsistent government policies and sporadic electricity supply, which hamper the manufacturing industry. Kano’s economy relies primarily on trade, retail and services.

Over the years, Kano has encountered enormous urbanisation challenges, ranging from rapid population growth, overcrowding, increasing vehicular and industrial pollution, high rates of out-of-school children, and urban poverty resulting in many environmental issues. Compared to its neighbouring states, Kano is faring better; but when put on a realistic scale, it is devastatingly poorer! Thus, every Kano citizen dreams of seeing that the major problems bedevilling the state are properly checked, and I am not an exception.

Looking at the population of Kano, one will find how it grows at a hysterical height. Rural-urban migration is at its peak; the city is overpopulated with people who leave their hometowns for greener pastures. That makes the city dirtier and unhealthy to travel around. But why the rural-urban migration increases every day? This is the question we seldom ask.

Nigeria’s current economy is debilitating; the inflation rate is high. The recent statistics of multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians rise to 65%, and 75% (of this percentage) live in rural areas. This shows that the urban-rural poverty and unemployment margin is wider, hence the rise in rural-urban migration. However, this is something that is not uncontrollable. Job creation and providing basic social amenities will go a long way in solving this problem. Offering loans, fertiliser and seeds to our small-scale rural farmers and making sure they reach the target people and introducing government and private agencies aimed at educating the farmers on how to make a good harvest, storage and sale will boost our agricultural produce, create job opportunities, diversify our economy and reduce the rural-urban migration drastically.

Reading the statistics of the number of out-of-school children in Kano and seeing it myself in my hometown, Bagwai, scares me the most. A society that invests less in education is stagnant and hopeless, with little or no future. Over the years, our government’s educational policies could have been better planned and executed. For instance, the current government’s introduction of the “Free and Compulsory Education Scheme” has, owing to poor planning and execution, ruined the education system. Before the scheme’s introduction, students used to pay 700 naira per term, which was used for the management of the school and pay teachers, mostly volunteers, some tokens. Now that the fee is removed, teachers – that are primarily voluntary – become scarce, and the principals and the head teachers cannot raise the money to pay them or manage the schools. It is the government’s responsibility to look for a way out. Unfortunately, public schools have remained neglected since the law was passed.

Many students drop out of school due to dilapidated buildings, overcrowded classrooms, scarcely qualified teachers, and poor teaching and learning atmosphere and facilities. Therefore, the government should look deeper into this scheme and make immediate improvements. In addition, the sectoral allocation in the education ministry should be increased. We have thousands of well-trained, unemployed education graduates ready for recruitment.

Kano is notoriously known for political thuggery, and it is one issue that perversely mocks my hope of a better Kano. However, I learned that most are either unemployed or school dropouts. Thus the creation of rehabilitation centres, youth empowerment schemes, sporting activities and public enlightenment programs will help reduce it.

Although there has been some development in the road network of the Kano metropolis, the number of vehicles at some road injunctions exceeds the road’s designed capacity. The trading activities along the major roads and inadequate planning obstruct efficient road transportation in urban Kano. Poorly planned buildings in our major markets, mostly built on water passages, blocks the water passages causing water to flood when it rains, which leads to the loss of lives and properties worth billions of naira – as it happens yearly – and obstructs the easy passage of vehicles whenever there is an accident or a fire outbreak in the markets. I dream of seeing some of the major markets relocated from their present locations or their buildings re-planned and trading activities along the roads banned, providing them with space for their businesses. More bus stops and parking spaces should also be provided to prevent indiscriminate parking and to stop at prohibited places.

One of the most disturbing environmental problems we face is refuse dumping on the streets outside our homes and any unused space in our neighbourhood, including open sewers and ponds. We produce almost 2,000 tonnes of garbage daily, but the sanitation workers can only approximately dispose of 800 tonnes. The remaining 1,200 are piling up on the streets and alleyways of the city, posing severe health risks to the inhabitants and blocking water passages. That is why the city is always dirty! Therefore, through REMASAB, the government should provide sufficient equipment for refuse disposal and the general public, who mostly needs a culture of refuse disposal, be enlightened on the dangers of improper refuse disposal and how to control it.

Bringing traditional and religious leaders closer to the government will influence public adherence to some governmental policies since the citizens are religious. The leaders are also influential. There should also be an establishment of a law that will restrict religious leaders from using abusive or provocative language during their sermons and preaching.

The poor supply of electricity and acute dearth of pipe-borne water in Kano can also be reduced if the government were to utilise its resources accordingly. Kano is blessed with almost seven major dams that can generate hydroelectric power, like the ones done at Tiga and Watari dams, providing adequate electricity and water supply for public and industrial usage. The surroundings can also be used for hotels and tourism by building amusement parks which can generate revenue for the state and create jobs.

The agency responsible for revenue collection, KIRS, needs to be redressed and transparent. The government’s spending should also be transparent to the public to know where and how their taxes are spent.

If I were to advise the government and the budgetary committee, I would suggest they determine budget priorities so that resources can be directed to issues of higher priorities and the proposed plans to be in line with the projected range of resources for each government agency. That will also compel the government to make hard choices between using available resources to start new projects or completing the existing ones. For instance, this year’s priority is education; new teachers recruited, buildings renovated, wages increased, teaching and learning facilities provided and so on. Then, next year will be the health sector, followed by commerce, water, electricity, agriculture, and sports…in the subsequent years. This will go a long way in tackling our problems.

Finally, I believe that hopeless as she may seem, Kano is not beyond redemption. We just need the will to do that. This is my dream, and I believe it is everyone else’s!

Suhaibu Safiyanu Bagwai is among the winners of the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via bagwaisafwan@gmail.com.

By Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani

Bauchi State APC Gubernatorial Candidate, Ambassador, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar (RTD), CFR, had on 29 December 2022 flagged off a free medical diagnosis and treatment for eye patients at the Federal Medical Center, Azare. Hence such a philanthropic gesture earned him more support and love from the concerned citizen in the environs and beyond. 

Later, he joyfully went on to inspect a campaign office that was donated by Usman Sufy. Amidst cheers from supporters and well-wishers. Sufy, a young, dynamic youth leader whose personality is garnished with technical know-how and grassroots mobilization spirit, has assured his total commitment to the Air Marshall project; he joined the train with thousands of supporters across Bauchi State for the sole aim of an APC victory in the 2023 election. Indeed, Sufy’s relevance in the Bauchi political arena shall never be over-emphasized at this material time, and perhaps it will add more value to the Baba Sadieque movement. 

It’s very imperative to note that not only had sufy joined the train, holding the line with progressive minds, but he even meritoriously carried his lieutenant along in an eloquent, compelling, historical, rebounding, and overwhelming manner for the victory of Sadique. Remember, the Arabic meaning of my man’s name is “truthful,” which he symbolizes in all his dealings. 

The massive support the Progressive candidate is receiving in Bauchi North and indeed all over the state will sweep away all doubt, further secure his resounding victory, cement the naysayers’ doubt, yet, reposition the state, and usher in a new and refreshing era of hope, progress, and prosperity, in sha Allah. 

However, Sadique appreciated the resounding welcome and reiterated his commitment to repositioning Bauchi State on the path of progress and development. Yet he assures the people of Katagum that, when given the mandate in 2023, the APC government will focus on people-oriented programs/policies that will be beneficial to the populace of Bauchi State as a whole.

Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani writes from Galadima Mahmoud Street, Kasuwar-Kaji Azare, Bauchi State.

By Ayuba Ibrahim Gezawa

Kano, located in northern Nigeria, is a place of great cultural and historical significance. It has a rich history dating back to the 7^th century and is known for its strong Islamic influence, vibrant arts and crafts scene and bustling markets. In my dreams, Kano is a thriving metropolis that is modern and progressive while still maintaining its rich cultural heritage.

One thing that makes Kano so unique is its diverse and vibrant culture. It is home to a mix of ethnic groups with unique traditions and customs. In my dreams, Kano celebrates this diversity and promotes cultural exchange and understanding. The city is full of vibrant festivals and events that bring people from all walks of life together to celebrate their cultural traditions and share them with others.

Another aspect of Kano that I admire is its strong sense of community. The city has a strong sense of pride and belonging; its residents are known for their hospitality and generosity. In my dream, Kano is where people come together to support each other and work towards a common goal. Whether it is through volunteering at local charities, participating in community projects or simply being there for a friend in need, the people of Kano are always willing to lend a helping hand.

One of the things I would love to see in my dream Kano is a strong focus on education. Education is the key to a better future, and I would love to see Kano become a hub for learning and innovation. In my dream Kano, top-quality schools and universities provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the modern world. There are also numerous research and development facilities where scientists and innovators can work to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.

Technology is the heart of all developments in the current world. It changes how we interact, do business, entertains ourselves, and understand the world. In Kano of my dreams, technology plays an integral role in its development. It prioritises the training of technically oriented personnel who are to be the initiators, facilitators and implementers of the technological development in the country. Not only that, but it harnesses those technological developments and applies them to the economic, social and environmental challenges.

In the Kano of my dreams, corruption has no place. Corruption is a disease capable of hindering all forms of progression. One way for Kano to tackle corruption is to implement strict penalties for corrupt behaviour and to enforce those penalties consistently. This could include fines, imprisonment, and other consequences for individuals and organisations engaging in corrupt practices. Additionally, the city could increase transparency in its financial and decision-making processes by making budget information and contracts available to the public.

Furthermore, Kano could establish a hotline or other mechanism for citizens to report instances of corruption and take steps to protect those who come forward with information. Finally, the city could invest in education and public awareness campaigns to encourage citizens to speak out against corruption and understand its negative impact on the community.

I would love to see an improvement in the healthcare system in the Kano of my dreams, by hugely investing in the health sector, not just by building world-class hospitals but through proper management and sustainable accountability of those hospitals. A Kano city where the poor, the rich, and our top government officials patronise the local hospitals rather than opting for other alternatives. A Kano where the local hospitals would provide the same quality of healthcare services as the ones in the developed countries. A city with a drastic reduction in infant and maternal mortality due to access to qualitative and world-class healthcare services.

Distinguished and prominently renowned as the centre of commerce as Kano already is, in the Kano of my dreams, I would love to see a city that further promotes exponential growth and development in our businesses. It encourages businesses to start or expand in the city, supports entrepreneurs, creates jobs, and stimulates economic growth. This might include offering tax incentives, providing business development resources or investing in education and training programs to help prepare the local workforce for new job opportunities.

My dream Kano is a place that uses its natural environment to generate electricity so that every place within the rural and urban metropolis will experience an uninterrupted power supply. A city that provides all the basic amenities: good roads, portable water, good rural and urban town planning, sanitation and recreational facilities, among others, to its citizens. A state that puts an end to high levels of poverty, inequality and unemployment, a united, stable and peaceful place. A city that would inspire other northern states and Nigeria as a whole to become important and giant figures in the global community.

Overall, my dream Kano is a place of diversity, community and education. It is a thriving state celebrating its rich cultural heritage while embracing progress and innovation. It is where people from all walks of life come together to support each other and work towards a brighter future for all. I dream of a better Kano, a state with a brighter future, where everyone would work to make these dreams a reality.

Ayuba Ibrahim Gezawa won the 3rd position in the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via ayubaibrahimgezawa@gmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced that by using its flagship taxpro max solution, taxpayers may now easily receive their Tax Clearance Certificate.
 
The solution, which consists of a tax administration module unveiled by the top tax authority in June 2021, provides a quick way for activities including taxpayer registration, tax return filing, tax payment, and getting a tax clearance certificate.
 
According to a statement released yesterday and signed by Mr. Johannes Wojuola, Special Assistant to the Executive Chairman, FIRS (Media & Communication), the taxpayer can now generate a Tax Clearance Certificate with just one click, as opposed to the two weeks it previously took to do so.
 
This technical advancement follows extensive technological improvements that the Service undertook in an effort to fully automate its tax administration activities.
 
Commenting on the development, Muhammad Namu, the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, said, “One of our objectives as a service is to build a Customer-Centric institution.
 
“That means an institution that has the customer at the heart of its innovations and solutions. It is for this reason that we have tuned the operations of our TaxPro Max solution to be able to deliver Tax Clearance Certificates in the shortest possible time to taxpayers.
 
“At the click of a button, a taxpayer will get their Tax Clearance Certificates, as long as they have no outstanding liabilities.
 
“This would impact in no small measure on the ease of doing business in Nigeria.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), has requested that legal practitioners in Nigeria, who desire the attainment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), should submit applications online.

This was disclosed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, Hajo Sarki Bello in a memoir on Monday, January 2, 2022.

Bello said this year application is online and lawyers who desire the award of the rank of SAN should submit relevant documents to the LPPC’s portal.

He added that all applicants must pay a non-refundable processing fee of one million naira and upload evidence of the payment online.

Part of the memoir reads: “By the combined provisions of Section 5(2) of the Legal Practitioners’ Act Cap 11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria of Nigeria 2004 and the Regulation 10 (1) – (4) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria 2022. (“The Guidelines”) the Legal Practitioners’Privileges Committee ( “the LPPC or the Committee “) hereby makes a formal call for applications preparatory to the rank of the year 2023. Commencing with the year’s exercise applications shall only be made online and prospective applicants are directed to visit www. lppconline.com to make their application.”

The rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria is the highest rank in the Nigerian Bar. It is the equivalent of the rank of the Queen’s Counsel in the United Kingdom. The rank of SAN is yearly awarded to legal practitioners that have distinguished themselves in character and advocacy.

By Lawan Bukar Maigana

I keep telling people that it is too early for us in Nigeria as a whole to adopt a cashless policy. It is just obviously too early. Yesterday, I read a post by Prof. Abdelghaffar Amoka of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in Kaduna State, about his experience with a Point of Sale, PoS, agent.

He had gone to refill his gas cylinders at the cost of 19k+ and he used a PoS machine to pay for it. Though he was debited, the money wasn’t credited to the PoS agent’s account. Rather than waste his time there, he transferred another money to someone’s account to pay for refilling. He would have become helpless if he was moneyless.

Some weeks back, I experienced a similar thing in Abuja. I went to withdraw 5k using a PoS from a woman at the NYSC parade ground. I was debited but she didn’t receive the money. She then told me that she won’t give me the money until she receives an alert. Luckily, I had a paltry sum left in my account. I then withdrew the money using a different PoS. It took my bank nearly ten days to refund me.

Before then, and about three years ago, I had the same experience with UBA. I used my father’s card to withdraw N100,000. I tried six times, but all of the transactions didn’t dispense cash, and he was debited five times. My dad only knew it after a week. He complained to the bank but they denied it, without carefully checking whether the transactions were successful or not.

They had to call me to come from school. I quickly got to the bank because it involved my father. I had to help them understand that the transactions failed. Only then they rechecked and discovered that I was right. That was indeed an issue bordering on unprofessionalism.

If not because of my father I would have sued the bank, because they threatened me with a police arrest, saying it was a criminal case. My father asked me to accept their apology else I would have sought compensation for making me look like a criminal, while they were at fault.

Before going ahead with its cashless policy, another factual and excusable factor the Apex Bank should consider is the fact that most of our businesses are done in cash, especially those trading in rural communities and towns and other remote areas where there are no banks, no network, no internet, no electricity, no education, and these people form a large portion of the Nigerian populace.

The questions I keep asking myself regarding this policy are: Did the Central Bank of Nigeria build banks in those areas? Would the people be traveling from their various villages to cities to transfer, withdraw or deposit money? What did the government do in place of these challenges? Does CBN have enough manpower to do this job even if they have built banks? Did CBN mistake Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and a few cities for Nigeria?

These, among other reasons, are the factors I want the CBN Governor to consider. Before they present this policy, they need to put all these things in place and educate people about it so that people will evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and decide to either oppose or support it. The CBN didn’t do that. It just woke up from its slumber and served it to the Nigerians a la carte. Time will however tell if Nigerians will embrace it, warts and all.

Lawan Bukar Maigana is a social analyst. He writes from Abuja and can be reached via email: lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com

By Ibrahim Abubakar

In the late 1890s, my great-grandfather narrowly escaped the evil claws of the Mahdi’s hostile and belligerent lieutenant, Rabeh Bn Fadlallah, who had invaded Borno to spread the Mahdist ideology. They sacked the empire’s capital of Kukawa, captured and executed Sheikh of Borno, and enslaved many people. This martial excess sent trembles across the land, and many thought it wise to migrate westward into the Sokoto Caliphate for safety. Among those who migrated to the Caliphate was my great-grandfather, Mamadou. Of its two dozen emirates, Mamadou chose Kano as his refuge.

Kano was the jewel of the Sahel, a centre of trade and commerce with walls 50 feet high and immensely thick, surrounded by a deep artificial gully making it an impenetrable fortress; a marvel to behold! It is this sense of security and opportunity, I believe, that made Kano a desirable place for my ancestors.

During colonial times, Kano increased in its majesty. The British administration modernised trade and industry, built hospitals, schools, and railways and improved the justice system by integrating and superbly implementing strategies that supported the rule of law and ameliorated the superficial old system. Kano’s commercial strategies were carefully designed to produce a positive net economic effect. For example, hide, skin, groundnut, animal feeds, meat and textile were exported to Britain. These export plans were supported by long-term government programmes that continued into post-independence Kano.

According to a World Bank report, Kano State’s mainstay is agriculture. It employs about 60% to 70% of the population producing rice, maize, millet, groundnut, beans, etc. Livestock production is another source of income for the farmers. The industrial output is from oil mills, textiles, tanneries, flour mills, and several others.

As the centre of commerce, Kano handles about 75% of finished goods from Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo industries. These are distributed to all the northern states and the neighbouring states of Niger, Cameroon, Chad, etc. From Kano, the following are exported: semi-finished leather, cotton lint, gum, hibiscus, sesame seeds and other minor items. All of the above have immensely contributed to enhancing Kano’s GDP as one of the highest in the country.

Unfortunately, the contemporary situation is rather bleak. Most of the factories have closed or have reduced their production capacity. Kano had about 30 tanneries producing over 45 million goats and sheep skins for export. In addition, over 7 million cattle hides were processed as finished leather for making shoes and other leather goods. However, there are only a dozen tanneries in production today. As for cattle hides, 90% of it is consumed in southwestern Nigeria as Ponmo or Ganda. In addition, cattle hides are imported from neighbouring countries and Mali, CAR, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia. The last textile to close was Angel Spinning and Dyeing Limited.

It is not a hidden fact that education has crumbled in recent years. Many children in Kano are poorly educated (the lucky ones?) and without a solution in sight. Although I am aware that education has exacerbated globally, for example, my father, 48 years older than me, is better educated in most branches of general learning. Kano is in the top five states in the country with substantial numbers of out-of-school children.

Healthcare facilities across the state are in a deplorable state. For example, the last time I visited the A&E department of a general hospital in Kano, I was sickened by the gruesome sight of accident victims on the floor, literally bleeding to death. In addition, there is an enormous disparity in the doctor-to-patient ratio, albeit not the worse in the country. It is, however, in the top ten states lacking doctors, with a ratio of 1 doctor for every 14,123 persons. To put it into perspective, the UN standard doctor-to-patient ratio is 1:600.

Kano used to be safe. Growing up, very few isolated incidences of theft were heard of in the city. Today, people get robbed in broad daylight. Thieves with sharp knives of all shapes and sizes attack people on the streets to rob them of their phones and other belongings; those who refuse to comply are fatally stabbed without remorse. Rape cases are rising exponentially. This year alone, over 1,300 cases of rape were reported. It is sad to see Kano vitiated.

The Kano of my dreams is the Kano my great-grandfather fell in love with. A Kano where there is opportunity and hope for everyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion. A Kano where I feel safe walking any street at any hour of the day or night. A Kano where women can feel comfortable around men without fearing harassment or misogyny. A Kano with subsidised agricultural products such as fertilisers and an established avenue for creating liaisons with agencies that will be responsible for borrowing funds from the banks of industry and agriculture for the benefit of farmers, and this will increase productivity as well as employment.

Similarly, the Kano of my dreams will create an investment agency to secure funds from the Bank of Industry for the closed tanneries/factories and companies at low capacity. This will enhance business activity and employment. Furthermore, the Kano of my dreams will utilise Tiga Dam power generation to supply electricity to the industrial areas of the state and set a good precedence for the future supply of power to the entire state, either through hydroelectricity, solar energy, or thermal power.

The Kano of my dreams is a Kano where children are given quality education regardless of the social and economic status of the family they come from. A Kano where children do not go around begging for food on the streets. The Kano of my dreams is a Kano where hospitals are abundant, and doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers have all the needed equipment to make their jobs easier. A Kano where the large, proposed sports complex at Kofar Na’isa is turned into a colossal state-of-the-art medical centre to cater for the entire country. A Kano where neighbours assist one another.

I dream of a Kano where the rich invest more in local small-scale industries to boost production and employment rather than holidaying abroad and boosting the economy of the colonial order neglecting their brothers and sisters at home languishing in abject poverty. Lastly, the Kano of my dreams will have excellent and selfless leaders that genuinely care about the advancement of the state and will put in their utmost to see to it becoming the gem that it was, if not better than it was in days of yore. In sha Allah!

Ibrahim Abubakar won the 2^nd position in the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via ibrahimabubakhr@gmail.com.