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By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Immediate past Nigeria Interior Minister and two-term governor of Osun State, Abdulrauf Aregbesola, has disclosed that he is back to restructure the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Osun State.

On Wednesday, Aregbesola made his intention public while addressing party faithfuls at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo.

The former governor sought forgiveness of the party party members and stated that it is time for restructuring and reconciliation in the party.

He noted that he did not offend anybody, but said, “whoever feels that we offend him or she should forgive us.

“We seek forgiveness from those who thought we offended and those who sought our downfall.”

“We were here in 2019 after the Supreme Court affirmed the mandate of the former governor, Gboyega Oyetola. I called for unity in the party. I warned that disunity will not produce any good result. But devil didn’t allow them (those who handled the party affairs) to listen.

“We seek forgiveness from those who are smearing our image, though we never offended them.

“We supported them with all I have to see to their success. I didn’t ask for anything from them. I need to emphasize that I didn’t ask for anything from them. But they chose to repay evil for good.

“However, we are here for the restructuring of the party. That is why we are begging anybody that feels that we offended him or her to forgive us.”

By Muhammadu Sabiu  

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has joined an American side, Inter Miami, after parting ways with the French club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). 

According to Fabrizio Romano, Messi will make an announcement about the new club he has joined in a few hours. 

Reporting on his official Facebook page today, Romano wrote, “Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, here we go! The decision has been made and it will be announced by Leo in the next hours. 

“Messi will play in MLS next season. No more chances for Barcelona despite trying to make it happen.” 

Recall that before this year’s Ligue 1 campaign came to an end, it was already announced that Messi would not continue at PSG. 

There were speculations that the 7-time Ballon d’Or winner would return to his former side, Barca, but the deal wasn’t sealed by the two parties.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

President Bola Ahmad Tinubu on Wednesday administered oath of office to the newly appointed Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume

Senator George Akume, a former senator and governor of Benue State, was appointed to serve in the role barely a week into Tinubu’s administration.

The new SGF took over from Boss Mustapha, who preceded him in office.

The brief event was held at the Presidential Villa and had the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, Senate President Ahmad Lawan; and some serving and former governors in attendance.

The President also took to his verified social media platforms to eulogize the new SGF, whom he described as a distinguished public servant whose services in his new role will benefit Nigeria.

He wrote:

“It was with great pleasure that I, today, administered the Oath of Office and Allegiance to Senator George Akume to mark his official assumption of office as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

“As a distinguished public servant who has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and a deep understanding of the workings of government, I have no doubt that Senator Akume’s service in the new position will be to the benefit of our nation.”

By Dr Shamsuddeen Sani

I thought The Lebanese in Kano: An Immigrant Community in a Hausa Society in the Colonial and Post-Colonial Periods merely contained a handful of newspaper tales. I was mistaken! Within its pages lies a meticulously researched body of work, a testament to the cultural heritage of Kano that begs to be savoured and preserved for generations to come. It has profound glimpses into the very foundations of Kano’s societal evolution as it illuminates the paramount role played by the Lebanese community in the rich Kano’s historical traditions.

This book, published in 1995 and authored by S.A. Albasu, unfolds with an intricate chronology of eight captivating chapters. As the introduction sets the stage, the initial chapter gracefully delves into the existing body of literature on migration, skilfully intertwining it with the historical fabric of West Africa and Nigeria. Embracing a tangent in the second chapter, Albasu illuminates the emigration of the Lebanese into Kano, beginning in the mid-19th century.

However, a pivotal juncture in Lebanese history within Kano emerged in 1920, a defining moment marked by profound geographical and religious divisions among the Lebanese migrants. The historical catalysts propelling Lebanese emigration into Nigeria were meticulously examined within this segment.

It becomes apparent that prior to the 1920s, the Lebanese immigrants in Kano predominantly belonged to the Maronite Christian community. It is only after this period that a demographic shift occurs, welcoming the arrival of Muslim Lebanese, particularly those of the Shiite sectarian extraction hailing from southern Lebanon. The book exposes the reader to the sociocultural intricacies of the Lebanese community’s towns of origin and unravels the fabric of their society, dispelling prevailing myths.

The entire Lebanese migration into Kano is thoughtfully categorised into four distinct phases, each meticulously explored with great detail: 1890-1903, 1903-1912, 1912-1920, and the 1930s during the tumultuous period of the great depression. Each of these phases represents a significant milestone in the history of the Lebanese community within Kano, as well as its impact on the city’s socioeconomic development.

Subsequent chapters of this book delve into the physical establishment of the Lebanese community, intricately entwined with crucial historical policies such as colonial taxation, the indirect rule system, and segregation policies.

Chapters four, five, and six embark on an exciting journey, covering the consolidation of the Lebanese community within Kano’s vibrant business milieu. From the thriving cattle trade to the realms of Kolanut and groundnut businesses, the book unfurls the profound influence of factors like colonial intervention, the upheaval of the Second World War, Nigeria’s independence, and the burgeoning national consciousness. The book has revelations of ground-breaking nature, leaving you enlightened and astounded, and for me, every piece seamlessly falls into place now.

By Adamu Muhammad Burga

As I scrolled down my Facebook newsfeed on Thursday, 11^th May 2023, I came across a post that reads, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return”, and another one that reads, “Losing a good friend like Abdulhameed leaves a scar in the heart that never wanes,” and lots more. They left me agape and confused. Why? They were all attached to the same photo, Abdulhameed’s photo. My shock amplified when I checked my WhatsApp status updates to realise the same thing was happening. I know how death news sounds in peoples’ hearings and hearts, but mine couldn’t believe what I saw. It all seemed to be like a dream to me. 

Yet I called a friend out of sheer confusion to verify whether what I read was true, to which he answered in the affirmative and consoled me. I had one minute of silence before I moved on with my daily routines, still thinking that the news could be a fake one or maybe was mistaken for someone not Abdulhameed. Or perhaps it would later be retracted. ‘How could this be true about someone I visited a few days ago?’ is the question I had been asking myself for a while. 

It had also come to my notice on the day he passed away that a river miles away from my residence claimed a boy’s life. The devastating news saddened me, and why wouldn’t it? The boy was drowned on the day WAEC exams commenced, of which he was a candidate. He even had the wherewithal to sit the exam in the morning before he ‘answered the call of his Lord’. However, I was more shocked by the former’s demise than the latter’s. 

Friends and friends are two categories of people your life can never be devoid of. With the little I know about Abdulhameed’s life, I can conclude that the number of his friends and allies outnumbers that of friends. And this is one of the whys that made me pen this tribute to give a mere exposure to this great personality and exemplary icon — Rahimahullāh.

Abdulhameed was one of the unusual ones. He was resilient. Diligent. Jovial. Religious. Hardworking. A man in whose veins kindness flowed. A true optimist. An exceptional conservationist. 

Abdulhameed was so many different things. A teacher. A student. A Hafidh. A brother. A tech. An exceptionally proud member of the MSSN who served almost at all levels. And a great, a truly great man at diplomacy. And he was most likely a lot more than that. 

But there was one thing Abdulhameed wasn’t. And that’s afraid. Abdulhameed wasn’t scared of his challenges. Of being judged by people. He wasn’t afraid of friendship. A good laugh. He was never scared of a good time. A hard time. Or consequences of his good actions. Or of an impossible task. Or any kind of danger on the right course. And he certainly wasn’t afraid of doing the right thing. Ever.

No matter how hard life was for Abdulhameed, Abdulhameed loved life back. He embraced it without reservation, regret or remorse. And that’s rare, very rare among people of his time.

I wish more people were kind-hearted, diplomatic and easy-going like Abdulhameed. They’re the things about him I’ll miss the most besides his smiles. And I hope it’ll be some time before all my memories of him start to fade.

I remember the last time I visited him. I remember the smiles. I remember his beaming countenance, which told me I’d miss him when he passed. Little did I know that he was bidding me farewell. I wish I had bidden my final adieus to my friend as he bade me his before he left. But, unfortunately, I couldn’t. I failed. 

Having heard different stories of the deceased from other people from different angles, I believe that I’m not having a ‘single story’ of him, as put by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, nor am I satisfied with my only story of him. 

These few lines may not richly tell who Abdulhameed was, as they are, but what I have been able to gather from personalities and territories reachable to me. It’s just the tip of the iceberg. And I’m pretty sure there’s more to come—in sha Allah. I pray that Allah forgives his imperfections, provides him with a unique dwelling in Jannah, and gives fortitude to the bereaved.

And after all, ‘we’re all not here for a long time. We’re here for a good time’. May Allah make our ending a good one. 

Adamu Muhammad Burga writes from Bauchi and can be reached via or at abuzharrin212@gmail.com.

By ImamMalik Abdullahi Kaga

The removal of fuel subsidies has been a hotly debated and controversial topic in Nigeria for many years, especially now that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made the pronouncement. For the longest time, fuel subsidies represented a significant portion of government expenditures, and many Nigerian leaders refused to remove them for fear of political backlash from their citizens. However, President Tinubu’s bold decision has been a critical step towards transforming the Nigerian economy and helping the poor.

The Nigerian government spent an average of  $6.2 billion annually on fuel subsidies, and despite this, the country’s economy did not improve significantly. The fuel subsidy was primarily a means of subsidising fuel prices for Nigerian consumers, and the government aimed to keep the domestic fuel prices low, which, in turn, would help fight inflation and improve the economy. However, the fuel subsidy did not achieve this goal; instead, it distorted the market, leading to corruption, smuggling, and inflation.

Furthermore, fuel subsidies are often perceived as socially unjust because it benefits wealthier individuals more than the poor.  Studies have shown that the richest 10% of Nigerians receive up to 60% of the subsidy, while the poorest 10% only receive 1%.

It is well-known that the country’s wealthy motorists and industries benefit most from the subsidy, not the poor. Hence, the benefit did not trickle down to the poor but only helped the rich acquire fuel more cheaply. However, since most of the poor Nigerians are not benefitting from the fuel subsidy, it’s a commendable effort that the president made.

The removal of the fuel subsidy will create jobs in the downstream sector, increasing the availability of fuel and reducing smuggling, which will contribute significantly to the Nigerian economy’s growth.

Moreover, the government’s removal of the fuel subsidy will allow it to redirect the average amount, $6.2 billion, towards investing in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, security, and infrastructure, which will help reduce poverty levels and create employment opportunities for Nigerians. The government’s commitment to investing in these critical sectors will reduce the dependency on oil, the country’s primary source of revenue, and make the economy more resilient to oil price fluctuations.

Tinubu’s fuel subsidy removal will also reduce government corruption, a significant problem in Nigeria. With the fuel subsidy, many government officials’ fraudulently inflated the amount allocated to the subsidy scheme, which was further used to enrich themselves. Removing the subsidy will prevent the exploitation of government funds by corrupt individuals, which will be an essential step toward improving the Nigerian economy.

I urge Nigerians to be patient and prayerful as Tinubu Administration has a lot in store for us– poor Nigerians.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Kwara State Government has reduced workdays to three days for the state public servants. 

The Chief Press Security, Office of the Head of Service, Murtala Atoyebi, revealed the development in a press statement on Monday. 

According to Mr Atoyebi, the action became necessary owing to the need to put measures in place to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy on workers in the state.

Part of the statement reads:

“The State Head of Service, Mrs Susan Modupe Oluwole announced today that the State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has directed that the workdays be reduced from five days to three days per week for every worker.

“Mrs Oluwole directed all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State to immediately work out a format indicating the alternating work days for each worker under them.

The Head of Service however, warned the workers not to abuse the magnanimity of the Governor, stressing that the regular monitoring of MDAs by her office would be intensified to ensure strict compliance.”

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

Lamash Properties Limited demands N10 billion in compensation from the Kano state government for demolishing its property.

The firm said it entered into a public-private partnership (PPP) with the government of Kano to redevelop the Daula Hotel.

On assuming office, Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano, ordered the demolition of “illegal property” built by the former administration of Abdullahi Ganduje.

In a statement on Sunday, Hassan Yusuf Baba, the firm’s executive director, said it was a “gross injustice” because they were not notified of the demolition exercise.

“Our bid, like every other bid submitted, went through all the processes including going before the state executive council after which we won the bid,” Baba said.

“We were issued the letter of award and we signed a PPP contract agreement with the Kano state government after which we began work on the project.

“The value of the land being the equity contribution of the Kano state government into the project plus the agreed profit share of the state government all in the sum N2,297,016,622.89 only was converted into the hotel and its ownership was given to the Kano state government as its share into the project under the PPP arrangement.

“On May 27, 2023, the immediate past governor of the state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, performed the commissioning ceremony of the hotel and it was handed over to the state government as its share in the project.

“To our utmost surprise, we received a call around 2am on Sunday June 4, 2023, that officials of the state government led by the new governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, have mobilized to the site of the project with bulldozers and were tearing down all the buildings on the land including the already completed 90-room 5-star Daula Boutique Hotel, the 90 percent completed commercial area (malls) as well as the ongoing residential apartments.

“We have instructed our legal team to institute legal actions against the state government to claim compensation to the tune of N10 billion already invested in the project and to stop the state government from further taking actions that will negatively affect us based on the PPP contract agreement we signed with it.”

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
Iconic Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement from football after a very long career.
 
He started his senior career at Malmo FF in 1999 after subsequently going to Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG, and others.
 
Fabrizio Romano, via his social media handle, said, “Zlatan Ibrahimović has now decided to retire from professional football with immediate effect”.
 
Zlatan finally retired at AC Milan in the midst of the club’s fans waving good-bye at him.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Engineer Kailani Muhammad, an All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discard former governors roving around his administration.

He stated that the president should not appoint any of the former governors as they are bad people that his administration should not engage.

He also urged the president to discard ex-senators and ministers that did not perform well in previous administration.

He stated that “Those lobbyists are not good people and we don’t want them on the stage again. We have been circulating this crop of people every time.

“Let the President bring new people who have not stolen”, he advised.

Kailani is the National Chairman of Tinubu Support Network and Director-General of Amalgamated of APC group.

On the fuel subsidy issue, Engineer Kailani said, “This is the right decision because the immediate past administration shifted it. We have been postponing the evil day. A time has come for this country to measure up with the comity of nations.”