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By Lawi Auwal Yusuf

So great are the expectations. Some people believe it to be long overdue, and others are immensely surprised. But, to those who understand, the Infallible Saints Party (as they call themselves) and its government are much to be anticipated. Probably, it seems like coming with strong whims of making a revolution.  

Is it a one change whirl like that championed by the ANC in South Africa under its propellant, Nelson Mandela? Or the CCP in China contrived by its mastermind, Mao Zedong or the PAP in Singapore with the engineering of its leading figure, Lee Kuan Yew? But, as the change charlatans are about to leave office, people have realized that their revolution is nothing but a trick, deception and betrayal. Thus, the malignant political parties of old crooks and the treacherous ISP of the self-righteous saints are but the two sides of a coin. 

As the stormy wind of politics swept across the country in 2015, people were in a dilemma because the incumbent party had taken the nation to the verge of absolute rot. Hence, it was necessary for a vibrant new captain to take over so as to save the capsizing ship on the muddy, turbulent and already disturbed ocean. ISP and its leading forces, the messiah, who promised a miraculous change, were our last hope for survival. Therefore, we undoubtedly reposed the trust, firmly believing that the mess would be cleared once and for all, come what may. 

For over a decade, people sacrificed their wealth, resources and lives for the success of the so-called “jagoran talakawa” (masses emancipator). Today, what is the gain earned? An excoriating economic hardship, an avoidable but seemingly inevitable mass killings and abductions. Sadly, he campaigned unwaveringly for the big office for more than a decade. However, he practically lacks any blueprint for the motherland’s development. 

They violated the faithful confidence and trust of compatriots for personal gain. It was a deliberate and calculated disregard for trust and faith, failing to understand that change requires tireless efforts, sacrifice and effective policies. 

Contrarily, the head of the government remains aloof. As a result, the government’s obsolete and unrealistic policies aggravate the people’s misery. They make life worse, more challenging and make the poor poorer. Moreover, they deepen the crises rather than resolve them. 

ISP has assured people that they are the masters of ineptitude and mediocrity by engaging dirty incapacitated politicians to do the job. This is why they are making the project uglier than ever before. 

The sanctimonious Mai Gaskiya (The Truthful One) and the die-hard cohorts of the ISP boastfully brag that the administration performs better than the preceding regimes since the inception of democracy. This is a gaffe and a baseless argument to fool the psych of those who are gullible. If the ISP believes this to be true, it’s a self-guile at its most deceitful form. This evidently shows that they are only specialized in the game of political wangling and finagling. Indeed, this is the worst government in the history of the modern motherland. And expecting them to do better is like kicking a dead horse.

On account of this, people are in deep regret as frustration is boldly written on their faces. This is the worst decision and mistake they have ever made. Consequently, they have fallen from the frying pan into the fire. 

At last,  they will leave next year as ones who promised a better life but made it more grievous. Those that vowed for a quintessential change instead come with an illusionary one. They can not save innocent souls being murdered in cold blood daily, ones who couldn’t save us from woes. Those saviours have turned into disappointment.  

Lawi Auwal Yusuf wrote from Kano, Nigeria, via laymaikanawa@gmail.com.

By Hassan Ahmad Usman

As a student in a public university in Nigeria, I don’t need anyone to tell me how devastating and frustrating the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike is. Before that, I spent three years trying to secure admission into a university. Registering JAMB year-in-year-out and despite, not for once, failing to make it, I couldn’t secure admission until the fourth attempt. Finally, I got admission into the Federal University of Lafia in September 2018 for a four-year programme. At that time, our colleagues with silver spoons were already in their final year in other private universities. We might claim not to envy them, but we were left with no option other than to play catch-up.

My first taste of the ASUU strike did not take long after I started enjoying academia. It happened just a few weeks upon resumption and lasted for four months. To cut a long story short, this is 2022, and I’m still halfway into my level three. There have been debates since ASUU declared a one-month warning strike on whether or not the strike is the only tool that ASUU can use to press home their demands from the Nigerian government, considering that it is the students that bear the brunt of these strike actions, the most, for the past twenty years.

To some, ASUU has achieved some progress with strikes, and the most notable achievement they cite is the creation of TETFUND. While others believe there is no significant progress that ASUU achieved with strike actions for the past twenty years. Hence, the need for a change of approach. As a directly affected student, I am with the latter group. Whenever one speaks against the embarking on strike by the union, one thing they and their apologists challenge you on is to bring a workable approach aside from the strike. I took that challenge, and here, I’ll provide a possible two-step way out:

To be realistic, the fight against this administration by ASUU is over. ASUU wasted another eight years fighting in vain. This is primarily due to their short term fighting tactics. In 15 months, a new administration will take over. ASUU should forget this administration and set its eyes on the next one. The two steps to be taken are as follows;

ASUU should meet the candidates of the two leading political parties (no disrespect to other political parties) and discuss their plans to bring a solution to the unending issue. However, this should be just the preliminary.  

The first step of action from ASUU should come after the new administration has taken the mantle of leadership. Let’s say six months unto assumption of power. ASUU, at this stage, should seek an audience with the president himself and should not entertain sitting with any minister, cabinet members or the so-called religious bodies. I did not see the president denying them a chance of meeting him. After all, we’ve seen different groups – some with no meaning and motive – meeting the president, so why not ASUU?

The meeting (with the president) will make Nigerians know and have the feeling that the failure comes from the president himself/herself if he/she could not keep to promises made before the election. They should not meet people like Chris Ngige or another Adamu Adamu. ASUU starts losing public sympathy, and they need it to succeed.

They should make sure they strike a deal within a year with the administration with the president himself in attendance and watch how things unravel within the first two years of the administration. A 55% achievement of their demand within two years is a success. 

After seeing and realizing how committed the administration is towards meeting their demands, ASUU can decide to take the second step if there is no significant progress. Let’s say a less than 50% attainment of their needs. Then, I suggest a strike as the second step, yes, a strike action! It has always been what is effective in this country. And I only blame ASUU because it becomes a recurrent issue for them.

This strike should come in the third year of the new president and the year in which the atmosphere is filled with political activities heading to the polls in the succeeding year. Therefore, they should declare a strike that the only condition to suspending it is by granting their request in toto. They should resist any sweet words from the FG. And they should also withdraw all their members from participating in the election activities.

Let the average Nigerians go to the polls with the anger of their children being out of the school walls for over a year. Let the oppositions have what to campaign with and have the neck of the administration in their hands. Let the president face his reelection bid with voters’ anger. Let the world see a president who prioritizes his stay in power without education more than the country’s future. I think only a coconut head leader would fail to succumb! ASUU, please try this. I am your obedient student.

Hassan Ahmad Usman writes from Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. He can be reached via basree177@gmail.com.

By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi

Nigeria is referred to as the “Giant of Africa”, largely owing to its strong economy and large population among other African countries. Nigeria has therefore continued to maintain this position by demonstrating good and quality leadership aimed at fast-tracking progress for the entire continent.

Nigeria’s goal is not only to ensure and maintain peace and security within its territory, but having the sole aim to ensure that appropriate security architecture is also mounted throughout the region for peace, development and stability to reign.

Through bilateral and multilateral agreement with other nations within the region and beyond, Nigeria was able to contribute immensely to providing sanity and solidity across various institutions both at home and between its sister countries.

During conflict situations, especially in the African continent, Nigeria had always stood to be the largest contributor of military personnel and other forms of technical assistance in the affected countries so as to restore normalcy. Professional military engagement of Nigeria was clearly demonstrated when they led the twin peace missions that returned stability in Liberia and Sierra Leone, just to mention but few. 

Recently, in early February, Nigerian National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno has engaged his United Kingdom counterpart, Stephen Lovegrove, in a dialogue bordering on a range of issues including counter-terrorism, serious and organised crime, civilian policing and human rights. The three days long dialogue is the first of its kind since the formation of the ‘UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership’ in 2018.

The latest version of National Security Strategy (NSS, 2019) released by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), retired Major General Babagana Monguno, has apparently captured and elucidated the contribution of Nigeria to international security by saying:

“Active participation in UN peacekeeping missions remains a fundamental pillar of our foreign policy. Nigeria has been a major contributor of troops and police to the UN since 1960. We have deployed military contingents, unarmed military observers, staff officers, police formed units and advisers to more than 25 missions globally.”

“Our troops constituted the military backbone of peacekeeping efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone; initially as part of ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) and later under UN peacekeeping operation – UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and UN Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). We will continue to promote global peace and international security through our commitment and deployment to peacekeeping efforts.”

With the spate of military coups currently ongoing across African countries, Nigeria has been rendering diplomatic assistance through regional organisations including African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This is to ensure that the affected nations return to the path of democracy and that the respect for the rule of law is equally safeguarded.

Recall that, a number of African countries are currently under the control of Juntas who have seized power after ousting the democratically-elected Presidents in various coup d’états. The countries are Mali, Guinea, and Sudan as well as Burkina Faso that recently joined the list. Meanwhile, the military also took over in Chad after the late President Idris Deby died due to injuries sustained in the battlefield.

Up to now, the regional organizations and other international communities have been working in collaborations with Nigeria to ensure a successful transition from military to democratic government in these countries.

Nigeria’s engagement on the African continent towards international security is not only restricted to peacekeeping operations, but also entails mediation in crisis situations. This is cognizant of the fact that mediation is an increasingly popular dispute resolution mechanism throughout the world as it provides a more cost-effective alternative.

As a result of this status, the ECOWAS has appointed Nigeria’s ex-president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as special envoy to Mali in order to head its mediation mission. The aim is to focus on facilitating dialogue with all Malian parties including the opposition leaders, religious organizations and civil societies to resolve the worsening socio-political situation in the country. 

Apart from military support, Nigeria has also been giving interventions to African countries across various imperative institutions. Nigeria provides succor to education, health and judiciary systems of many countries in the region through Technical Aid Corps.

“Nigeria’s development assistance to our neighbours and other countries in sub Saharan Africa is part of fostering mutual peace and security in the region. We will continue to extend development assistance not only to our neighbours, but other countries. We will also strengthen the Technical Aid Corps (TAC), a programme under which Nigeria deploys experts in education, health and other human endeavours to render developmental services and capacity building in the receiving countries.”

“We will equally sustain deployment of judicial officers to other countries to strengthen their judiciaries and promote the rule of law. On good governance, we will continue to offer strategic level training assistance through our strategic institutions to African countries and other allies. This will foster collaboration and strengthen democracy in the region. We will also support countries conducting elections by deploying election monitors to observe and assess the conduct of the elections as part of democratic consolidation,” NSS said.

During the 2014 Ebola outbreak, Nigeria’s approach to containing the situation was a watershed and highly commended by WHO. The country was able to train and deploy 250 volunteer personnel to Liberia to help fight the diseases. Additionally, in January 2020, Nigeria had also handed over TAC medical practitioners to the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation to work in various health facilities across the country. Still, Nigeria is also gearing up toward sending about 74 medical doctors to Guinea Bissau to help the country’s health sector as well.

Therefore, Nigeria must continue deepening her relationship with regional and global partners, strengthen regional and global institutions, thereby achieving national interest, foreign policy objectives and maintaining regional influence.

Mukhtar wrote from Kano via ymukhtar944@gmail.com

By Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani

It is no longer news that another African coach has won the African Cup of Nations, bringing it to six out of the last nine editions won by African coaches. Coach Aliou Cisse of Senegal joined the illustrious list of African coaches that have won it in the period under review:  Hassan Shehata of Egypt, three times, Steven Keshi of Nigeria, Djamel Belmadi of Algeria,  all once.

While I don’t know have anything personal against expatriate coaches, I have everything against the perception that our African coaches are not technically sound to manage our national teams. This is absurd. There are good coaches all over the world.

There are brilliant football managers all across mother Africa who should not be disapproved merely because of what can be referred to as our syndrome of not valuing our own. It shouldn’t be so. 

Of course, Nigeria’s best coach in history is a Dutchman, Clemens Westerhof, who coached Nigeria from 1989 to 1994: winning silver in Algeria 1990, bronze in Senegal 1992, and winning gold in Tunisia 1994.

Westerhof Qualified Nigeria to her maiden World Cup, played some of the most entertaining football ever in Africa and achieved the highest ranking by an African national team, 5th in April 1994 FIFA rankings.

Thus, there isn’t any way I would despise foreign coaches. It isn’t logical. However, I advocate that they be given fairgrounds to compete with our local coaches, and when appointed, all should be supported sufficiently to succeed. 

It is still fresh in my mind how Nigeria Football Federation got itself trapped in a web it is still striving to overcome. They sacked Gernot Rohr at the eleventh hour, which I still think is debatable. Yet, they went ahead to ‘appoint’ a new manager while an interim manager was in place. Who does that before a major tournament and the World Cup playoff around the corner? 

I had thought they should have waited for the AFCON to conclude before appointing any manager, especially with an interim manager already appointed. And all those who shared my views have been proven right with the latest development of allowing the interim manager, Austin Eguavoen, to continue until after the World Cup playoff against Ghana.

I think we would have been saved all this rigmarole if the NFF had at least trusted him enough to be the interim manager and not gone ahead to supposedly have an agreement with someone to succeed him regardless of his performances. 

Until, the Nigerian football fanatics reigned and rallied around the interim manager after some spectacular displays at the group stage of the AFCON, which seemed to have been adequate to make NFF take this recent decision, despite our shock elimination at the last 16 by Tunisia.  May we learn to give our best any job, support, and trust them to deliver. God bless Nigeria. 

Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani wrote from Turaki B, Jalingo, Taraba State via abdulrazaksansani93@gmail.com.

By Ahmed Deedat Zakaria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The MoU aims at a partnership that combats financial crimes. 

The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrashid Bawa, received the Director-General of NYSC, Major-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, February 21, where the MoU was signed. 

Addressing the audience at the event, Mr Bawa said the document is important as it will guide the two agencies on what is expected of them.

“We are delighted to have you. NYSC has been part of us from the beginning, as we have always had the opportunity of welcoming corps members to help us in one area or another where we have gaps in our staff, even though the sensitivity of what we do requires trained officers, but they are actually helping us a lot,” he said.

Bawa also commended the role of corps members in the fight against corruption.

“Corps members are agents of enlightenment. I want to assure you that our collaboration will address fraudulent acts, and I assure you that we will continue to sensitize members of the public on the dangers of corruption,” he said.

On the other hand, Ibrahim asked for the support of EFCC in arresting online scammers attempting to defraud unsuspecting Corps Members and the public. 

“All of us have to fight corruption for the sake of our country, and I can assure you that the NYSC will play its part as enshrined in the MoU,” he said.

By Sumayyah Auwal Usman

Ahead of its national convention, youths of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the 19 northern states under the auspices of Concerned Northern APC Youth Forum has called for unity among members of the party for a hitch-free convention. 

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the Chairman, Concerned Northern APC Youth Forum (CNAYF), Hon. Suleiman Liba said, “the All Progressive Congress must stick to the plan and ensure we get it right through internal party democracy since true democratic tenets entail that a few may have their say, but the majority should have their way”.  

On the 2023 Presidential election, Hon. Liba said, “We must commend the readiness and resolved of the masses, especially within the Northern part of the country, to participate massively in the electioneering processes through to 2023”. 

According to the group, the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, stands as the worthy successor to President Muhammadu Buhari come 2023. They said, “the man’s antecedents of excellence speak volume, and his achievements in Ebonyi state are there for everyone to see”. 

“CNAYF further throws her weights behind the candidature of Engr David Nweze Umahi for President, as it reflects the wish of the people, especially from the North,” he said.

By Promise Eze

My heart was broken to smithereens when I read of how a 21-year-old Sule Mathew was horrendously despatched by unknown gunmen last week in Anambra state.

Sule Matthew graduated with a first-class from the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, recently. The young man was on his way to participate in the forthcoming orientation programme of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) when he and other passengers were ambushed and butchered by unknown assailants.

It was reported that he lost his father a few months ago, but now his family has lost him. I think of the grief his mother would go through. I think of the agony and despair the bereaved family he left behind will suffer.

The young man had so much potential and could have done more for his country if allowed to live. I followed his Facebook page and it became glaringly clear that Igala land and Kogi state has lost a great individual, one who was ready to contribute positively to the development of his homeland. I saw that he was a fellow of a budding political movement, Gidan Yanci and also he was the cofounder of KogiYupp— a project that offers Kogi youth a chance to be involved in progressive political participation. But the young man was forced to wilt before he even bloomed.

He travelled to eastern Nigeria in a car, and he would return in a coffin. No thanks to the so-called unknown gunmen (UGM) who are responsible for his demise. UGM, a product of IPOB’s agitation for Biafra, came into the limelight in 2020. Their own way of demanding a new country is by attacking police stations, military checkpoints, and paramilitary officers.

UNG suddenly became worse than the ‘evil’ they were fighting. These mkpuru mmiri addicts now armed with guns colonized a once peaceful movement for a referendum and transformed it into an all-out war with the Nigerian government. Now, they’ve murdered a young man who has no business with whatever is going on in Eastern Nigeria. His only crime was going to serve his country.

It pains me that Sule was killed for nothing. It hasn’t been confirmed if ‘IPOB’s Unknown gunmen’ are responsible for the attack that led to his death, but we know that IPOB’s activities created a dark hole that armed robbers, hard drug users, kidnappers and cultists are fitting into. Now, anyone could carry out any attack and use the insignia of IPOB to cover his crime. This brings the question, ‘Is Biafra still worth fighting for?’ 

Ever since the resurgence of the call of Biafra, it’s been bloodshed after bloodshed. Chaos after chaos. Gunshots after gunshots. Igbo land which was known to be relatively peaceful is now a war zone. What kind of Biafra are IPOB and UGM clamouring for that demands so much blood? The blood of the innocent. The blood of Sule Matthew. The blood of the passengers who were killed too. If this is what Biafra entails then I do not want it to exist.

And I believe that the vast majority of Ndi Igbo would swear that they rather remain with Nigeria than involve themselves with this kind of Biafra—a Biafra where we all have to sleep with only one of our eyes closed.

Biafra died inside me the day I learnt about the death of Sule. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Promise Eze is a journalist and writes via ezep645@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A Federal High Court sitting at Abuja on Monday, February 21, refused a bail application brought by counsel to the embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

Kyari’s Lawyer, Cynthia Ikenna, brought the ex parte application on health grounds. 

Mr Kyari has been held by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on allegations that border on aiding and abetting drug pushing and running his own drug cartel since February 14. 

While ruling on the application, the trial judge, Inyang Ekwo, ordered the defence counsel to put the NDLEA on notice to that effect. He also adjourned the suit till February 24 for a hearing. 

Shortly after court proceedings, Ms Ikenna reportedly told journalists that her client is diabetic and hypertensive.

The allegation by the NDLEA came some months after Kyari was indicted in an internet fraud case involving him and the popular Instagram sensation Ramon Abbas alias Hushpuppi by a U.S. court. The U.S. government had been interested in Kyari’s extradition since then.

By Tijjani Muhammad Nura

Bleaching has been in practice for a long time worldwide. However, it doesn’t specifically side with one gender, although women are more than men. Nonetheless, in a report referred to by the World Health Organisation in 2016, Nigeria was reported as the country with the highest number of women that bleach their skin in the whole of Africa. 

While there is no reliable data to confirm which state bleaches the most in northern Nigeria, we cannot deny that Kaduna, Abuja, Taraba, and, most importantly, Kano will top the list in Nigeria. In addition, a few Nigerians are naturally light-skinned, while some are naturally raven. To this end, bleaching is more prevalent among women than among men.

In (northern) Nigeria’s meaning of the word “bleaching,” it’s a process where people apply skin-lightened products to their skins, regardless of the route through which they are administered, intending to change their complexion or skin colour to impress or comfort themselves. From most people’s viewpoints, this bleaching as a thing is influenced by the victims’ desire to impress and attract attention to their opposite gender, from women to men and men to women.

Bleaching products are available in different forms, and some come in the form of creams, oils, serums, and lotions. It still comes in tablets, and some bleaching products are also available in injectable form. The lightening creams encompass a broader spectrum of products designed to bleach and lighten the skin. The effect occurs by targeting cells producing melanin, thereby reducing its functions. The majority of the creams are made available to treat abnormal conditions like acne scars on the skin, not for bleaching the skin.

However, many users are ignorant of the damaging effects of the products on their health. They are dangerous to their skin and a threat to their health in general by affecting the functions of the kidney, liver, and immune system because they work by reducing a pigment called melanin in the skin.

Most bleaching products have an active ingredient called mercury, making them more dangerous because mercury is a toxic agent that can cause serious psychiatric, neurological, and kidney problems. In addition, pregnant women who use a skin lightener with mercury can pass it to their unborn children.

Nonetheless, there are several healthy ways to maintain healthy skin. And that includes avoiding using bleaching creams, using baby’s soap that does not damage the skin, using moisturizing creams during the harmattan seasons. Other ways involve applying sun creams that can boost skin protection from the sunny sun, drinking enough water daily, eating well-balanced food in its diet, and stopping applying perfumes to the skin. These, among others, would help maintain good, healthy, and super bright skin.

With all the above being said, this article aims to notify people about the dangers associated with using creams or any other bleaching products to bleach the body, especially the facial skin. It, therefore, aims at calling the attention of parents to caution their children to avoid it or order them to immediately stop using it if they have already started using it.

Tijjani Muhammad Nura holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacology. He writes from the Hardawa district of Bauchi State and can be reached via tijjanimnura@gmail.com.

By Tijjani Ahmad

As a state that accommodates one out of every ten people living in the country, Kano has many competitive advantages over other states regarding development at the sub-national level. Looking at how economies worldwide are competing to finance development, mainly using domestic resources mobilisation, the easiest for the state is to leverage on its abundance of human resources.

As a governor of the state for the second time from 2011 to 2015, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso wanted to make Kano a knowledge-based economy by providing necessary education and skills, thereby making a large portion of the state’s economic growth and employment from knowledge-intensive activities. The governor understood how knowledge spurs more rapid growth than any other resources; therefore, he projected the potential of the state to use its population of teeming youth as a comparative advantage.

His revolution started with efforts to bridge the workforce gap in tertiary institutions by sponsoring more than 2,500 postgraduates and undergraduates to study abroad. In addition, he sponsored hundreds of undergraduates in private universities across the country. These beneficiaries were expected to come back and support the education sector of the state and beyond. 

These people were selected based on merit, and most of them occupied positions at various tertiary institutions in Kano state and Northern Nigeria in general. Recently, two of the beneficiaries were listed among the most cited scientists in the world.

The governor further created 47 technical colleges to revive technical and vocational education. These colleges were strategically located across 44 local governments to provide secondary school students in rural and urban areas with skills in various trades. 

Looking at how Kano businesspeople import textile and garments materials, the governor also established skills acquisition centres in more than 20 local governments in the state to serve as incubation centres for modern garment production. However, these centres were about to be launched when the present government truncated the effort. Only God knows the reason. 

I heard the governor on air saying that when these centres are launched, they would compete favourably and capture a significant share of the undergarments market in Nigeria and across the sub-region. This is because the centres have been equipped with the most modern techniques and technology in garment making industry.

Kwankwaso didn’t stop there. He introduced over 20 specialised training institutions to provide in-demand skills in agriculture, ICT, sports, tourism and hospitality, among others. One of them is the poultry training institute located at Tukui village of Makoda local government in the northern part of the state.

The institute is designed to offer formal and informal training in poultry production and management. Immediately after its establishment in 2012, the institute trained 4,400 women in basic requirements for poultry production and management practice.

These centres were meant to bridge the skills gap, provide employment to our teeming youth and reduce insecurity and over-dependency on grants by improving internally generated revenue of the state. Had there been continuity in the models employed by the former governor, Kano would have been on its way to reclaiming the past glory it is known for in terms of knowledge and commerce.

The hope of everyone who wishes good for the state is to consolidate this model by whoever would emerge as the state’s number one citizen in 2023. But, of course, this can only be possible if his priority is development.

Tijjani Ahmad wrote from Kano via ahmatee123@gmail.com.