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By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

President Muhammadu Buhari has submitted names of seven ministers-designate to be screened and confirmed by the National Assembly.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan disclosed this during the plenary on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

The names and states of the ministers – designate, read out at the floor of the Red Chamber include: Henry Ikechukwu – Abia State, Umana Umana -Akwa Ibom State, Ekuma Joseph – Ebonyi State and Goodluck Obia – Imo State.

Others are Umar Yakub – Kano state, Ademola Adegorioye – Ondo State and Odo Udi – Rivers State.

The nominees are to replace the ministers that left the administration to contest for different elective positions.

As at the time of fielding this report, the National Assembly is yet to schedule the date for the screening of the nominated ministers.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The unending disagreement between the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and the Federal Government is increasingly generating reactions from students and eminent stakeholders across the country on the fate of Nigeria’s university education. In this special report, The Daily Reality gathered different and shocking responses of the students, concerning the lingering issue.

The incessant strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been denounced as a farce that has negatively weakened the students’ morale to further their education in Nigeria.

The menace was also described as one of the most lingering issues that has been paralysing Nigerian universities, leading to the delay in students’ graduation and the deterioration of the education system in the country.

Some students that took to their social media to decry about the menace and how it slowly spirited their confidence away argued that the strike has destroyed the future of many promising youths in the country.

The Daily Reality recalls that ASUU has been on strike since February 14th, 2022, over the demands that include funding and the revitalization of public universities, Earned Academic Allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and promotion arrears.

In 2020, the union reportedly suspended its nine-month-long strike after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government.

However, the union bitterly complained that still after a year the federal government is yet to fulfil its promises.

Students are disappointed!

The ASUU strike has disappointed many students and led to the delay in their graduation, the development the students complained had spirited away the remaining confidence they had for studies.

A final year student, Abdurrashid Adamu, decried that, “I have less than six months to graduate from the university. Had I knew of this hitch to my studies, I would have embraced my diploma certificate and that would have been enough for me.”

Another student, Usman Idris Zakariyya, disclosed how ASUU strike has affected him and his friends saying, “many of my friends confided in me that they would not resume if not because they were in 400 level.”

Zulyadaini Auwal, a student who said he had already lost hope, stated that his business will experience a hitch if ASUU calls off their strike.

Khadijatu Abdullahi stated that she has no interest in studies anymore, adding that “had it been I was in 100 or 200 level I would have switched to college of education.”

People are mocking us – students

Some students also lamented the way some people derived very much pleasure in mocking them as the strike seems to have no end in a near future.

A student, Taufiq Musa, bemoaned at the way some people mock them because the ASUU’s strike lingers to about five months.

He stated, “nowadays, people used to mock anyone who determines and concentrates more on studies rather than something else.”

Yusuf Hassan, who seemed to be frustrated, said, “had it been I knew of this hitch in my studies, I would have not enrolled to school, let alone acquiring a diploma certificate.”

Saleh Ibrahim opined that he would have not resume to school if he was in 100 or 200 level, adding that, “and I’m sure many students will not resume.”

Parents raise alarm!

As the strike looks perpetual, some parents lamented that the advancing crisis between the government and ASUU jeopardizes their children’s future.

A parent, Malam Adamu Kolo, who looked disturbed by the unending strike, said that his son would have graduated if not for ASUU incessant strike.

Malam Adamu Kolo said, “My son would have graduated this year if not because of ASUU incessant strike. You can see that I am poor. I am hopeless. Our hope is on this boy.”

Another parent, Malam Musa Mukhtar, said, “our children live with almost no or gloom future. They neither go to school nor do they have anything to do for a living.”

ASUU members amidst hunger, heavy debt

As the strike persists to about four months, ASUU members decried leaving amidst hunger and heavy debt.

The lingering strike led to the imposition of No-Work-No-Pay by the Federal Government. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, stated that the directive was in compliance with Section 43 of the Labour Law.

A Senior Lecturer with the Department of Nigerian Languages, Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi, lamented how some of the members live without water and light due to heavy bills accrued.

He stated, “I remember how during the whole month of Ramadan, with the scorching sun and harsh temperature, lecturers languished with dry pockets and no salaries. Many lecturers didn’t have a chance to sew new Sallah (Eid) dresses for their kids, not even for themselves. Yet, another Sallah is approaching without any remorse or sense from this lousy government and its handlers.”

“The Maikantis (petty traders) selling raw rice, beans and other groceries no longer want to see us by their doors. Some of us have already forgotten toothpaste and have opted for chewing sticks now to remain clean.

“Our children have been sent out of schools due to non-payment of school fees. Landlords have knocked and banged on the doors of many; we pacified them, and some of them reason with us,” Sulaiman adeed in a piece he wrote.

No date for resumption

In a recent interview with journalists, the ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said there was no date for resumption, adding that hunger will not force the union to suspend their strike.

He added that the ASUU members are not beggars and the stoppage of their salaries by the government will not force them to call off their strike.

He further commended the members for keeping faith with the union expressing optimism that the union was on the threshold of victory.

However, some news of positive progress concerning ASUU and FG have started to fill social media and there is hope now that the strike may end soon. An ASUU member confirmed to TDR that talks between the FG and ASUU seem positive and now ASUU has already concluded its own part of the agreement, they are now patiently waiting for FG’s response.

By Muhammad Aminu

Subsistent farmers in Kano have decried the soaring prices of agro-inputs particularly fertiliser and herbicides as the farmers commence this year’s rainy season farming activities.

In an interview with The Daily Reality, some farmers said that prices of fertiliser and herbicides have skyrocketed to over 100% increase in some cases which would consequently affect their financial strength to afford the products necessary for better agricultural production.

The farmers lament that the inflationary nature of the prices would have adverse effects on their farming capacity amid tough economic situation in Nigeria.

A survey of Bata Market where fertiliser and other agro-allied products are sold in Kano by The Daily Reality revealed that Urea and NPK brands of fertiliser have recorded above 100% increase compared to their prices the previous season.

A 50kg of Urea and NPK fertiliser that sold at between N9, 000. 00 – N13, 000.00 in the previous rainy season now cost between N19, 000.00 – N 25, 000.00. To be precise, a 50kg of Indorama Urea fertiliser costs N22, 000. 00 against N11, 000. 00 last year; Dangote Urea sells at N19, 000.00 more than twofold of previous year’s value of N9, 000.00; Waraka Urea was sold N16, 000.00 in 2021 and now stands at N25,000.00 per 50kg bag.

For the NPK fertiliser, 15:15:15 Nagari and Golden Penny brands currently cost N25, 000. 00 each unlike last season’s N12, 000.00 and N13, 000.00 respectively while Kasco 20: 10: 10 brand now sells N15, 000.00 against N10, 000.00 last year.

The story remains the same for herbicides especially popular brands such as Vinash, Glycil, Paraforce, Dragon, and Bushfire among others. In 2021, their prices did not exceed N1, 800.00 at the extreme against current range of N2, 500.00 –N3, 000.00 per litre.

A marketer, Alh. Mustapha Zakari, said the price rise becomes inevitable because they also supply the products at exorbitant prices. “It is not our fault. We get the product at very expensive price and we have to get some profits for our effort. We are only middlemen. When we get it cheap, we sell cheap but when we get it expensive, we sell at high price too.”

Like most Nigerian states, Kano has significant number of rural folks whose primary means of production and earning a living is agricultural. Thus, both the rural and urban people are directly or indirectly connected to agriculture.

With the sharp changes in prices of agricultural inputs in 2022, many farming communities are finding it extremely difficult to afford fertiliser and herbicide which are very crucial in their agricultural activities that are being threatened by desert encroachment, deforestation and climate change.

Consequently, many farmers are now seeking for alternates to fertiliser in organic manure through use of refuse, human excrement, cow pats, chicken droppings, goat and sheep dungs in their farms.

According to Malam Musa Adamu, a subsistent farmer in Gano, Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, “even the organic manure is now difficult to obtain.” He told The Star that “last year by this time, I purchased 15 bags of both NPK and urea fertiliser. But this year, when I went to the market with similar amount of money, I returned home with only six bags.” He wanted to have respite in organic manure but it also seems hard to collect in large quantity and convey it to the farm.

For Bala Sani, farming is becoming disenchanted to him despite his enthusiasm for agriculture. “I bought a litre of herbicide between N1, 500.00 to 1,800.00 last year. It now costs between N2, 500.00 to N3, 000.00. In fact, I reduce the size of my farm this year because everything costs more. It is better I farm small area that I can take care of it very well,” he said.

Nasir Ali whose farm in Kura village did not get adequate fertiliser last year, he said Allah’s rain would be sufficient both as water and fertiliser to grow his farm plants. He rhetorically asked “I am battling with how to survive with my family where can I get money for fertiliser?”

Although he did not dismiss the efficacy of fertiliser in farming, his position seems that of a hopeless and hapless farmer that only leans on his faith to the Supreme Being for bumper harvest “Our land isn’t as fertile as it used to be but there is nothing I can do. I would just accept whatever God gives me during the harvest. Even our refuse and animal waste aren’t available; and you have to buy and pay for transporting it to your farm,” he complained.

There are many stories of subsistent farmers whose lives and their entire communities depend on age-old agricultural methods to produce food for the state’s fast exploding population. With virtually absence of support from all the tiers of governments to bona fide farmers who are mostly rural based, food sufficiency or food security would continue to be a tall dream.

According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Nigeria requires around 7 million metric tons of fertiliser to adequately cater for the needs of its farmers. Currently, Nigeria does not produce the required quantity and the Russian-Ukraine war has affected importation of both finished fertiliser and some raw materials for domestic plants which ultimately affect the price.

Pundits contend that Russia-Ukraine war portends adverse consequences on Nigeria’s and Africa’s agriculture because they heavily rely on Russia for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in their fertiliser plants which Euro-American sanctions make it inaccessible.

Although Africa’s richest billionaire Aliko Dangote’s 2.5$ billion fertiliser plant is estimated to produce 3million metric tons when completed which, alongside other producers, can serve the entire West African region, price of the product will still be a daunting challenge for rural dwelling farmers living below poverty line to afford the important product necessary for modern agriculture.

Hence, due to population explosion and diminished soil fertility, there is a need for a modernised, mechanised and improved agriculture to expand frontiers of food production to feed the fast expanding Kano population which subsistent farmers are already partners.

Relevant authorities, especially the state government needs to genuinely invest in agriculture; to modernise it and empower its poverty-stricken far bymers for a food-sufficient, job-creating and agro-exporting Kano.

By Salisu Yusuf

I was discussing with a friend who’s an auto broker and an arbitrage specialising in buying and selling goods from Benin Republic, Niger Republic and Nigeria. Our topic of discourse was the so-called global inflation put forward recently by the pro-government campaigners to defend our economic limbo.

From around 2000 to date, he argued cogently, the prices of goods and services were stable and fixed in Niger, Benin and Saudi Arabia – the economic reference points and benchmarks of our so-called economic analysts. They depend blindly on the economic malfeasance that befalls our country. The only change, he argued, is the exchange rate of our Naira to any foreign monetary denominator as our Naira plunges daily in value due mainly to our poor economic managers.

For example, around 2000, the tokunbo golf car was sold at 800,000 CFA Francs. Each 1000 CFA francs was exchanged then at ₦600. So, around that time, you could buy the car brand at around ₦768,000. Today, the same car is sold at the same 800,000 CFA francs. What only changes is the rate of exchange due to the Naira depreciation. Each 1000 CFA francs is exchanged at ₦960 instead of ₦600. So, the same car sold at ₦768,000 is now sold at ₦1.7m in the Benin Republic. 

Moreover, a bag of rice that could be purchased at 18,000 CFA francs, equivalent to ₦10, 800, for the CFA francs, was sold at a lower rate. Today, the same bag of rice is sold at the same price of 18 CFA francs as two years ago, but at a high price of around ₦22,080 because of the Naira devaluation.

Some people measure this so-called global inflation theory with the price of a meal in  Saudi Arabia. A friend once told me that a meal in a Saudi Arabian restaurant could cost you ₦5000, whereas ₦1000 could buy you a meal in Nigeria. I laughed at his low-level economic analysis. The ₦5000 Saudi meal is only realised if you exchange it for our depreciated Naira. If you calculate the number of Saudi Riyals exchanged for the ₦5000 is a low amount for a  person living in Saudi Arabia. In other words, the Saudi Riyal is only valuable if, and only if it’s changed to Naira! This is the same economic scenario I explained earlier in the CFA francs/naira ratio. 

The rate of exchange between Naira and Riyal, CFA Francs/ Naira, explains the economic limbo being faced by our country. This further illustrates the Federal Government’s resolve to increase the Hajj value-added tax from 5 per cent to 15 per cent. Moreover, it also hints at the government’s Hajj subsidy removal – hence, the exponential rise in 2022 Hajj fares to nearly ₦2.5m for the participating Nigerian pilgrims.

In the Niger Republic, prices of commodities are stable and fixed, as they do not fluctuate like in Nigeria. This is because President Bazoum manages the economy well; the government implements a protectionist economic policy, where Nigeriene goods are protected against their Nigerian counterparts through restrictions against export or putting high tariffs and handicaps placed through import quotas. Though many Nigerienes export petroleum in massive quantity from Nigeria, President Bazoum has restricted exporting of gas to Nigeria and restricts its consumption internally. Defaulters are taxed. Sometimes the products and their means of transportation are confiscated by gendarmes. 

Meanwhile, the high inflation rate has affected the price of our internal commodities. For instance, the gas imported from Niger is much cheaper than ours in Nigeria. Daily, hundreds of motorcycle riders import the Nigeriene gas on a large scale without paying any import tariff. Antithetically, Nigerian petroleum products are being exported into Niger without paying for excision to the Federal Government because of the border closure. 

Therefore, smugglers from, especially Niger, play their trump cards as they usually export our products freely, sell them in CFA francs at an exponential price in Niger, come back to our border and exchange the CFA into Naira, rebuy our commodities and go back to sell at a bargain price.

While we expect Mr President to cap up his swansong with a socio-economic legacy, we are daily disappointed that the man will finally end his tenure as a colossal failure, a disappointment to a poor talaka that stood blood, toil, tears and sweat to vote for this man.

Salisu Yusuf wrote from Katsina via salisuyusuf111@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Garba Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, has issued a statement on General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s health.

Remember that Abdulsalami was reportedly transported out of Nigeria for medical treatment, according to some media sources.

The retired Army General was reported to have suffered a minor stroke before being airlifted to a hospital in the United Kingdom (UK).

Shehu verified Abubakar’s release from the hospital in a tweet on Monday, stating that there was no need to be concerned.

“Alhamdu Lillahi for Allah’s mercy.

“I just ended a visit to His Excellency Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Head of State.

“He is out of hospital in a London apartment and apparently in no serious condition.

“He was his jovial self, maintaining a keen interest in developments back at home in Nigeria. Please, no cause for alarm.”

Abdulsalami was the Head of State in 1999, during which he conducted an election that brought the democratically civilian government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to power.

By Dahiru Mamman 

Undoubtedly, one cannot overemphasize the importance of health. Doctors ensure that we stay healthy and when we are knocked down by diseases, no matter how severe, they perform their magic to lift us. According to Mahatma Gandhi, “the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” This is what doctors across the globe do: service to humanity.

Although we get graduates annually, doctors are still insufficient not only in Nigeria but across the globe. These numbers are supposed to increase with the number of universities that offer medicine and other related courses, colleges of health and schools of nursing and midwifery. Still, unfortunately, it is not the case as our health sector is threatened by a ‘mortal exodus’ of health workers, which is termed “brain drain” in the health sector. 

Recent reports from different media outlets show that no less than 727 Nigerian-trained medical doctors have relocated to the United Kingdom between December 2021 and May 2022. Between March 2021 and March 2022, at least 7,256 Nigerian nurses have left for the United Kingdom. This statistics is only on the migration to the United Kingdom. What about those that moved to other parts of the world? Most doctors were reported to have moved during the period the federal government failed to pay their hazard allowance.

With a winsome smile, I was pleased that we have home-trained medical personnel that are fit to work abroad, especially in places as advanced as the United kingdom. But on the flip side, my winsome face turns gloomy because our beloved nation is losing the scarce service of the medical personnel to countries that are supposedly ahead of us. So who should we hold responsible for the ongoing migration, the leaders or doctors? 

The question is, should the physicians and other medics move in search of greener pasture because they are not paid hazard allowance or because the health sector is crumbling? One could answer in the affirmative because scholars like Adams Smith, when propounding price (for goods and services) theory, said the higher the risk involved in a job, the greater the rewards or pay if you wish.

So, doctors are exposed to severe danger because they fight a battle against soldiers they can’t see: microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi etc.). Hence, they deserve a decent salary. But should the pay be the criteria for doctors to work? What about the oath they swore during their various inductions to “….treat human beings because it affects family members and economic stability….” 

Should those in charge of the doctors’ welfare (government and other stakeholders) relent because their job is supposed to make them selfless? In negation, as they work round the clock to ensure that citizens are healthy for self and economic development, somebody has to look after their welfare since they also have a family to cater for. Aside from catering for their welfare, who should be responsible for providing infrastructure, medical equipment and instruments for treating the sick? We can say those that swore the oath to protect the lives of citizens are. 

My call to the doctors is that they wear the white coat and scrubs with dignity and pride and strive to make the profession worth practising in the country. Even though the practice still saves lives away from home, they should know that they owe the service more to the country.

To those in charge, efforts should be made to do well by the medics to avoid further migration. Leaders, they say, make choices that keep them awake at night, and if they sleep well, it means they are not getting the job done. Hence, the situation should be tackled in a way that favours the masses.

If the issue remains unchecked, the wealthy will continue to relish in the comfort of seeking medical attention abroad while the masses or less privileged live in despair.

Mamman, a corps member, writes from Abuja and can be reached via dahirulawal90@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, has made a clarification regarding reports that the party’s presidential candidate and former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, would accept to be the running mate of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, in the 2023 presidential election.

This was made known on Sunday, June 19, 2022, in a statement by NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major.

According to Major, there was no time such discussion or negotiation was held.

“NNPP has never at any time said its esteemed presidential candidate, His Excellency, Engr. Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso could accept to be Labour Party, Peter Obi’s deputy. The report is misleading and embarrassing to our great party, its Presidential Candidate, Kwankwaso and millions of supporters in Nigeria and in the diaspora, and urges journalists to crosscheck their reports before publishing them to avoid national disaffection ahead of the crucial 2023 general election.” He said

However, Major acknowledged the possibility of an alliance with the Labour Party in the interest of Nigeria and democracy.

“As a mass movement, NNPP acknowledged alliance talks with Labour Party that would consolidate and boost the nation’s frail democracy as we collectively strive for a new Nigeria which the party champions,” Major stated.

This is coming amidst the rumour of a merger of the NNPP and LP to unseat the ruling party, which was confirmed to be true by Kwankwaso in an interview with BBC Hausa on Saturday.

By Aliyu Idris

The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership. – Chinua Achebe.

It’s exactly four months since universities were shut down due to the lingering ASUU Strike. It’s disheartening for millions of university students like me in Nigeria who are at home idle; their fundamental rights to education are thwarted.

The government and politicians are busy with their political and elections shenanigans and do not bother to look into the menace of these excessive strikes.

None of the aspirants vying for the presidential throne has talked about curtailing the ASUU strike. This is utterly devastating. I always think about who to vote for regarding the issue of education in Nigeria.

To be candid, I don’t know how will this country continue to survive when its education sector is crippled. When the aviation sector wanted to embark on strike, the issue was solved a day before the strike because it’s not the education sector, which is too ironic for Nigeria.

The elections misdemeanour is their concern now. They invest heavily in politics and neglect education and other relevant sectors that will foster the country forward. The strike may be over soon or next year after the elections.

Let’s turn to the Lord (Allah) in prayers to give us the best leaders who have the country at heart, fulfil our vision and mission, and make our country great.

Aliyu Idris is a student of Bayero University Kano and can be reached via his email: aliyuidris063@gmail.com.

B Muhammad Sabiu

In the early hours of today (Sunday), the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State emerged triumphant after the results of Saturday’s governorship election indicated that the party’s candidate, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, defeated the 15 other contestants that took part in the race.

Oyebanji, the state’s immediate past Secretary to the Government, won in 15 of the state’s 16 Local Government Areas after receiving 187,057 votes in the election.

His nearest rival, Mr Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party, polled 82,211 votes, while Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party received 67,457 votes.

Kolawole won his LGA, Efon, with a total of 6,303 votes, beating the APC’s 4,012 votes and the SDP’s 339 votes.

However, Chief Segun Oni, the Social Democratic Party’s candidate, who voted in his home town of Ifaki-Ward Ekiti’s 2, Unit 6, accused the other parties of vote-buying in Ado Ekiti and Oye Ekiti.

He was reported to have said, “I have been told that selling and buying of votes are going on in Ado and Oye. This is not allowed by the law. I want security agents to move in and stop those doing that.”

Vote buying isn’t an unusual practice in the Nigerian political space since the rebirth of democracy in 1999 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo took over power.

By Muhammad Aminu

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has launched a hate speech monitoring team to monitor and record politically inclined cases of hate speech on social media as the 2023 general elections approach.

In a press briefing in Kano, the head of monitoring team, Malam Hamza Ibrahim, said the team would provide database for incidents of hate speech in Nigeria.

Mal. Ibrahim noted that monitors were trained to monitor utterances in both English and the Nigerian languages on the Nigerian political process leading to the 2023 election.

“The essence of the monitoring is to record instances of hate speech and sensitise stakeholders about them and devise strategies to counter them,” he said.

According to him, hate speech on social media when left uncountered could impede unity and diversity of Nigeria as a country.

He cautioned political actors to avoid engaging in hate speech in their electioneering as many elected political actors engaged in it during the 2019 elections.

“In 2019, politicians used hate speech for political gain and incited violence. Government elected officials used hate speech.

“Politicians need to be cautioned. We advised that as we approach the 2023 election, politicians’ utterances should be free from inciting violence and hate speech.”

He called on scial media influencers, bloggers and the media to support in countering hate speech which he described as “a cancer that must be eliminated.”

He regretted that youths were mostly used hence targeting the youths in CITAD’s intervention against the menace of hate speech.

He further revealed that June 18 was set aside by the United Nations to observe countering of hate speech. That signifies the serious attention it’s getting because of its roles in conflicts that could lead to loss of lives and displacement.

“It’s timely recognition by the UN because many lives were lost due to conflicts induced by hate speech,” he noted.

The team unveiled a publication titled “Extinguishing Hate Speech: Roles for Politicians, Religious and Community Leaders” to help guide key stakeholders to ensure peaceful election in 2013.

“It is based on researches across Nigeria with recommendation for political, religious and community leaders on how prevent and tackle hate speech,” he concluded.

In another development, CITAD converged a roundtable on the draft code of practice released by the National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA) to guide operations of major social media platforms in Nigeria.

Experts argued that while some parts of the codes were needed to checkmate the excesses of the giant tech, others were aimed at stifling freedom of speech and expression.

They called on Nigerians to have their inputs before the draft codes were operationalized in the country.