Muhammad Sulaiman

South African problem is the exact replica of black man’s disease. It is the reason why black Africa will never develop. Look at North Africa; Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, they have infrastructure, mostly at par with Europe, some are even better than most European countries. They are not blacks. The Arabs, even with their deadly problems, are far ahead of blacks in terms of development. There is no black African success story as far as nation building is concerned. Some people mention Rwanda as a success story. I don’t know their standard of success. To me a country with no rail system, which has only seven 7 tiny airports, running an agrarian economy and presided by dictator, is not a success story. South Africa was built by the Whites. Zimbabwe had a wonderful headway until Mugabe chased away the whites and handed over the economy to blacks. But look at UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. They are developed peaceful societies with law and order per excellence.

The 79 years Jacob Zuma of South Africa was sentenced to prison to spend 15 months for refusing a constitutional court order to give evidence, at an inquiry investigating a high-level corruption during his nine years in office. Zuma is facing trial for corruption, fraud, racketeering and money laundering. What followed was total disgrace to Africa and black race. South African blacks and Zuma’s Zulu tribe went into violent protest in major cities of Natal, Durban, Johannesburg and other major provinces. They broke shops and looted the contents and set buildings ablaze. In the melee that followed, at least 79 people died with figures still counting.

Who, but African blacks, will go into riots to protest imprisonment of a corrupt leader on account of ethnicity only! The South Africans are not rioting because Zuma is innocent. They just don’t want him to be jailed no matter his crimes. Zuma defied court order. In any civilized society, defying court is tantamount to sleeping in prison. But see South Africa, arguably the most developed country in Africa, having the best infrastructure, best schools, functioning economy and a member of G-20, disgracing Africa, Africans and all blacks.

What kind of country do South Africans want if a leader can wreck the treasury and be above the law? Even with our myriads of problems I don’t see Nigerians behaving this way. Obasanjo was a former leader imprisoned for offences he did not commit but no one razed any shop or burnt down cities. Leaders will always have supporters but when they commit crimes, we should not give them ethnic refuge and fight their own battles. We should allow them to stew in the pot they arranged for themselves. That is the only way they will do the right thing in offices. As long as we allow them to commit crimes and run to ethnic and religious cleavages for protection, we will never develop as a country.

Alhaji Aliyu Nuhu

Is a social analyst based in Abuja

The Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano (YUMSUK) honours some prominent Nigerians who serve the country and assist in its growth and development of the nation.

The honour came during an opening ceremony of the First International Conference, 2021, organized by the university’s Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Humanities.

Attended by many personalities from within and outside the country, the event was lauded by several people, especially the organizers’ resolve to recognize the philanthropic gesture of some outstanding Nigerians.

Those honoured included the current Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Mukhtar Atiku Kurawa, Sheikh Yakubu Musa (Sautus Sunnah), Alhaji Sani Muhammad Lawan (Sani Samfo), Alhaji Auwalu Rano (A.A. Rano), Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, Alhaji Murtala Garba Tafida (MGT) and Alhaji Aliyu Sa’idu Bebeji (Aliko Oil).

The awardees have contributed immensely in their various roles, positions, and capacities towards uplifting youth, poverty alleviation, and other forms of community services—all share one thing in common: helping the poor. The philanthropists among them donate their wealth freely for the welfare of the public. 

The MC read citations of the awardees as the participants registered their amazement at the humility, dedication and love for the country engraved in the hearts of the award recipients. They build mosques, boreholes; sponsor thousands of students to study in Nigeria and abroad, among many other humanitarian aids.

The university gave different titles of honors to these VIPs. The titles include “ambassador of peace”, “star of the youth”, “father of orphans”, “flag of religion”, among many others.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has stated that the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, will mark the end of violent agitations in the South-East.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group’s General Secretary.

Ohanaeze said Kanu’s arrest will serve as a deterrent to others, warning that self-determination should not be used to garner wealth.

The group also noted that Kanu’s refusal to adhere to the advice of leaders and elders in the South-East is responsible for his misfortune.

The statement read, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls for calm and cautions Igbos to desist from any form of protests and processions that will bring more catastrophe for Southeastern Nigeria.

“The re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu the leader of IPOB is the beginning of the end of violent agitations in southeastern Nigeria and a lesson to others that deviation from the nonviolent agitations contradicts what Igbos are known for, and self-determination should not be used for purposes of fortune and fame-seeking.

“Nnamdi Kanu’s refusal to adhere to the advice of Igbo leaders, elders, and political leaders is the outcome of what had befallen him. He made a lot of enemies, especially those that would have saved him and Federal Government will never loosen its grip on him again. We don’t think that any Igbo leader will stick out his/her neck for him, his re-arrest will eventually bring peace and stability to the region and avert another civil war that was raging on.”

The group urged the Nigerian government to handle the situation carefully to prevent violent revolts because of Kanu’s many followers. 

It added that “his trial should be strictly based on the laws of the land. They shouldn’t kill him because it will destabilise the entire country.”