Education

By Professor Salisu Shehu, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC)

Paper Presented at the maiden international conference of the Department of Art and Social Science Education, Federal University, Dutse. Jigawa State held on the 13^th January 2016

Introduction

It is with great enthusiasm that I wish to thank the organisers for inviting me to the maiden International Conference of the Department of Arts and Social Science Education, Federal University, Dutse. I am delighted to be delivering a paper on “Policy, Pedagogy and Practice: Reforming the Curriculum for Moral and Digital Competence”. This maiden conference is of particular significance because of its focus on upholding moral responsibilities in the face of rapid penetration of information technology in the world of  today. It is no news to anyone that although information technology has positively impacted on our world, making life a lot easier than it was some decades ago, it comes with a myriad of challenges that sometimes undermine our moral values, age long principles of good living and our most cherished societal norms.

Without a doubt, education is the sector of the economy that holds the key to transformational national development. It remains the gateway to human capital development, social reengineering and total rebirth of a society confronted with many ills arising, largely from the wrong use of information technology. The unprecedented integration of digital technologies into daily life in recent times has raised important issues regarding responsibility, ethics, and the effects on society. Digital competence, encompassing abilities in information literacy, data security, and the responsible use of AI, must now intersect with moral competence, which encompasses values such as civic engagement, respect, and accountability. To fulfil these two imperatives and ensure that education not only transmits knowledge but also develops responsible digital citizens, curriculum reform remains indispensable.

Globally, contemporary curriculum reform is increasingly informed by internationally recognised frameworks such as Global Citizenship Education (GCED), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and the European Union’s Digital Competence Framework (DigComp). These foreground ethical responsibility, social justice, sustainability, global interconnectedness, and ethical engagement in digital environments (EU, 2018). These global frameworks have also influenced our national curriculum reforms with the aim of refocusing our education system and preparing learners for responsible participation in a rapidly changing world. However, the influence of these frameworks on curriculum reform process has been gauged with our uniqueness as a people.

The accelerating integration of technologies into education has also heightened concerns around misinformation, cyberbullying, data privacy breaches, online radicalisation, and digital addiction. Consequently, moral education, digital citizenship, and ethical use of technology are no longer optional but have become central pillars of contemporary curriculum design. In parallel, persistent global challenges of equity, access, and inclusion continue to shape reform agendas. Curriculum transformation must therefore address disparities in digital access and learning opportunities, particularly within developing contexts. In this regard, Nigeria’s curriculum reform efforts are geared towards striking a careful balance between global best practices and our local socio-cultural realities.

More broadly, curriculum reform has become a global imperative as nations strive to respond to the rapid technological change, moral uncertainty, economic restructuring, and the pressures of globalisation. Today’s education no longer focuses solely on knowledge transmission, but on fostering competencies that enable learners to function effectively, ethically, and responsibly in complex, digitalised, and pluralistic societies (UNESCO, 2015; OECD, 2019). As a result, moral competence and digital competence have emerged as critical learning outcomes in our revised national school curricula.

The revised national school curricula also represent a deliberate shift away from content-heavy instructional models toward the development of functional skills, values, attitudes, and competencies that align with our national development priorities and global competitiveness. In the new school curricula, moral competence and responsible technology use are highly emphasised. As digital technologies are integrated into learning, it is our responsibility as educators to ensure that learners are not only digitally proficient but also morally grounded in the ethical use of technology.

Arising from the foregoing, this paper argues, and correctly, that meaningful and sustainable curriculum reforms must deliberately integrate moral and digital competence across policy formulation, curriculum design, pedagogy, and classroom practice. Drawing on global curriculum trends and using the NERDC curriculum review process as a reference point, the paper advances the position that moral and digital competence should be conceptualised and implemented as core curriculum outcomes not as extracurricular activity.

Statement of Position and Central Argument

For curriculum reform to produce functional and adaptable learners for the 21st century, it must deliberately prioritise moral and digital competence within an outcome-based competency framework. Disciplinary and subject knowledge are increasingly insufficient in addressing contemporary social, economic, and technological challenges. There must be a deliberate integration of values and digital skills into curriculum design.

The central argument of this paper is threefold. First, moral and digital competence constitute foundational capacities for lifelong learning, employability, social participation, and responsible citizenship in today’s world. Learners who possess technical skills without ethical grounding are ill-equipped to navigate complex moral dilemmas, misinformation, and digital risks. In fact, such learners constitute a danger to the society, in all ramifications. Second, curriculum reform that concentrates primarily on policy redesign and content restructuring, without corresponding alignment in pedagogy, assessment, and classroom practice, risks remaining rhetorical rather than transformative (Fullan, 2016). Meaningful reform requires coherence between curriculum intentions and everyday teaching and learning processes. Third, the long-term effectiveness of the NERDC curriculum reform initiative depends on the extent to which moral and digital competence are systematically embedded across subject areas, instructional strategies, assessment approaches, teacher professional development, and school culture. Without such integration, curriculum reform may not meet the intended impact on learning outcomes and national development.

Policy landscape for moral and digital competence in the Nigerian education sector

Educational policy provides the normative, regulatory, and structural foundation for curriculum development and implementation. In Nigeria, the National Policy on Education places strong emphasis on the holistic development of learners who can contribute to national development (Federal Republic of Nigeria [FRN], 2014). Consistent with this policy orientation, our curriculum reviews reflect a deliberate shift toward functional, learner-centred teaching and learning.

It is on this premise that our revised school curricula explicitly integrate 21st-century skills, including critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and digital literacy. This aligns our policy direction with global curriculum reform trends that prioritise transferable skills, adaptability, and problem-solving capacities over rote memorisation and content accumulation (UNESCO, 2015; World Bank, 2020). It is also done in recognition of the need to prepare learners for the rapidly evolving labour markets, civic participation, and lifelong learning in our digitalised world.

Despite these advances, significant policy gaps persist, particularly in the linkage between education policy, national digital transformation strategies, and youth development frameworks. It is against this backdrop that this paper argues that there should be greater coherence between education policy, national digital transformation strategies, and youth development frameworks to ensure policy alignment and systemic implementation for impact at the school level. Without such integration, the transformative potential of curriculum reform risks being undermined in implementation.

Pedagogical Imperatives for Moral and Digital Competence

Curriculum reform cannot yield meaningful outcomes without a corresponding pedagogical transformation. Traditional teacher-centred instructional approaches, which are largely characterised by rote memorisation, passive learning, and examination-driven practices, are fundamentally incompatible with competency-based education. This is because the competency-based approaches prioritise the development of transferable skills, values, and applied knowledge (Darling-Hammond et al., 2020). To effectively cultivate moral reasoning and digital competence, learning environments must be learner-centred, participatory, and reflective. Learning must also enable learners to actively construct meaning and apply learning in their daily lives.

Furthermore, there must be emphasis on the use of pedagogies that foster moral competence and sustained engagement with values, ethical reasoning, and real-life moral dilemmas. These strategies (such as values clarification, character education, moral dilemma discussions, service learning, and civic engagement) would provide learners with opportunities to reflect on ethical issues, negotiate moral conflicts, and internalise socially desirable values, and are achieved through practice and social interaction (Nucci, Narvaez, & Krettenauer, 2014). These approaches shift moral education from abstract moral instruction to lived moral experience, thereby strengthening learners’ capacity for ethical judgment and responsible citizenship.

In a similar vein, the development of digital competence requires pedagogical approaches that promote creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Learner-centred strategies such as project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, collaborative learning, and blended or technology-enhanced learning environments allow learners to engage meaningfully with digital tools while simultaneously developing ethical awareness, media literacy, and responsible online behaviour. Through these pedagogical models, learners are not merely users of technology but reflective digital citizens capable of evaluating information, managing digital risks, and applying technology responsibly.

Furthermore, assessment practices must also be aligned with the principles of outcome-based competence education. Teachers should use portfolios, project work, performance-based tasks, peer assessment, and formative feedback to evaluate moral and digital competence (OECD, 2019). These assessment approaches would capture learners’ ability to apply knowledge, demonstrate ethical judgment, and assess how skills are transferred across contexts.

A major challenge to this is funding. Limited professional development opportunities, insufficient monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, teachers’ resistance to change, limited capacity for innovative instructional practices, and deeply entrenched examination-oriented school cultures are affecting curriculum implementation. Additionally, technological constraints, such as infrastructure and unequal access to digital resources, are affecting the effective integration of digital competence.

Socio-cultural factors also present challenges, including divergent value systems, parental concerns, and ethical anxieties surrounding learners’ exposure to digital environments. Without deliberate planning and sustained support, there is a risk that moral and digital competence may be treated superficially, resulting in symbolic compliance rather than genuine pedagogical transformation and meaningful learning outcomes.

Strategic Directions and Suggestions

To address these challenges, this paper proposes several strategic directions.

1. Curriculum policy implementation and monitoring must be strengthened to ensure alignment between intended and enacted curricula.
2. Moral and digital competence should be explicitly defined as compulsory learning outcomes across educational levels beginning from the teacher training institutions.
3. Improved and sustained investment in teacher professional development is essential. This should include comprehensive pre-service training in teachers’ training institutions to build foundational skills in moral and digital competence from the outset, as well as ongoing in-service training programmes for practising teachers.
4. Establishment of sustained partnerships with technology firms and the community. This would support resource provision and also provide opportunities for experiential learning.
5. Curriculum reform should be viewed as a continuous, evidence-informed process responsive to societal change.

Conclusion

Reforming the curriculum for moral and digital competence is necessary in the context of Nigeria’s educational transformation. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council curriculum review is a significant step toward outcome and competency-based education. However, its success depends on the adoption of innovative pedagogies and effective classroom practice.

Preparing learners for ethical and functional participation in a digital world requires coordinated action among policymakers, educators, communities, and other stakeholders. Curriculum reform must therefore be intentional, holistic, and sustained if it is to produce morally grounded, digitally competent, and socially responsible citizens.

Other Resources

Darling-Hammond, L., Flook, L., Cook-Harvey, C., Barron, B., & Osher, D. (2020). Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development. Applied Developmental Science, 24(2), 97–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791

European Union. (2018). DigComp 2.1: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens with eight proficiency levels and examples of use. Publications Office of the European Union.

Federal Republic of Nigeria. (2014). National policy on education (6th ed.). NERDC Press.

NERDC. (2023). Revised national curriculum framework for basic and secondary education in Nigeria. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council

Nucci, L. P., Narvaez, D., & Krettenauer, T. (2014). Handbook of moral and character education (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2019). OECD learning compass 2030: A series of concept notes. OECD Publishing.

UNESCO. (2015). Global citizenship education: Topics and learning objectives. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

UNESCO. (2015). Rethinking education: Towards a global common good? United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

UNESCO. (2023). Guidance on generative AI in education and research. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

World Bank. (2020). World development report 2020: Trading for development in the age of global value chains. World Bank Publications.

By Lawal Dahiru Mamman,

While the nation, parents, and income earners are still debating the legitimacy of the Tax Laws rolled out by the Federal Government due to “alterations” in some sections and their broader implications, final-year senior secondary school students have other things to worry about. A case of different strokes for different folks.

A student called and, after exchanging pleasantries, he said, “Is it true we’re going to write WAEC exams with computers? We have a computer lab at our school, but it can accommodate only about 30 students at a time, and not everyone offers computer studies. Some people I know don’t even have any in their schools.” He is familiar with how computers work, but was looking out for others, and his concerns are legitimate.

The Senior Secondary School Certificate exam, conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), is held in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, and Nigeria. WAEC announced plans to shift from traditional paper-and-pencil tests to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for Nigeria’s 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), affecting about 2 million students across 23,554 schools.

The rollout begins with this year’s edition, tentatively scheduled from 24 April to 20 June 2026, with the aim of improving integrity, reducing malpractice and ensuring results are released 45 days after the exam, with digital certificates available within 90 days. 

WAEC’s Head in Nigeria, Amos Dangut, revealed that 1,973,253 students (979,228 males and 994,025 females) will participate, covering 74 subjects and 196 papers. According to him, the digital exams will feature unique question papers for each of the 1,973,253 students as part of efforts to uphold academic integrity.

To support students, the examination body says it has introduced digital learning tools, such as the WAEC E-Study Portal, the E-Learning Portal, and WAEC Konnect. These platforms offer past questions, marking schemes, and performance analysis. 

Despite these promising statements, the young student’s apprehension is not an isolated case. It is the silent and loud cry of thousands of students across Nigeria. While the shift toward digitalisation is a progressive move intended to curb examination malpractice and speed up the release of results, the infrastructure on the ground tells a different story. 

In many suburban and rural schools, the “digital revolution” feels like an ancient myth. It was only last year that Nigeria crossed the 50% broadband penetration mark, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025.

We can also recall that, in May 2025, some students in Asaba, Delta State, took some of their exams using torchlights. The Minister of Education promised to “investigate” the situation, and Nigerians are still waiting for the outcome. But the substance of the matter is, can schools that lack the ability to purchase electric bulbs to light classrooms build rooms and stock them with computers before this year’s test commences?

Students in urban centres may not be affected; both at home and in school, they’re exposed to computers and the Internet. But introducing a computer-based exam to a student who has never used a mouse or sat in front of a steady power source creates an unfair playing field.

The House of Representatives learned of this development in early November and asked WAEC to halt it, citing concerns that it could lead to widespread failure and disadvantage students in rural areas with limited access to computers and the internet. Lawmakers suggest deferring it for at least three years to allow sufficient time for proper infrastructure and capacity building.

Interestingly, WAEC, through the Nigeria National Office Head, confirmed in the last week of the same month that “its plan to introduce a fully Computer-Based Test (CBT) system for the 2026 WASSCE for school candidates is firmly on track”, assuring the public that a key concern regarding travel has been addressed: “No candidate will have to travel more than 2km from their location to take the exam. This assurance is based on a new school mapping strategy.”

The transition to digital examinations cannot succeed through pronouncements alone. If the examination body insists, there must be clear communication to students through their schools and other stakeholders on a step-by-step strategy for this rollout, because students have registered and the examinations are underway.

Issues such as the delivery model must be addressed. Will the exam be fully digital across all subjects, or will it follow a hybrid model, with practical and essay-based subjects remaining on paper for now? Is it going to be JAMB-style? If essays are not retained, this well-intentioned effort could end up being a disaster for all parties involved.

What is the plan to equip public schools at 2km intervals with functional computer laboratories and consistent power solutions, such as solar energy? This must be considered carefully, as our reality shows that students across Nigeria study on bare floors and in other dilapidated conditions.

There must be a nationwide programme for “Mock CBT” exams to familiarise students in underserved areas with the software interface before the actual harvest of grades begins. In this case, even teachers in such areas must be trained to ensure adequate supervision.

In today’s world of artificial intelligence, big data, and other emerging technologies, digitalisation is inevitable, but it must be inclusive. If the goal is to improve the integrity of education, no student should be penalised for their geographical location or economic status.

Without adequate information, one may not be able to speak for The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Ghana, but here in Nigeria, WAEC and the Federal Government must speak clearly on how they want this to happen, because if the questions raised above cannot be answered with clarity, we should as well heed the advice of the lawmakers in the green chamber.

Lawal Dahiru Mamman writes from Abuja and can be reached at dahirulawal90@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Sulaiman

A New Year’s Day community gathering in Daneji took an unexpected philosophical turn when a sponsor’s closing remarks sparked deep reflection on knowledge stewardship and mortality, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu has revealed.

The January 1st townhall meeting, organized to honor ten outstanding youth from the Kano neighborhood, became memorable not just for the celebrations but for a pointed challenge issued to the honorees, Professor Adamu recounted in a Facebook post that has drawn significant attention.

The young achievers, recognized for accomplishments spanning Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Nursing Sciences, and Qur’anic studies, were urged by event sponsor Alhaji Ahmed Idris to “die empty”—a statement that initially puzzled attendees before its meaning was revealed.

Idris, a prominent community pillar, was invoking Todd Henry’s motivational concept that individuals should pour out their knowledge and talents during their lifetime rather than take untapped potential to the grave. “You enter your grave empty—all the knowledge has been left outside for other people to use,” Professor Adamu explained.

The academic noted that at least three of the honorees hold doctorates or specialized training in Artificial Intelligence, achieved before AI became a consumer phenomenon, while others excelled in diverse fields—showcasing what the community hopes will inspire younger residents.

Writing on his experience, Professor Adamu drew connections between Henry’s secular philosophy and Islamic teachings on amanah—the sacred trust of knowledge. “Discharging your knowledge—sharing it and imparting it on others—is therefore one of the highest acts of Islamic piety,” he wrote, adding that both the Qur’an and Hadith contain warnings against hoarding knowledge.

The professor described the event as a community response to concerns about youth engagement with “consumer communication technology” at the expense of career focus and future planning.

By Usman M. Shehu

One of the most unsettling realities for any corps member post-NYSC is the harshness of the Nigerian labour market. I know this firsthand—we had our Passing Out Parade (POP) on 18th December 2025. 

Finishing NYSC brings not just doubt, but real anxiety and fear: fear of losing the monthly allowance, and the daunting task of distributing your curriculum vitae (CV)—via email or in person—to companies, agencies, and contacts.

The dynamics of the job market have shifted dramatically. It’s no longer just about what you know (your skill set), but increasingly about who you know (your connections). This is driven in part by the sheer volume of graduates entering the market each year. 

Take my field, geology, for example: it’s not one of the most competitive courses, yet about 80 students graduated from my class alone, with degrees ranging from first class to second class (upper and lower), and third class. This pattern repeats across faculties, from the sciences and engineering to the humanities. When you do the math, thousands of graduates flood the market annually, far exceeding the combined absorption capacity of the public and private sectors.

This oversupply is a major reason why many graduates and even their guardians rely on connections to secure jobs. It’s an affront to the merit-based ideals of our educational system and a key factor behind the public sector’s declining efficiency. When nepotism and connections trump competence, institutions suffer. The civil service is already crumbling under this weight, as we see today. Fixing it remains a hot topic in public discourse, but the goal should be clear: employment, public or private, must prioritise what you know over who you know.

Another major challenge is the age barrier. Since 2009, the NYSC certificate prominently displays your date of birth to prevent age falsification. This makes it harder for anyone over 28, whether due to late entry to university or academic delays, to secure interviews or even apply. Most job portals and advertisements specify strict requirements: age limits, degree class, skills, and years of experience. Often, if you’re above the age threshold, you can’t even access the application portal. These restrictions hit hardest in white collar jobs.

The Way Forward: Despite these systemic hurdles, individual agency matters. To move forward, we must be enterprising and proactive: work hard, strategically build in-demand skills (like digital marketing, data analysis, coding, or entrepreneurship), and stay humble while relentlessly pursuing opportunities, whether through networking, job hunting, or starting your own business.

That said, this moment isn’t entirely bleak. We’re excited about the transition and earning our certificates. It opens doors to jobs that require completion of the NYSC. And if we take these steps seriously, upskilling, staying resilient, and thinking creatively, we won’t just be employable; we’ll become highly sought-after prospects.

Happy POP to my fellow ex-corps members, Batch C Stream 2 2025! Let’s step into this next chapter ready. For by failing to plan, we are planning to fail.

Usman M. Shehu wrote from Kano via usmanmujtabashehu@gmail.com.

By Amara Sesay

All praise is due to Allah, the Most High, the Most Exalted. We seek His peace and blessings upon the last Prophet sent to humanity, Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his noble household, his companions and all those who follow in their footsteps until the Last Day.

“Has not the time come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient. Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.” (Surah Al-Hadid, 57:16–17).

O Beloved Muslims, Has Not the Time Come? Beloved brothers and sisters, reflect for a moment—are we content with the state we find ourselves in today? How can we exchange a seat of honor for one of humiliation? Are we not the same people who pray at least five times daily, asking Allah: “Guide us to the straight path”, yet so easily stray toward the ways of those who have earned His anger? How can we abandon the mosque, the remembrance of Allah, and the noble mission entrusted to us, only to imitate those who oppose divine guidance? Are these the actions of Ahl al-Albab (the people of understanding)? Do they reflect the character of Ibadur-Rahman (the servants of the Most Merciful)?

Will such deeds bring us the comfort of angels at the time of death, or the comforting words Angels in the darkness of the grave? O Muslims, Do You Not Know Your Worth? You are the most honored of all peoples. Allah has chosen you to lift humanity from servitude to men into the worship of the ONE TRUE CREATOR of men. You were sent to liberate humankind—from the narrow confines of this world to the vastness of this life and the Hereafter.

For this noble mission, Allah has blessed you abundantly: He gave you the Qur’an, a book so mighty that if it were sent down upon a mountain, it would crumble from humility. He sent you Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)—a mercy to all creation. And the best of all created beings. Can there be a better role model for you? He granted lands rich in resources and strategically placed across the world.

He gave you population, wealth, heritage, and faith—blessings that many envy. But know, O servants of Allah, that these are trusts (Amanah) for which you will be questioned on the Day of Judgment. So fear Allah and let each soul reflect on what it has prepared for tomorrow. Truly, the convulsion of the Final Hour is a terrible thing!

O My Sister in Faith! You are the cornerstone of this Ummah’s future. You owe the world your purity, your steadfastness, and your sacrifice in raising a generation that will save mankind from despair and darkness. Do not be deceived by the false glitter of this fleeting world. The world praises you only when you abandon your modesty—but remember the deception of Shaytan toward your mother Hawwa (Eve). She lived in pure freedom until Shaytan promised “more,” only to strip her of dignity. Do not trade the honour of Maryam (Mary) for the cheap attention of those who see women as objects. Allah did not create you to be consumed and discarded—you were created to nurture faith, justice, and light. So fear Allah and pay attention to the kind of deeds you are sending forth for the Hereafter. Indeed, the convulsion of the Hour is a terrible thing.

O Believers, Remember your accountability know that every one of us will be questioned by Allah—about our life and how we spent it, our youth and how we used it, our wealth and how we earned and spent it, and the blessings we so often take for granted. “Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure.” (Surah At-Takathur, 102:8).

Will we then be grateful servants—or are we among the heedless who allowed this world to blind them from the Home of Eternal Bliss? “It [Paradise] is not [obtained] by your wishful thinking or by that of the People of the Scripture. Whoever does a wrong will be recompensed for it, and he will not find besides Allah a protector or a helper. And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer—those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged [even as much as] the speck on a date seed.” (Surah An-Nisa, 4:123–124).

The Promise of Allah Is True “If only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We
seized them for what they were earning.” (Surah Al-A‘raf, 7:96).

Even amidst the trials facing the Muslim world—humiliation, oppression, poverty, and spiritual confusion—the promise of Allah remains true. The pious will inherit the earth, and the believers will rise again to a state of dignity, security, and leadership. The problem is not with the promise, but with the promised—all of us. If only we could temper our love for this fleeting world, conquer our fear of death, and return to Allah in sincere repentance—we would find Him Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. “O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good that you may succeed. And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father Abraham. He named you ‘Muslims’ before and in this [revelation], that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over mankind.” (Surah Al-Hajj, 22:77–78).

“O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.” (Surah Aal-Imran, 3:200). The Final Word, “And Our word has already preceded for Our servants, the messengers, that indeed they would be those given victory, and indeed Our soldiers will be those who overcome. So leave them for a while and see, for they are going to see. Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe. And peace be upon the messengers. And praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (Surah As-Saffat, 37:171–182).

O Muslims—return to Allah before death returns you to Him. Awaken your hearts, renew your faith, and rise to the honour Allah has destined for you. Hold fast to the rope of Allah together, for He is your Protector—and excellent is the Protector, and excellent is the Helper. May Allah revive our hearts, unite our Ummah, and make us among those who hear the reminder and follow the best of it. And the final word is: All Praise is due to Allah, Lord, and Nourishers of everything that exists in the Universe. And may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger, his household, his companions, and all those who followed them on the right path.

By Uzair Adam

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has assured that all outstanding earned academic allowances owed to staff of state-owned universities will be fully paid before the end of December 2025.

The governor also directed the Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning to conduct a comprehensive assessment of land belonging to Northwest University, Kano, with a mandate to revoke any illegal allocations or encroachments linked to the previous administration.

These decisions were disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

Governor Yusuf spoke during the 35th State Executive Council meeting, which featured a courtesy visit by the Pro-Chancellor of Northwest University, Kano, alongside members of the Governing Council and the university’s management.

The visit was to formally present Prof. Amina Salihi Bayero as the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

Prof. Bayero, a pioneer academic staff member of the university, recently made history as the first female Vice-Chancellor to emerge from within the institution’s academic ranks.

According to the statement, the governor commended the Governing Council for concluding a rigorous and transparent process that led to the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor.

He urged Prof. Bayero to carry out her responsibilities with diligence and to work closely with all stakeholders to enhance academic excellence throughout her five-year tenure.

Governor Yusuf further reassured the new management of his administration’s commitment to addressing the challenges confronting the university, while expressing optimism that the institution would witness improved academic standards and institutional growth under the new leadership.

Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, revealed that the selection process for the Vice-Chancellor lasted ten months and received unanimous approval from the Governing Council.

He added that the appointment of the university’s first female Vice-Chancellor had been widely welcomed.

In her remarks, Prof. Bayero expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and pledged her full commitment to the task ahead.

She also unveiled a 14-point agenda aimed at repositioning Northwest University, Kano, for greater academic and administrative excellence.

By Abbas Datti

The Federal University Dutse (FUD) has ushered in a new era of purposeful leadership with the election of Professor Ahmad Muhammad Gumel as its 4th substantive Vice Chancellor, a development widely welcomed across the academic community as a well-deserved victory for merit, experience and vision.

Gumel’s emergence followed a competitive and transparent selection process that drew seasoned academics from across the country. Muhammed Gumel’s victory reflects the confidence of the University’s Governing Council in his proven capacity to lead, innovate and consolidate the gains recorded since the institution’s establishment.

A scholar of high repute, Gumel is widely respected for his intellectual depth, administrative acumen and unwavering commitment to academic excellence. Over the years, he has distinguished himself as a disciplined researcher, an inspiring teacher, and a consensus builder who understands the complexities of managing a growing federal university in a dynamic educational environment.

Colleagues describe him as a visionary leader with a clear understanding of the mandate of Federal University Dutse—to serve as a centre of learning, research and community development. Gumel’s leadership style, marked by inclusiveness, transparency and firm decision-making, is expected to strengthen institutional stability and staff morale while enhancing students’ academic experience.

As the 4th substantive Vice-Chancellor, Gumel is expected to build on the solid foundation laid by his predecessors, with a strong focus on academic quality, research output, infrastructural development, global partnerships and community engagement. Gumel’s background in university governance and strategic planning positions him well to navigate contemporary challenges, including funding constraints, staff development, and the drive for international relevance.

In accepting responsibility, Gumel reaffirmed his commitment to service, pledging to work collaboratively with staff, students, alumni, and stakeholders to advance the university’s vision. He emphasised that leadership is a collective task and expressed readiness to harness the vast human resources within FUD to move the institution to greater heights.

The election of Gumel has been widely celebrated as a triumph of competence and integrity. Many within and outside the university community view his emergence as Vice-Chancellor as timely and reassuring—a signal that Federal University Dutse is firmly on the path of sustainable growth, academic distinction and national relevance.

With Gumel at the helm, expectations are high that FUD will consolidate its reputation as one of Nigeria’s fast-rising federal universities, driven by purposeful leadership and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.

Abbas Datti writes from Dutse, Jigawa State, via comradeabbasdatti@gmail.com.

By Musa Kalim Gambo

The atmosphere at the Red Lecture Theatre in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, on Saturday, December 6, 2025, was a poignant mix of celebration and profound loss. It was the valedictory event for Professor Sadiq Muhammad, who has just concluded a distinguished 45-year-long career at the institution, teaching in the Language Arts section in the Department of Arts and Social Science Education. But this was more than a retirement party; it was a powerful, two-pronged call to action for the future of Nigerian education: celebrating the professor’s unparalleled commitment to mentorship while simultaneously articulating the country’s urgent need to institutionalise this practice.

A Legacy of Selfless Service

The proceedings, themed “Celebrating a Legacy of Scholarship, Mentoring, and Academic Leadership”, quickly established the magnitude of Professor Muhammad’s impact. Prof. Abdullahi Dalhatu, the Chairman of the occasion and Dean of the Faculty of Education, characterised the event as one of “mixed feelings”, acknowledging the joy of celebrating a career “without being found guilty in one thing or the other”, but lamenting the vacuum his departure creates.

The tributes that followed were the heart of the day, painting a vivid portrait of a man who transcended the role of an academic. Prof. Ramlat Jibir Daura, affectionately known as “the mother of language arts education”, captured the sense of loss, describing Prof. Muhammad as the section’s father figure, who supervised an extraordinary over 300 PhD students. His humility and generosity were recurring themes. Prof. Sani Adamu described him as “one of the poorest professors” because of his immense generosity in using his personal funds to aid students’ education. In a touching testament to his hands-on mentorship, Dr S. A. Abdulmumin recalled an anecdote from the 1990s where the professor, on his humble Yamaha 80 motorcycle, took junior colleagues to the market to buy provisions for their families.

His daughter, Fauziyya Sadiq Muhammad, spoke for the family, describing him as a “teacher, a guide, a protector”, acknowledging the quiet sacrifices he made to balance his professional commitments with his role as a dedicated father and a community pillar who adopted and educated many non-blood-related children.

The Academic Imperative: Institutionalizing Mentorship

Crucially, the honoree insisted that the event maintain a substantive academic core, thereby turning the celebration into a discussion of national educational policy. The formal lecture, delivered by Professor Abdullahi Dada on behalf of Prof. Hanna Onyi Yusuf, was titled “Institutionalising Mentoring in Teacher Education in Nigeria: Challenges, Prospects, and Implications for Curriculum Review”.

The paper, a qualitative, analytical study, proposed a reflective clinical mentorship framework and a national mentoring policy to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and classroom realities in teacher preparation. It highlighted significant barriers in the Nigerian context, including resource and funding constraints, the absence of a national framework, and cultural or institutional resistance. The recommendations were concrete: policy formulation, strategic capacity-building for mentors, and the formal integration of mentoring into university curricula.

Reinforcing this, Professor J.A. Gwani defined the ideal mentor’s role: “you as a mentor you are a facilitator… a facilitator does not know everything; he facilitates. He provides the environment democratic enough for people to be able to make contribution…”.

A Forward-Looking Valedictory

In his valedictory response, delivered by Professor Alti Kasim, Prof. Muhammad expressed profound gratitude and reflected on his students’ curiosity as his “compass”. More importantly, he used his final official platform to deliver a decisive call for strategic investment in the future of Language Arts: expanding teaching staff, procuring a dedicated language laboratory, and providing robust professional development for faculty.

The final remarks served as a capstone to the theme of mentorship. Dr Lawal Hamisu, a former director under the professor, credited Professor Muhammad’s direct intervention for facilitating his own appointment at the university. This final, firsthand testimonial powerfully reinforced the day’s central lesson.

Prof. Sadiq Muhammad’s retirement is not merely the end of a career but an architectural blueprint for the Nigerian educational system. His legacy demonstrates that transformative academic leadership is not solely about publishing papers or holding titles, but about the grassroots, personal investment in the next generation. As the country grapples with staffing shortages and quality control in tertiary education, the true challenge left behind is not simply replacing a professor, but answering his call to make selfless mentorship the institutionalised norm, ensuring that his 45-year compass continues to guide Nigeria’s future scholars.

–Gambo writes from Zaria.

Usman M Shehu

Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.— Alan Cohen

It is unfortunate that Nigerian youths are preoccupied with PR and brown-nosing politicians on social media, mistaking sycophancy for loyalty or mentorship. Not only that, but we are comfortable scrolling TikTok, posting pictures on Instagram,and debating at what age we should start paying attention to the state of the nation, let alone running for office. Why are the youths indifferent to our sick polity that is rotten from the core? Why are they comfortable staying on the fence and serving as spectators instead of actors? Why do our youths somehow believe that they are the leaders of tomorrow and not of today?Though it is the norm that young people, while growing up, usually learn from the older generation, what is there to learn from our current crop of terrible politicians who hold our nation by the jugular? They hide under the guise of “politics is a dirty game.” The old guard have the money, the influence, and the networks; what is lacking or is in decline are vision, energy, and perhaps conscience and discipline—attributes that are essential for good leadership. Unfortunately, what they have will not be willingly given, and what the youths need often seems lacking or absent. The joy of the youths when the Not Too Young to Run Act was passed by the National Assembly and signed into law on 31 May 2018 by President Buhari quickly dissipated when they realised that reality is different from what is written on paper or in Senate resolutions. It does not surmount all the barriers. Money continues to dominate our polity. Only a few youths can afford party nomination forms; the cost of contesting is so enormous that even the smallest elective office is far beyond the reach of most young people. Political parties prefer candidates who can fund them. These challenges are reinforced by the illusion that youths are inexperienced, impatient, and unprepared for leadership.

But then I often ask myself: do we have what it takes to lead, especially now that we are bedevilled with so many crises? It is like a person afflicted with multiple diseases—these include an identity crisis, the collapse of leadership from top to bottom, and a sick civil society. Fixing these issues is daunting even for
experienced and seasoned leaders, let alone those still learning the ropes. It will only be possible through self-education, mentorship, and massive orientation and mobilisation. As Usman Sarki, Daily Trust columnist, rightly put it: “A new generation of rational leaders must arise from the ranks of men and women unafraid to confront entrenched interests, guided by data, driven by conscience and inspired by service.” A corrupt youth cannot be good for the health of our Federal Republic. Only youths of integrity can enhance the good health of our community.

Youths must acquire relevant skills such as adaptability and emotional intelligence, educate themselves, and build strong networks. For youths to be taken seriously, they must be sober, visionary, disciplined, and driven. Before we hold others accountable, we must start with ourselves. With the desire for change
and disillusionment with the status quo, youths can become actors, seize power, and replace some of the politicians who treat power as if it has no expiry date—which is why they often disappear from the spotlight without warning.

In a nation where political power is seen as conquest and humility as weakness rather than virtue, the youths must be brave and courageous in asking for power or running for office. We must sketch a realistic roadmap and hold a vision of rescuing our polity that is being dragged down the drain. With the election season only inches away, the time to act is now.

Usman M Shehu

By: Abdulhameed Ridwanullah

On July 22, 2015, the then-spouse of Nigerian Afrobeats queen Tiwa Savage, Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun, announced the birth of their son, Jamil, on social media with an image of the father and son’s hands. This, no doubt, was an intimate moment. But beneath that act was the normalization of what researchers described as “sharenting”. Sharenting is a pervasive practice of documenting every stage of a child’s life online. From the baby shower, scan pictures, delivery room and other “first” images in the life of the baby documented for public gaze, sharenting has become normalized to an extent that those calling for caution are regarded as old-school.

Sharenting is now recognized globally as a growing digital privacy concern because it exposes children to long-term data risks they cannot consent to. But in Nigeria, the consequences are amplified by our unique digital ecosystem.
What makes sharenting particularly risky in Nigeria is not only what online platforms do, but what we (users) do. On the users’ part, Nigerians’ platform usage has shown a pattern of resistance that outsmarts platforms’ regulations. In my research on platform resistance, I argued that Nigerians have developed what I call a digital okada culture: creative, evasive practices that bypass platform safeguards the same way commercial motorcycle riders bypass formal road rules. Screenshots, screen recording, parallel WhatsApp accounts, anonymous repost pages and third-party aggregators routinely move supposedly “private” content into the open, uncontrolled publics.

We have seen photos of the naming ceremonies privately shared on WhatsApp status, making their way anonymously to Instagram gossip pages like Instablog9ja and other similar gossip blogs. Simply put, a controlled WhatsApp status update can end up on strangers’ phones instantaneously. Our digital culture in Nigeria is a highly porous ecosystem where content easily escapes parents’ control, which complicates sharenting.
It is instinctive for proud parents to want to celebrate their joy with friends and family. Culturally and religiously speaking, giving birth is not a small feat. It is one of the memorable achievements in one’s life.

The magnitude and social significance of it alone are good reasons to celebrate and post children online. For diaspora families, social media posts also help them connect with grandchildren and relatives not seen physically. On the surface, this looks like a harmless practice. But once it is placed inside a digital okada culture, the comfort of “I only shared it with my contacts” becomes an illusion.

Even mainstream financial institutions have begun to warn that oversharing children’s information online can create future vulnerabilities. A 2018 BBC news report indicated that Barclays Bank forecasted that by 2030, sharenting could result in £670 million in online fraud. The bank added that parents might be “lulled into a false sense of security” without grasping the long-term implications of oversharing online. That warning is not just about money; it is about the long tail of our children’s data.

But financial fraud is only a small fragment of the risk. The bigger problem is how children’s data feeds an entire economic system. As I have written previously, the “paradox of social media is that a digital footprint is both transient and permanent”. It is transient because our post quickly disappears from most feeds, but the metadata is stored permanently in corporate databases. This is what Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff calls surveillance capitalism.

Sharenting allows surveillance capitalism to thrive because parents voluntarily funnel massive intimate behavioural data about their children into algorithms. This behavioural data could be monetised by building a detailed, lifelong predictive profile of the children. According to privacy researchers, children’s photos that people share online are being used to train facial recognition algorithms and AI systems.

Think about that! Our children’s faces are being used to teach machines without our or their consent. Parents’ excitement often leads to the surrender of children’s data to platforms without their consent. Even celebrities who build careers on social media visibility, like Rihanna and Cardi B, are choosing to obscure their children’s faces to mitigate risk. Drake famously raps in the Emotionless track that “I wasn’t hiding my kid from the world; I was hiding the world from my kid”.

Many Nigerian parents take comfort in the illusion of privacy of End-to-End Encrypted messaging platforms. They assume that posting baby photos on WhatsApp Status, especially to a restricted contact list, is safer than throwing them on Instagram. Messages on WhatsApp are encrypted, no doubt; however, that alone does not mean data extraction isn’t taking place.

Metadata about what we share (e.g., baby photos), who we talk to, when, location, duration, and frequency are extractable and shareable data that the platforms can use to build a behavioural pattern.
In other words, even when images disappear, their informational shadows remain.

Beyond the momentary applause and privacy concern, what happens when these children grow up and do not appreciate their lives being displayed online and their privacy being taken away? Teenagers are already suing their parents in Europe for unconsented exposure. It is only a matter of time before a similar conflict emerges in Nigeria. I am not a technological Luddite. Far from it. I am just a concerned technology researcher who cares about the use and misuse of social media.

In a country shaped by digital okada culture, parents cannot assume that what they post about their children will stay where they intended. Sharenting is not just about cute photos; it is about handing our children’s futures to platforms, algorithms and a porous digital public they did not choose.

Nigeria needs greater digital literacy around children’s rights. There is also a need for more public awareness campaigns and discussion about consent beginning at home. Parents must think beyond the moment of joy and consider the digital futures they are constructing for their children.

Abdulhameed Ridwanullah is a researcher at Media for Empowerment and Impact Lab, Northeastern University, Boston, USA. He can be reached at olaitanrido@yahoo.com