Education

By Usman Abdullahi Koli

Miss Nafisah Abdullahi is only 17 years old, yet she has already taken Nigeria to places many nations only dream of reaching. From Yobe, a state too often mentioned only in the language of poverty and conflict, she stood before more than 25,000 contestants from 69 countries in the TeenEagle Global Final Competition and emerged as the champion. She carried Nigeria’s name to the intellectual stage and defeated children from nations where English is not just learned in classrooms but lived in homes. That was her priceless gift to Nigeria. And what did Nigeria offer her in return? A handshake, a press release, and two hundred thousand naira that cannot even pay for a single semester in a good university. A priceless victory reduced to pocket change.

Nafisah’s story is about values. It is about what we choose to honour as a people. In this country, when footballers return with medals, they are welcomed with parades and rewards. When entertainers make noise abroad, we turn them into national idols. But when a young girl conquers the world with her mind, we greet her with silence. That silence is not empty; it is a lesson. It tells millions of children that brilliance does not count here. It tells them that books are useless, that the talent of the mind will never be celebrated in their own land.

Think of where she comes from. Yobe is not a place filled with world-class schools or endless opportunities. It is a place battered by poverty, scarred by insecurity, and haunted by the highest figures of out-of-school children in the country. It is a place where girls are too often married off young, their dreams cut short before they can even begin. Nafisah could easily have been one of those forgotten numbers. Instead, she fought through the darkness, studied where others gave up, and rose to defeat students from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada in their own language. That is not only radiant. That is defiance. That is resilience. That is Nigeria at its best.

Other nations know how to treat their treasures. Pakistan stood by Malala Yousafzai until she became a Nobel Prize winner and a global voice for education. India lifted Gitanjali Rao, a teenager named TIME Kid of the Year, and gave her platforms to inspire millions. Kenya celebrates its brightest minds with scholarships and presidential recognition.

In the United States and the United Kingdom, children who win with their minds are given opportunities that change their lives forever. These countries understand that the true strength of a nation lies not only in athletes or entertainers but in the prowess of its children.

Nafisah’s victory should not be another forgotten headline. It should be the spark of a national movement. She deserves a scholarship that secures her future. She deserves to be made an ambassador for girl-child education, carrying her story into classrooms and villages where girls are still told their only destiny is marriage. The First Lady should stand with her. The Yobe State Government should lift her up publicly so her story becomes a source of pride and hope. Philanthropists, NGOs, and corporate leaders should support her not as charity but as an investment in the future of Nigeria.

And if tomorrow Nafisah leaves Nigeria for a country that values her, who will we blame? If she becomes a professor abroad, a world-class innovator, or even a global leader, will we cry about brain drain? What moral right do we have to lament when we refused to keep her light burning here?

Nigeria must stop dimming the dreams of its brightest children. We cannot keep clapping for dancers and athletes while ignoring the Nafisahs who show us that talent can rise from the roughest soil. If we want respect in the world, we must first respect knowledge at home.

History will not remember the leaders who ignored genius. It will remember those who lifted it. Let it not be written that Nigeria built stadiums for athletes, celebrated singers with riches, and abandoned a 17-year-old girl from Yobe who conquered the world with English. Her triumph is Nigeria’s triumph. Our silence, however, is Nigeria’s shame.

Usman Abdullahi Koli wrote via mernoukoli@gmail.com.

By Tijjani Usman Dalhatu

The recent announcement that Mathematics will no longer be compulsory for admission into Arts and Humanities programs in Nigerian universities has generated both relief and concern. While it may appear to remove a long-standing obstacle for many students, it also raises a deeper philosophical question about the role of Mathematics in shaping thought itself.

Mathematics is far more than a subject in the school curriculum; it is a philosophy of reasoning, structure, and truth. It disciplines the mind to detect order in complexity, to question assumptions, and to think with clarity. It is the silent philosopher that underlies all genuine understanding, whether in the sciences, the arts, or the humanities.

History is rich with thinkers who embodied this union of logic and imagination. Bertrand Russell, both philosopher and mathematician, sought truth through reason and ethics. G. H. Hardy regarded pure mathematics as a creative art, not just an academic pursuit. Lewis Carroll, a mathematician, used logic and paradox to craft timeless literary classics. And Omar Khayyam, celebrated as a poet of destiny, was first a master of algebra and astronomy.

Their lives remind us that the boundaries we draw between science and the humanities are artificial. Every discipline, whether it studies numbers or narratives, still depends on logic, pattern, and evidence. Even the modern historian employs statistics to interpret migration, the linguist applies probability to syntax, and the sociologist uses data to understand society.

Removing Mathematics from the foundation of Arts education risks cultivating thinkers who may feel deeply but reason shallowly. They may be fluent in expression yet uncertain in structure. In an age governed by data, where information is quantified and measured, even the humanities must remain numerate to stay relevant.

Mathematics sharpens the intellect not by teaching us to count, but by training us to think precisely. One may exclude it from certificates, but never from the mind.

For to reason is to calculate, and to imagine is to measure the infinite.

Tijjani Usman Dalhatu is a lecturer and researcher in Chemistry Education at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria. He can be reached via tijjani.usman@futminna.edu.ng.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Senator Uba Sani, the Governor of Kaduna State, has approved a new salary structure for three major tertiary institutions in the state.

The approval covers academic and non-academic staff of Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, the Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences and Technology, and the College of Education, Gidan Waya.

This decision brings to an end a 15-year-long struggle by the staff of these institutions, who have been demanding a review of their remuneration package.

The new salary structure is expected to align their pay with contemporary economic realities and improve morale.

While the specific details of the new salary scale were not immediately released, the approval is seen as a major victory for the educational sector in the state and a fulfillment of the government’s commitment to the welfare of its workforce.

By Anas Abbas

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has called for the closure of schools in Nigeria that charge tuition fees in foreign currencies, describing the practice as a major economic loophole undermining the value of the naira.

Alake made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the Nigeria Gold Day Celebration, held on the sidelines of the 10th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week with the theme, “Nigeria Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance.”

The minister expressed concern over what he termed “economic contradictions” in the country, arguing that allowing local institutions to charge fees in foreign currencies puts unnecessary pressure on the naira.

“I am still going to make a proposal to the Federal Executive Council that all those schools in Nigeria that are charging in foreign currencies should be closed,” Alake said.

“These are some of the leakages and loopholes in our economy that people don’t take seriously. If your child attends a school in Abuja or Lagos and pays $10,000 or £10,000, you’ll have to exchange naira for dollars, pushing up the value of the foreign currency. You can’t go to the UK and establish a school charging in naira it’s only in this country such contradictions exist.”

Alake said the Federal Government was intensifying efforts to plug financial leakages across the minerals sector through digital mechanisms and stricter oversight, particularly within the gold value chain.

He noted that the government’s National Gold Purchase Programme (NGPP), implemented through the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), was designed to boost Nigeria’s foreign reserves and strengthen the naira by purchasing gold directly from artisanal miners in local currency.

The minister added that the initiative, a component of the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative, would also reduce informal transactions and curb corruption in the sector.

In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of the SMDF, Fatima Shinkafi, said funding for gold exploration in Nigeria was on an upward trajectory, unlike global trends.She encouraged investors to take advantage of the country’s growing opportunities in gold mining.

“We implore everyone here to examine Nigeria’s gold resources and support the minister’s efforts to make Nigeria a premier destination for junior miners,” Shinkafi said.

“By next year’s Gold Day, we should be looking at Nigeria as a turning point in the global gold market.”

The Nigeria Mining Week, which runs from October 13 to 15, is organised by the Miners Association of Nigeria, in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the VUKA Group.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Federal Government has announced a major review of admission requirements into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, declaring that Mathematics will no longer be a compulsory subject for candidates seeking admission into Arts and Humanities programmes.

The new policy, unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Education, forms part of a broader revision of the National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria. According to the guidelines, Mathematics remains mandatory only for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses, while English Language continues to be compulsory for all programmes.

Under the revised rules, candidates seeking university admission must still obtain a minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English. For polytechnic admission at the National Diploma (ND) level, four credits are required, while five credits, including Mathematics and English, remain mandatory for the Higher National Diploma (HND).

Similarly, in Colleges of Education, English Language is compulsory for Arts and Social Science students, while Mathematics is required for Science, Technical, and Vocational programmes.

The government explained that the reform aims to make tertiary education more inclusive and accessible, reducing unnecessary barriers that have prevented thousands of qualified candidates from securing admission. Officials project that the new policy could enable an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students to gain admission annually.

Education stakeholders have welcomed the move as a progressive step towards aligning Nigeria’s education system with global best practices, though some have called for careful implementation to maintain academic standards.

By Bashir Uba Ibrahim, PhD.

Two weeks ago, I visited Prof. Isa Mukhtar after we concluded one of the parallel sessions organised for a national conference on the works of Aliyu Kamal, in which I served as a rapporteur. The event was held at the Department of Linguistics and Foreign Languages, which was renamed the Department of Linguistics and Translation following the unbundling and upgrade of the former Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies to the College of Arts and Islamic Studies.

Prof. Isa Mukhtar is one of the most academically generous teachers I know. After exchanging greetings, he gifted me his newly published book titled An Introductory Hausa Linguistics, which I intend to review here briefly. Unlike previous books on Hausa grammar and linguistics, Mukhtar, in this thirteen-chapter book, attempts to simplify the branches of linguistics by extensively drawing on examples from the Hausa language and redefining some linguistic terms. This review is by no means exhaustive or comprehensive, as it would be difficult to do full justice to the book in this limited space.

Chapter one, which is entitled ‘Views on the Origin of Language’ (Ra’ayoyi a kan Asalin Harshe), dissects some of the speculations regarding the origin of language. He addresses the speculations regarding the origin of language by citing Zarruk’s views on the phenomenon, including divine creation, man’s discovery, man’s invention, and man’s evolution from a human perspective. He thus attempts a glottochronological examination of Hausa and Amharic, the language of Ethiopia, and Hausa and Coptic, the language of Egypt, in his effort to relate the origin of Hausa with its cognate languages in Africa.

Chapter two, titled ‘Introduction to Language’ (Gabatarwa a kan Harshe), discusses various functions of language. Citing relevant examples from doyen linguists like Fowler (1974) and Leech (1974), he nominally examines the general functions of language, buttressing the thesis with examples from Hausa. The chapter also briefly explains numerous linguistic forms (nau’oi a cikin harshe) in which he shows arbitrary and non-arbitrary forms of language.

The third chapter is titled ‘Historical Linguistics and Stylistics’ (Tarihin Nazarin Harshe da Ilimin Salo). Here, the author provides a historical analysis of the origin and development of linguistics as a field of study from antiquity to the present day. Various schools and movements that shaped major linguistics trends and ideas, such as structuralism (bi-tsari) and its subsidiaries like the Copenhagen school (makarantar Copenhagen), American structural linguistics (Bi-tsari a marajtar harshe ta America), French structuralism (Bi-tsarin Faransa), Prague school (makaranyar Prague), rationalism (na tunani), and empiricism (gogayya). The chapter also attempts to link structuralism with stylistics by discussing some of the stylistics scholars influenced by structuralism, such as Charles Bally, Roman Jakobson, and Michael Riffaterre. These scholars developed their theory on the style of communication and contributed to generative stylistics.

Chapter four, ‘Functional Linguistics and Stylistics’ (Harshen Aiwatarwa da Ilimin Salo), builds on the previous chapter by examining stylistics (ilimin salo) from a systemic functional linguistics perspective. In this chapter, the writer attempts to appropriate Halliday’s theory of stylistics and apply it to Hausa data by extensively drawing examples from it. Thus, Halliday’s main conception of the stylistics function of language into ideational, interpersonal and textual was heavily domesticated and linked with Hausa.

The fifth chapter titled ‘Classification of African Languages’ (Rarrabewa Tsakanin Harsunan Afirka). In this chapter, the author bases his classification of African languages on Greenberg (1966), in which he classified African languages into four phyla, namely, Afro-Asiatic, Khoisan, Niger-Congo and Nilo-Saharan. He attempts to trace the Hausa language to the West-Chadic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. He establishes its relationship with cognate languages in Nigeria, such as Bole, Kare-Kare, Warji, Ron, and Bade.

Chapter six, which is entitled ‘Syntax and Grammar’ (Ginin Jumla da Nahawu), makes a historical examination of grammar from a Greek grammarian, Dionysius Thrax, traditional grammar (Nahawun gargajiya), structural grammar (nahawun bi-tsari), finite state grammar (nahawun kwakkwafi), phrase structure grammar (tsarin nahawun yankin jumla), generative grammar (nahawun tsirau), transformational grammar (nahawun rikida/taciya), transformational generative grammar (nahawun taciya mai tsira), etc.

The seventh chapter, ‘Advanced Syntax’ (Babban Nazarin Ilimin Harshe) served as a build on its preceding chapter. The chapter makes a deeper examination of the extended standard theory by Chomsky, looking at Government and Binding Theory of Syntax and its application in the Hausa language. While chapter eight, which is titled ‘Issues in Hausa Syntax’ (Muhimman al’amura a tsarin jumla), builds on the previous one by examining extended standard theory and its syntactic operators and how they can be applied in Hausa.

Chapter nine, which is entitled ‘Phonetics and Phonology’ (furuci da sauti), makes an extensive examination into Hausa phonetics and phonology. It looks at articulatory, acoustic, and auditory phonetics, drawing heavily from Sani (2010). It also discusses Hausa phonological inventories and processes as the backbone of generative phonology, such as assimilation, dissimilation, palatalisation, labialisation, nasalisation, metathesis, polarisation, etc. Meanwhile, chapter ten titled ‘Morphology’ (Ilimin Tasarifi) discusses Hausa morphological structure, morphemes, types of morphemes, criteria for identification of morphemes, morphological processes and word formation processes by citing Abubakar (2001) to exemplify his discussion.

 Chapter eleven, ‘Dialectology’ (Ilimin Karin Harshe), explores the relationship between language and society by examining major sociolinguistic aspects and relating them to Hausa languages, including argot, slang, jargon, sociolects, Hausa dialect variety, and language and culture. Chapter twelve, which is entitled ‘Semantics’ (Ilimin Ma’ana), makes a historical examination of the term ‘semantics’ and shows how it is problematic in relation to linguistic analysis. The chapter also examines the relationship between semantics and linguistics, as well as Hausa semantic change, collocations, componential analysis, speech-act, descriptive semantics, theoretical semantics, and general semantic theories. The chapter also delves into the relationship between semantics and other branches of linguistics, such as morphology, phonology, and syntax, in what can be called a ‘linguistic interface’. 

Meanwhile, the thirteenth chapter, which is the final chapter, is titled ‘Sociolinguistics’. It examines the issue of multilingualism in Nigeria, with Hausa as one of the major languages. It examines how sociolects served as social varieties of language that are determined by social factors rather than geography, citing examples with Hausar masu kudi, Hausar sarakai, Hausar malamai, Hausar ‘yan daba, Hausar likitoci, etc.

Overall, this book, intended as an introductory text, aims to acquaint readers with foundational topics in Hausa linguistics. Its straightforward presentation and accessible language make it especially useful for beginners. However, the author’s effort to simplify the content may have been overextended, leading to notable gaps. Crucially, important subfields such as psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, applied linguistics, forensic linguistics, and computational linguistics are not mentioned at all.

Another significant omission is the absence of Ferguson (1970), particularly given the discussion on dialectology—a field in which Ferguson was a major contributor—as well as the exclusion of key works on Hausa dialectology such as Musa (1992). Similarly, in Chapter Twelve, the focus is limited to structural semantics, with no mention of Hausa cognitive semantics or relevant contributions like Bature (1991) and Almajir (2014).

The book appears to lean heavily towards stylistics and syntax, dedicating two chapters to the former and three to the latter, specifically Chapters Six through Eight. While these topics are undoubtedly important, the focus becomes somewhat disproportionate. For instance, in the discussion of Government and Binding Theory and complementation, the author omits important works such as Yalwa (1994), Issues in Hausa Complementation and Mukhtar (1991), Aspects of Morphosyntax of Hausa Functional Categories, both of which could have enriched the analysis from a Hausa linguistic perspective.

In conclusion, as Ibrahim (2008: 260) aptly states, “There is no perfect text. But as human life itself, the various imperfections of our life provide a constant challenge to us as scholars embroiled in the learning process.” Despite the criticisms above, Mukhtar’s ability to present complex topics clearly and subtly remains commendable. This book stands out as one of the more accessible introductory texts on Hausa linguistics, suitable for both students and newcomers to the field.

By Dikko Muhammad, PhD

Dear Governor Malam Dikko Radda, PhD., with honour and regards befitting of your office and esteemed personality, the people imploring you to address the urgent matters of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, are your friends, not your foes. They don’t want to see the beautiful pumpkin planted about two decades ago uprooted by your administration. If that calamity, God forbid, would happen, it mustn’t happen under the administration of the most credentialed person in the history of our state. 

Sir, UMYU isn’t just a mere state university. It was an ambition and a dream of our revered Malam Umaru Musa of blessed memory. UMYU is the culmination of the sweat and toil of many prestigious individuals from our dear state, impeccable individuals who embraced Malam Yar’adua’s dream and made it a reality.

Men and women who spent sleepless nights, travelled far and wide, to ensure that UMYU isn’t just a prestige project, but a strategic and need-based initiative that addresses the higher education deficit of our dear state and the Northern region. Many of these important individuals are alive today. Please, Sir, as they inch nearer to their graves, don’t make them feel that their labour is in vain. UMYU alone is a fulfilling mission for many of them.

Sir, forgive my repetition– UMYU isn’t just a mere state university. It’s a solution to our century-old gender gap in access to educational opportunity. It enables thousands of parents to educate their daughters to the level of degree certification at a time when interstate and intercity travel are becoming increasingly dangerous by the day. 

When UMYU collapses, may Allah prevent that, it will sink with the dream of thousands of girls who aspire to become educated mothers, productive members of society, and contributors to the future knowledge-driven economy. You just need to look left and right in your own extended family to see the impact this university has already made. 

Your Excellency, Sir, look into the posterity. It’s very long. And it remembers all. Save this system. The university workers are not asking for the impossible. They simply ask that you respect the law establishing this university. They’re only asking you to give the equivalent of whatever is obtainable in federal universities. This is enshrined in the laws that established UMYU. 

I’m deeply sorry if I sound boring. I want to remind your esteemed person that at the point of inception, no state across the Northern region has invested resources in its university as UMYU. Billions have been spent on the training of staff. I am a product of UMYU. I got my first degree here. My teachers called me to join them and serve UMYU. The university has spent millions training me for my master’s and PhD degrees. The same happened to hundreds of others.

Unfortunately, the tasteless, unmotivated and uninspiring condition of service has frustrated many out of UMYU. Many others are awaiting the bond period to japa or to move to another university. In my faculty (pictured here), I know of more than 10 people who have left this institution with their PhD financed by UMYU. UMYU has failed to retain its most precious investment. It has also fallen short of attracting other people with the highest degrees into its corridors. 

As tens of PhDs are leaving UMYU, the university can only attract people with a first degree or, at most, a master’s degree. In practical terms, UMYU is gradually positioning itself as a training ground while Katsina continues to be short-changed in the process. 

Your Excellency, I may disagree with many of your policies. But I never doubted your resilience in moving our dear state forward. Please look into UMYU. Write your history on the footprints of time. You have all that is required to save the most important legacy of Malam Umaru Musa Yar’adua, a statesman, your political mentor, a person you hold dear and a man related to you in other equally important capacities. 

Dikko Muhammad writes from the Department of English and French, UMYU. He can be reached via dikko.muhammad@umyu.edu.ng.

By Anwar Usman

The Federal Government has reconstituted and inaugurated the Mahmud Yayale Ahmed Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee to expedite ongoing discussions with academic and non-academic unions across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the spokesperson for the federal ministry of education, Folasade Boriowo, it was stated that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has set up a new committee to harmonise all negotiation processes under one coordinated framework that reflects institutional memory and sector-wide inclusiveness.

Alausa explained that, unlike previous fragmented negotiations, the expanded committee will engage all unions collectively to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable agreement. “The membership of the committee has been carefully chosen to represent the full spectrum of the education sector, ensuring that no group is left behind,” he said.

The Minister stated that the committee has been given a well-equipped and functional secretariat to enable it to carry out its mandate effectively, adding that, “its inaugural meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, 7th of October. He urged all academic and non-academic unions to cooperate fully and respond promptly to the committee’s engagements.”

According to him, President Bola Tinubu has given full political support to the process, with a clear directive that all negotiations be concluded swiftly, fairly, and in a spirit of civility and mutual respect.

Earlier, ASUU, in a bulletin released to its members on Monday, urged them to prepare towards a two-week warning strike set to commence on October 13.

The planned strike follows a two-week ultimatum issued by the union last week, calling on the Federal Government to proffer solutions to its unresolved issues, including the signing and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

In the fresh circular, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, complained about the government’s failure to provide any meaningful response to the union’s demands despite the ultimatum.

By Faiza Aliyu Farouk

Leaving the comfort of home to pursue education elsewhere is a defining moment in the lives of many students. Schooling away from home means stepping into an unfamiliar world, one that is both exciting, exhilarating, yet overwhelming. It’s more than just a physical transition; it’s an emotional and psychological journey that reshapes who we are.

The moment you pack your bags and wave goodbye to the familiar walls of your family home, you begin a journey filled with uncertainty, growth, discomfort, and discovery. It exposes students to diverse cultures, ideas, and ways of life.

One of the most challenging parts of schooling away from home, according to many, is the emotional toll it takes.

Homesickness is a quiet but heavy feeling that settles in your chest in the middle of the night or while eating something bland and unfamiliar.

Research by Yugo, student accommodation provider in the university of Derby found that almost two-thirds (61%) of students aged 19 to 25 were concerned about feeling homesick when it came to moving away for the first time (The Guardian, 2024).

That number felt very real when talking to friends and classmates who admitted to crying in their hostels during the first few weeks. And yet, almost all of them pushed through and eventually found ways to cope.

The first few weeks or months away from home can be particularly tough. The excitement of a fresh start often gives way to the reality of managing day-to-day activities independently.

“I was excited but anxious,” said Fatima, a 400-level Mass Communication student at BUK. She recalls the first time she stepped foot on campus, far from the comfort of her family. “I missed the comfort, care, and familiar routine of home. I had to figure things out on my own, even when I was sick.”

There are many reasons why students leave their homes to study elsewhere. Abdulaziz, a medical student who left his hometown of Minna for Kano, said he left in pursuit of a better academic program.

“The schools back home weren’t offering the course I wanted to study.” Meanwhile, Alhassan, who left Jos for Kano, said he intentionally chose to stay far from home to gain experience.

“I wanted new perspectives and to challenge myself. While some leave for academics, others see distance as a test of independence.

Navigating environmental factors is another challenge of schooling away from home. “Having spent my life in Jos, never traveling for exposure or leisure.

Transitioning to a new setting was quite a challenge,” Alhassan said. As student routines change, so do relationships.

“Sometimes I feel distant from my family due to limited time spent with them, not because of anything else,” he added.

However, others, like Tsadu said they noticed a shift in how they were treated due to being away from home: “They respect me more now.”

Khadija, when asked what studying away from home meant for her, said, “I became my own person. I stopped relying on others to make decisions for me.”

Another student shared, “It was hard, but I needed to be away to find myself.” For others, it was about discovering their voice, taking risks, and failing without shame.

These stories are common, yet each one is uniquely powerful.

Living on campus forces students to grapple with new responsibilities. From cooking, budgeting, building community, and dealing with loneliness.

“Staying away has made me financially independent and more disciplined. I realized five thousand naira doesn’t stretch far,” Zainab admitted.

While describing the daily struggles, she said; “Staying in the hostel isn’t easy, especially when you come back from lectures hungry and there’s no water to cook. You have to fetch it first, sometimes from far away.

The issue of electricity is another challenge, we only get light for three hours at night, which is when we charge our devices and study. It’s not convenient; I just manage.”

Although the emotional impact of living away from home is often associated with students, parents also experience significant changes.

They feel the shift too. The independence is bittersweet. “I feel disturbed and unhappy but the other side of me feels good and happy while I continue to pray for him” Hajiya Hau’wa, whose son studies in Kano while the family lives in Niger said.

Aisha, a mother of a university student, said, “When she calls, complaining about school or being sick and lonely, it breaks my heart that I can’t be there. I’ve had to learn to let her go with prayers and constantly checking up on her.”

Communication becomes a lifeline. Most parents check in daily, not just to monitor progress but to maintain an emotional connection. Yet, not all students appreciate the frequent calls.

Nana, who studies accounting at Nassarawa State University said; ” Constant calls from my parents tend to be stressful. I’m trying to manage their expectations while also focusing on my studies”

Leaving the comfort of home for campus life is more than a transition. It’s a transformation. It’s about stepping into a version of yourself that only distance, responsibility and independence can bring.

It’s where growth happens. You learn to stand on your own, make your own choices and live with the outcome.

There will be days of loneliness, moments of doubt, and nights when home feels like a world away. But there will also be victories. Big and small that will build your confidence.

Faiza Aliyu Farouk is a 400-level Mass Communication student at Bayero University Kano (BUK).

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

A new book examining the cultural and religious forces shaping the Hausa-language film industry, Kannywood, will be released on 5 December 2025 by Springer Nature.

Titled Kannywood: Film, Faith and Identity in Northern Nigeria, the work critically explores how filmmakers navigate religious expectations, cultural norms and language ideologies while appealing to a diverse audience.

The author, Dr Muhammad Muhsin Ibrahim, teaches Hausa Studies at the University of Cologne and is an expert in Hausa media and cultural production.

The study employs audience reception theory and a close analysis of selected films to reveal tensions within the industry, including the dominance of the Kano dialect, the marginalisation of others, such as Sokoto’s, and the commercialisation of “broken” Hausa.

The book also highlights the pressures of global influences and conservative religious forces, presenting Kannywood as a contested space of identity and representation in northern Nigeria.