Opinion

By Muhammad Muzdaleefa

Being a student of diplomatic history, I have been following the poverty eradication campaign in China for years. It is a shame that Western media have decided to bash it as Chinese propaganda instead of looking at the take away lessons that can be applied globally with necessary adjustments for sustainable growth and development.

The way China has been going through this issue is very methodical and practical. They have a clear standard of living which they are working hard to ensure it is universally achieved. In other words, they create a world where everyone has a smooth path to realize their dreams and ensure no one is left behind. This is very different from the competitive capitalist system practiced in the West where everyone is obsessed with being ahead of the other.

The Chinese have used very simple ideas. These include the following;

1. Housing – The Chinese model is ensuring everyone has adequate and decent housing. Those with poor housing have had their houses reconstructed or relocated to new houses.
2. Income – The Chinese have ensured everyone has a sustained income source that elevates them above the poverty line. This has been through implementation of various income generating projects based on local needs and environment.

In one example, some farmlands where farming was ecologically harmful were turned into a forest. The former farmers were then employed as forest guards. Another example is where some villages were helped to establish solar power plants from which they earn incomes.

3. Education – The Chinese model states that education is the best way to stop transmission of generational poverty. As a result they have implemented a system which has resulted in zero school dropout cases. Some 8 million youths who had dropped out of school at various levels have been taken through vocational training.
4. Health – Unhealthy people can’t fight poverty. They are people who are consigned to poverty due to treatable health issues. China has worked to ensure affordable healthcare in order to ensure that no person falls back to poverty dues to illness. The response of the Chinese government sequel to the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic was admired throughout the world.

To achieve the above the following foundational issues are critical;

1. Household targeted poverty eradication – a census of poor people was conducted which identified every household defined as poor. This bottom up approach is key because you cannot eradicate poverty until every household has been lifted from poverty. The household is the epicentre of poverty.
2. Planning and involving people – after the poor are identified, detailed planning is undertaken and the people are involved in coming up with solutions to eradicate poverty.
3. Clear goals – the officials are expected to come up with practical goals and realistic timelines. In one case where officials had set lofty and unrealistic targets President Xi Jinping emphasized that for the battle against poverty to be won there should be no procrastination or impatience.
4. Measurement and independent evaluation – countries that claim to have eradicated poverty have to apply for removal from a list of countries that still have people living in poverty. Such an application is followed by independent verification. Evaluators are sent to verify the claims and they are supposed to visit each household without being accompanied by the village officials. Countries that fail to pass the evaluation have to continue with poverty eradication work.

In conclusion, eradicating poverty is not rocket science. Simple, practical and realistic steps are needed. Most importantly, a visionary, selfless and committed leadership must be in place for this to work effectively. 2023 is a good opportunity for Nigerians to elect capable, dependable and reliable leaders that will not only address the critical needs of Nigerians but will put the country on the path of sustainable growth and development for the contemporary generation and posterity.

By Yakubu Sani Wudil, PhD

1. Leading by example and upholding integrity: An effective manager walks the talk and leads by example. They are seen as a role model for the team and instil trust and confidence in their employees by being honest, transparent, and fair in their actions. By being a person of integrity, managers can gain the respect and loyalty of their team, which is essential for creating a positive and productive work environment.

2. Building a diverse and inclusive team: Managers must recognise the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. They should strive to create a team representative of the community and customers they serve. This includes selecting people for the job based on their skills and qualifications, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or other differences. A good leader can build an inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued and respected.

3. Being a positive and supportive advocate for the organisation: A manager should be a positive and enthusiastic advocate for their company. They should believe in the company’s mission and follow its direction. They should also be able to communicate this enthusiasm and support to their team, which helps to create a sense of purpose and belonging among employees.

4. Communicating effectively and setting clear goals and expectations: Clear communication is essential for a manager to get the most out of their team. They should be able to clearly communicate their goals and expectations for the team’s performance and what is expected of each employee. Setting clear goals and expectations helps to keep employees engaged and motivated to achieve them.

5. Active listening and understanding the needs of employees: Managers need to be good listeners and actively seek feedback from their employees. They should be open to new ideas and suggestions and be willing to make changes in response to the needs of their team. By listening and understanding the needs of their employees, managers can create an environment that fosters collaboration and creativity.

6. Being emotionally intelligent, taking responsibility and learning from mistakes, and effectively delegating tasks: Emotional intelligence is an essential skill for managers. They should be able to recognise and manage their own emotions and those of their team. They should also be able to take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes. Effective delegation is also essential for managers, as it allows them to focus on their key responsibilities and trust their team members to handle their tasks effectively.

By Tijjani Muhammad Musa

I left the house without taking breakfast or even a bath in order to meet an 8:00 am appointment with the rest of our SWS.Comms production crew. A client has brought in an advert for emergency production and airing on the radio against an event scheduled to take place the next day, Saturday morning, by 10:00 am after the monthly Sanitation exercise.

The heavy traffic of Adaidaita Sahu, private vehicles, motorcycles, and so on State Road was highly discouraging as I turned into it from Maiduguri Road. Quickly calculating my other options, I thought of taking alternative routes to steer me away from the delay most likely to occur if I should get trapped in the traffic mess.

However, thinking positively and hoping for the best, I still drove into the snailing jam of vehicles. Soon, however, I saw an opening on the side of the road accommodating a trickle of cars and the ever-daring tricycle riders. Now being in a bit of a hurry, I instinctively branched into that flow. 

This gave me and many others the opportunity to cut off almost three-quarters of the “go-slow” that was caused due to road repairs, maintenance and renovation work going on on the roads as a result of adverse effects of heavy rainfall witnessed in the city in recent time. 

So many of the roads in the metropolis have turned into shallow graves and potholes, forcing many drivers to demonstrate their driving skills and dexterity, with pedestrians expressing their anger and annoyance once in a while from getting splashed with dirty potholed rainwater.

As I slowly snake through the engaging challenge, turning my head side to side to check the distance between me and the line up of tricycles to my left, I suddenly saw her in one of the Adaidaita and couldn’t help but stare. While briefly looking at it, I at that same time sensed myself being stared at. So I checked to see who was poring his or her eyes over me.

It was a much younger woman sitting next to the person who had caught my rapt attention. Clearly, she was wondering why my face lightened up and suddenly saddened again upon seeing the old woman sitting calmly by her side. 

To douse her fears, I lowered my car window, pointed at the old woman and loudly said, “She reminds me of my mother, who is now late. May her soul be blessed and rest in peace.” I whispered the supplication to my hearing only.

The younger woman, now relaxed and with a slight smile, said, “Allaah Sarki. Allaah Ya jik’anta da rahama” and I said, “Amin thumma amin” as tears wheeled up my eyes. I quickly got hold of myself as I averted the gaze of both the woman as well as the okada rider, whose attention had now turned to me.

I looked at the old woman intently once again and realized that she didn’t actually look like my Hajia in any way except for her height and the frail, wrinkled body characteristic of old women in their octagenarian stage of life. She was looking absent-mindedly into a future that none could tell what it was her mind’s eye was seeing or thinking.

Once again, tears overwhelmed me, for I could remember clearly the same kind of look on the face of my mother. She didn’t want to die due to the uncertainties that lay ahead. But then, none can avert its coming to pass, as it is a promise that must be fulfilled.

This is because Allaah AWJ Says in the Qur’an, “Kullu nafsin za ikatul maut” – Every soul must taste of death (Q3:185). So we all must eventually bow out. When, where, why, by what or how none of us knows. Thus by the 1001 ways and more to die, we all must become deceased.

I felt for her as I did feel for Hajia then whenever I saw that worrisome look registered on her face. I would immediately want to do something to distract her attention so as to change her mood for the lighter from such disturbing thoughts. 

Suddenly without thinking, I reached into the pigeon hole in front of my dashboard and fetched out some money I usually keep there in case of an emergency and asked the Adaidaita rider how much was the cost of the ride. He told me, and I handed much more than the amount to him, telling him to give her the change.

The old woman looked at me and smiled. She was pleased with what I did and waved her two palms at me in thanks, and all of a brief flash, I saw my mother in her. It was a beautiful sight. The younger woman with her was also happy and prayed fervently for me as I drove off.

Then by Allaah SWT, the dam broke, and I started crying, in the wonder of what my mother might be going through, wherever she might be at that moment. There and then, I started praying to Allaah AWJ to please forgive her, whatever wrong she might have done while alive and bail her from anybody’s haqqi if she has done them wrong. 

That my Lord and Maker should please compensate whoever she owes, whatever it might be and set her soul free in Barzakh, pending when she will be admitted into Jannah and His AWJ’s much sought after Grace. Fortunately, I’ve dreamt of her 3 times already. She’s doing alright, bi iznilLaahi.

In one of such dream, we were at an occasion with Prof. Yusuf Adamu, and she came to the place. So I excitedly introduced her to him. As he respectfully greeted her and started thanking her for me, she said to him, smiling, “A’a haba ai mu ne da godiya”. More tears tore into my composure like a small child.

I had to stop myself as passersby were beginning to stare at me, wondering and whispering to each other what they thought was wrong with me. Though I never liked the idea of tinting off my car windows since I have nothing to hide, for a change, I wished I had done so, so I could indulge and enjoy my emotional outburst in full privacy. 

It’s not every day that such grace from Allaah happens to me. Anyway, I pray that all our parents who have died be in better existing conditions, wherever they may be right now than when they were here living on earth. 

May all other mothers and fathers be similarly forgiven for their wrongs, mistakes and shortcomings. Allaahumma amin thumma amin.

By Aminat Akinyemi

As the year 2022 came to a close, the world was thrown into a frenzy after a US-based AI firm, OpenAI released a groundbreaking solution called “chatGPT”, which could converse, reply to text messages sent by humans and answer almost any question as accurately as if it were human itself and all-knowing. This solution even proves to have the capacity to write news articles, public speeches, academic papers, and computer codes and can go as far as discussing matters relating to your local traditional recipes. 

Today, unlike a decade ago, countries are now competing fiercely towards attaining AI supremacy.

This is not surprising as recent events have proven that AI, Robotics, Blockchain and Cybersecurity have a huge impact on national security, intelligence, healthcare and food security. With fast advances in technology, there is no doubt that the next decade presents an opportunity for countries to redefine their future and improve the quality of life, healthcare and availability of jobs through the needed up-skilling of their workforce and re-modelling of their industries.  

Deviating from an age-long Nigerian tradition of simply waiting to import and consume any latest technology in the world rather than contribute to its development, the nation is lucky to have some leaders that are keeping tabs on global developments and are guarding the coast keenly. 

For example, in 2019, a young Nigerian, Olusola Ayoola, after bagging his PhD in the area of Nuclear Robotics and working extensively with the UK government, decided to return home to establish Nigeria’s first fully functional robotics and artificial intelligence facility, Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN) for training, research and product development. 

Since its establishment, RAIN has proven to be world-class and has even attracted international students and recognition from the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms Amina J. Mohammed, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), USA and Canada missions in Nigeria, as well as First Bank of Nigeria Plc., Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the National Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE), the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

Some of the groundbreaking research carried out at RAIN include unattended baggage detection, a mini weather station, an AI-based Traffic Light System, a ground robot vehicle and unmanned VTOL aerial vehicle (IMORP), CETHED and RAINSC75/76.

The great feat which RAIN has achieved without any support from the Government and this fact only makes one want to ask what an intervention grant will do to the growth of technology in Nigeria.

This must have been the thought of Honorable Oluyemi Adewale Taiwo, a federal lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Oyo State. In January 2022 and on the floor of the green hallow chamber, Honorable Taiwo moved a motion for the house to encourage the federal government to liaise and work with RAIN, especially during the course of tackling the insecurity. The house unanimously adopted the motion and passed a resolution in support. 

Honourable Taiwo did not stop at that. The pragmatic lawmaker followed this up with the ministry of science, technology and innovation until he successfully got the nod of the ministry to provide such an intervention grant. 

This is a confirmation of his stewardship to his constituency. However, the nation could do with more of his kind that will direct the federal government’s attention to burgeoning areas within the economy that can help return this nation to the path of greatness. No doubt, with this intervention grant being well managed by the tested and proven management of the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria board, the nation can only expect to move upwards from this point onward. 

The Chief Executive of RAIN, Dr Ayoola, has confirmed that there are lofty plans in place including the construction of a Centre for Excellence in Drone and Unmanned Vehicles for Geospatial Intelligence, provision of training scholarships to the youths of Nigeria, particularly those from Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, and the improvement of AI Robotics product prototypes up to the required military standards.

While the efforts of Honorable Taiwo are not common in this part of the world, it is not unexpected as he was basically doing what a genuine representative of the people would do in order to preserve the indigenous technological firms in his constituency, promote their global advantage and protect the future of the youths in such communities through up-skilling.

Let it be known that when Nigeria becomes a great country, it is the sacrifices of genuinely honourable men like Hon. Taiwo of House of Rep and his supportive colleagues in the National assembly, the Honourable Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Senator Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora, as well as the permanent secretary of the ministry, will be mentioned for praises. Now, let Nigeria’s global competitiveness in AI and Robotics begin.

Aminat Akinyemi writes from Ibadan and can be reached via aaebunoluwa@gmail.com.

By Ibrahim Alhamdu

The name Senator Ishaku Abbo, of the senator representing Adamawa north, is synonymous to controversies. Abbo, being one of the youngest senators in the Nigerian 9th senate, is always at the center of one controversy or another, which resulted in his condemnation by many people in his constituency – Adamawa north in Adamawa State and the entire northern Nigeria as a whole.

Before the inauguration of Abbo at the hallowed chamber of the Nigerian senate, a video clip of him physically assaulting a lady at a sex toy shop surfaced. After he physically assaulted the lady in the video, Abbo was seen ordering his police orderly to further arrest the lady he allegedly assaulted for taking sides with the shop owner. The incident generated so much angry reaction from Nigerians on social media and on the streets, which brought disrepute not only to Abbo, but his constituency and his political party. Though, days after the incident, Senator Abbo was arrested by the police who held him for a night, before granting him bail “after meeting a set of administrative conditions for his bond”. He later apologized: he said he was sorry for what happened, adding that regardless of the provocation, his action did not portray him as a good ambassador of the Senate, the PDP, and the youths of Nigeria.

However, all of a sudden, on July 10, 2019, at the Senate hearing of Senator Elisha Abbo over his sex toy shop assault on a lady, there was an intense argument between Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Senator Abbo, while trying to emphasize the extent of the damage to the Senate body and her feeling as a woman, Senator Tinubu, expressed the embarrassment which the youngest Senator in the ninth Senate has brought to the entire National Assembly, but Senator Abbo, in his usual uncouth manner attacked Senator Remi defiantly.

The heat was so intense on Senator Abbo, as women’s groups, civil society movements, students unions, political groups, teams of lawyers and other common people frowned and condemned Abbo’s actions both at the sex toy shop and at the senate hearing, calling for his prosecution.

On September 28, 2020, an FCT High Court found Senator Abbo guilty of the offense. Delivering the judgment the judge ordered him to pay the sum of N50 million to the complainant, Osimibibra Warmate

In his usual character, around October 2019, Abbo picked a ‘fight’ with his governor- Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State. Abbo accused Governor Fintiri of being an ‘Alpha and Omega’ who parades himself as a demi-god, running the PDP like a ‘gangster’, Abbo went to the extent of describing Gov. Fintiri as a ‘small man’ with a big office. When Abbo finally realized that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) wouldl expel him, he defected to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) where his “sins” would automatically be forgiven.

However, after the APC accepted and admitted Abbo, the trend of his unnecessary political fight, use of excessive and offensive language which causes tension among people continued bitterly. His open campaign and criticism against his party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, including criticizing the APC presidential flag-bearer, Bola Tinubu, on national television didn’t come as a surprise to many who knew his antecedents. These led to his expulsion by APC Mubi North Local Government Area on 7th October, 2022, for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities and tampering with the process of internal democracy of the party.

On January 11, 2023, the Adamawa State High Court of Justice No. 3, presided by Hon. Justice Danladi Mohammed, sacked Senator Abbo as APC Senatorial Candidate for Adamawa North, saying he is not entitled to seek re-election since he was expelled. Justice Danladi, held that Senator Abbo and APC are bound by the resolution of Mubi North LG Exco dated 7th October 2022, which expelled him, saying that he is not entitled to enjoy any right or privilege accorded to the APC members.

While responding to the judgment, Senator Abbo, said, the judgment is just a ‘child-play’- saying in Hausa- “Kare ya taka Nera ya wuce bai san kuɗi ba”. Abbo said – the judge is wrong and just wasting his time, peoples’ time, and the Senator’s time. But Abbo promised to appeal the judgment.

Now the question is; has Abbo truly lost his ticket?

Many legal experts are of the view that Senator Ishaku Abbo has lost the ticket, because, people saying that the state high court lacks jurisdiction on such matters, are wrong. Section 6, Subsection (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria explains all the intricacies and the law has fully explains it all.

But what about a change of candidate? The electoral Act 2022 says: A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under section 29 of the Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate: Senator Abbo is neither dead nor withdrawn his candidature. Many legal experts say the Nigerian Constitution supersedes the provisions in any other laws; a competent court of law has agreed and validated what the 29-member committee of APC Mubi North LGA, did – the expulsion of Senator Ishaku Abbo, thus, the judgment is bound on Abbo, APC and INEC, the only doctrine of necessity available to the APC and INEC is to accept the person that came second in the primary election that produced Abbo.

Some political pundits are of the view that this court judgment is a golden opportunity for the APC to easily replace Senator Abbo who has been in anti-party activities criticizing the party, its presidential and vice presidential candidates including other leaders of the party, bringing disrepute and low esteem to the whole APC.

Ibrahim Alhamdu is a social and political commentator. He writes from Abuja, Nigeria.

By Umm Khalid

When I was in college and still single, I was considering a proposal from a certain brother (named Daniel).

I had a conversation with one of my closest friends about what qualities are important to look for in a husband. Alhamdulillah, this Saudi friend was 5 years older than me and had seen many of her peers get married, and she gave me some wise advice.

She told me, “After checking on the basics, his deen and his خلق (character), you know what the most critical qualities are? He needs to be هَيِّن لَيِّن.”

These two Arabic words refer to basically the same general characteristic: one of ease, leniency. A man who is laidback, relaxed, easygoing. Basically, he should be a chill dude.

Of course, he can’t be chill about everything. We all have to stand for something, to care deeply about SOME issues, to be strict in SOME matters. But he should be strict when it matters, when it’s warranted; like when it comes to the commands and limits set by Allah, for example. Then he should absolutely not be chill or lenient, as that amounts to negligence and abandonment of the laws of Allah, and that leads to destruction.

But when it comes to other matters, smaller issues of inconsequential everyday things, you want your husband to be laidback. Not uptight, nitpicky, rigid, inflexible, exacting, OCD about the littlest things, overly sensitive to every small detail. Some people, just by their nature or personality, would be classified by most as “difficult people.”

You don’t want this type of rigidity in a husband. It makes everyday life unnecessarily stressful. Life is already hard enough by itself, that the last thing we need is a spouse who nitpicks and needs everything to be just so. Then married life would be a nightmare.

A good husband is a man who is tough or strict when he needs to be, but with his wife in their home life, he is relaxed and easy. He has a fun side and a sense of humor about life’s ups and downs, and is understanding when things go south. He is lenient with her and indulgent and forgiving (up to a point, of course! Within reason!). He doesn’t, for example, ask her why she moved this small object from this side table to the coffee table, or castigate her for accidentally putting in the wrong address into the GPS, or flip out if dinner is 15 minutes late or on the verge of being under-salted, or interrogate her about small and inconsequential details that are innocuous. Someone who acts this way is usually not easy to be around or live with.

You want your husband to be easy to live with. Because… you will live with him.

Alhamdulillah, now looking back more than a decade later, I completely confirm that advice. An easygoing, chill husband is an enormous blessing.

Of course, the thing is: as a wife, don’t forget to return the favor! If you are blessed with a chill husband, extend the same courtesy back to him and let the little things go. Don’t nitpick or nag him when he annoys you. No person is perfect.

By Umar Yogiza

The four writers are Tares Oburumu, Ruth Chidera Echewe, Sadiq Mustafa and Taiye Ojo, they arrived in the ancient town of Ilorin, Kwara State, for the first batch of the 2023 Imodoye Writers Residency programme. A statement issued by the residency manager said the writers are expected to be there for three weeks and an optional one week.

Tares Oburumu is a Bayelsa State-born poet and essayist, based in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. He’s the author of 6 published chapbooks. Tares Oburumu is the winner of the GAP poetry prize 2018 and his chapbook ‘origin of the syma species’ won The Sillerman First Book prize for African poets 2022, to be published by Nebraska University Press, U.S., in fall 2023. Tares had been nominated for the Pushcart prize with Woven Tales Press 2019, and Ice Floes International literary journal 2021.

Tares Oburumu is in Imodoye residency to work and expand his three chapbooks: Erasure, Chatham House and Red: the love story of Annie Ernaux. As a child, Tares heard the nerve-racking stories of how brothers took to the Atlantic Ocean, going oversee, and it broke him to pieces hearing the manner they died in their attempt to escape the bedlam their country has become. His lens’ expositions focus on emigration and the attendant trauma not told by those who suffer from it. And to shine the light on how they ended, coffined in the dream of escaping Nigeria.

Ruth Chidera Echewe, (Unbreakable) is a writer, editor, media personality and professional blogger. She publishes potpourri of themes in unbreaky.comblog, her personal blog space is called UNBREAKABLE FEATURES. She’s a graduate of English and Literary Studies from the Federal University Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. An indigene of Abia State, Nigeria, but resides in Enugu State.

Ruth, Chidera Echewe is in Imodoye to complete her work: Sisters Series, prose, dealings with humans, certain bonds that sustained our existence and given us a different definition of life. She kindly follows various studies that have proven the strongest bonds emanated from the establishment of relationships. Ruth is motivated by her passion for creativity which has gone ahead to give birth to what she intends to manifest into a publishing, writing and editing firm in the nearest future.

Abubakar Sadiq Mustapha is a poet, art curator, documentary photographer, and community developer. He studied Geology and Mining at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, and currently rounding up his master’s program at the same Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State. Sadiq uses books, photography, and arts in driving social change from girl-child education, and gender-based violence to youth participation in politics and believes in the power of photography and how it can be used toward mental health, is in Imodoye to complete his manuscript: Home is my Mother’s Tongue.

Abubakar is also a photo columnist with Salamander ink magazine and the curator of the Abubakar Gimba literacy campaign. He’s the project lead for The Lapai Bookclub’s mobile library and school, a project that takes reading and arts to grassroots communities in Northern Nigeria aimed at increasing the literacy rate of the region and creating awareness in governance.

Ojo Taiye is a Delta base Nigerian eco-artist and writer who uses poetry as a handy tool to hide his frustration with society. He’s the winner of the Hay Writer’s Circle poetry prize, US, 2021, Calthalbui poetry prize, Ireland 2021. In 2020 Taiye Ojo was selected to participate in Capital City Film Poetry Festival, in Michigan and Poetry Introductory Series, in Ireland. His commissioned works include Belfast Photo Festival 2021, Winnipeg Fringe Festival and Leeds Poetry Festival.

Taiye’s recent works explore neocolonialism, institutionalized violence and ecological trauma in the oil-rich, polluted Niger Delta. His themes deal with the effects of climate change,
homelessness, migration, drought and famine, as well as a range of transversal issues arising from
racism, black identity and mental health. Taiye Ojo is in Imodoye to complete his poetry collection: Scoping Map.

Established by Dr Usman Ladipo Akanbi, the Imodoye Writers Residency is a private initiative for writers and visual artists keen on completing their ongoing work in a conducive environment at no cost. And as part of giving back to the community, during their stay in the residency, the writers are expected to mentor secondary school students in Ilorin in creative art/writing.

By Safiyanu Ladan

In the last couple of weeks, Zazzau Emirate was thrown into a bewildering dilemma after the arrest of one Shehu Umar Ciroman Baraya (Emir’s servant) by the police for sodomising a minor and the arrest of Sama’ila Abubakar Rimini Tsiwa for allegedly gang-raping a would-be bride. Both incidents did not go down well with one of the oldest emirates in the country.

The reports of such an abomination, which occurred within a few days, drew condemnations within and outside the emirate. While commenting on the issue of sodomy, the emirate expressed ‘rude shock’, saying that as an institution that believes in the rule of laws, it will not allow any form of immorality to exist within its ambit.

It also appealed to the police and any other security agencies handling the matter to expedite action and ensure that the accused is prosecuted without further delay to serve as a deterrent to others.

While people are still contemplating the vast degree of damage the case of sodomy would bring to the palace following associating the culprit with the revered institution, another one struck. And it’s the most disgusting and disturbing.

Traditional institutions are the custodian of the people’s norms, values, and traditions. As such, people with questionable characters should not be allowed to associate closely with them because their immoral attitudes will tarnish their image and jeopardise their hard-earned values and norms. Therefore, the prompt action of the Zazzau emirate for the immediate dismissal of the randy palace guard and condemning the heinous act of homosexuality is commendable as it would serve as a deterrent to others.

Sexual exploitation in whatever forms are unacceptable. For these rapists to use their positions to obtain sexual favours from vulnerable victims is callous, and it, therefore, stands condemned. Given the current happenings and the rate at which cases of rape are being reported almost daily in our society, the lack of provision of a coherent and vibrant system that will deal ruthlessly with perpetrators to serve as a deterrent to others has aided its escalation.

While noting that the suspects were reportedly prosecuted and currently languishing in prison custody awaiting trials and judgement, I call on the Kaduna state government and other stakeholders not to relent. Instead, you should ensure that the cases are thoroughly investigated and that justice is served accordingly.

Safiyanu Ladan wrote from Zaria via uncledoctor24@gmail.com.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

Arsenal are far and away the best English Premier League team so far this season. Of course, football is always a team game, but whenever I look at Arsenal, I realise that their title aspiration rests on the form and fitness of five players: Saliba, Zinchenko, Partey, Odegaard, Saka and Jesus.

So far, Arsenal have been lucky with injuries. Their only casualty is Gabriel Jesus, for whom Eddie Nketiah has deputised admirably. But can Arsenal fare well if (or rather when) injuries strike? This is where squad depth comes in handy.

As it stands, Mikel Arteta relies heavily on his preferred starting lineup featuring Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Saliba, Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli and Jesus (Nketiah). If (and it’s a big IF) this group stays healthy and firing on all cylinders, Arsenal will walk away with the English Premier League title.

But has there ever been a coach whose preferred starting lineup stays healthy and firing throughout the season? Well, I don’t know any. So the onus is on Arteta to extract good performances from the likes of Tomiyasu, Tierney, Smith-Rowe, Lokonga, Vieira and Holding. If these fringe players follow the footstep of Nketiah, then Arsenal will be home and dry.

My conclusion is that if Arsenal are ever going to be stopped, it is going to be because of a lack of squad depth. If they are lucky with injuries, then the rest of the Premier League should just aim to be the best of the rest.

Aliyu wrote from Kano, Nigeria. He can be reached via aliyuyy@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Sagir Bauchi

Stabilization of prices and achieving full employment are among the core goals of every economy in their macroeconomic policies. In this case, there are two main approaches to curtail inflation, recession, unemployment and other negative macro-economic phenomena. These approaches are monetary and fiscal policies. While monetary policy refers to the central bank activities which are directed towards influencing the quantity of capital (money) and credit in an economy, fiscal policy refers to the government’s decisions on taxation and spending. Both monetary and fiscal policies are used to regulate economic activities over time. They can be used to accelerate growth when an economy starts to slow or to moderate growth and activity when an economy starts to overheat. In addition, fiscal policy can be used to redistribute income and wealth.

The overall goal of these monetary and fiscal policies is channelled to the creation of a healthy economic environment that could sustain economic growth, facilitate positive employment and stable inflation rate.

In a plain language, the main aim of these two policies is to steer an economy in the sense that the economy does not experience economic boom that could be followed by high period of low or negative growth, high level of unemployment and unstable price. In this situation, people can feel safe in their consumption, savings and investment decision and government could concentrate on economic decision making. And this is where the idea of Monetarist, Classical and Keynesian Schools of Economics come to play, where they have different views in respect to the effectiveness of the two policies.

PHILIPS CURVE FROM A SHORT GLANCE:

The issue of inflation and unemployment is not a new concept in the realm of economics and it’s one of the concepts that reflect the science of economics as a true reflection of reality, since that, almost everyone is feeling the impact of either of the two.

The history of Philips Curve can be traced to the research findings of A.W Philip, an economist who analyzed the relationship between unemployment and the rate of change of money wages in the United Kingdom in the years 1861-1957. At the end of his findings, he suggested that there is an inverse or negative relationship between wages and unemployment. In simple term, he meant that whenever there’s growth in unemployment, there would be a low level of inflation. And the rationale behind the justification of his idea is that wherein there’s employment, people have more money, which leads to high demand for goods and services, and eventually pushing prices up. On the other hand, when there’s a rise in unemployment, INFLATION will go down since there will be low demand for goods and services as there’s less money in circulation.

Philips and Other Economic Perspectives: there are different opinions with regards to the application of the curve and the measures to contain the phenomena.

According to Monetarist School, the issue of unemployment is a supply side phenomena, therefore, demand side measures cannot be used in curtailing them, and even if it occurs, it can be for a temporary and will accelerate price instability at the end. While to the Keynesian school, they argue that there can only be “demand deficient unemployment” And in the time of recession, demand side measures can reduce unemployment for long-term with little of inflation.

Nigeria’s Economic Reality:

In Nigeria, since its independence, unemployment and inflation are among the major distractions in the growth and development of the nation’s economy. This is evident as we are all witnessing a scenario where too much money is chasing few goods and another case of high supply of labor with low demand of it. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics NBS), Nigeria’s inflation rate has been consistently high, averaging around 11% in the past decade. The high inflation rate can be attributed to a number of factors such as the devaluation of the Naira, increase in the cost of imports, and a rise in fuel prices.

In an effort to curb inflation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced and implemented a number of monetary policies, such as the recent cashless driven economy module; through daily and weekly money withdrawal limit, increasing interest rates, tightening liquidity, devaluing the Naira, etc. However, all these policies have not been entirely successful in bringing inflation under control. Additionally, the Nigerian government has also implemented fiscal and monetary policies such as capping government MDAs cash withdrawals limit to minimal amount, increasing taxes and cutting government spending to curb inflation, however, the effectiveness of these policies remains uncertain and challenging. Same goes to the apex bank ongoing monetary policy, especially the weekly withdrawals limit policy, which is an unprecedented threat to urban and rural businesses due to poor mobile/internet banking mechanisms in the country. As such, the apex bank must address these concerns through shifting the effective implementation date until all the proper mechanisms required to operate a cashless economy are put in place. This can be done if the CBN reasons and constitutes a committee that includes technocrats, bankers and internet service providers, which will make sure that effective moblie/internet services are made available to cover the whole country before the policy kicks off and kicks up.

In conclusion, the relationship between inflation and unemployment as represented by the Philips curve is a complex one that is influenced by a variety of factors. The Nigerian economy is facing significant challenges in terms of cashless economy application, high inflation and unemployment rates, and finding effective solutions to these issues will require a rigorous political will and careful consideration of both monetary and fiscal policies. It is important for the government and the central bank to continue to monitor and analyze economic data and make adjustments to policies as needed, in order to create a stable economic environment that supports growth and employment.

Muhammad Sagir Bauchi, is a graduate of Economics from Sa’adu Zungur University, Gadau, Bauchi State. He can be reached via ibrahimsagir1227@gmail.com