International

By Saifullahi Attahir

History has repeatedly shown us that when rulers or elites indulge in throwing ultimate parties, they are usually sealing their fate. This universal rule is applied not only to dictators but also to empires, organisations, business leaders, athletes, celebrities, and even individuals who reach a climax in their trajectories without the ever-useful self-restraint.

Examples of these parables can be found even in the holy scriptures. Qarun is a brother of Prophet Moses, whom God blessed with so much worldly endowment that people living around him watch in awe. It was reported that many of his kinsmen were openly praying to be blessed as Qarun was. To them, Qarun was a role model, a success, and someone to emulate. 

Qarun’s story was a typical grass-to-grace story we often hear. At the beginning, a humble soul, spendthrift, calculative, hungry and ambitious for success. He left no stone unturned, had no time to even count his fortune, and was always on the lookout for more until he later ‘made it’.

He later started throwing lavish parties, erecting large buildings with so many rooms that he wouldn’t occupy, and amassing fleets of beautiful horses not for war, domestic use or trade. It was reported that the keys alone to Qarun’s treasury were so many that people couldn’t even carry them!

And what of the things inside those stores, of gold, ornaments, and precious metals? Qarun was admonished by his people to express gratitude for the benevolence through giving alms to the less privileged. He famously stated that it was his handiwork, his tactics, and his spendthrift ways (in today’s world, his financial intelligence) that helped him become wealthy. Qarun sealed his fatal fate with those words; he drowned!

Founders of any kingdom or empire usually begin as brave warriors or loyal servants who earn the respect and love of their masters, then become part of the empire and, within a few centuries, become kings themselves. Throughout these transformative years, you would find them humble, hardworking, disciplined, and considerate, until the hard-worn ancestors passed away and the bounty passed to their progeny, who were neither aware of nor shared in the initial struggles, thinking they deserved it. It was those later kings who would build extravagant palaces with magnificent walls, not as protection but for the sake of beauty and elegance.

The early pharaohs of Egypt were not as haughty and arrogant as the pharaoh whom the prophet Moses fought. The last pharaoh feels so high of himself that he declared himself the sovereign being worthy of worship in the land. The magnificent pyramids built in Egypt alone could signify the level of cruelty slaves were subjected to and the grand mania behind erecting them. That was their ultimate party.

The sixteenth-century Brits (Englishmen) were so brave, energetic, curious, prodigious, and ambitious that they set out to conquer almost half of the world, from Asia to Africa to India to the Americas. They spread their influence, civilisation, and language to every nook and cranny of the world. Astonishingly, several decades of the British Empire were led by women like Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. It was during the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria that Britain reached its peak.

At the beginning of their campaigns, they were just merchants, explorers, and missionaries. They were later partners before transforming into cruel colonial rulers, subjugating human beings into serfdom and slavery. It was during the early 19th century that Queen Victoria decided to host a lavish party in India, inviting delegates from every colony: Asians, Africans, Arabs, Indians, and Caucasians. The Durbar was so magnificent that only watching the video (on YouTube) could give you a sense of the congregation. Every culture was represented, and performances were made. 

What was wasted during these festivities was enough to ruin the economy of a continent. Those extravaganzas, the subjugation of people into labour, and unnecessary wars were later to seal the fate of the British Empire. The colonists were dismantled into sovereign nations, and finally, the sun set for Britain.

Before the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran was under a monarchy led by Shah Reza Pahlavi, who inherited the throne from his father in the 1920s. Between those years, thanks to the discovery of oil and his alliance with Western countries, the Shah transformed himself into a world-class political figure and a strong voice in the Middle East. Although a Muslim, he became so delusional that he dreamt of converting Iran into its former Persian Empire with all its anti-Islamic elegance. 

This automatically put him in constant conflict with the religious establishment of Iran, especially the Islamic clerics led by the pious, ascetic, and reserved Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The level of enmity was so high that neither side was willing to give way until, finally, Khomeini fled to France as an exile. Despite Khomeini’s absence, he continued to preach to the Iranians, especially the youth, university students, and the less privileged masses who became his adherents.

In the 1970s, the Shah decided to throw a grand party in Iran to commemorate not only his anniversary but also the 2000-year anniversary of the Persian Pagan Empire. He coronated himself as ‘Shah of Shahs’ (King of Kings). The party was attended by thousands, including kings, prime ministers, presidents, heads of state, mistresses, business moguls and technocrats. Later analysis shows how that singular event almost threw Iran into debt despite its oil endowment.

That sealed the fate of Shah Reza Pahlavi, for a few months later, Iranian youths staged an uprising, culminating in the Islamic Revolution that brought Ayatollah Khomeini (the very person Pahlavi had sent into exile) to power.

 Similar stories can be narrated of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power and his expansionist, megalomaniac agenda, seeing himself as the Führer and Saviour of the German Reich, until he sealed his fate by mistakenly invading Russia and Poland and at the same time fighting several forces of France and the United Kingdom. The allied forces were rescued by the rising superpower of that time, the United States of America.

General Yakubu Gowon was in power from 1966 to 1975, the longest-serving military head of state. His period witnessed a surge in oil income never seen before in Nigeria, and even the government doesn’t know what to do with the sweet oil money. The Federal Government undertakes unnecessary construction and white-elephant projects just to get rid of the irritating money. 

Workers get unnecessary pay rises (Udoji salary award) without additional productivity. The General Yakubu Gowon government decided to sponsor a FESTAC celebration event in 1975, which cost a huge sum of money, throwing Nigeria into debt despite oil income. We didn’t wisely invest and save for the rainy days.

That sealed the fate of innocent and peace-loving General Yakubu Gowon. He was overthrown in a palace coup led by young officers, introducing the no-nonsense, disciplinarian Murtala Ramat. The rest was history….So watch out when you are sealing your fate by throwing the ultimate party!

Saifullahi Attahir is the President of the National Association of Jigawa State Medical Students (NAJIMS) National Body. He wrote this piece from the Rasheed Shekoni Federal University Teaching Hospital, Dutse, via saifullahiattahir93@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Abubakar

U.S. military officials have disclosed that Iran still possesses nearly 40 percent of its attack drone stockpile, despite weeks of sustained strikes targeting its military infrastructure.

The assessment underscores the resilience of Iran’s drone capabilities, which analysts say remain a central pillar of its military strategy. Earlier intelligence estimates had suggested that roughly half of Iran’s drone arsenal remained intact, highlighting the difficulty of eliminating such systems entirely due to their relatively low cost and ease of production.

Officials warn that the continued availability of these drones poses an ongoing threat to U.S. and allied forces in the region. Iranian drones—particularly low-cost, one-way attack models—have proven challenging to counter, with defenses struggling to intercept large-scale barrages effectively.

The latest figures come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where drone warfare has become a defining feature of the conflict. Military experts say Iran’s strategy relies on maintaining sufficient stockpiles to sustain prolonged pressure, even in the face of repeated airstrikes.

The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed the exact figures, but officials indicate that efforts to degrade Iran’s drone capabilities are ongoing.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Pope Leo has warned that global affairs are being dominated by a small group of powerful leaders, as tensions continue between him and former United States President Donald Trump.

The pontiff made the remarks during a visit to Cameroon, where he criticised world leaders for using religion to advance their own interests. He said such actions often serve “military, economic and political gain.”

He said: “The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild.

“They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.”

Pope Leo, who is 70 and the first American to hold the position, has spoken frequently about the ongoing conflict in Iran. His comments have drawn criticism from Trump and some figures within the former administration.

Earlier in the week, Trump criticised the Pope over his position on the Middle East. He said the pontiff was “WEAK on crime and terrible for foreign policy”.

“Will someone please ⁠tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least ‌42,000 innocent, completely unarmed protesters ‌in the last two ⁠months, and that ⁠for Iran to have a nuclear bomb is absolutely ‌unacceptable,” he said on Wednesday.

Trump also shared an AI-generated image that portrayed him in a religious light. The post sparked backlash, including from some Catholic supporters in the United States.

In what appeared to be a response, Pope Leo delivered further remarks on Thursday, condemning the misuse of religion by political leaders.

“Woe to those who manipulate religion ⁠and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.

“It is a world turned upside down, an exploitation of God’s creation that must be denounced and rejected by every honest conscience.”

The Pope spoke in Bamenda, a major city in Cameroon’s English-speaking region. The area has experienced prolonged violence between government forces and separatist groups. Reports indicate that thousands of people have lost their lives in the conflict.

Trump had first criticised the Pope before his African visit and repeated his comments days later. Some senior figures aligned with the former president also backed his stance.

US Vice-President JD Vance questioned the Pope’s position during an event in Georgia, where he faced interruptions from the audience.

“How can you say that God was never on the side of those who wield the sword?” Mr Vance asked. “Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated France from the Nazis? Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated Holocaust camps?”

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, also reacted to the situation. He said the Pope should “expect some political response” over his comments on the Middle East crisis.

Despite the criticism, Pope Leo has indicated that he will continue to speak on the conflict in Iran, though he has avoided direct replies to Trump in recent days.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A South African court has handed a five-year prison sentence to Julius Malema over the unlawful discharge of a rifle at a political rally.

Malema, who heads the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), received the judgment on Thursday. Magistrate Twanet Olivier delivered the sentence after the court convicted him in connection with a 2018 incident.

The case followed an earlier ruling that found the outspoken opposition figure guilty on several counts. These offences include unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a weapon in a public place, according to reports by Al Jazeera.

The trial attracted strong political reactions across the country. Large numbers of EFF supporters gathered outside the court परिसर to express support for their leader. Many of them appeared in the party’s trademark red berets. The turnout highlighted divisions linked to the case.

Malema, 45, remains a central figure in South Africa’s political scene. He leads the fourth-largest party in parliament. His movement draws backing from many young citizens who remain concerned about economic hardship and inequality years after apartheid ended in 1994.

The law provides for a maximum sentence of 15 years for such offences. Any prison term that exceeds 12 months, if upheld after the appeal process, could prevent Malema from retaining a seat in parliament.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Renowned American commentator and podcaster Tucker Carlson has ignited debate after saying, “the people in charge don’t want you to know this, but Muslims love Jesus,” amid tensions involving Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV.

The remark followed controversy over an AI-generated image shared by Trump on Truth Social, showing him in attire associated with Jesus Christ.

Carlson’s comment drew mixed reactions online, with some noting that Islam indeed reveres Jesus as a prophet, while others questioned the timing and context of his statement.

Recall that President Trump called Carlson low IQ, among other abuses, as the two former allies fall apart, especially because of the US-Israel war on Iran and US foreign policy towards Iran.

As of the time of this report, Trump has yet to respond to Carlson’s recent post on Jesus and Muslims.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

United States President Donald Trump has removed a controversial social media post that portrayed him in a Christ-like image after facing strong criticism from supporters, including members of his religious base.

The post, which appeared late Sunday on his Truth Social platform, featured an AI-generated image of the 79-year-old president depicted as a messianic figure. In the image, Trump was seen laying a hand on a patient in a hospital bed in a gesture of divine healing, flanked by a nurse, a soldier, and a praying woman.

The scene also included prominent American symbols such as the national flag, the Statue of Liberty, the Lincoln Memorial, and several bald eagles.

The post came shortly after Trump launched a sharp online attack against Pope Leo XIV, whom he described as a “weak” leader serving the “Radical Left.”

Reactions from his followers were swift and critical. Many described the image as inappropriate and offensive to Christian beliefs. Some supporters expressed disappointment over what they viewed as a misuse of religious symbolism.

A supporter, Leroy Brookens, said, “I am a solid Trump supporter and fan, but Trump is not Christ and this art is blasphemous.”

Another follower, identified as Kiwi Ellis, wrote, “God values humility and this is the opposite of that. The blasphemy is real.”

Several users also referenced biblical teachings in their criticism. Some went as far as accusing the president of presenting himself as a false religious figure.

One user, Jhelton50, asked, “The book of Revelations speaks of this, are you literally depicting yourself as a savior or messiah? The Book of Revelation tells us the Antichrist will claim he is.”

Others reacted more strongly. A user named Philosophical posted, “Disgusting. Sad… we elected the Antichrist,” while another account, For God and Country, wrote, “FALSE GOD. BLASPHEMY!! ANTI CHRIST.”

The controversy also drew comments from prominent conservative figures. Right-wing influencer Riley Gaines questioned the motive behind the post.

“Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? A little humility would serve him well; God shall not be mocked,” Gaines wrote.

MAGA podcaster Michael Knowles also urged caution, stating, “It behooves the President both spiritually and politically to delete the picture, no matter the intent.”

Beyond religious concerns, the backlash included expressions of regret from some former supporters and calls for political action.

A user, Joe_88, said, “I’m officially 100% done with you at this point; mocking our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is beyond ridiculous. I cannot believe I voted for you three times!”

Another commenter, whatfreshhelltoday, added, “I deeply regret voting for you! Your ego won’t let you see it, or are you truly a sociopath? 25th Amendment!!!”

By Monday morning, the post had been taken down from Trump’s account without any formal statement.

Although the image has been removed, the episode has raised fresh concerns about Trump’s relationship with sections of his religious supporters.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Pope Leo XIV has addressed recent criticism from United States President Donald Trump, stating that he will not be drawn into political arguments and will remain focused on his religious mission.

The pontiff spoke to journalists on Monday aboard the papal plane on his way to Algeria. He made it clear that he does not see himself as a political figure, despite rising tensions following remarks from the U.S. leader.

“I think that the people who read will be able to draw their own conclusions,” the Pope said. “I am not a politician, I have no intention of entering into a debate with him.”

He stressed that his role is rooted in faith and the teachings of the Gospel, not political confrontation.

“I speak about the Gospel, I am not a politician,” he said, adding that he would continue to speak against violence and advocate for peace.

“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, to try to promote peace, multilateral dialogue between states in order to seek the right solution to problems,” he stated.

Pope Leo also warned against the use of religion for political purposes. He said such actions distort the message of the Church.

“I do not think the message of the Gospel should be abused in the way some people are doing,” he said.

He reiterated that the Church’s message remains centred on peace and compassion.

“The message of the Church is the message of the Gospel, blessed are the peacemakers,” he added.

The Pope further stated that he is not intimidated by political pressure from Washington, even as he avoids direct confrontation with the U.S. president.

“I am not afraid of the Trump administration,” he said, while maintaining his stance against engaging in debate.

“I do not see my role as that of a politician, I do not want to enter into a debate with him. Too many people are suffering in the world,” he said.

His comments followed a recent attack by President Trump, who criticised the Pope’s leadership on issues such as crime and foreign policy. Trump also questioned the pontiff’s views on global conflicts and nuclear matters, and suggested that his emergence as Pope had political backing.

Despite the criticism, Pope Leo adopted a measured tone. He called on world leaders to prioritise dialogue and peaceful solutions over conflict.

The position aligns with his earlier message at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, where he cautioned against rising global tensions and the misuse of religion to justify violence.

“To them we cry out: stop! It is time for peace!” the Pope had said, as he urged leaders to embrace negotiation instead of war.

By Ugochukwu Ugwuanyi

It’s a striking oxymoron that while churches in Nigeria are acquiring old warehouses and event centres, revamping them into worship centres, Church buildings in the United Kingdom are being converted to flats, offices, restaurants, and bars. Hallelujah, the tide is about to turn in resemblance to what obtains in Nigeria. Here’s a case in point: In January this year, the Port Harcourt branch of a prominent Pentecostal church reportedly acquired Atrium Event Centre in a multi-billion-naira deal. They went ahead and invested a billion naira in renovating the facility within three months.

This has quietly been happening in major Nigerian cities as churches buy up disused properties without care for the cost. They don’t just lease the sprawling spaces but purchase them outright. When told in July 2025 that “some areas marked as industrial estates in some large cities in the country have been taken over by churches,” President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Wale Oke, responded by saying: “It is a mark of a great revival in our nation. God has opened the heavens upon us graciously and has poured the Holy Spirit upon us, poured His word upon us, and many are turning to the Lord, and the Church is growing.”

If this is the case, it means a similar revival is brewing in the United Kingdom, with citizens and denizens not realising it yet. Apparently, some persons with a burden for that clime must have been mourning for a spiritual awakening. They have now got the attention of the Ruler of the Universe, who has stirred a property tycoon and millionaire by the name of Samuel Leeds, to act in a way that will ripen the revival. Words of faith and prophecy will always require a corresponding action to come to pass. This catalytic action doesn’t necessarily have to come from the prophet or the supplicant who proclaims the faith.

In 2 Kings 7, the effrontery of the four men with leprosy in storming the camp of the Aramean soldiers was all God needed to actualise the prophecy by Elisha that spells an end to the harrowing famine in Samaria of those days. Such requisite action is now being reenacted in the United Kingdom with the resolve of Samuel Leeds to buy up church buildings that are on the verge of packing up — in order to retain them as places of Christian worship.

With thousands of churches closing across Britain in recent years, Leeds says protecting them now could help prepare for what he sees as an impending revival of Christianity in the UK. In his words, “I believe we are seeing the beginning of a revival in this country. We need to keep our churches open and ready for when that happens.” Disclosing that property agents frequently offer him churches to redevelop, the real estate mogul would rather that church buildings dedicated to Christ be preserved to serve that purpose. After making an offer for Darlaston Methodist Church in Wednesbury – worth an estimated £250,000, Leeds wrote on Facebook, “To those asking how they can donate to the cause, I don’t want any money. I want you to attend Church on Sunday and donate to your local Church.”

Despite this consciousness of the need for congregations, netizens have continued to dwell on that point. Some mockingly challenge Leeds to go beyond buying up church buildings to attracting people who would worship there afterwards. For some others, a more appropriate use of the chapels and cathedrals would be to convert them into public pools and community centres. You can imagine the duplicity of commenters who lost their voices when the Church buildings were being turned into flats and business premises, to now recommend: “Make them sanctuary places for the homeless and ex-military, then let charities feed them.” For all their tantrums, the naysayers fail to see what Leeds is seeing – a revival that would cause Britons to enthusiastically return to Church without needing any persuasion to worship the Almighty in the Sanctuary.

Apart from making places of worship available, there are other tell-tale signs that affirm this inevitability. Recent polling by YouGov indicates an increase in belief in God among young adults, with faith among 18 to 24-year-olds rising significantly in recent years [Editor’s Note: While initial reports indicated a surge in faith among young adults, YouGov has since withdrawn the specific survey data due to methodology errors.]. The data firm NielsenIQ BookData reported last week that the number of Britons buying Bibles jumped by 19 per cent last year, taking the total to its highest level since 1998. This was corroborated by Christian publisher SPCK Group, which disclosed that Bible sales reached £6.3million in Britain last year – more than doubling since 2019. There is also the Make Great Britain Christian Again Conference coming up later in the year, which organisers say will be “Two full days of worship, preaching, teaching, music and prayer to revive the nation!”

Meanwhile, there is concern that this spiritual awakening in the UK may eclipse Nigeria’s season in the sun as the world’s Pentecostalism headquarters. Since the days of the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa, Nigerian clerics have taken the Gospel of Christ to various parts of the world, complete with healings and other signs and wonders. There is no Christian cleric of international acclaim who has not featured in programmes in this country or collaborated with leading Nigerian pastors in doing the Lord’s work. It is a testament to Nigeria’s global prominence in Christendom that the Head Church and the founders of local evangelical missions are designated as the Global Headquarters and Global Lead Pastor. Some others attach “Worldwide,” “… of All Nations,” “Global or International” to their brand name, not entirely for vainglory but out of mandate. If still not convinced, be mindful that Nigeria is home to the world’s most widely distributed daily devotional, published in over 7,000 languages and circulating billions of copies across 242 countries and territories.

But just like the sun radiates the brightness of day wherever it faces, causing dusk on its flipside, revival is usually asynchronous (Acts 2, Psalm 102:13, Ecclesiastes 9:11, Acts 1:8). The faithful in Nigeria must therefore make hay while the sun shines – if you don’t mind the cliche. There remain a lot more grounds to cover. Nigerian Fathers of Faith, with massive global reach and influence, must introspect to see whether God’s reason for shining His light from Nigeria has been realised, or whether He is shifting attention elsewhere as a result of our people’s dereliction or compromise. It will be a Woe if we as a nation do not recognise or miss our time of visitation (Luke 19:44).

Nigerian Christians must not be complacent on the basis of the 1986 prophecy by Pa S. G. Elton that: “Nigeria and Nigerians will be known all over the world for corruption. Your name, Nigeria, will stink for corruption, but after a while, a new phase will come, a phase of righteousness. Many shall take hold of him, that is a Nigerian saying; we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” This prophecy may have run its course or remained perpetually hanging because the country hasn’t produced a Samuel Leeds who would take the corresponding action that would bring it to pass! For what it’s worth, the UK is deserving of the impending Glory as a country that, for over 1,500 years, was built on Christian values. These have shaped the British laws, morals, calendar, institutions, charities, and national character — from Magna Carta to modern human rights practices.

In the final analysis, the threat to Nigeria’s epicentre status in the Move of God should concern every Nigerian. As Bishop Oke told The Punch newspaper in the interview referenced above: “The spiritual controls everything; If our people are spiritually sound and healthy, they will impact this nation very positively. Nigeria would have been a hell but for the presence of Christians who are praying, living righteously, and living godly. And I tell people that all we need to do for Nigeria to collapse is for the saints of God to stop praying. If the Christians in this nation stop praying, the nation will collapse.” Need I say more?

VIS Ugochukwu is a Sage, Narrative Architect and Brand Strategist who can be reached @sylvesugwuanyi on X.

–A costly decision demanding accountability, public scrutiny, trust, leadership priorities, and responsibility

By Nura Jibo MRICS, MNIQS, PQS, RQS, UN-DCP

If Muhammad Badaru’s eight-year stewardship as Jigawa State’s governor could not provoke his conscience to reflect on the abandonment of the N11.5 billion Dutse International Airport, from which Jigawa State’s public money was taken and used by Governor Sule Lamido, nothing will! 

If Governor Umar Namadi’s one-year display of overt leadership anger, just to play to the gallery while inspecting projects at Dutse General Hospital and Rasheed Shekoni, is any indication of god-fearing, at this point, he should be seeking Allah’s repentance and forgiveness for neglecting the Dutse International Airport that Governor Sule Lamido spent N11.5 billion to construct.

The issue is: It is not just about campaigning and winning public office. It is not about aspiring to be a governor, senator, minister, or president while relegating public responsibility. Indeed, it is about taking a substantial amount of Jigawa State’s money to build an airport that its ordinary citizens (Talakawa) have never benefited from. It is about earning public trust, accountability, responsibility, and excellence by safeguarding public funds and ensuring that the people of Jigawa State receive value for their money.

Anything short of this, one would inevitably appear before Allah SWT and answer for all misdeeds, inactions, and karmic retribution.

It is very painful to witness a project one participated in constructing being abandoned by Governors Badaru and Namadi after an enormous sum of N11.5 billion was spent on it. And the governors who do this are sleeping with both eyes closed! They forget that a day of reckoning is coming when they must appear before their Creator and answer the most difficult questions of their lives. 

The engineers from Jigawa State’s Due Process involved in this airport project are also unhappy with the abandonment of the Dutse International Airport.

The person who hired this writer as a supervising consultant for Dutse International Airport in 2013, Mallam Rabi’u Shuaibu Kazaure, then director of building at Jigawa State’s Due Process and Project Monitoring Bureau, has passed away. He was a man of integrity, sincerity, and honesty who diligently discharged his duties. May Allah bless him with Jannah and continue to reward his efforts in the airport project. 

Therefore, the deliberate killing and systemic lack of foresight and vision by the two governors regarding the Dutse Airport is not only negligent but also significantly affects the weak, crushing the innocent’s opportunity cost and marginal propensity to invest their billions in agribusiness and other Jigawa State science and technology developments.

Indeed, airport construction and management are not for everyone! It is not merely a governor’s affair! It is not a long-standing academic practice in which a governor would recruit or “shop” lecturers from universities and give them “lucrative” positions in Jigawa State, expecting them to perform miracles, while their true expertise lies in marking students’ scripts for years. They know nothing about industry knowledge beyond their rules of engagement as academics and their involvement in academic staff unionism, which they spent decades pursuing with little success! 

Managing Jigawa State’s departments and agencies is certainly beyond a mere academic exercise. It requires industry knowledge, not academic learning. It does not require mastery of the English language, where certain DGs in Governor Namadi’s cabinet, for example, could deceive the governor with all sorts of English grammar or polemics in the name of “fetching” Jigawa State government investors from abroad.

This could be elaborated more succinctly in a subsequent discussion on the mismanagement of Jigawa State’s funds by Governor Namadi and his DGs on foreign trips under the pretext of seeking investors for Jigawa State. If time permits, photos and videos could be released to substantiate this point!

Now back to the wasteful venture of the Dutse International Airport.

Governor Sule Lamido’s efforts must be acknowledged and appreciated for the construction of the Dutse International Airport. He single-handedly started this project in February 2013 and completed it in 18 months! This is certainly commendable for a governor who is primarily an administrator and a lifelong politician rather than a technical expert.

However, even Governor Lamido’s vision and mission for the airport could be faulted for his limited understanding of how airports are managed globally, particularly when the client (owner) lacks the resources to manage it. This writer has repeatedly communicated with Governor Lamido about the importance of handing over the entire airport to a reputable airline to operate it on behalf of the Jigawa State government. This is akin to an agreement reached with Captain Edward Boyo, the CEO of Overland Airways, who scheduled a three-day flight connecting Abuja, Dutse, and Bauchi. Unfortunately, the memorandum of understanding agreed upon with Overland was not honoured by Governor Badaru and his entire cabinet. Neither was it honoured by Governor Namadi, courtesy of political disputes arising from party differences, which ultimately led to the waste of Jigawa State’s people’s money and resources in perpetuity.

Very recently, in a conversation with top political office-holders in the state, they recounted their ordeals over their inability to make the airport functional and useful.

An investigation revealed that a South African company interested in the Dutse International Airport came and went without arriving at a common standpoint. Ethiopian Airlines was also revealed to have an interest in turning it into a cargo airport, but Governor Badaru and Governor Namadi’s lack of interest has hindered this line of business.

It is, therefore, foolhardy to talk about or dream of good governance when these two governors came and found a functional airport and, provocatively, made it dysfunctional for political reasons and personal interests best known to them, which are diametrically opposed to public interests. With this kind of behaviour alone, Allah SWT will, insha’ Allah, never allow them to go scot-free, given their lack of responsibility and public trust in sustaining the airport for well over 10 years now! The airport could have at least covered its full construction cost by now! 

For instance, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, is a federal asset managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). Its Customs revenue alone as of 2025 was reported at N202.9 billion! The airport’s FAAN revenue in 2024 was the highest in Nigeria, accounting for an average of 67% of its total revenue of N256 billion.

Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano generated N20.2 billion in revenue, accounting for 5.3% of FAAN’s total revenue in 2024!

Therefore, the Dutse International Airport could have generated at least N50 billion in 10 years (2015-2025) if it had not been left idle or used solely for Hajj ceremonial shuttling by Governor Badaru and Governor Namadi.

Though the revenue from the Ikeja and Kano airports goes to the federal government of Nigeria, by comparison, Lagos State and Kano benefit from increased economic activity due to the presence of NAHCO and SAHCO, as well as from personal income taxes paid by workers and businesses operating in the airports’ vicinity.

This is what the people of Jigawa lost due to Governor Badaru and Namadi’s neglect of the Dutse International Airport for well over 10 years! 

Indeed, on a daily basis, Ikeja airport’s customs could generate an average of N555 million in import/customs duties if its reported 2024/2025 revenue of N256 billion is anything to go by. 

Governors Badaru and Namadi’s avoidance of this airport responsibility since 2015, by portraying it as a ceremonial airport for commuting Hajj pilgrims, is not only detrimental but also exposes the political leaders’ lack of foresight and mismanagement of public funds. 

The indecision regarding the Dutse International Airport by Governor Badaru and Governor Namadi contravenes FAAN’s three measurable KPIs, which include on-time operations, revenue growth, and passenger satisfaction.

Solutions 

Globally, airports are assessed against standards and quality. Dutse International Airport was built to standard. Its runway is 3 kilometres long, and the airport’s width is 60 metres. It is, by all standards, suitable for large aircraft such as the Boeing 747 to land on its runway, with an average concrete and asphalt thickness of seven meters! This does not fall short of the global requirements for the longest runways at the world’s biggest and top 10 airports, with an average length of three to five kilometres.

The financial and economic losses at Dutse International Airport are significant due to the Jigawa state government’s lack of leadership priorities, as evidenced by the management of international airports in Rwanda, Addis Ababa, Qatar, Gatwick, and Heathrow, among others. Taking time, for example, by Governor Namadi to go to the Qatari Embassy in Abuja with a very junior high school colleague to meet with the Qatari Ambassador or inviting him to see the airport, is not the way to woo partners or encourage Qatar Airways to partner with Dutse International Airport. The ambassador’s duty is certainly diplomatic, not technical; he is not in any way going to help the Jigawa state government, technically speaking, make its airport useful. The Qatari people are law-abiding individuals known worldwide for their uprightness and accountability. They mostly engage in charitable and educational programs for deprived communities, as witnessed in Gaza, Palestine, Syria, and in Dutse and Hadejia, Nigeria.

To make Dutse International Airport useful, one must look beyond the banal and quibbling issues of political sentiments and personal interests.

The airport could have been taken in partnership with Qatar Airways if the proper partnership channels had been communicated to Qatar Airways’ commercial department in Doha. It could have been salvaged if, for example, direct contact had been established with Rwandan Airlines rather than Ethiopian Airlines. It could have doubled its construction cost in revenue if the two governors had done their homework very well through Jigawa State’s international partnerships and linkages. This department could have liaised with Gatwick or London Heathrow Airports, for example, in the United Kingdom, or even with Frankfurt Airport in Germany, to take over the management of Dutse International Airport and enter an agreement, inter alia and ab initio, at a 50-50 business fee. 

Lufthansa, for example, offers extensive partnerships and connections linking East and North Africa. There is no harm whatsoever in giving the Dutse International Airport management to Frankfurt’s Lufthansa as an up-taker, or to Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD), which is currently interested in African partnerships by shuttling its flights to connect to various African geographical locations such as Chad, Niger Republic, Rwanda, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and Mali, to mention but a few. 

Royal Air Maroc could also have been a strong partner to the Jigawa State government and to Dutse International Airport, beyond the Overland domestic partnership that was caught up in Badaru’s and Namadi’s political acrobatics. Indeed, Dutse International Airport, within this 10-12-year period of neglect by the two governors, could have been used to provide serious dollars to the Jigawa State government from abroad and a couple of billions of naira on domestic flight arrangements and agreements, because it would have certainly offered the highest frequency of flight influx and a “buffer” zone from Europe to the west and Sahelian Africa, allowing easy accessibility to passengers and cargo into major African airports like Cape Town, Casablanca, and Addis Ababa etc.

Unfortunately, the current governor is busy shuttling between China and India to invite investors to invest in Jigawa State, with minimal progress that is often overamplified by his new media aides.

Therefore, what is wrong, useless, and should be avoided is what an academic once described as hot-air jargon, popularly known as Dogon Turanci. The Jigawa State government should take the management of its international airport seriously by inviting up-takers to handle the airport for a couple of years, with its staff and technical personnel. No Nigerian or Jigawa indigene should be employed to work at the check-in and check-out counters or security points to avoid passengers begging for money (dollars), which is typical of Nigerian-trained and employed airport staff and has caused significant damage to Nigeria’s integrity and national image. 

Nura Jibo writes for the West African Research Association (WARA) and the African Studies Centre at Boston University, United States.

Rebuttals to this piece are welcome and healthy. They can be submitted to jibonura@yahoo.com.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

A 3-foot-tall medical doctor in India, Dr Ganesh Baraiya, is inspiring millions worldwide after his extraordinary journey was spotlighted by BBC News.

Born with dwarfism and standing at just about three feet, Baraiya grew up confronting stigma and low expectations. In the widely circulated report, he recalled being once offered a place in a circus—a path his father firmly rejected in favour of education and a life of dignity.

That decision changed everything.

Against the odds, Baraiya pursued his studies with determination, overcoming social and institutional barriers to qualify as a medical doctor. When discrimination threatened to halt his progress, he refused to back down, taking his fight for equal opportunity to India’s Supreme Court.

Today, the 3-foot-tall doctor stands as a powerful symbol of resilience, courage, and possibility. His story has gone viral, touching hearts across the world and sparking renewed calls for inclusion and equal access for persons with disabilities.

For many, Baraiya’s journey is more than a personal triumph; it is a reminder that greatness is not measured by physical stature but by strength of purpose.