International

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
All five passengers of a missing submersible near the Titanic catastrophes, according to sub operator OceanGate, have died.
 
It’s now suspected that Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, and his son Suleman Dawood have tragically passed away, the company said in a sombre statement on Thursday.
 
The firm expressed condolences to every member of their families during this tragic time and described the men as true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans.
 
“We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew. This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss.
 
“This is a very sad time for the entire explorer community, and for each of the family members of those lost at sea,” it says in a condolence message.
 

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
In a significant transfer development, N’Golo Kanté, the revered French midfielder and a longstanding figure at Chelsea FC, has officially signed a four-year contract with Al Ittihad, a Saudi Arabian football team.
 
The transfer marks the end of an era for Kanté, who has become an emblematic player for Chelsea and an integral part of their success in recent years.
 
Reports suggest that the financial terms of the transfer are substantial. Kanté’s total salary over the duration of the contract amounts to a staggering €100 million. 
 
Kanté’s departure from Chelsea evokes a sense of nostalgia among fans and the football community as a whole. 
 
The diminutive midfielder, known for his tireless work rate, exceptional ball-winning ability, and precise distribution, has etched his name into the club’s history. 
 
His contributions were instrumental in Chelsea’s success, including two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and a UEFA Champions League.
 
During his time at Chelsea, Kanté has established himself as one of the world’s premier midfielders, earning plaudits for his consistent performances and humility both on and off the field. 
 

By Ahmed Deedat Zakari

A Cameroonian, Simon Ngonja, has been killed by his pet dog in Yaounde, Cameroon.

According to reports, the German shepherd fiercely attacked and mauled his owner, a senior staff at the Cameroonian Prime Minister’s office.

The incident was reported to have happened on June 11, immediately after the deceased returned from a journey.

A soldier had shot the dog dead in a futile attempt to save the deceased. However, before the intervention of the soldier, the deceased had already sustained aggravated bodily injuries and had lost a lot of blood to bleeding.

Mr Ngonja was rushed to the hospital and was stabilised before his inevitable passing on the Morning of June 15, 2023.

A Facebook user, Bella Powers, gave details as to the cause of his death in a post, he wrote :

“Killed by his dog in Yaoundé… Simon NGONJA died this morning after being fatally attacked by his own ‘German Shepherd’ breed dog.

“Returning from a trip last Sunday night, he was attacked by his dog after opening the gate of his house. He fought fiercely with the animal to the point where it was a soldier who decided to kill the dog with a rifle bullet. Taken to the hospital with a lot of bleeding, the wounds were finally fatal to him.

“He was an executive in the services of the Prime Minister in Yaoundé.
May his soul rest in peace, and our condolence to his family.”

By Ibrahim Suleiman Ibrahim

It is a human trait, especially in this digital era, for people to take pictures in memorable places, should they have the privilege of travelling to those places. This is because we humans love to capture our favourite moments in memorable places or with memorable personalities so as to treasure the memories. It isn’t ‘always’ a show-off, as some people misinterpret it to be.

A good example of the manifestation of this trait is how almost, if not all, Nigerian graduates have a picture of them in NYSC Camp wearing their NYSC uniforms, how almost every married person treasures the picture of his/her own wedding ceremony, and of course, how almost all privileged pilgrims take pictures in front of the iconic Ka’abah in Makkah when they go for pilgrimage.

However, I still can’t understand why some holier-than-thou folks quickly conclude without any unambiguous Quranic and Hadith references that anybody who takes pictures in Makkah lacks ‘Ikhlās’, i.e sincerity to Allah, whereas the same people will snap pictures at their respective Juma’at Masaajid after every Friday Prayer, take pictures of themselves learning under Islamic scholars and the likes, without anybody questioning their Ikhlaas.

If there’s anything the pilgrims are showing-off when they travel for Hajj, then it will be the beautiful and memorable locations they were privileged to travel to and not their act of Ibādah that took them there.

I mean, Makkah, aside from being a very beautiful place, is a dreamland to all Muslims across the globe and a place they rarely have the privilege of going to. As such, you shouldn’t expect them not to want to treasure the memories of the once-in-a-lifetime experience they have there.

I understand that some pilgrims allow snapping of pictures to interfere with their acts of Ibādah during Hajj, and that is wrong, but even at that, we aren’t in the position to judge them, as the sincerity of intention is only known by Allah, the all-knowing.

Even where Allah talked about giving alms in the Qur’an, as sacred as it is, he mentioned in Qur’an 2:271 that revealing alms-giving to the public is okay, but concealing it is much better.

We can analogically deduce that it’s actually better if you decide not to take pictures for fear of ‘show-off’ when you travel for Hajj.

However, it is wrong to bully those who choose to take pictures, especially if their intention is to treasure their memories.

We take pictures at important places, in cars, in aeroplanes, and other places. I feel that’s human nature. Do Muslims have any better place than Makkah? Still, I reason that we should guard our Iman and take our pictures with Ikhlas.

Ibrahim Suleiman Ibrahim

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior will henceforth be wearing the number 7 jersey, shortly after the departure of Eden Hazard, whose jersey used to carry the number.
 
Before now, the Brazilian international’s jersey was number 20.
 
In a Facebook post via its official handle, Real Madrid uploaded a picture of the player wearing the number 7 jersey, attaching the post with an inscription signifying a change from “20 to 7”.
 
Recall that Eden Hazard had, in the last two seasons, had difficult and bad moments as his fame and performance were below average, leading Carlo Ancelotti, the Real Madrid manager, to bench him almost throughout the season.
 
Apart from Hazard, Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio also left for Al-Ittihad and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively.
 
However, in another development, the club has been able to complete a deal with Borussia Dortmund to bring in Jude Bellingham.
 
Also, Madrid’s loanee at Inter Milan, Brahimi Diaz, has been brought back by the Spanish giants.

By Muhammadu Sabiu  

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has joined an American side, Inter Miami, after parting ways with the French club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). 

According to Fabrizio Romano, Messi will make an announcement about the new club he has joined in a few hours. 

Reporting on his official Facebook page today, Romano wrote, “Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, here we go! The decision has been made and it will be announced by Leo in the next hours. 

“Messi will play in MLS next season. No more chances for Barcelona despite trying to make it happen.” 

Recall that before this year’s Ligue 1 campaign came to an end, it was already announced that Messi would not continue at PSG. 

There were speculations that the 7-time Ballon d’Or winner would return to his former side, Barca, but the deal wasn’t sealed by the two parties.

By Dr Shamsuddeen Sani

I thought The Lebanese in Kano: An Immigrant Community in a Hausa Society in the Colonial and Post-Colonial Periods merely contained a handful of newspaper tales. I was mistaken! Within its pages lies a meticulously researched body of work, a testament to the cultural heritage of Kano that begs to be savoured and preserved for generations to come. It has profound glimpses into the very foundations of Kano’s societal evolution as it illuminates the paramount role played by the Lebanese community in the rich Kano’s historical traditions.

This book, published in 1995 and authored by S.A. Albasu, unfolds with an intricate chronology of eight captivating chapters. As the introduction sets the stage, the initial chapter gracefully delves into the existing body of literature on migration, skilfully intertwining it with the historical fabric of West Africa and Nigeria. Embracing a tangent in the second chapter, Albasu illuminates the emigration of the Lebanese into Kano, beginning in the mid-19th century.

However, a pivotal juncture in Lebanese history within Kano emerged in 1920, a defining moment marked by profound geographical and religious divisions among the Lebanese migrants. The historical catalysts propelling Lebanese emigration into Nigeria were meticulously examined within this segment.

It becomes apparent that prior to the 1920s, the Lebanese immigrants in Kano predominantly belonged to the Maronite Christian community. It is only after this period that a demographic shift occurs, welcoming the arrival of Muslim Lebanese, particularly those of the Shiite sectarian extraction hailing from southern Lebanon. The book exposes the reader to the sociocultural intricacies of the Lebanese community’s towns of origin and unravels the fabric of their society, dispelling prevailing myths.

The entire Lebanese migration into Kano is thoughtfully categorised into four distinct phases, each meticulously explored with great detail: 1890-1903, 1903-1912, 1912-1920, and the 1930s during the tumultuous period of the great depression. Each of these phases represents a significant milestone in the history of the Lebanese community within Kano, as well as its impact on the city’s socioeconomic development.

Subsequent chapters of this book delve into the physical establishment of the Lebanese community, intricately entwined with crucial historical policies such as colonial taxation, the indirect rule system, and segregation policies.

Chapters four, five, and six embark on an exciting journey, covering the consolidation of the Lebanese community within Kano’s vibrant business milieu. From the thriving cattle trade to the realms of Kolanut and groundnut businesses, the book unfurls the profound influence of factors like colonial intervention, the upheaval of the Second World War, Nigeria’s independence, and the burgeoning national consciousness. The book has revelations of ground-breaking nature, leaving you enlightened and astounded, and for me, every piece seamlessly falls into place now.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has emerged winner at the Huawei ICT Competition for the 2022-2023 Global Final held in Shenzhen, China.  

The management of Huawei disclosed on their website that the competition was the first to be held physically since 2019, and about 80 universities worldwide participated.

“Today, the Huawei ICT Competition 2022-2023 Global Final concluded in Shenzhen, drawing to a close the seventh instalment of this competition. The first to be held in person since 2019, the event’s culmination was a competition between finalists in 146 teams from 36 countries. Before the Final, more than 120,000 students from more than 2000 universities in 74 countries and regions around the world took part in the ICT Competition,” the statement reads.

Maryam Jimoh Olalade, Haruna Anas, Ahmad Abdullahi and Elayo Aliyu Isah represented the institution that won the prize.

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

Near East University, Cyprus, honours three Kano state indigenes, Dr Mubarak Auwal, Dr Zubaida Said Ameen, and Asst Prof Abdullahi Garba Usman, for their outstanding achievement in the research world.

The above was made known in a Facebook post by Dr Sagiru Mati, another Kano indigene and staff of Yusuf Maitama Sule University (formerly North-West University, Kano) doing his postdoc at the same university.

Dr Mati added, “We are thrilled to announce that these brilliant individuals have been recognised as the best researchers by the prestigious Near East University. Their dedication, perseverance, and exceptional contributions to their respective fields have not gone unnoticed.

Mubarak and Zubaida, not only exceptional researchers but also a married couple, have shown us the power of collaboration, support, and shared passion in achieving extraordinary results.”

Asst Prof Abdullahi’s research focuses on analytical chemistry and operational research in healthcare. He has numerous publications in reputable journals and more than 600 citations.

The fantastic couple (Drs Mubarak and Zubaida) work in the same field of Biomedical Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. They also have several publications and hundreds of citations to their credits.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf 

Racism in football has been a problem that refuses to go away. Football is often rightly described as the beautiful game. However, the persistent problem of racism has been a blight on this enduring beauty. Despite the fact that numerous campaigns (such as “Say No To Racism” and “Black Lives Matter” etc.) sponsored by FIFA and other regional football associations, racism has seemingly been kryptonite for the footballing establishments. 

I firmly believe that FIFA, UEFA, the media and most fans in Europe and America are not sincere about fighting racism. All these campaigns against racism are merely lip service that will never bring an end to this menace. Vinicius Junior is just the latest case that opens a fresh can of worms in a long list of racism storms that rocked the football world. 

When the trio of Saka, Sancho and Rashford missed crucial penalties in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy, they were racially abused online by their own fans. Even Real Madrid fans are also guilty of racism towards black players from other clubs and their players. When FIFA released the votes for the last Ballon d’Or, and it appeared that Real Madrid’s Austria captain, David Alaba, had voted for Lionel Messi as his first pick ahead of his teammate Karim Benzema, Real Madrid fans racially abused him online. And he was forced to apologise. And these are the same people that are up in arms “protecting” Vinicius. If this is not hypocrisy, I don’t know what is. 

Heck! Even fans at various French clubs were reported to have racially abused black players. And this is a country whose national team is simply an amalgam of players from their former African colonies. Imagine! 

Racism is here to stay as long as the powers that be are not serious about tackling it. FIFA has a three-step process for dealing with racism during matches. First, the referee should stop the game and announces that racist chants are going on and should stop. Then, if the chants continue, the referee should apply the second stage, which is to instruct the players to go back to the dressing room and wait. After a while, the referee should ask the players to resume on the pitch and restart the game. Finally, if the chants continue, the referee should apply the third process, which is to stop the game entirely and award the three points to the opponents. 

However, instead of making it mandatory for all regional football unions to adopt this process, FIFA only “recommend” it. Everyone knows that the only way to stop racism once and for all is to enforce this law. When clubs realise that some unscrupulous elements within their fanbase are making them lose points unnecessarily, they will fish out these “fans” and give them lifetime bans from stadiums. 

The question is, ‘Do black lives really matter’?

Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf wrote from Bayero University, Kano. He can be reached via aliyuyy@gmail.com.