Lifestyle

By Haruna Chiroma

The emergence of social media has democratized the dissemination of information to the extent that it has put pressure on mainstream media to compete for visibility. However, mainstream media filters and verifies the authenticity of information before publication, unlike social media platforms, where anyone can publish content, including fake or fabricated news.

Additionally, mainstream media consider ethics and morality when disseminating information, whereas social media ethics and morality often depend on individual consciousness. Although social media platforms have policies that users are expected to follow, these policies often prove ineffective despite efforts to remove unethical content. 

Today, I focus on TikTok, a platform that provides video editing features and allows users to post videos. Before delving into the main issue, it’s noteworthy that TikTok has been banned on government devices in several countries, including the United States, Denmark, Australia, France, Belgium, Taiwan, and others. Even in China, where TikTok originated, the international version has been banned, with Chinese citizens required to use the strictly controlled local version. Other countries that have banned TikTok include Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Malta, and Latvia. TikTok in Nigeria should be banned for significantly promoting immorality and toxic content.     

TikTok users are generally expected to create educational, technological, and entertaining content for the benefit of the public. Unfortunately, the platform has increasingly become a venue for promoting toxic and unethical content, particularly from Northern Nigeria. For now, I will focus on northern Nigeria before addressing the broader situation across Nigeria in my next article. In Northern Nigeria, abusive speech contradicts both cultural norms and religious beliefs. 

The rise of TikTok has seen a troubling trend among many youths from the region. The majority have created abusive content rather than using TikTok to advance technological development, promote cultural and religious values, or provide educational content. Particularly concerning is the trend of women leading this shift towards toxicity, often to attract large numbers of followers. This phenomenon is exacerbated by the fact that followers tend to encourage such content by flocking to those who produce it. 

Preliminary surveys of TikTok content from Northern Nigeria reveal that creators of abusive and sexual content often garner more followers in a short period than those sharing religious or moral teachings, including Islamic scholars. Notably, a significant portion of those promoting this harmful content are divorcees and young girls, mostly from very poor backgrounds.  

Apart from the abusive content, women and young girls found a new trend of creating sexual content by posting their half-naked videos on TikTok dancing while shaking heaps and front side, engaging in sexy talks, and exposing sensitive parts of their bodies to attract followers and viewers. It has reached an extent where you see videos of very young girls and divorcees on TikTok from Northern Nigeria showing themselves half naked in the name of entertainment to gather followers and viewers. Previously, it was extremely rare to see anyone publicly promoting the non-existence of Allah in northern Nigeria. However, with the advent of TikTok, this has changed. Now, it has become increasingly common to see videos on the platform that promote the non-existence of Allah, encouraging others to abandon their religion and embrace atheism. This shift has sparked significant discussions and controversies within the region.

The situation is further complicated by the troubling trend of politicians celebrating creators of toxic content. These individuals are often rewarded with luxurious gifts like cars and houses and branded as “celebrities.” This acknowledgment from politicians encourages other young ones to produce similar toxic content on TikTok in hopes of gaining large followers and eventually receiving similar recognition from the politicians. 

One prominent example is a woman in a northern state known for her creation of toxic content. Her videos, which focus on explicit, abusive, and sexually suggestive material, starkly contradict religious norms and cultural values. Despite the negative impact of her content, she has amassed a significant following of over one million, and she is frequently seen in photos with prominent politicians from the region. 

When the Hisba (a moral police organization) initially intervened, she was issued a warning, which she disregarded. The Hisba then took legal action, but she was released on bail and continued to post her controversial content on TikTok, defying the court order. Adding to the controversy, a high-profile politician publicly defended her, citing human rights, further complicating the situation and undermining efforts to address the issue.

A man residing in Kano recently gained notoriety on TikTok for his abusive “skills,” quickly amassing a large following. Wealthy individuals have been flying him from one location to another to perform his abusive acts, often laughing along. Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, the general commander of Hisba, had to summon the man to his office to caution him about the inappropriate and morally bankrupt content. No responsible person would want their children exposed to such material. 

To my astonishment, I saw a video of the man in the presidential villa. Shortly after, I noticed an appointment letter bearing the presidential letterhead circulating online, “Appointment As Special Assistant On Entertainment,” with the aid of the Nigerian president. This revelation shocked me; I had to start following the media closely. I have not heard any denial from the presidency, which suggests the appointment might be genuine. On the contrary, I read in the Leadership newspaper, published three weeks ago, confirming the appointment.

One troubling aspect of this issue is that the toxic content is created in Hausa, a language widely spoken and understood across Northern Nigeria. This includes not only the local population but also many people from the southern regions of Nigeria who reside in the north and speak Hausa fluently. As a result, the toxic content produced by these creators reaches a vast audience, significantly contributing to the moral decay within Northern Nigeria.

Despite the troubling prevalence of toxic content, there are individuals from Northern Nigeria with substantial followings who engage in legitimate and moral activities, such as Islamic preaching, cooking, etc. However, these positive contributors represent a minority compared to the growing influx of harmful content. Given the rapid expansion of this toxic material, it is crucial to consider measures similar to those taken by other countries, such as banning TikTok to block access and mitigate its negative impact.  

Haruna Chiroma, Ph.D. Artificial Intelligence, wrote from the University of Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia, via freedonchi@yahoo.com.

By Hamza Muhammad Tasiu

I want to start with a powerful word: Kafkaesque! The meaning? It is when you enter a surreal world in which all your control patterns, plans, and how you have configured your own behaviour begin to fall to pieces. You find yourself against a force that does not lend itself to how you perceive the world. You don’t give up; you don’t lie down and die. You struggle against this with your equipment and whatever you have. But of course, you don’t stand a chance. That’s Kafkaesque as defined by Frederick R. Karl.

Kafkaesque comes from the name of the German author Franz Kafka. The word perfectly describes the cases of most kidney failure patients. The disease starts with back pain, then people go for diagnosis, and dialysis follows (Thank God it is free for Yobe indigenes). Swelling in arms and legs, shortness of breath, and hiccups follow and then comes the expected: slow and painful death. These are some of the things patients go through. 

But what is kidney failure? Kidney failure is a condition in which the kidneys lose the ability to remove waste and balance fluids. In other words, the kidneys have failed. 

Ordinarily, kidney failure should not be a death sentence. Dr. Ibrahim Sulaiman told us that a person can survive on 25% of his total nephrons, the kidney cells. That is, you only need half of one kidney to survive. But for most people, being diagnosed with one kidney failure is like being issued an indirect death certificate.

Most patients diagnosed with kidney disease put everything they can into the fight against the disease, but they stand no chance in most cases. And as the word says, ‘You don’t give up, you don’t lie down and die. You struggle against this with your equipment and whatever you have. But of course, you don’t stand a chance.’ 

Gashua has the highest number of cases of kidney failure in the whole of Yobe State. You could go to the dialysis unit in Yobe State Teaching Hospital and look at a kidney failure patient and ask him, ‘Are you from Gashua?’ The most probable answer? ‘Yes!’ 

As we speak today, hundreds of families are at the mercy of this disease. May we, the healthy ones, be protected from it. We also pray that this crisis comes to an end soon. 

My attempts for writing this short piece are that we may get someone (individuals, NGOs, governments, etc.) who will come to our aid and relieve the pain in my heart. As Neil Gaiman said, ‘Pain shared, my brother, is pain not doubled but halved.’

Hamza Muhammad Tasiu wrote via hamzamtasiu@gmail.com.

By Lawal Dahiru Mamman

Before the hunger protest under the banner of #EndBadGovernance ensued, organisers made their intentions public. Initially, they were considered “faceless groups” plotting under the cover of night. Ironically, once they revealed themselves, they were labelled “unpopular” groups, previously invisible in Nigeria’s politics.

Despite their perceived unpopularity, the call for a nationwide demonstration did not take long to gain momentum. The nation’s youth were enraged by their constant battles with hunger and their struggles to make ends meet. 

Sensing the state of the nation and the high possibility of the demonstration turning into a full-blown riot, the authorities summoned political, traditional, and religious leaders to rally their followers, giving the administration time for its tree of uncommon economic policies to bear fruit.

This move was counterproductive. Political and traditional leaders had lost their influence, and religious clerics had lost their authority. Posters flooded the streets of Nigeria, demanding better living conditions. The protest did not disappoint those who predicted opportunistic hoodlums would hijack it.

Protesters seeking to “End Bad Governance” looted and carted away various materials from both private and government-owned establishments. Tragically, some lives were lost. God rest their souls. It is worth mentioning that the exercise was peaceful in some locations with no hiccups.

To quell the protest, Mr President addressed Nigerians in a nationwide broadcast. Some accepted it as a speech of “compassion, unity, leadership, and direction.” Others dismissed it as “empty and annoying” because it did not address the pressing issues.

Interestingly, the first day of the ten-day hunger protest (August 1) coincided with World Breastfeeding Week (WBW). The first week of August (1-7) is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and many Ministries of Health, including Nigeria’s and civil society organisations such as WBW. 

This initiative encourages breastfeeding and aims to improve the health of babies around the world. This year’s event, themed “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,” is a campaign that celebrates breastfeeding mothers in all their diversity throughout their breastfeeding journeys. 

It showcases how families, societies, communities, and health workers can support every breastfeeding woman. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, this important occasion to celebrate and support our mothers, sisters, and friends in raising healthy babies has been overshadowed by the ongoing protest. 

At the same time, UNICEF has scored Nigeria low in this regard, lamenting that a whopping 76 per cent of babies between 0-6 months are denied exclusive breastfeeding. Although the exclusive breastfeeding rate in Nigeria rose to 52 per cent in 2017, it dropped to 38.9 per cent in 2021 due to a decline in the sustenance of the “Hospital Exclusive Breastfeeding Initiative” introduced to fast-track the rate. 

The Federal Government says it is working with development partners to achieve a 50% rate by 2030. The government’s support for breastfeeding initiatives reminds us that breast milk is the gold standard for infant nutrition. It is safe, clean, and contains immunity-boosting antibodies that shield babies from illnesses. 

Breastfeeding is crucial to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Despite the economic situation, let us all take a moment to appreciate and support all nursing mothers. 

By upholding the theme “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All” of the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week, we recognise that nursing mothers are not only giving babies the best possible start in life but also playing a vital role in building a healthier, more sustainable future for all. Remember, breastfeeding is made easier when mothers have our support.

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

by Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, inspected the 200-bed-capacity ultramodern General Hospital in Kumo, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.  

The hospital replaced an earlier dilapidated facility and is designed to provide comprehensive healthcare services as a referral centre.

Governor Inuwa said, “The complete reconstruction of this hospital is part of our larger plan to provide quality and affordable healthcare services to the people. We inherited a completely moribund General Hospital that could not provide the required healthcare services due to a lack of necessary equipment. We had no choice but to rebuild it from the ground up.”

“We built the hospital to international standards so it can function as not only a general hospital but also a facility that can provide tertiary health services,” the governor added.

He explained that the state government has also established similar hospitals in Kaltungo and Bajoga and revitalised at least one primary healthcare facility in each of the state’s 114 political wards.

“Our performance in the health sector, from human resources to infrastructure, is evident for all to see”. 

Strategically located, the Kumo General Hospital will serve the local population and travellers along the Gombe-Yola road. 

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, conducted the governor around the facility and said it can handle complex medical cases, including heart surgeries and other medical complications.

He highlighted its modern equipment and potential to become a leading healthcare centre in the state and across the Northeast.

“In this theatre, multiple operations can be performed simultaneously, making it ideal for emergency situations and life-saving interventions,” he noted.

The Governor inspected the well-equipped laboratories, wards, maternity unit, accident and emergency complex, mortuary, powerhouse, and mini water treatment plant, among other facilities.

By Uzair Adam

As poor Nigerians protest against hunger and biting economic hardship, another hardship has emerged, with foodstuff prices skyrocketing in markets following the relaxation of curfew by some state governments.

In Kano, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, through an announcement by the Kano Police Commissioner, Dogo Salman, relaxed the curfew from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., contrary to the previous 24-hour directive and the subsequent 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. order.

The Daily Reality learned that some local shops had begun to run out of foodstuffs due to the market closures during the hunger protests, fearing attacks from the aggrieved demonstrators who often targeted anything in their path.

As jubilation turns to grief

People were ecstatic following the return to normalcy in the state and the relaxation of the curfew. This led the leadership of the Singa market to reopen for business.

However, the initial joy quickly turned to disappointment as buyers encountered increased foodstuff prices, sparking outrage and accusations of profiteering.

A householder, Malam Ibrahim Umar, condemned the price hikes as unreasonable and merciless.

Not only government is our problem

Umar stated that it is high time that people understand that the trouble with Nigeria is not always from the government side but also us as individuals.

He said, “We must understand that we must change ourselves first. Looking at how the government is treating people, how protesters steal and vandalize properties worth millions of naira, and how our businessmen increase prices so unreasonably, it is enough for us to understand that we are the problem of our country.”

Another household member, Abubakar Umar, also shared Umar’s belief, “We need to change first as these people we are always complaining about are from among us.”

A mother of ten, Hafsat S. Shu’aibu, decried the price increase, calling on market leaders to address the root of the problem, saying, “This is too much for the poor to bear.”

As hope dies

Shu’aibu added that she has begun to lose hope that Nigeria will improve, as the problems stem from multiple sources.

She added, “People should repent to Allah and strive to change themselves because marketers and the government are not from a different world – they come from within us.”

Another household, Nuhu Adamu, lamented that despite the youth protests, he thought things would improve and the government would take steps to alleviate the suffering of the masses, but to no avail.

He stated, “After the protest against hardship, now comes another hardship that only God can save us from, as prices rise and rarely decrease in Nigeria.”

Snacks, bakery business at risk

Another person, Abdulmajid Abubakar, said bakery and snacks businesses are at risk as the price of flour, sold at 63,000 before, increased to 80,000.

He said that with the increase in the price of flour and other ingredients, they have no option but to either decrease the size of the snacks or increase the cost.

He said, “I was so disappointed to know about the increment. It is so ridiculous and unreasonable. We are pleading for government intervention.”

Game of blame

When contacted, the Chairman of the Singa market, Alhaji Junaidu Zakari, denied the increase in foodstuff prices, claiming the problem originated with dealers.

He said, “We have received numerous complaints from people and are working hard to address the issue. However, the increase is not from us but from the dealers.”

“As of now, we have started collecting remittances from our traders and dealers to determine the source of the problem,” he added.

However, a local trader who visited the market yesterday to purchase goods refuted the Chairman’s claims.

The person who wished to remain anonymous said, “They have been doing this to us and ultimately make us quarrel with people. They increase the prices first, which justifies our price increases, as business is about profit.”

We can’t fold our hands over artificial inflation

The increment in the price of foodstuffs and the recent alleged artificial inflation have prompted people to register complaints with the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission to intervene.

The Daily Reality recalled that just a few days before the nationwide protest, the commission’s Chairman, Barrister Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the commission would not stand idly by over the alleged artificial inflation in the state.

Rimin Gado spoke when people bitterly complained about the hike in the price of bread and alleged artificial inflation in the price of foodstuffs in the state, vowing not to remain idle in the face of the alleged inflation by some traders in the market.

Rimin Gado said the commission was working tirelessly to understand the root cause of the inflation and would take even “extraordinary measures to combat the menace if necessary.”

The Daily Reality learned that Rimin Gado’s assertion gave people hope at that time, and they are now looking forward to the commission’s interventions.

By Sa’adatu Aliyu 

As the US election approaches and President Joe Biden steps aside for Vice-President Kamala Harris to run as president in 2024, questions swirl within both White and Black communities about Harris’s recent declaration as a Black woman. Despite her long-standing identification as a woman of Indian and Jamaican descent, Harris has only recently begun associating herself with the Black community. However, this sudden shift doesn’t surprise me, as politicians often use false identities to win popular support.

Can one simply claim a new identity without shared experiences and cultural heritage? Well, in the woke 21st century, perhaps. Is Harris’s declaration a genuine attempt to connect with the Black community or a calculated move to garner support? The timing of her proclamation, coinciding with her presidential bid, only fuels doubts about her authenticity.

But honestly, I am not in the least surprised by this sudden cross-dressing because it’s not uncommon to see politicians taking on false identities and doing strange things just to win popular support among the people, which will serve them during elections. I mean, among many others, I recall Joe Biden reciting a prophetic Hadith during the 2020 elections, attempting to prove his commitment to Muslim interests. This tactic is a familiar ploy to rally specific communities and secure votes. 

However, he was only using the strategy that every politician employs to rally Muslim communities to vote for him, and some bought it. Gullible and naive as they were, they had thought he was the man who wouldn’t see colour, let alone religion. However, Biden’s term turned out to be one of the regimes in which Palestinians suffered heavy persecution at the hands of his Israeli allies.

Now, I fail to understand the reason behind former President Donald Trump and the Republican Presidential candidate’s surprise that a dogged opponent is simply employing a political strategy to win the sympathy of the Black community, who, to a large extent, may determine the outcome of the US election. This is similar to how Trump capitalises on white supremacy and “America First” idiosyncrasies. Thus, it’s surprising that anyone is shocked when someone magically signs up to be a Black woman overnight as if we do not live in a world where our mere utterance and public declaration of being something automatically makes us that thing. I mean, take gender, for example.

I was born a boy, but I felt and wanted to be a girl, so I showed up and simply made a formal declaration. Isn’t gender, after all, a social construct? Perhaps Vice President Harris thought it was enough to be Black by merely making an official declaration of being Black, even though she’d always flaunted her Indian and Jamaican heritage with pride. And I don’t blame her. If Kamala Harris one day wakes up and says, “I am a Black woman and belong in the Black community,” so be it. She could just as easily choose to argue that she’s a white woman by simply being married to a white man or by saying she’s white. It’s easy to be a chameleon these days, changing into the colour that best fits our situation to achieve our desires.

With reference to Mrs Harris, who suddenly feels and declares herself a Black woman, and in relation to Simone de Beauvoir’s notion in her famous feminist book The Second Sex that “One is not born but becomes a woman,” perhaps it’s time to put the issue of race behind us. Let’s consider race, like gender, a social construct and integrate everyone irrespective of colour, as long as they feel and make the formal proclamation: “Although I was born Black, I feel I am white, and therefore, I am what I think I am.” Just like transgender people, who are increasingly being accepted into their desired gender community, we should similarly accept individuals who self-identify with a particular race. After all, we’re all one.

To that effect, if race is perceived as a social construct, then one is not born black but becomes black, and one is not born white but becomes white.

 Let us remember that for several decades, Black people have struggled for full acceptance into the world of white people. Some have straightened their hair with hot irons and a range of relaxers, worn contact lenses to have the “bluest eyes” to be accepted “under Western eyes”, and gone as far as bleaching their skin. However, this has not made them white nor granted them full acceptance into the white community because, despite all these efforts to change into somebody else, they are simply not that person.

Just because I say I am a doctor and put on a doctor’s uniform, parading myself as one, does not make me a doctor when I am a writer. The pen and scalpel are not interchangeable just because I say they are. And if, as a writer, I insist on performing the duties of a doctor, we’ll sure be heading for disaster. 

Therefore, if one is not born but becomes a woman, how about we stop seeing colour? How about we think of race as a social construct, too, and integrate everyone into one big, happy, peaceful family? Why is race still an issue? If some people recognise gender as a social construct, why haven’t the same group of people wholly recognised race as a social construct?

Perhaps it’s because cross-dressing doesn’t change certain realities. 

Sa’adatu Aliyu is a writer from Zaria. She is pursuing an M.A. in Literature at Ahmadu Bello University and lecturing at the university’s Distance Learning Centre. Her writing interests include prose fiction and international politics.

By Abdulaziz Isah Bagwai

After the Asr prayer on a rainy Monday, Jummai, who was pregnant, was sweeping her courtyard when her daughter Laure returned from the river, where she went to fetch the water they would use for the chores. “Assalamu alaikum,” Laure greeted as she entered the house and poured the water she fetched in a rubber bucket into a large pot.

Jummai, an all-female mother of five, had prayed endlessly during the day and night for a male child, and since the miracle of this pregnancy, her prayers have doubled. She’d often wake up in the middle of the night to remind God of her prayers and to jokingly remind Him that He’d promised to answer good prayers. Hers was.

One night in September, Jummai began her labour with low and intensifying moans that woke Baban Laure, her husband, whose sleeping groans filled the noiseless room. “What’s happening? Are you well?” He inquired in a low, creaking tune. She couldn’t answer him, but in her moans, he understood she was calling God for aid into her large tummy, and when he grabbed his torchlight, he saw that she was holding the belly tightly.

Baban Laure rushed to his neighbour, Rakiya, a traditional birth attendant. Upon their arrival, Rakiya confirmed that it was labour, but the condition was beyond her basic skills; hence, he should take his wife to the primary health care facility in Bagwai.

Amidst preparation, Jummai continued to bleed, and Baban Laure suggested that “if not for the bleeding, we could manage to wait until the morning when the staff of our health post come.” Baban Laure suggested this to Rakiya, who was engrossed in controlling the seemingly unending bleeding. Baban Laure said they could only travel to Bagwai on bikes that night of misery because the only person who had a car wasn’t in town.

Jummai gave birth to a beautiful baby boy at around 4:00 a.m., whom she was unable to see immediately until the day broke. “Where’s my baby?” She asked. But the strolling tears in Rakiya’s eyes told her everything. The baby is dead, she understood, with a bit of desperation in her face. When the birth attendant was telling Rakiya to report on time in emergency cases like this because the baby died as a result of oxygen starvation, which was, of course, due to the excess blood she had lost, she understood that her baby was a boy. Before Rakiya arrived at her bed to calm the tears that formed rivers in her eyes, she lay there stranded, unconscious, and was admitted for two weeks!

What is behind the pause of Kwajale Comprehensive Health Center’s construction project?

Had this project been completed and launched today, there would’ve been a 24-hour medical service in this village, which could’ve saved the life of Jummai’s baby boy that she had wished and prayed for. 

“This project has put light on many faces in Kwajale, for it was initiated when our clinic and the services we rendered were insufficient for the community,” said Saifullahi, a healthcare worker at Kwajale Primary Health Post.

“When the construction started, we were assured that it wouldn’t take long to be completed, and we agreed to their assertion because they worked with an enthusiastic speed,” Saifullahi continued.

Who are the contractors?

It was a federal government project awarded in 2007 by the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) to Mathan Nigeria Limited. This indigenous engineering company had quietly touched the lives of Nigerians long before it got caught in the eye of the storm because an April 2nd, 2012, Premium Times report stated that “Abandoned N37 billion health centre projects rot away nationwide.” However, “the contractor Mathan Nigeria Limited is insisting on a variation of the original contract sum.”

However, on October 24th, 2023, Platform Times reported that “After 16 years, ALGON disburses equipment to [an] abandoned hospital in Ogun [State].” Although this report might’ve meant ALGON was on another different project with a different contractor, the report continued to read, “The equipment, which was part of a federal government project awarded in 2007, was delivered to the health centre on Monday by a contractor, Mathan Nigeria Limited.”

Why the failed project in Kwajale is different

“We’re a little bit far from Bagwai [town], and we do not have good roads; referred patients suffer a lot [in the day, not to mention at night, and even in the dry season, speak less of the rainy season] along the way.” Malam Umar, a community member, lamented.

“We’ve been given classes to continue with our activities because the building meant for the primary health post has been under renovation for years now, but no progress has been made yet,” said Malama Aisha, the head of Kwajale Health Post.

“A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the United Nigerian Youth Forum (UNYF), has urged the Department of State Services (DSS), the police, other security agencies, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the contractor handling the construction of health centres across the country. The forum accused the contractor, Mathan Nigeria Limited, of abandoning the N57 billion contract, which the forum said had led to the deaths of many Nigerians.” Leadership news report.

Ali Muhammed, the UNYF’s spokesperson, alleged that the contractor’s negligence had caused the deaths of hundreds of expectant mothers who ought to have safely delivered their babies at the health facilities if the projects had been completed on time.

For 17 years now, the remedy for the continued pain like Jummai’s in Kwajale is still uncalled for; no medical condition is manageable at night in Kwajale, their bad roads are yet the same, and patients still suffer along the bicycle-and-motorcycle-only road.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A windstorm in Sokoto State, Nigeria, has displaced at least 50 households in the Shagari and Wamakko local government areas.

The Director of Disaster Management, Umar Isa, confirmed that some victims have lost their homes entirely and are now staying with relatives or in temporary accommodations.

According to Isa, the ministry had contacted the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) over the issue.

He also noted that there were no reports of flooding in the state, despite predictions that some areas would experience flooding.

The state government has been conducting awareness campaigns to prevent flooding in prone areas.

The windstorm has caused significant damage, and the affected households are in need of assistance.

By Lawan Bukar Maigana 

According to a report by the World Health Organization, Nigeria, after India, has the highest number of maternal mortality in the world. The report shows 788 women and children deaths per hundred thousand’ in India, and 540 women and children ‘per thousand’ died in Nigeria.

Other countries with high maternal, neonatal, and stillbirth rates are Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and the United Republic of Tanzania.

‘About 57,000 mothers died from pregnancy and complications during childbirth in 2023 alone,’ said Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, at a public health function.

Unfortunately, the frequent loss of lives among pregnant women in Nigeria, particularly Northern Nigeria, remains an issue of concern. This gives Nigeria a poor global ranking.

Pate explained that the Federal Government was committed to drastically reducing maternal mortality through the new Safe Motherhood Strategy. He noted that the central government will take actionable steps and cascade the strategies to state and local governments, targeting at least seven million pregnant women.

“The aim is to ease six million new births by activating the Decentralised Facility Financing package, establishing robust collaboration with health NGOs, community leaders, and media to boost awareness campaigns.” 

Sequel to the Health Minister’s lamentation, the Girl Child Concerns (GCC), in collaboration with the Borno State Government through the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP), has trained 300 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) on Basic Emergency Obstetric Care and Early Neonatal Care in Borno State.

The Chief Adviser and Coordinator for Sustainable Development, Partnerships, and Humanitarian Support to the Governor of Borno State, Dr. Mairo Mandara, stated that the training aimed to improve maternal and child health services across the state. The training was conducted in three zones of the state. Each zone underwent one week of theoretical training followed by one week of clinical training. 

The training for Borno Central was held on May 27, 2024, for Borno North on June 3rd, and for Borno South on July 1st, with each zone being exposed to theoretical and clinical aspects of the training.

Dr. Mandara emphasized the governor’s commitment to ensuring quality health services for the resilient people of Borno State, especially the locals, given the magnitude of the challenges they face due to the terrorist activities of Boko Haram insurgents in their communities.

Dr. Mina Endeley from the Namu Project in the UK and Oluwaseyi Akinlaja from Princes Alexandra Hospital Trust in the UK have also joined the training, leading a practical session on successful delivery and universal approaches to handling emergency cases.

Endeley at MCH Biu Local Government Area practically taught non-medical attendants the concepts of basic life support, including managing catastrophic bleeding in the community.

The participants practised approaching the scene safely, calling for help, managing catastrophic bleeding, and reviewing the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation using a mnemonic we created.

Oluwaseyi Akinlaja from Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust, UK, explained the labour mechanism: how a baby is delivered as it passes through the pelvis into the birth canal and is born by expulsion. This was done to enable CHEWs to visualize the birth process so that they could make early referrals when necessary.

She exposed the participants to the seven steps/processes that a baby passes through before delivery, namely engagement, descent, flexion, internal rotation, extension, external rotation, and extension.

On his part, the Emir of Biu, Maidala Mustapha Umar Aliyu II, described the combined efforts of the organization—GCC—and Borno State Government as a “timely homily” and expressed readiness to support the effort in every way possible.

The lead facilitator of the training, Hadiza Yahaya, has expressed satisfaction with the performance of the participants during the training and expressed hope that the CHEWs will help greatly in the fight against maternal mortality. 

The training offered to Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) in Borno State is expected to result in each participant putting the knowledge into practice and witnessing a drastic reduction in maternal mortality in the state.

Lawan Bukar Maigana is the Communication Officer for Girl Child Concerns, GCC, and can be reached via email at lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Usman Abdullahi Koli, ANIPR

In the words of the great German and one of the most impactful scientists, Albert Einstein, “Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.”

In medicine, intellectualism and professionalism are the hallmarks of integrity. Back in Nigeria, like every sector, health faces its challenges. And in the words of the great scientist, dodging problems may not be far from shifting disaster; he believed that as an intellectual, the problem should be solved head-on. Professor Yusuf Bara Jibrin, the Chief Medical Director of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, epitomises these traits.

As a Professor of Internal Medicine specialising in infectious diseases, Yusuf Bara Jibrin has made significant strides in clinical development, research, training, staff welfare, and community engagements.

Prof. Jibrin is a beacon of intellectual curiosity and an embodiment of generosity in serving humanity. Through groundbreaking research, he has revolutionised our understanding of disease diagnosis and treatment, yielding numerous advancements in the medical field. His pedagogical prowess has inspired generations of medical professionals, nurturing their talents and fostering a passion for healing. Beyond his discipline, his expertise embraces various subjects, with an unending commitment to mentoring and guiding his staff and students.

Under his leadership, ATBUTH Bauchi has emerged as a premier healthcare institution in Bauchi and beyond. The sophisticated new facilities, including the General Outpatient Department (GOPD) complex, ENT department, Infertility Centre, and the upcoming Dental Clinic and Diagnostic Centre, are a testament to his commitment to excellence. His efforts have also led to the establishment of robust community engagement and management development programs, enhancing the hospital’s visibility and operational efficiency.

ATBUTH Bauchi has achieved numerous clinical milestones under this exemplary leadership. The hospital conducted its first endoscopic laser therapy for kidney stones, a significant advancement in minimally invasive surgery. The Pharmacy Department has begun using a drug formulary, aiming for essential service delivery. The successful execution of the first spinal surgery operation and the introduction of laser urethral stone procedures further underscore the hospital’s clinical capabilities.

The NCDC recognises the Molecular Genetics and Infectious Diseases Laboratory at ATBUTH as a national surveillance system, thanks to its advanced sequencing equipment. The Lassa Fever Isolation Centre has recently invested in new dialysis machines, effectively reducing Lassa fever fatalities and positioning the centre as a leader in managing Lassa fever cases in Bauchi. The Pharmaceutical Production Unit has commenced making sanitisers and hydrogen, contributing to the hospital’s competence in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

ATBUTH Bauchi has launched an Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System equipped with a highly responsive team to provide effective emergency medical assistance. The Geriatric Management Centre is set to commence home services, focusing on the well-being of elderly individuals. The implementation of the Electronic Medical Record System has significantly reduced patient waiting times, improving overall service delivery. The established Oxygen Plant has become an independent supplier, reliably providing oxygen to Bauchi and its neighbouring states.

The management team at ATBUTH, under Prof. Jibrin’s visionary leadership, has transformed the hospital into a beacon of excellence in healthcare delivery, research, and training. Their collective efforts have propelled ATBUTH to new heights, ensuring it remains at the forefront of medical innovation and patient care.

As we acknowledge these achievements, we pray for continued success and growth for ATBUTH Bauchi. May their efforts be rewarded with further advancements and improved healthcare outcomes for the benefit of all.

Usman Abdullahi Koli wrote via mernoukoli@gmail.com.