News

By Muhammad Aliyu Gombe

The Centre for Reading, Research and Development (NCRRD) Bayero University Kano, Nigeria, has organized its Fourth National Conference on the promotion of reading culture among students and researchers. The event which took place at Ɗangote Business School, New Site, (BUK) was a 5 day even which included a Pre-Conference Workshop which aims at sensitizing the participants on the new methods of improving teaching especially from the basic level. The theme of the conference reads ‘Children’s Books and The Teaching of Early Grade Reading in Nigeria.’

The Director of the Centre Professor Talatu Musa Garba, during her speech, says that, as part of the mandate, of the Centre, it “had instituted the annual conference in 2019 to provide a platform for teachers, researchers and other educationists to share ideas on the best practices for the promotion of teaching of reading in Nigeria.” The Director, together with the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, commissioned the Centre’s resource room which is named Rebecca Rhodes Resource Room. The room has a modest collection of books and e-resources. It is open to researchers, teachers and students as a reference library.

It has been noted by various participants during the occasion that reading culture is past dying not only in Nigeria but across the globe. There is a huge need to revive it through practical methodologies which will guarantee and assist young readers to be taken right from the tender age.

Some of the participants, especially students and other invited guests, showed their appreciation and happiness with these gigantic efforts which the center is putting to revive reading culture in Nigeria.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari 

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned Nigerians to prepare for flooding in the country. 

The Director-General, NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, disclosed this at the National Emergency Coordination Forum Meeting in Abuja on Saturday. 

The agency disclosed that 13 states might be affected by the scheduled release of waters from Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroon. 

The agency has also disclosed that over 28 people have been killed, 48,168 individuals displaced, and 159,157 persons affected by flooding in Nigeria this year. 

Ahmed further stated that there has been an upsurge of water along the flood plains of the River Benue, which he said will greatly affect states like Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Delta, Edo, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Nasarawa, and Bayelsa. 

He added that there has been a sudden increased inundation of riparian communities and farmlands along the banks of River Niger in Adamawa, Taraba and Benue states in the past 48 hours. 

Ahmed further stated that the agency has directed the activation of all emergency response units to be ready for any emergencies as the flooding will be increasing as the days go by. 

“As a result of the unfolding situation, I want to use this opportunity to alert authorities of State and Local Governments along rivers Niger and Benue basin areas to immediately activate their emergency response plans to avert potential damage and losses that will arise due to inundation of communities by flood waters,” he added.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Kaduna State Police Command arrested 10 suspected kidnappers between September and October 3, 2023.

Acting on credible intelligence, the police recovered three AK47 rifles, three fabricated 10-round revolvers, 448 rounds of live ammunition, and a cache of 15 rounds. A vehicle linked to the suspects was also seized. 

The suspects are currently being interrogated and will face legal consequences after investigations.

Police Commissioner Musa Garba commended the officers for their dedication and warned criminals to steer clear of the state.

This operation underscores the police force’s commitment to ensuring safety and security in Kaduna State.

By Abdurrahman Muhammad

The move by the Kano State Government to remove some lewd and pernicious teaching materials from the curriculum of both public and private basic schools in the state has been commended by the Muslim rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

The Kano State Government, through the office of the Special Advisor on Private and Voluntary Institutions, issued the prohibition in an announcement made on Thursday, 5th October 2023. 

In the announcement, the Kano State Government listed some six (6) textbooks prohibited for instructional use “due to observed inclusions(sic) of inappropriate and sexually explicit contents that are harmful to the morals of our young students.”

The decision of the Kano State Government, under the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, to prohibit the use of obscene teaching materials in the state has come at the right time. Therefore, all parents, educationists, learners and advocates must embrace and support the initiative so as to tame the alarming rise of immorality amongst the youths in the state. 

The human rights group lent its support by calling on the authorities to ensure strict compliance by both public and private schools in the state. 

The commendation was contained in a statement released by the Chairman of the Kano State Chapter of the group, Malam Hassan Sani Indabawa, on Friday, October 6, 2023. 

Mr Indabawa further said:

“As one of the front-line advocates for the removal of all obscene teaching aids from the nation’s educational system, we at MURIC rejoice and commend the Kano State Government for doing the needful by prohibiting the use of some selected teaching materials found to contain sexually explicit contents which are perverse to the moral upbringing of pupils in the state.

“The surreptitious inclusion of explicit sexual contents in some of the basic education teaching materials was part of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) developed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) for worldwide use to promote promiscuity, fornication and homosexuality. This is one of the evils of globalisation. Certainly, this strange knowledge contradicts our faith, culture and values.

“Aside from the CSE, many textbooks used in Nigerian schools have been corrupted with lewd contents. 

“Nigerians may be well aware that in the last twenty years or so, classical English literature books and novels such as Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Merchant of Venice, Weep Not Child, Things Fall Apart, The Man Died, African Child, Akin the Drummer Boy, Mine Boy, The Delinquent and so forth have been removed from our school curricula and replaced with sex-related local English literature and other science books containing lewd and pernicious matters to give the unsuspecting young school pupils the wrong impression that self-control is unnecessary and that casual sex makes them feel good; that they should engage in casual sex before marriage; that ‘safe sex’ is what to aim for in life provided that they don’t get pregnant and if they do get pregnant, they should go for abortion. 

“As we may equally be aware, one of the negative consequences of this is the sexualisation of primary and secondary school pupils.

“Therefore, the prohibition of the use of offensive textbooks by the Kano State Government must be backed by appropriate legislation to provide a legal framework for sanctioning any erring school authority for effective implementation of the government’s directive.

“The Office of the Special Advisor on Private and Voluntary Institutions and Kano Educational Resource Department (KERD) must be well-equipped to ensure strict compliance as it is our belief that some self-seeking, unscrupulous and unconscientious groups and individuals may attempt to frustrate the effort with the support of the global conspiracy designed to destroy the fabric of our family value system, decency and modesty.

“We also call on other state governments to emulate Kano State Government by reviewing and removing all lewd and pernicious teaching materials from their various basic education curriculum.

“Finally, we reiterate our earlier call, made on the 25th May 2023, to the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), a federal government agency charged with the responsibility of implementing educational policies in Nigeria, to immediately review and expunge any sex-related content from the curriculum being used in Nigerian basic schools.”

By Abdurrahman Muhammad

Following his failure to honour the police invitation successfully sent to him since the commencement of investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Mr Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad, the Lagos State Police Command, via its PRO, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, now declares wanted Owodunni Ibrahim aka Primeboy.

Ibrahim is approximately 1.64-m tall, dark-complexioned, with tribal marks and Yoruba by tribe. His last known address is 3rd Power, Oke Eletu, Ikorodu.

If seen, contact the nearest police station or call 0803 688 5727. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Idowu Owohunwa, hereby offers a handsome reward of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira Only) to anyone with useful information leading to his arrest.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has announced a series of key appointments in various government parastatals. 

These appointments, made with a focus on expertise and experience, are poised to bring fresh vigour to the state’s administration. 

Among the notable appointees are Salisu A. Kabo, who takes charge as the Director General of Youth Empowerment, and Dr. Hamisu Sadi Ali, entrusted with the position of Director General at the Debt Management Office.

Additionally, Yusuf Kabir Gaya has been appointed as the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), reflecting the government’s commitment to bolstering the education sector. 

These placements also include essential roles such as Abduljabbar Mohammed Umar (Director General, KAN-INVEST), Mustapha Adamu Indabawa (Managing Director, Abubakar Rimi Television), and Hamisu Dogon Nama (Managing Director, Kantin Kwari Market). Abdulkadir B. Hussain, Dr. Kabiru Sani Magashi, Aminu Aminu Mai-Famfo, and Engr. Abubakar Sadiq J. complete the roster, taking on vital responsibilities in their respective sectors. 

Governor Yusuf has called upon these appointees to harness their expertise and experience to serve the people of Kano State diligently. 

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Kano State Cancer Center has disclosed plan to establish Cancer Care Trust Fund to help the vulnerable indegene patients in the state with the cost of their health treatments.

The co-odinator of the Center, Dr. Aminu Magashi, stated this on Monday in a Facebook post sighted by The Daily Reality.

Magashi said the effort was in collaboration with some international development partners, NGOs and business community among others.

He added that it was also part of their plans to set up a Cancer Registry/Directory in collaboration with the Kano State Bureau of Statistics.

He further stated that also distinguished health committee members tasked them to establish the governing board and open the centre soon as well as be updating.

In the post, Magashi said, “In my humble capacity as the Coordinator of the Kano State Cancer Care Center, today, Tuesday 3rd October, I received in my office a powerful delegation of the Kano State House of Assembly Health Committee led by Hon. Zakariyya Alhassan Ishaq, Chairman Health Committee, Hon. Usman Abubakar Tasiu, Deputy Chair and other esteemed members of the committee and Clarks.

“It was a familiarisation visit. With me is our Legal Adviser/Secretary, Barrister Maryam Jibrin, from the Ministry of Justice.

“We updated them on our plans to commence work at the Cancer Centre with our ‘PPP’ partner H360 as well as our intention to establish the Cancer Care Trust Fund in collaboration with our international development partners, NGOs and business community to cater for indigent patients/vulnerable people’s cost of treatment, set up of Cancer Registry/Directory in collaboration with Kano State Bureau of Statistics.

“Distinguished health committee members tasked us to establish the governing board and open the centre soon as well as be updating,” he added.

As observed by The Daily Reality, many people who commented under the post have expressed their gratitude and prayed for the centre to succeed.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

President Bola Ahmad Tinubu yesterday, named Balarabe Abbas Lawal from Kaduna State as minister-nominee to replace former governor Nasir el-Rufai, who was rejected by the Senate in August.

This replacement was communicated through a letter read by the Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio, during the plenary session on Tuesday.

Balarabe’s nomination was announced alongside Dr. Jamila Ibrahaim and Ayodele Olawande, who were nominated by the President for the roles of Minister of Youths and Minister of State for Youths, respectively.

In August, El-Rufai’s name was conspicuously absent from the confirmed list of ministerial nominees presented to the Senate.

During the screening process, which took place about a month ago, the Senate approved and confirmed a total of 45 out of the 48 nominees sent by President Bola Tinubu.

Several petitions, including those from Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West), were presented against the former governor during the screening.

Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West, voiced his opposition to the former Kaduna State governor during the ministerial screening.

By Uzair Adam Imam

An indegine of Kano, Abdulmalik Abubakar has emerged winner of the 2023 Historian Competition.

Abdulmalik Abubakar parted with a sum of N500,000 prize and a week-long trip to Kenya for tourism.

The competition was sponsored by the Restored Heart Foundation based in Abuja to inspire young undergradute students in Nigeria and Africa about the value of African history.

Isa is law student from Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and his victory surprised many people including the participants who were mostly history students.

Upon his success, Isa engraved his name in the history of Nigeria and Africa and was crowned 2023 “Keeper of the African History.”

I struggle with taugh history questions

Isa recounted how he had struggled with toughest history questions before he could defeat other history students and emerged victorious.

He added that most of the questions he answered at the inter-regional stage were not about Nigeria.

He stated that he was initially afriaid, adding that, “My fears were that I am not a student of History and all the questions were questions that digged deep into history.

“Like at the inter-regional stage moving to the top 6, I was never asked a single question about Nigeria, my first question was “What was the first country to get independence from East Africa ?” Likewise all the other questions were outside Nigeria totally.

How I knock down a history student at the final stage

“My emergence is an amazing one, because my opponent is a final year student of History at UNILORIN, but despite being a Law student I dedicated my time to read wide and trained well to see I emerge winner, which God makes it happened.

“When we reached quoter-final to be the top six moving to Calabar, I was the only Muslim hausa-fulani from North, and they required each to wear his native attire, I felt like I would be redicule there because some of our leaders were not friendly with the southerners.

“And, also I was given a topic completely different from my field of study which was “Nigeria’s oil boom and resources curse”.

“However, God granted me the wisdom and strength to deliver a marvelous presentation which received huge rounds of applause from all over the auditorium.

I grab this opportunity when surfing on social media

Isa stated that he was surfing online media platforms as usual, then he came across the link of the competition.

He added that the competition was both online and physical and he was among the 3,000 applicants who were invited for a screening.

He said, “It started with about 3k applicants where we were screened down to 800 then to further stages that included the top 100, then we got to be the top 30 (5 participants representing the 6 zones of the federation).

“We then got to compete at the intra-regional stage, where only 2 participants qualified from each of the 6 geo-political zone to be among the top 12.

“After I emerged among the top 12. We then had our inter-regional stage, I competed aginst one lady from South-east, I knocked her out to be among the top 6.

“As top 6, we moved to quoter-final stage at the University of Calabar for Presentation stage, were I passed the stage and became among the top 4.

“As top 4, we then moved to semi-final in enugu, but IPOB’s sit at home order made them to reschedule it to Bayero University for the semi-final stage, which was a debate stage, where l defeated my opponent from Southwest at the debate stage in BUK and qualified to be the finalist, who were the top 2 for the final stage.

“We yesterday had the Grand-finale at the Nile University Abuja where I defeated my opponent from North-Central (UNILORIN) to be the Winner as well as the “Crowned Keeper of African History 2023”

Reward for excellence

Hardworking pays as Isa emerged winner with the following prizes:

1. Cash prize of 500,000.
2. I week trip to Kenya for tourism
3. Crown Keeper of the African History 2023.
4. One year free data subscription package.
5. Ambassadorship.
6. Special guest to be invited to the grand final next year.

Words of wisdom, encouragement

“I want to encourage my fellow students to read wide and also outside their field of study, every knowledge is valuable. I never thought history could be my eye opener and way to be outside Nigeria.

“But my passion to read History and commitment to other areas of knowledge has given me all these advantages.

I made it despite tight schedules

“I want to tell my fellow students that as at now, I’m the President of Law Students’ Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) BUK Chapter and a final year Law student with project and all that, and also the President Kaura Goje Students’ Association (KAGSA) and so many other several students’ engagements, but that does not forestall me from excelling in other fields of endeavors.

“So just be determined and confident, God will assist you to achieve your dreams,” he stated.

By Uzair Adam Imam

There have been moves for collective efforts between the Kano State Bureau of Statistics, Kano Cancer Center and AMG Foundation to establish a comprehensive cancer registry and directory in Kano State.

A statement by the Technical Assistant to the Statistician, General Kano State Bureau of Statistics, Muhammad Tasiu Abbas, disclosed this on Monday.

Abbas said that Dr. Aliyu Isa Aliyu, the Statistician General of Kano State Bureau of Statistics, met with Dr. Amin Magashi about the development.

He added that their meeting revolved around discussing the possibilities of collaboration in establishing a comprehensive cancer registry and directory in the state.

The statement read in part, “The meeting aimed to enhance efforts in collecting and analyzing cancer-related data, ensuring improved planning, prevention, and treatment strategies in the fight against cancer.

“The proposed partnership between the Bureau of Statistics, Cancer Center and AMG Foundation is expected to strengthen the state’s capacity to combat this disease and address the various challenges it poses to public health,” the statement added.