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By Fatima Badawi

Scholars, educators and policymakers converged at Bayero University, Kano this week for the 5th International Conference of the Nigeria Centre for Reading Research and Development (NCRRD). Held under the theme “Reading Research and Practice: The Implication of Artificial Intelligence,” the conference examined how AI-driven technologies are reshaping reading instruction, literacy assessment, publishing and access to texts across Nigeria and the larger Global South.

The opening session featured a keynote address delivered in absentia by Dr. Aminu Maida, who was represented on the platform by Dr. Isma’il Adegbite. Dr. Maida, who currently serves as a leading figure in Nigeria’s technology and telecommunications space, set the tone by urging researchers and practitioners to treat AI as both an opportunity and a responsibility: a tool that can expand access to reading materials and personalized learning, but one that must be governed by inclusive policy and literacy-centred design.

The conference’s intellectual programme was anchored by lead papers from eminent figures in Nigerian education and development. Professor Sadiya Daura, Director General of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), presented her lead paper on teacher preparation for AI-enhanced classrooms, arguing that pre-service and in-service teacher education must integrate digital literacies and critical appraisal of algorithmic tools. Professor Mohammed Laminu Mele, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, addressed infrastructure and equity, highlighting that without targeted investment in connectivity and localized content, AI risks widening existing literacy gaps in underserved communities.

Furthermore, in her remarks, Professor Amina Adamu, Director of the Nigeria Centre for Reading Research and Development, framed the conference’s aims around actionable outcomes: stronger university–school partnerships, pilot programmes that deploy AI tools for mother-tongue reading instruction, and an ethics working group to develop guidelines for the use of automated assessment and adaptive reading platforms. In her remarks Professor Adamu emphasised the Centre’s commitment to research that is directly useful to classrooms and communities in Northern Nigeria. She also commended and thanked all the partners who are always there for the Centre right from its inception to date. Some of the International and Local partners who participate in the conference include; QEDA, Ubongo, NERDC, UBEC, Plain, USAID among many others.

Some of the panel discussions explored concrete applications: on how AI-assisted text-to-speech and speech-to-text for low-resource languages; automated item generation for formative reading assessments; and data-driven reading interventions that preserve local genres and oral traditions rather than replacing them. Most of the papers presented during the event stressed that technology pilots must be accompanied by teacher coaching, community engagement and open-access content.

Participants included university academics, representatives from teacher education institutions, ministry officials, civil society literacy advocates and publishing professionals. The conference closed with a call for a multi-stakeholder roadmap: investment in localized datasets and annotated corpora for Nigerian languages, professional development pathways for teachers, and research ethics protocols to ensure that AI systems amplify, rather than marginalize, local knowledge and reading practices.

Organisers said the 5th NCRRD conference will feed into pilot projects and policy briefs to be shared with educational authorities and development partners. Delegates left with a clear message: AI’s promise for reading and literacy is real, but realising it will require literate design, purposeful investment and a sustained partnership between researchers, teachers and communities.

By Uzair Adam 

Bayero University, Kano (BUK), on Tuesday hosted a landmark conference organised by the Faculty of History and Development Studies, exploring the historical and contemporary roles of ulama in Nigerian politics. 

The event, themed “Ulama and Politics in Nigeria: Historical Perspectives,” attracted scholars, politicians, and religious leaders from across the country.

Professor Muhammad Wada, Dean of the Faculty of History and Development Studies at the university, explained that the central mission of the conference is to highlight the pivotal role of ulama—Islamic scholars—in societal development. 

He stated that, “Over the years, through our research, we realised that ulama have played and continue to play an important role in various spheres of life, including politics and economics. 

“This conference seeks to address widespread misconceptions about whether it is legitimate for ulama to be involved in politics,” Professor Wada added.

He further stated that the conference has received hundreds of abstracts from scholars of various fields, demonstrating the broad relevance of the topic. 

“Historically, ulama have contributed to societal development, and they remain capable of doing so today. 

“Their role goes beyond leading prayers or teaching religion; it extends to guiding the public in political and civic matters,” Professor Wada emphasised.

Professor Sani Umar, one of the keynote speakers, described the conference as “highly enriching and a model that should be held regularly to sensitise ulama and the public alike.” 

He stressed that the discussions are not only relevant to Muslims but also to followers of other faiths, promoting mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence. 

Umar further explained that the widespread perception that ulama should avoid politics is misguided, noting that true politics involves leadership, compassion, and care for the vulnerable—qualities inherent in the work of scholars.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, Chairman of the Council of Ulama, urged the public to recognise that politics is for everyone and that ulama, given their knowledge and moral grounding, are particularly well-suited to political engagement. 

He called for more frequent conferences of this kind, at least twice or three times a year, and appealed to media professionals to disseminate these messages widely, including via social media.

The conference drew participation from ulama representing various Islamic sects, academics, and politicians, including Sule Lamido, the former Governor of Jigawa State. 

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by Professor Tijjani Muhammad, also attended, highlighting the significance of the event for both scholarship and governance.

The two-day conference will continue tomorrow with plenary sessions, providing a platform for rigorous discussion on the contributions of ulama to Nigerian society and politics.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Omar Yaghi, a Palestinian-born scientist whose journey began in a refugee family in Jordan, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the honour earlier today, recognising his pioneering work in designing and developing new classes of materials that have revolutionised the field of chemistry.

Speaking to reporters while in transit between flights, Yaghi reflected on his humble beginnings: “My parents could barely read or write. It’s been quite a journey. Science allows you to do it.”

Born to Palestinian refugees who fled to Jordan, Yaghi’s journey to scientific excellence was far from straightforward. As a young student, he was drawn to the beauty of chemistry, a fascination that eventually led him to develop metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), materials now vital in energy storage, clean water production, and environmental sustainability.

Yaghi described his motivation as both artistic and intellectual: “I set out to build beautiful things and solve intellectual problems.”

For many across the Arab world, especially Palestinians, Yaghi’s achievement serves as an inspiring reminder that brilliance can arise from the most difficult beginnings.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of promoting forgery and deceit as instruments of governance, following the resignation of Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology.

In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, Atiku described Nnaji’s “voluntary resignation” as an attempt to cover up a scandal that exposes the “deep moral crisis” within the Tinubu government. He said Nnaji should have been dismissed and prosecuted for falsifying documents rather than allowed to quietly exit.

Atiku also faulted the Department of State Services (DSS) for clearing Nnaji despite alleged discrepancies in his records, accusing the agency of “failing in due diligence” and embarrassing the nation.

He linked the scandal to what he called a wider pattern of deceit that “begins from the very top,” pointing to longstanding controversies over President Tinubu’s own identity and academic credentials.

“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance,” Atiku said, alleging that Tinubu’s personal history has “institutionalized falsehood in public service.”

The former vice president called for an independent and transparent investigation into the academic and professional records of all members of the Federal Executive Council, starting with the president.

Atiku concluded that Nigeria would continue to suffer “moral decay, economic ruin, and global embarrassment” unless integrity was restored to public life.

By Anas Abbas

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have declared a one-day nationwide protest for Thursday, October 9, 2025, over the Federal Government’s failure to address their long-standing demands.

Acting under the umbrella of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), both unions have directed their branches to hold joint emergency congresses on Wednesday, October 8, to mobilise members for the protest.

According to the directive, the protest activities will include peaceful marches within campuses, display of placards, and press briefings to draw public attention to their grievances.

The decision followed a comprehensive review of government actions during JAC’s meeting held on October 6, after the expiration of several ultimatums earlier issued to the Federal Government.

Among the unresolved issues are the alleged unequal disbursement of the ₦50 billion earned allowances, delay in renegotiating the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements, non-payment of two months’ outstanding salaries, arrears of 25 and 35 per cent salary increments, and non-remittance of third-party deductions for May and June 2022.

JAC had earlier given a seven-day ultimatum to the government on September 15, which was later extended by another 14 days, expiring on Monday, October 6, without any concrete response.

In a circular dated October 6, 2025, and titled “Commencement of Protest Actions,” jointly signed by NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, and SSANU National President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, the unions instructed all branches to fully participate in the protest.

The circular stated, “Following the inauguration of the Joint Consultative Committee by the Honourable Minister of Education to look into the demands of JAC of NASU and SSANU, the committee met twice on Friday, 19th September 2025, and Monday, 6th October 2025 with little progress, as our demands remain unresolved despite the extension of the ultimatum.”

It added that all members in both federal and state-owned universities “are expected to strictly comply with this directive,” stressing that unity and total participation were crucial to the success of the action.

SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, recently accused the government of insincerity, warning that the unions could declare an indefinite strike if their demands remain unmet.

“Ours will not be the ‘mother of all strikes’; it will be the grandfather of all strikes,” Ibrahim said. “When SSANU or NASU strike, you know what it means. We must take our destinies in our hands.”

He also lamented the worsening condition of non-academic staff in universities, describing them as “the worst hit financially, economically, and psychologically.”

Both SSANU and NASU have been in prolonged disagreement with the Federal Government over issues relating to staff welfare, funding, and the implementation of existing agreements, like Academic staff union of universities ( ASUU)

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, calling such reports misleading and lacking a consistent pattern, as reported by The Guardian (Nigeria).

The claims gained attention after U.S. comedian Bill Maher and Senator Ted Cruz accused Islamist groups and Nigerian officials of persecuting Christians. Cruz even proposed sanctions through the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act. 

At the same time, U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore urged the U.S. government to halt arms sales and label Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern.”

In response, Nigeria’s Presidency denied any religious war, stressing that the violence affects all citizens regardless of faith.

CAN’s Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, acknowledged widespread killings but said they were not targeted solely at Christians. He noted that both Christians and Muslims have fallen victim to terrorist attacks, adding that bullets “don’t look for a Christian or spare a Muslim.”

Ayuba cautioned against foreign interference and urged Nigerians to work collectively to end the insurgency through local institutions rather than seeking sympathy abroad.

By Anwar Usman

The Federal Government has reconstituted and inaugurated the Mahmud Yayale Ahmed Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee to expedite ongoing discussions with academic and non-academic unions across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the spokesperson for the federal ministry of education, Folasade Boriowo, it was stated that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has set up a new committee to harmonise all negotiation processes under one coordinated framework that reflects institutional memory and sector-wide inclusiveness.

Alausa explained that, unlike previous fragmented negotiations, the expanded committee will engage all unions collectively to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable agreement. “The membership of the committee has been carefully chosen to represent the full spectrum of the education sector, ensuring that no group is left behind,” he said.

The Minister stated that the committee has been given a well-equipped and functional secretariat to enable it to carry out its mandate effectively, adding that, “its inaugural meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, 7th of October. He urged all academic and non-academic unions to cooperate fully and respond promptly to the committee’s engagements.”

According to him, President Bola Tinubu has given full political support to the process, with a clear directive that all negotiations be concluded swiftly, fairly, and in a spirit of civility and mutual respect.

Earlier, ASUU, in a bulletin released to its members on Monday, urged them to prepare towards a two-week warning strike set to commence on October 13.

The planned strike follows a two-week ultimatum issued by the union last week, calling on the Federal Government to proffer solutions to its unresolved issues, including the signing and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

In the fresh circular, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, complained about the government’s failure to provide any meaningful response to the union’s demands despite the ultimatum.

By Anas Abbas 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has scheduled Thursday, October 9, 2025, for the main online recruitment examination for shortlisted candidates in the Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres.

This was disclosed in a public notice released by the Service on Tuesday through its verified online platforms.

According to the announcement, applicants have been divided into three batches: A, B, and C. They are expected to log in to the official recruitment portal, using their National Identification Number (NIN) to confirm their batch, date, and examination time.

“The Main Online Recruitment Examination for all shortlisted Inspectorate and Customs Assistant Cadre applicants has been scheduled for Thursday, 9th October 2025,” the notice stated.

The Customs Service emphasised that strict adherence to the assigned batch and time was compulsory, warning that failure to comply could lead to disqualification.

Candidates were further cautioned against using calculators, mobile phones, or any other electronic devices during the test.

“Applicants are strongly advised against multiple logins or switching browser windows while taking the examination, as this may affect their participation,” the Service added.

The NCS also clarified that the upcoming examination was strictly for candidates in the Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres, noting that those under the Superintendent cadre would be scheduled for a later phase of the recruitment process.

“Only Inspectorate and Customs Assistant Cadre applicants are to take part in this stage of the examination. Applicants of the Superintendent Cadre are not to participate at this stage,” the statement concluded.

By Uzair Adam

Barely a week before the commencement of its planned nationwide strike, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has begun mobilising its members across universities in the country.

The move follows what the union described as the federal government’s silence despite the 14-day ultimatum earlier issued to all relevant authorities, including the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi.

The Daily Reality gathered that ASUU had, last Monday, announced plans to shut down all public universities in Nigeria to press home its long-standing demands.

The union explained that the strike notice, which took effect from Sunday, September 28, 2025, would begin with a two-week warning strike before progressing to an indefinite industrial action should the government fail to act.

In a fresh letter dated October 5, 2025, and signed by ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, the union said it had no choice but to proceed with the planned strike due to the government’s failure to address the issues at stake.

Piwuna expressed disappointment over what he described as the government’s lack of meaningful engagement since the notice was issued.

“The National Executive Council (NEC) of our union, at its emergency meeting on September 29, 2025, after evaluating the results of the referendum conducted across our branches, resolved to give the government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve the issues contained in the renegotiated agreement transmitted since February 2025,” he said.

“It was further resolved that the union would embark on a two-week warning strike at the expiration of the ultimatum if government fails to take acceptable steps toward addressing the lingering issues.”

According to him, the resolutions were immediately communicated to the Ministers of Labour and Education as well as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

He lamented that a week after the ultimatum, “there has been no meaningful development worth reporting.”

“As we enter the final week of the ultimatum, I wish to thank members for their patience and understanding throughout this long and tortuous negotiation process, which has dragged on unjustifiably for over eight years,” Piwuna added.

He reaffirmed that the objective of ASUU’s current action is to compel the federal government to sign and implement the renegotiated agreement and meet other key demands affecting the university system.

The ASUU president called for total mobilisation of members nationwide to ensure unity of purpose, urging them to rely solely on instructions from their branch chairpersons and zonal coordinators.

“We are strong when we organise but weakened when we agonise,” he said. “Our union has always acted collectively in solidarity—this action will not be different.”

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Frustrated by persistent and deadly bandit attacks, residents of the Kebbe Local Government Area in Sokoto State have issued a desperate appeal to the Federal Government, urging President Bola Tinubu to grant them permission to bear arms for self-defence.

The appeal was made during a press conference held at the press centre in Sokoto, where community leaders voiced their profound frustration with the government’s perceived failure to protect them.

Led by their community head, Alhaji Adamu Kebbe, the residents accused both state and local government authorities of abandonment, leaving them in a state of perpetual fear and vulnerability.

“We cannot sleep with both eyes closed. Our towns have been nearly wiped out, yet the government is not doing enough to protect us,” Alhaji Kebbe stated.

He emphasized that the people can no longer endure the relentless killings, kidnappings, and destruction of property.

The community’s request highlights a growing trend of citizen militancy in the face of escalating insecurity. Security analysts have warned that such calls for self-armament are a clear indicator of eroding public confidence in the state’s ability to provide security, necessitating urgent federal intervention.

“If the government cannot protect us, it should allow us to protect ourselves,” one villager was quoted as saying, capturing the sentiment of many.

In their appeal, the Kebbe community also requested direct financial support from the Federal Government to the local councils to enable them to take immediate emergency measures to protect civilians.

Sokoto State, particularly regions like Isa, Sabon Birni, and Kebbe, has been one of the epicentres of bandit violence in recent years. While the state government has acknowledged the severe threat, residents insist that the measures taken so far are insufficient to guarantee their safety.

Community leaders at the conference reported that at least 17 villages have been completely deserted due to the frequent attacks, displacing thousands and crippling agriculture and daily life.

This is not the first such plea from the state. Earlier, youths in the Shagari local government area had also threatened to take up arms, citing exhaustion from the relentless attacks and kidnappings that have plagued their region.

In response to the latest appeal, the Sokoto State government has assured the public that it is doing everything within its power to end the security crisis in Kebbe and surrounding areas.