Opinion

By Muhammad Sani Usman

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I want to express my sincere gratitude for your consistent advocacy stressing the significance of skills over degrees.

Your dedication to highlighting practical skills as crucial assets in today’s dynamic world resonates deeply with many, myself included.

While you are one of my favorite Islamic scholars, I’d like to bring to your attention some noteworthy and concerning aspects regarding this advocacy:

As a prominent minister under former President Muhammad Buhari, having risen through the ranks from NITDA, addressing the dilapidated state of Nigerian universities should have been a focus. Reforming the system to incorporate skills in every profession would have been invaluable.

Considering the fourth industrial revolution, your emphasis on ICT skills is commendable. However, collaboration with the Senate committee for Education and NUC during your tenure could have established mandatory digital laboratories and ensured graduates are equipped with essential skills before leaving university.

Sir, It’s disheartening to observe many IT and computer science graduates lacking basic coding and programming abilities due to a flawed educational system. While you aren’t the Minister of Education, a more vocal advocacy for change would have been impactful.

Most importantly, recognizing the importance of industrial-scale skills like Project Management and other hard skills is essential. This will ensure that people from the North benefit from the economy of scale and are not marginalized in organizations.

While NITDA introduced boot camps to train youths in ICT skills during your tenure, the exclusive focus on Abuja limited accessibility for the broader population down the North.

Sir, the introduction of blockchain and the recent three million digital skills initiative by your predecessor, Kashif, suggested limited inclusion to these valuable skills. There’s a need to practicality train our people beyond introduction and give the capital at the very end.

Thank you for your time and consideration Sir.

Muhammad Sani Usman, is a graduate of Industrial chemistry from Kaduna state. Can be reached via muhdusman1999@gmail.com.

By Abubakar Aminu Ibrahim

Communication is vital to human interaction, influencing relationships, emotions, and outcomes. In all languages, the impact of communication skills is profound, especially in expressions of greetings, well-wishing, congratulations, condolences, and the like. While these expressions are often used to convey positive intentions and goodwill, how they are communicated can significantly affect the recipient’s feelings and perceptions.

In Hausa culture, for example, greetings are essential to daily interactions, reflecting respect, courtesy, and social harmony. Appropriations of greetings demonstrate politeness and establish a positive tone for communication. However, the impact of greetings goes beyond mere words; it encompasses the tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions. A warm and sincere greeting can make the recipient feel valued and respected, while a cold or indifferent greeting may convey disinterest or disrespect, leading to negative feelings.

Well-wishing is another crucial aspect of communication in our daily encounters, especially in the context of prayers for someone’s well-being or success. This is something that seems cordial yet can be volatile. Whether it is praying for someone to have a child, to get rid of poverty, or to find a job, how these wishes are expressed matters significantly. The spot where such utterances are made can make or mar the situation.

For example, when offering prayers for someone to have a child, it is quite unnecessary to say it to their face. It is often like reminding them and telling those around them how childless they are! Then, is it really necessary? Prayers can be both general or precise, thanks to the fact that Allah is always aware of our inner intentions. Thus, such prayers can be positively concealed in a more general term. “May Allah offer your wishes”, “May Allah reward you with Jannah/bless your family”, etc., cannot harm, I guess.

A similar reproach is often experienced when offering consolations. The manner, tone and words used can reflect civility and ensure privacy yet remain empathetic, hopeful, and positive. A well-expressed prayer can uplift the recipient’s spirits and strengthen their resolve. In contrast, a poorly articulated wish may appear insincere or lacking in empathy, potentially causing emotional distress. Consider a situation where an ill person (who needs support and encouragement) is constantly being told how he is wasting weight! Is that consoling or condemning? Instead of extending the tender support required, we often extend emotional pain and wash away the little drops of hope in the patient.

Similarly, congratulations are often extended to celebrate achievements or milestones in a person’s life. Whether congratulating someone on a promotion, a wedding, or any other accomplishment, the manner of expression can enhance or diminish the recipient’s joy. A heartfelt congratulatory message conveys genuine happiness and support, whereas a superficial or casual expression may undermine the significance of the achievement, leading to feelings of disappointment or devaluation.

In conclusion, the impact of communication skills is profound, especially in expressions of greetings, well-wishing, congratulations, condolences, and their likes. How these expressions are communicated can significantly affect the recipient’s feelings and perceptions, shaping the quality of interpersonal relationships. Without diplomacy and sensitivity in communication, even well-intentioned expressions can have unintended negative consequences. Therefore, it is essential to cultivate effective communication skills to convey goodwill and ensure that our words and actions do not inadvertently cause harm. Without diplomacy, we may do more harm than good despite our noble intentions.

Abubakar Aminu Ibrahim wrote from Katsina via matazu247@gmail.com.

By Ladi Ibrahim

Early marriage, also known as child marriage, remains a persistent issue in Nigeria, where cultural traditions, poverty, and limited access to education contribute to this harmful practice. Despite significant progress made in addressing child marriage globally, Nigeria still grapples with high rates of early marriage, adversely affecting the lives of countless young girls. This article aims to illuminate the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to this deeply rooted societal problem.

Several factors contribute to the prevalence of early marriage in Nigeria. Cultural norms and traditions play a pivotal role, with many communities believing that marrying off their daughters at a young age protects their honour and ensures their future safety. Poverty is another critical factor, as families with limited resources may see marrying their daughters off early as an economic relief or an attempt to secure a better life for them.

Furthermore, lack of access to quality education, especially for girls, perpetuates the cycle of early marriage. Limited educational opportunities deprive young girls of the chance to develop essential skills, pursue independent livelihoods, and gain awareness about their rights. Additionally, prevailing gender inequalities and discrimination further exacerbate the problem, limiting gender equality and social progress.

Early marriage has detrimental effects on the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of young girls. Firstly, it exposes them to serious health risks, as their bodies are often not fully developed to bear children, resulting in complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Early marriage also robs girls of their right to education, denying them the chance to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society.

Moreover, young brides often face economic hardships, lacking the necessary skills or education to secure stable employment. This perpetuates the cycle of poverty, subsequently affecting future generations. Early marriage is also linked to a higher incidence of domestic violence, mental health issues, and limited decision-making power for girls and women within their households.

Addressing the issue of early marriage in Nigeria requires a holistic approach that involves multiple stakeholders, including the government, civil society organisations, religious leaders, and communities. 

 Enhancing access to quality education, particularly for girls, is pivotal to breaking the cycle of early marriage. This can be achieved by providing scholarships, building schools closer to rural communities, and promoting educational campaigns focused on child rights and gender equality.

Strengthening existing laws that criminalise child marriage is essential, accompanied by strict enforcement mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable. Providing young girls with vocational training and economic opportunities can dismantle the economic rationale behind early marriage. Such initiatives can help them gain financial independence and empower them to make informed choices.

 Collaborating with religious and community leaders to change social norms and customs that perpetuate early marriage is crucial. Obtaining their support and involvement is vital for building awareness and changing mindsets.

Expanding healthcare facilities and services in rural areas, specifically aimed at addressing the unique needs of young brides, can contribute to reducing the health risks associated with early pregnancy and childbirth.

Early marriage continues to be a significant challenge in Nigeria, depriving countless young girls of their rights and potential. By addressing the root causes of this practice through education, legal reforms, economic empowerment, community engagement, and access to healthcare, Nigeria can pave the way for a brighter future for its girls. Efforts to end early marriage require synergy, collaboration, and a relentless commitment to ensuring that every child in Nigeria has the opportunity to grow, thrive, and determine their destiny.

Ladi Ibrahim wrote from the Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri.

By Mukhtar Jarmajo

Great leaders not only have vision, they also share it with others and inspire many others to create their own. Leadership is simply about understanding present problems as they affect the future and taking concrete steps to solve the problems in such a way that the future will be better and brighter. And in the annals of Nigeria, many visionary leaders, who Nigerians are still enjoying from the fruits of their visionary leadership, have come and gone. Talk about Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikwe, Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Michael Okpara, J. S. Tarka, Sir Kashim Ibrahim and a host of their contemporaries, they are remembered for their struggle for Nigeria’s independence as well as laying the country’s foundation in its journey to nationhood.

After them, many others have followed their foot steps. In the cause of time, Nigeria has had leaders whose footprints on the sands of time are indelible. The late Gen. Murtala Ramat Mohammed and the late Umaru Musa Yaradua are, respectively, remembered for both their anti-corruption posture and drive for national unity. In the same vein, Mallam Isa Yuguda, an economic czar, Nigeria’s former minister of transport and aviation respectively, and erstwhile Bauchi state governor, is celebrated for making immense contributions in the development of Nigeria’s banking sector, transforming the nation’s transport and aviation sectors as well as raising Bauchi state to a higher threshold of development.

Last Saturday, 16th December, 2023, in its maiden combined convocation ceremony, the Sa’adu Zungur University, Gadau, Bauchi state, awarded Mallam Isa Yuguda an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Management. At the ceremony, 7,543 graduates from six academic sessions were presented for the award of graduate and postgraduate degrees. At this juncture, it’s instructive to note that the point of interest is not that Isa Yuguda received an award or that the university has thus far graduated more than seven thousand students. Rather, what is most fascinating is the fact that Mallam Isa Yuguda established the University back in 2010 when he held sway as Bauchi state governor. Thus, through his visionary leadership, the erstwhile governor established what has become a prestigious center of excellence in learning.

At the time the University was established, there was the problem of many Bauchi state indigenous students not being able to gain admission into federal universities largely because of quota system and distance, especially for female students. But education is so important that at whatever cost, it must be gained. And given that one of the primary responsibilities of government is to ensure the security, safety and well-being of the citizenry through upholding law and order as well as providing healthcare services, education etcetera, the Isa Yuguda administration thought of building the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, a new Specialist Hospital and the Sa’adu Zungur University.

Speaking on behalf of the awardees at the convocation ceremony, Mallam Isa Yuguda noted that the University is a beacon of hope that will not only prepare the youth for future challenges but will also cause rapid socioeconomic development in Bauchi state. This is how visionary leaders shape the future of a nation. Mallam Isa Yuguda’s visionary approach in leadership is an example to present and future leaders and his Honourary Doctorate award by the Sa’adu Zungur University is a testament to his remarkable impact on education in not only Bauchi state in particular but also the entire nation in general.

Jarmajo wrote from Wuse 2, Abuja.

By Abbas Datti

In this political landscape, a legislator’s success is defined by the number of bills he sponsored and his contributions during plenary sessions within the hallowed chamber. Also, the impactful work he does in his community reveals the true character of a public servant. In this regard, the former Member of the House of Representatives, Fagge constituency, Rt Hon Aminu Suleiman Goro, stands tall as a shining example of dedication and selflessness as we compare his accomplishments to those of the incumbent Rep Member, Barr. Muhammad Bello Shehu.

Aminu Suleiman Goro served well as a Fagge Member of the House of Reps, and during his time, he left an indelible mark on our community. His commitment to the welfare and prosperity of Fagge’s constituents was unwavering, from improving infrastructure to advocating for better educational opportunities and carrying all constituents along when making decisions.

One of the most notable achievements during Aminu Goro’s tenure was the successful chairmanship of the House Committee of Tertiary Education and Services, which saw the establishment of numerous Universities, federal Colleges of education, and many more tertiary institutions. 

Goro’s massive empowerment programs supporting women and the vulnerable with small businesses, promoting job creation, and investing in infrastructure projects helped breathe new life into Fagge communities. Unemployment rates fell, and new businesses flourished, bringing economic stability to Fagge constituents.

Education was also a top priority for Aminu Suleiman Goro. He fought for increased funding for universities and tertiary institutions, ensuring our children had access to quality education. Fagge constituents benefitted immensely from the federal government scholarships and educational programs, providing opportunities for Fagge youth to thrive.

In a bewildering contrast, Barr. M.B Shehu has failed to carry the torch of progress set by his predecessor. Key initiatives initiated during Goro’s term have been left in limbo, and we have seen a noticeable lack of enthusiasm for addressing the issues that matter most to Fagge constituents.

Despite Aminu Suleiman’s legacy, M. B Shehu has not shown the same commitment to improving lives and schools or ensuring job opportunities. Constituents have felt the difference, and it’s time we reflect on what we’ve lost since the change in representation.

Goro served the Fagge constituency with dedication and a genuine desire to improve the lives of the people he represented. His legacy shines brightly when compared to Barr. Muhammad Bello has not been able to continue the trajectory of works that Goro established. 

Abbas Datti writes from Kano via abbasdatti448@gmail.com.

By Nura Jibo MRICS

Expo City in Dubai was bathed in semi-winter brightness that night. It was a serene atmosphere. We all came together with the same goal, motivation, objective, and aspiration: to come together, act, save the world, and prevent the climate from shifting into something that could wipe out humanity! Sitting atop Tegula concrete kerbs at Blue Zone with a few pals, I was bemoaning the depressing status of our nation and doubting its advancement. Then I saw her approaching us with a small group of people in tow. She exuded energy and personal temerity as usual!

She was followed by three men, whom I believed might be her security personnel, and perhaps one might even be her Minister of Environment. They were all looking gentlemanly dressed. One of them in his immaculate waistcoat stared at me as I stood up, moved towards them from “nowhere”, and started talking to her!

Her Excellency, Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, looked at me very politely and laughably asked her man, who is he? I quickly introduced myself as a long-term admirer of her fantastic leadership. I told her that she’s my mentor-at-large! The Prime Minister laughed and stopped to listen to my stories. I briefly told her about my NGO: the African Climate Change Research Centre and the United Nations Climate Observer Organization (ACCREC). I told her that for well over thirteen years now, I have been the UNFCCC-DCP on climate change. Under my NGO, we have planted over 1.5 million trees and constructed a fantastic three-hectare green shelterbelt in Asayaya Village, Sule Tankarkar Local Government Area, in Jigawa State.

She was pretty in haste to enter into a meeting. And typical of her, she was honest and down-to-earth! She told me frankly, “I am going into a meeting now. “Let’s keep moving.” I was extremely happy for this archetypal leadership gesture coming from the Prime Minister of Barbados. It is a small but remarkable country with a dogged leader who has struggled to overcome most Barbadian climate change challenges over the years under the country’s first female prime minister, Mia Mottley! It is no longer news that the big climate change polluters have for so long a time refused to rescue small island states and regions such as Barbados, where tropical storms are causing lots of climate change havoc along the Caribbean islands, and in effect, they affect places such as Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Dominica, Martinique, Montserrat, St. Martin, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Guadeloupe.

Indeed, before the COP 28, to be precise, a month before the Dubai COP 28, there was a serious report from the United States Embassy in Barbados that showed heavy rains from Tropical Storm Tammy that would affect the northern Windward and Leeward Islands on October 20, spreading into the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The rainfall was envisaged to have produced isolated flash floods, urban flooding, and isolated mudslides in higher-rain areas.

And don’t forget the storm disasters that gripped or rocked Puerto Rico four years ago, which left President Donald Trump in bewilderment! But instead of learning a lesson, Trump became confused and opted out of the climate change negotiations that placed the United States seven steps backwards!

The world’s climate change catastrophes are the reasons that Her Excellency, Ms Mia Amor Mortley, never hid her position of telling the truth to any global audience about the Barbadian climate struggles and disasters that are ravaging her country with little or no support from the major climate polluters.

I wanted to follow her to any of her meetings at COP 28 and take notes on the climate solutions that she often proposes as a fait accompli in alleviating the hardship of not only the people of Barbados but also the African people and the African condition. Whenever I listen to her, I become delighted that Africa and small island states might be great one day. As a follower of her political trajectory since childhood, I understand that this woman is a climate champion because she has the same manner, attitude, and passion as the late Honourable Wangari Maathai. Indeed, I hold many global female leaders dear, and I see something in them that inspires international debates and provides robust solutions to global climate justice.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is undoubtedly one of them! Indeed, there are lots of things that I learned from Mia. Her simplicity, eloquent and convincing tongue, and brave and lion-hearted soul are unparalleled. Whenever she speaks her mind before any global spectators, the entire crowd “sneezes” because she’s a global colossus who has no fear of telling the truth to the world’s mighty powers. As the legendary Robert Nesta Marley once described these kinds of people in his redemption song, they have “no fear of atomic energy” because their type of character believes that “none of them can stop their time.”

The only difference between the apolitical Marley and the political Mia, in Bob Marley’s words, is this simple truth: “I not a politician. Politics is money business, and we in people business.” However, Mia combined both a leader’s apolitical and political characteristics per excellence! A combination of Marley’s redemption of people via songs plus Mahatma Ghandi’s salvaging of the oppressed, Madiba’s dogged freedom fighting, and the stubborn attitude of Donald Trump made Mia Amor Mortley a complete “tonic” and unique persona in the international leadership arena.

Mia Amor Mortley is a different leader. She is rare in her thinking and ideologies, just like the late Prof. Ali Mazrui. If all African leaders emulate Her Excellency Mia Mortley, the continent will be a haven for global growth and development. Because I understood her busy schedule, I allowed her to go. But before I left her and her entourage, I asked for her contact address in case I wanted to correspond. This great woman unhesitatingly obliged and started dictating her email to me! I was trying to grasp it up front but missed some letters. The gentleman in the waistcoat and long-sleeve shirt in her company slowed down and dictated the email to me. He made sure I got it right. I then bid farewell to her and her men of honour.

The honourable Prime Minister was surprised by how I told her about my intention to visit her in Barbados with my family. I was deliberate in telling her this because a long time ago, to be precise, in 2018, immediately after I came back from Katowice, Poland, I played my beautiful wife Mia’s video while she was addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on climate change and its attendant consequences. I encouraged my wife to spare some time and watch Madam Mia Amor Mortley if she wanted to learn the power of thinking big. I sincerely told my wife that this woman was the first female Prime Minister of Greater Barbados.

Lessons from my COP 28 meeting with the Prime Minister

As I left the Prime Minister and returned to my friends, I spotted our country’s President coming out of a meeting with his vast entourage. I was not interested! I turned my back and continued to avoid the heavy security that followed him as if he was the only president out of the over 100 presidents who attended COP 28! Before then, I spotted some of his ministers moving aimlessly without any UN-COP experience. They were going up and down, watching how things unfold because they were all laypersons attending UNFCCC COP meetings for the first time. At least, I met one of them (picture withheld), who confessed to a global gathering that he was there to learn what was happening. I don’t blame my country’s ministers because Mr President directed them all to attend the COP at the expense of public funds.

I also met with my country’s president’s son, who felt pompous as if he was also a president. My encounter with him did not end well, as I did not spare him, especially when he tried to denigrate me and a gentlewoman who wanted to seek his audience. The rest is history.

The next day at the Blue Zone, I spotted Prof. Jeffery Sachs. My mind was tempted to stop him and greet him. But I tried, as I don’t think it’s necessary, because I met him and even collected his business card in Paris during the Paris Agreement. Thanks to his SDGs, we look forward to salvaging Mother Earth!

I also saw Bill Gates walking with a couple of climate champions. I wanted to stop and engage him and get more insights into his food security agenda and how that impacted the African people, particularly under him and Melinda. I then decided to allow him to go until our paths crossed once again so that I could raise my hands and ask him what happens to the issue of public health in Africa and the so-called Bill & Melinda public healthcare that he “pumped” ample money into Africa to eradicate malaria. However, the continent and its leaders are still wallowing and highly impoverished by malaria, infectious/tropical diseases and other grovelling absurdities.

The failure of Bill Gates’s African plethora of health programmes made me discouraged about his wizardry. But he still earned my respect as a global leader in technology, especially when he and Paul Allen founded the U.S. Microsoft on April 4, 1975, which opened a gateway for all of us to use MS Windows and MS-DOS, which dominated the personal computer operating system.

Indeed, I am trying to make this point: leadership and public service have a tradition. And if we agree that our role is to serve the general public, then we must again take a cue from Bob Marley, whose song “Revolution” resonated well as a form of emancipation for the people of Kingston. Marley lyrically exposed the ills, frustration, and anger of the people of Kingston, who were suffocated by the curfews and corrupt police force. In that song, the legendary Marley looked at the different angles of a citizen uprising, simultaneously revelling in the destruction, understanding the motivations, and expressing disgust at the violence that ravaged a community and left them stranded without any hope of attaining redemption.

The same way Marley had a feeling to save people from leadership corruption through music is akin to Mia’s political journey. She’s in Dubai at COP 28 not because of anything but, in clear terms, to campaign for climate justice.

Over the years, this woman traded the paths of just and clean societies. She is an ardent believer in paying climate reparations for losses and damages. And she did not leave the COP 28 venue until the loss and damage funds were approved by all and sundry!

During her maiden Nelson Mandela lecture at Kwazulu Natal as the guest speaker, Mia agitated and motivated a global audience by urging them to rise and go for Africa’s climate-stabilizing natural capital so that we Africans can compete in the comity of nations. The honourable Prime Minister advised all Africans to use climate-friendly technology and infrastructure at African concessionary rates.

Mia is undoubtedly a climate colossus who always speaks her mind on global enforceable action to immediately halt all major emission-causing businesses, including but not limited to fossil fuel production, investment, and exploration.

The Paris Agreement’s $100 billion climate pledge dilemma

I told the Prime Minister that I would pay her a visit with my wife and children to sit down with her and make her listen to my take on the $100 billion climate change pledge cardinal questions.

First, why should African leaders wait for America, China, France, Germany, Russia, or India to contribute $100 billion to deal with climate change? What money are they expecting from these developed nations when Nigeria’s budget, for example, is today projected at 21.83 trillion? Why should a Nigerian president, for example, wait for a portion of $100 billion to work on climate change? What happens to his country’s money? What would he do with it?

Why should the Egyptian and South African presidents convene in Paris and expose themselves bare to an international community and the French President by saying that they haven’t seen a penny of the $100 billion pledged during the Paris Agreement? Do they have to wait for this money to handle the climate change disasters and mess in their countries? Your Excellency, you must talk to your African colleagues about getting serious about leadership if they want to make Africa great. There is no point whatsoever between actions committed to meaningful goals and public service. The two are inseparable. The leaders of African countries must rise and do more for Africa.

In my memo to two new African presidents, I have extensively advised them on making their countries great. I deliberately wrote those memos to them because they were newly elected, and I hope to see them champion a new beginning. My idea is to remind them about Africanity and its revolutionary proposal as prophesied by Kwameh Nkrumah and Gamel Abdel Nasser. But the reality of the African continent is still at its nadir.

Dear Prime Minister, my problem with your African colleagues is not far-fetched from the fact that the majority of them behave toward the global north as inferior. That inferiority complex in virtually all African leaders could have emanated from the colonial era when our forefathers were subjugated and enslaved by the colonial north. That’s why I firmly believe we don’t have that kind of Mortleyism and Mazruina coming from within them! Indeed, it is quite unwholesome to see almost all 54 African countries struggling to have good leadership and governance even when colonial men and their mentality are no longer in Africa. What makes the African leaders have this second-class inferiority complex mentality? One hasn’t the vaguest idea!

Seriously, out of the 54 African countries, one can hardly tell at least five that are doing very well in economic growth and development. What then happens to the African leadership? What is wrong with Africa?

Dear Prime Minister, as we meet again in Azerbaijan in November 2024, God willing, I hope to be there and express my displeasure over how global leaders have mishandled the issue of climate change negotiations since the Paris Agreement. I am of the view that we give lip service to the climate change matter that today the GHGs produce problems that nobody can escape their public costs. I still believe climate negotiations repeatedly fail to produce realistic agreements because we often focus on reducing public bads instead of contributing to public goods.

While many see the Paris Agreement as a success, people like me think that the result we are getting is still insufficient. Nonetheless, the 2015 COP is still celebrated by some people and countries as a breakthrough!

Sincerely,

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

Chartered (Senior) Quantity Surveyor (MRICS), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), United Kingdom. He is the founder and secretary-general of the African Climate Change Research Centre, United Nations Climate Observer Organization, Jigawa State, Nigeria (2010-Present). Nura is currently the United Nations Designated Contact Point (UN-DCP) on Climate Change for 13 years.

By Muhsin Ibrahim

I wrote about using out-of-pocket money to pay for healthcare in Nigeria a few days ago, which pushes people into poverty. Coincidentally, BBC Hausa had a report on it this morning. The Daily Reality also published an opinion article about it (I shared it earlier).

Most countries of the world have health insurance. It’s, in fact, a necessary requirement to stay in those countries. Why are we doing things differently and wrongly in Nigeria? Less than 10 per cent of Nigerians have health insurance today.

It is undeniable that sickness can strike us at any moment, irrespective of our financial standing. In such a situation, insurance comes to your rescue. Many insurances don’t cover all expenses, but often, they reduce them. So, if some good companies offer such a service, join them.

In all this, governments at all levels have to come in. They should make health insurance mandatory for everyone. Often, the monthly contributions are affordable. Even if you don’t get sick often, it’s important to remember that you are not immune to illness.

I also believe it’s halal to subscribe to the health insurance scheme. Yes, I am not a religious scholar. However, based on some rulings that I am familiar with, it’s not haram to do so.

May Allah guide and provide us with more, amin.

Muhsin Ibrahim is a Nigerian who teaches Hausa at the University of Cologne, Germany.

By Lawal Dahiru Mamman

It is not uncommon to see destitute in motor parks, religious centres, T-junctions and other places that pull crowds clutching a doctor’s prescription, soliciting public support to purchase drugs.

Others plead not to be offered money but instead be accompanied by any good samaritan to the nearest pharmaceutical outlet to purchase the medication on their behalf. This is to free them from the accusation of preying on public emotion to beg for money without any justifiable reason.

These are indications that a number of Nigerians cannot afford drugs to treat themselves owing to the fact that healthcare is predominantly financed by households, without government support. According to pundits, this, among other factors, has been instrumental in pushing many citizens into poverty.

In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, “Up to 90 per cent of all households incurring impoverishing out-of-pocket health spending are already at or below the poverty line – underscoring the need to exempt poor people from out-of-pocket health spending, backing such measures with health financing policies that enable good intentions to be realised in practice.

“Besides the prioritising of services for poor and vulnerable populations, supported through targeted public spending and policies that protect individuals from financial hardship, it will also be crucial to improve the collection, timeliness and disaggregation of data on access, service coverage, out-of-pocket health spending and total expenditure.

“Only when countries have an accurate picture of the way that their health system is performing can they effectively target action to improve the way it meets the needs of all people.”

WHO revealed during the 6th Annual Conference of the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ) last year in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, that “With healthcare out-of-pocket expenditure at 70.5 per cent of the Current Health Expenditure (CHE) in 2019, general government health expenditure as a percentage of the GDP was 0.6 per cent while government expenditure per capita was $14.6 compared with WHO’s $86 benchmark for universal health coverage (UHC).”

Nigeria currently bears the highest burden of tuberculosis and paediatric HIV while accounting for 50 per cent of neglected tropical diseases (NTD) in Africa, contributing 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 24 per cent of global deaths with Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) accounting for 29 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria with premature mortality from the four main NCDs (Hypertension, Diabetes, Cancers, Malnutrition) accounting for 22 per cent of all deaths.

On account of the high disease burden, high out-of-pocket health expenditure and low enrollment into the NHIS, now National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has unveiled operational guidelines for the NHIA to ensure financial access to quality healthcare in line with Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs), consequently putting the country on track of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The Ministry said, “High out-of-pocket payment for health care services is not good enough, and it is not sustainable. Only 9 per cent of Nigerians have insurance coverage, and 90 per cent don’t.

“Ill health is pushing many Nigerians into poverty. We must, therefore, change the trajectory of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

“Many people have wondered why the President added social welfare to the Ministry of Health. The answer is health insurance. Health insurance is the key to the Renewed Hope Agenda, and it is the reason the President added social welfare to the Ministry. This is because the President is aware that we need social protection for our people.”

The guideline, which harmonised crucial provisions of the old operational guidelines with the new Act, provided a legal basis for mandatory participation by all Nigerians, the Vulnerable Group Fund (VGF) for citizens who are able to service their insurance after keying-in and empowered the NHIA to promote, regulate and integrate health insurance schemes in the country among other provisions of the Act so as to contribute to poverty reduction as well as socioeconomic development.

The review expanded the operational guidelines from four to five. The first section, Governance and Stewardship, provides, which was not part of the previous guideline, a broad overview of the roles and responsibilities of the NHIA and stakeholders within the insurance ecosystem.

The second section, schemes and programs, identified contributory, non-contributory and supplementary/complementary schemes to ensure the capturing of public and private sector employees, a vulnerable group including those not captured in the National Social Register (NSR) by pooling resources from government, private sector, philanthropist and even international organisations.

Standards and accreditation, which is the third section, will focus on bringing health workers, health facilities and equipment, and patients under one roof for the meticulous running of the NHIA.

The fourth section of the operational guidelines, data management, allows the NHIA to provide and maintain information for the integration of data health schemes in Nigeria. Such data will allow collaboration data sharing between facilities, medical audits, and research and aid seamless decision-making for the authority.

Offences, penalties and legal proceedings, which is the last of the guidelines, ensures stakeholders’ compliance with the provision of the NHIA and provide a legal instrument for the investigation of grievances and disputes between stakeholder in accordance with protocols of the NHIA.

Implementation of this effort by the Health Ministry will make Nigerians worry less about the financial consequences of seeking medical care, providing avenues for early detection and treatment of diseases, which in turn will guarantee a healthy citizenry and increase population health outcomes for national growth and sustainable development.

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

By Zayyad I. Muhammad

Zamfara State has a sweet-bitter story: massive reserves of mineral resources, including gold, iron ore, granite, limestone, chromate, etc., but illegal mining of gold and other minerals has led to making the state and its neighbours one of the hotspots of banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria.

Zamfara occupies a very important spot in the history of northern Nigeria, being one of the regions in the old Hausa Kingdoms and one of the roots of the Usman Danfodio Jihad of 1804, but its current story is mostly associated with senseless insecurity and bad news.

Zamfara has produced some prominent people who have served Nigeria and humanity well, but nowadays, one cannot talk of misgovernance in northern Nigeria without also pointing at Zamfara state as well.

One cannot talk of the rich culture and important towns in northern Nigeria without mentioning Zamfara. Zamfara hosts some prominent towns in northern Nigeria: Gusau, Kauran Namoda, Anka, Gummi, Talata Mafara, etc.

Some 12 years ago, Zamfara State began to have its fair share of banditry and poverty in Northern Nigeria. There are 8.33 million out-of-school children in northwest Nigeria; when Governor Dauda Lawal took over the state’s affairs, Zamfara accounted for a significant number of this figure. Insecurity, kidnapping, and school closures are some of the factors responsible for the increase in the number of out-of-school children.

In the 2023 gubernatorial election, the people of Zamfara boldly moved away from the past—it was not only surprising, but it shocked the polity. In the presidential election, the Zamfara people voted for the All Progressive Congress (APC), and President Bola Tinubu won the state, but in the gubernatorial election, Zamfarawa voted against the ruling APC in the state; they voted for something entirely new.

But why did the Zamfara people, for the first time in 24 years, massively vote for something outside their traditional trajectory? And why the unnecessary distraction against Governor Dauda Lawal by former Governor Bello Mutawalle and co.? First, let’s look at the man, Dauda Lawal: He is a new-breed politician but an experienced technocrat—someone who is completely outside the ‘system’ borrowing from the language of politicians.

Governor Dauda twice contested the Zamfara PDP gubernatorial primary election and won it twice with a wide margin, beating all his opponents. He is the only gubernatorial candidate whose election was challenged twice in the court of law, but he prevailed. Dauda Lawal spent over 25 years in banking, reaching an Executive Director position at the First Bank. He has over 26 years of post-qualification experience, which covers commercial and public sector banking.

So why the distraction Governor Dauda is facing now when he is trying to tackle insecurity, poverty, out-of-school children, misgovernance, etc.? Recently, there were some shocking revelations from the Zamfara state government: the Zamfara cargo airport and the uncompleted governor’s lodge in the 14 local government areas of the state. Documents released by the Zamfara state government showed that former Governor Bello Matawalle approved the release of over one billion naira for the fencing, landscaping, and furnishing of the governor’s lodge in 14 local areas even before the projects began.

Similarly, the Zamfara state government also released some documents showing that Matawalle has also embezzled over N4.5 billion from the abandoned Zamfara Airport Project, describing the project as a scam and citing what it called dubious transactions. However, Matawalle has denied all the accusations and said that he inherited the Cargo Airport Project from the previous government, saying all the allegations against him were nothing but calculated mischief and diversionary tactics by Governor Dauda Lawal’s government.

In every story, there are three sides: the two sides of the story and the truth, but the truth must be from one of the two sides. But questions need to be asked. Why did the Zamfara people opt for something new and someone ‘fresh’ in the 2023 gubernatorial election? Why did misgovernance and insecurity stay in Zamfara before now? Why is the current government of Zamfara State facing unnecessary distraction? Why is the opposition to the current Zamfara government oiled from the outside of the state, but the masses are supporting the government? The answer to all these questions is likely one: Governor Dauda Lawal seems to have found the silver bullet to solve Zamfara’s headaches: insecurity, poverty, misgovernance, and corruption. If Governor Dauda Lawal succeeds, many people will not only be out of politics but will also be out of the sights and minds of the Zamfara masses, thus the needless distraction to stop Governor Dauda Lawal.

A look at what happened and is happening in Zamfara State: it is obvious that the Zamfara local people’s worldview on governance has changed; they are thirsty for a new beginning free from banditry, corruption, poverty, and mismanagement of the state’s resources, but they also value accountability, inclusivity, responsiveness, and transparency in their aspirations and needs.

Governor Dauda Lawal promised them during his campaign that he would leverage his experience as a technocrat, technology, and people for efficient service delivery and prioritise sustainability and immediate local needs, not white elephant projects. He also promised to face the bandits head-on while protecting human rights and addressing the challenges that birthed insecurity. Thus, many public analysts are of the view that former Governor Bello Mutawalle should have used his current position as Minister of State Defence to work with Governor Dauda Lawal to tackle the security challenges in the state, not unnecessarily distracting the Governor.

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja via zaymohd@yahoo.com.

By Bilyamin Abdulmumin

When the former president Muhammadu Buhari’s praise singer Dauda Adamu Abdullahi Kahutu (Rarara), held a media conference some time ago, he stirred up the hornet’s nest. A press conference that initially appeared to lament about being sidelined in the current government ‘that they work hard to enthrone’ took an unexpected turn. Rarara would veer off the course to make damning allegations about the administration of his former boss. 

One of these damages, which sent shockwaves in social media, was that President Buhari did not leave the office until he brought every part of the country to a grinding halt, stating, ‘sai da ya yi dama-dama da kasar nan’. A journalist immediately posed the question that many Nigerians would be wondering: You were in the administration for eight years but haven’t raised a finger until now. Why? Rarara’s response was typical; he claimed he had been hopeful that something positive would happen, so he remained aloof during the eight-year tenure. 

However, sceptics, who don’t take things at face value, could argue that the president had an eight-year mandate. Within those years, how long would have been enough time for Rarara to raise the alarm? This was not to mention the apparent romance Rarara had had with the government during those years. This reminds me of one scandal that occurred during the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) government, and upon the pressure from the public, GEJ appeared determined to leave no stone unturned, so he gave two two-week ultimatum to the committee he set up to finish the investigation to bring the culprit to book.

However, to the most awe and shock, the person indicted for corruption would join the then-presidential foreign tour immediately after the order. A typical case of saying something, but body language says another. When considering the complete picture of the scenarios, the questionable timing and an unconvincing response led almost everyone to dismiss Rarara’s claims with a wave of the hand.

Rarara also launched another salvo, asserting that the 100 days of Bola Ahmed Tinubu were better than the entire eight years of Muhammadu Buhari. While the general view is that Buhari didn’t meet the messianic expectations set for him, drawing a parallel between eight years and 100 days for two different governments is like judging a sprinter’s performance in the first few meters of a marathon. For Rarara to make this shallow comparison, he must be among the Nigerians who thought 100 days was enough for the government to make substantial development. Ever since the United States president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, coined “first 100 days”, the gesture kept going wild; Nigerians have since imported and made it a ritual.

Because the mainstream media has amplified it and become embraced by the public, the newly elected Nigerian officials have become desperate to show that they could lift Zuma rock in the first 100 days in office. Assuming the new government has no serious court litigations to contend with, and the previous administration has little influence on their government, when did the busybody officials finish digesting the thousands of pages of the transition document handed over to them to decide on the administration trajectory? It is even the previous government budget that is already running. When they started to make their own, when were the projects conceived and implemented and matured for the public’s admiration? The speed at which a project is untimely executed to impress the public would go down the heel with double the speed.

In another arsenal that Rarara unleashed, he claimed to have contributed more to Buhari’s success than Buhari did himself. Following the historic dethronement of the incumbent in 2015, people pondered on the key figures that played the most significant role in paving the way for this landmark event: Rarara, President Buhari, and the Card Reader. Including Rarara in this list is a testament to his significant contribution to President Buhari’s success. However, that is not the complete story. All successful people have a tale to share; one crucial factor that defines them is consistency. They persistently push forward until circumstances align for success. So, in that moment of triumph, who rightfully claims the bragging rights?

Two theories were put forward to explain Rarara’s controversial media conference. One theory suggested that Rarara was acting based on the consent of the current administration, an indirect way of informing the public about the status quo of the country they inherited. Masses were already a block of ice waiting for an opportunity to rupture, no thanks to the ever-increasing prices of goods and services. This gave the ruling APC a conundrum: Should they give themselves excuses by condemning the previous administrations, or should they avoid self-sabotage and keep quiet? Therefore, Rarara, lacking a political appointment but commanding a Northern audience, became a strategic mouthpiece. This theory is plausible enough because, beyond the surface, the government could employ several manoeuvres to shift the public’s focus during hard times to avoid citizens’ wrath. 

The second theory shared by many, including Prof. Abdallah Uba Adamu, was that Rarara is a typical gold digger; his loyalty is not through thin and thick. He has consistently known to forsake one boss at a time of scarceness and identify with another where the abundance is emerging. From praise songs to invective ones; from Saraki Sai Allah for Shekarau to Malam yayi rawa da alkyabba, from dawa ta bare for Kwankwaso to Tsula tsilla tsilla, from uban Abba for Ganduje to hankaka.  But despite that, the nation was surprised to wake up with Rarara’s latest bombshell.  Because Rarara seems to have gone aboard when it comes to Buhari and his government, he goes all out against the critics of Buhari not only in his songs but also in several interviews he offered. 

As Rarara now courts new relationships with incumbents like Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, Dikko Umar Radda, or Bola Ahmed Tinubu, caution is advised. His track record of shifting loyalty raises questions about the depth of his commitment. These figures and their supporters should be wary of potential shifts and assess the sincerity of the newfound alliances.

Bilyamin Abdulmumin wrote via bilal4riid13@gmail.com.