Opinion

By Jibril Mutalib

The naira notes live a life as colourful as the country itself. This isn’t just any currency—it wears its experiences on its sleeve, or rather, on its creases, tears, and patches. The naira isn’t just a medium of exchange; it’s a survivor with a story that shifts depending on where it finds itself in this country.

In the northern part of the country, the naira is a seasoned warrior. It has seen the depths of pockets unwashed for years and battled with rain and sun, leaving it bruised and wrinkled. Yet, the good people of the North, perhaps because of their warm hospitality, never turn their backs on the naira, no matter how worn out it appears in most cases. 

A naira note in Sokoto could look like it just took a swim in the gutter, got into a wrestling match with a goat, and lost a few limbs. But fear not! The traders in the North would still embrace it with open arms. Ah, my friend,” a northern trader might say, “kudi kudi ne”, whether it looks like a prince or a pauper. 

As long as it can buy me a cup of fura or a plate of Denkeli, it’s good enough!” If your money is rejected, then it must be very bad. Perhaps it might have undergone an abnormal surgery where you have Obafemi Awolowo appear on a #50 naira note. Lol.

But when travelling to other regions, the naira’s fortunes change quicker than you can imagine. In places like Kwara, the naira is subjected to intense scrutiny—borderline interrogation. The traders will examine it like a detective at a crime scene, looking for any sign of distress. A small tear? Rejected. A hint of dirt? Not in my shop! And don’t even think about presenting a naira note with a sellotape surgery—it might as well be a counterfeit. Lol.

So, the naira itself is living a double life in different regions of the country. In the North, it is a rugged hero, loved despite its flaws. In the South, it is an outcast, shunned for the slightest imperfection. I wonder why naira notes are treated so differently based on location. 

And so, if you ever find yourself possessing a naira note that has seen better days, do not despair. Simply tuck it away safely and wait until you return to the northern lands. There, you’ll find a warm welcome for your weary traveller. And remember, it’s not just about having money; it’s about having the right money in the right place.

In any region you find yourself, blend with how they treat the currency. When you’re in Sokoto, bring whatever naira you’ve got—no questions asked. I’m not saying they accept money in Sokoto; they do but on rare occasions. If your money is denied, it’s already very bad beyond repairs.

By Rabi Ummi Umar

Recently, I found myself in the heart of Abuja—a bustling city surrounded by the everyday hustle and bustle of urban life. The streets were alive with activities—commercial drivers calling out for passengers, pedestrians hurrying to their destinations, and the overall pace of the city reflecting the urgency of modern life.

Though an intern, I was there with some female staff writers of Economic Confidential, a tabloid published by Image Merchants Promotion (IMPR) Limited. This, however, was not for leisure or sightseeing but for an official assignment—to shoot an episode of ‘Economy on the Streets’ for the Economic Confidential’s YouTube channel. Yet, what caught my attention was something that went beyond the task at hand, revealing a deeper issue about women’s involvement in public discourse.

As a budding communicator, this ‘field trip’ was more than just an opportunity to write news stories, features, or opinion pieces. It was a chance to extend my skills beyond the written word, to engage directly with the public through a street interview—what we call a vox pop—to gauge Nigerians’ thoughts on the contentious issue of the reintroduction of fuel subsidies.

It was also a chance to experience the realities of journalism beyond the confines of a newsroom. To my surprise, I noticed that most of the respondents were men. Conversely, women seemed reluctant to lend their voices or share their opinions on the matter.

At first, I rationalised that perhaps the women were in a hurry, given that it was a weekday. I thought they might not have a few minutes to discuss Nigeria’s pressing economic challenges as more important tasks were awaiting them.

However, as the seconds, minutes, and hours ticked by and the number of women who declined to participate grew, it became clear that they did not want to discuss our nation’s challenges.

This realisation took me back to last year when I was on my Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) with News Digest, an online media platform. I was invited as a guest on WE FM (106.3), a radio station in Abuja, to discuss “Women Participation in Politics.”

During that discussion, I argued passionately that there were insufficient opportunities for women to engage in politics, and I stood firmly by my belief. Yet, a year later, my experience during the street interviews has led me to question this stance. The opportunities, it seems, are indeed out there.

On the streets, even though these women were not holding political office themselves, they had the chance to contribute to public discourse. Yet, they chose not to. This realisation troubles me because it raises questions about women’s participation in public life—whether in political offices or the organised private sector.

We frequently hear discussions about gender equality, inclusivity, roles, and the presence of women in positions of power. However, when we look deeper, we might find that men are not the primary reason women like myself remain on the periphery of public discourse or power.

As women, we may contribute to our marginalisation by refusing to seize opportunities, even when they are right before us. This brings me to a few questions we should all consider: Are women not given opportunities because men seek to dominate?

Are women holding themselves back because society expects them to remain confined to domestic roles? Are we, as women, making efforts to break free from these constraints? Or are we simply holding ourselves back?

While I leave these questions for you to ponder, I want to call on women to recognise that opportunities exist to showcase our capabilities, our capacity to deliver, and much more. We should strive to reach our goals based on what we have to offer.

But we must start somewhere, even if it’s as simple as participating in a street interview. Your voice is vital to society’s prosperity. No matter how insignificant you may think your contribution is, your participation in various aspects of society, community, and the nation at large matters more than you realise. Your voice truly matters.

Rabi Ummi Umar is a student of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin. She can be reached at rabiumar058@gmail.com.

By Abdullahi Yusuf Tela

Introduction 

In many societies, women are constantly reminded of their roles as wives and mothers. They are saddled with the responsibilities of producing and nurturing children and caring for the home. Over the years, however, women have embarked on a struggle aimed at affirming their identities while at the same time doing all they can to transform the societal, cultural, or traditional perceptions of their gender. Women are striving very hard to change these perceptions through education and by creating awareness.

Female writers have significantly helped by making the female characters in their works more prominent. They aim to have female characters that are powerful and outspoken. This is because women in most male writings are often illustrated as subservient. 

In 1966, Flora Nwapa broke the silence of women by publishing her first novel, Efuru, inspiring other female writers. These women used literature to explain the state of their societies, either good or bad, and the importance of female existence in society. These feminist writers include Zaynab Alkali, Buchi Emecheta, Mobolaji Adenubi, and Hilary Rouse-Amadi.

Notably, Azizah, like other female writers, has been able to outline the following feminist angles in her book, A Sackful of Wishes.   

Cultural Feminism:

Cultural feminism celebrates human attributes in women. It focuses on the feminist virtues by celebrating the positive sides of women. In A Sackful of Wishes of Azizah Idris M., Inna Binta, Hadiza’s mother, is a character who portrays aspects of cultural feminism. Inna Binta is a calm, reserved woman who faces a lot of tragedies as a new bride to Mallam Musa. She is hated and manipulated by her co-wife, Mairo Lauje. Inna Binta’s character shows a woman with patience despite the confrontations she faced from Mama Mairo. Cultural feminism believes that there is strength in a woman’s silence. They see the strength in women in the face of oppression. 

Hadiza’s mother, Inna Binta, could endure hardship from her co-wife or return to her parents. Binta remains strong even when Mairo Lauje makes her evil plot to charm her into never staying in Mal Musa’s house. 

Despite all the plots, Binta says, “It’s okay, I can do that . . .as long as she lets me stay with you. You are worth it.”

It is evident from the above quote that Binta, as being put in the cultural feminism, wanted peace for herself, her husband, and her children; that was why she heeded Mama Mairo’s deal. At this point, the cultural feminists view the mother’s strength as crucial. “Mothers have to be strong to take on both roles, loving, protecting, and counselling in turns” (Ngcobo 536).

Marxist feminism: 

The Marxist feminist approach propounded by Karl Marx is embedded in this work. The author portrays Hadiza Musa as someone who earnestly wants to earn for herself and feed her children. When she faces hunger, starvation and poverty, Hadiza immediately engages in a skilled job to take care of her children. She was into plaiting people’s hair and got an immense reward in cash. Hadiza becomes her own woman, independently sourcing and feeding herself and her children. 

It should be noted that Marxist feminists connect the oppression of women to social exploitation and oppression. A Sackful of Wishes by Azizah Idris M. majorly portrays an oppression of the female gender. According to Sotunsa, Marxist feminists believe that male domination is one of the societal ills, and gender oppression must be overcome to overcome societal ills. Hadiza resists the dominance of her husband, AR, whom society believes she needs to bow to. In the text, Hadiza says:  

“I want to start a business.” 

“I don’t have enough money, but I have skill in weaving hair. So, I’m going to start making people’s hair, I want your permission.” (129)

When her husband, AZ, decides to stop her, Hadiza says:

You can’t stop me, you know. You don’t feed me, nor clothe me, you don’t know how I buy my detergent or my body cream or provide the needs of Maahir. You just go out and come home. Some nights, you would try to come near me. Why do you think I got the money for those perfumes and creams that make me feel smooth and appealing to you? You either man up and hold on to your responsibilities or you let me start a business. (129)    

Fortunately for Hadiza, she wins the battle to make people’s hair after Umma Sala, Abdurrazak’s mother, intervenes.   

In portraying her bizarre situation, Hadiza was quoted as thus: 

I resorted to selling two of my wrappers from Mahir’s naming gifts to buy some foodstuffs since I was so heavy, I could not plait my customers’ hair at this stage. I found it difficult to sit for long. They did not sell for much. I saved some of the cash because I knew my situation, and I could need it anytime. I bought some spaghetti and vegetables. My sisters came to check on me the next day. We ate and chatted, and I even gave them some transport fare. Nobody would think things were amiss in my house. (141) 

Another portrayal of Marxist feminism in the text is in the character of Umma Sala, Abdurrazak’s mother. Umma is the boss of the house because her husband, Abdurrazak’s father, is not earning much, and she’s making money with her food business. 

As it turns out, Umma took over control of the house. With her business as a food vendor and other small businesses, whenever she did something in the house, she billed it to Baffa. Whether he had it or not, he would pay when he got some money. 

Radical Feminism: 

A Sackful of Wishes by Azizah Idris M. portrays richly a form of radical feminist approach. Radical feminists view society fundamentally as a patriarchy in which men dominate and oppress women. According to Shulamith Firestone, radical feminists seek to abolish the patriarchy in a struggle to liberate women and girls from an unjust society by challenging existing social norms and institutions. This struggle includes opposing the sexual objectification of women, raising public awareness about such issues as rape and violence against women. 

The central character, Hadiza Musa, exhibits a taste of radical feminism as a woman who mysteriously falls in love with a man so obsessed with her that Hadiza rebels against her husband’s oppressive behaviours. The radical feminism inked in the work portrays Hadiza as a woman who stays firmly and fights against starvation, rape, humiliation, and disrespect from her husband and, subsequently, his. Hadiza Musa rebels to the extent that she leaves her husband’s house several times out of her mother’s frustration and anger. 

Hadiza states that: 

I was fed up with my life. I was just twenty-five years old, but I had seen the difficulties of a sixty-year-old’s lifetime. I did not put on fancy clothes, nor did make-up appeal to me. I had forgotten how to laugh heartily, my soul was a wreck, my spirit in shambles. I was a walking time bomb waiting to explore. The things I bore in my chest were unimaginable. I had a sackful of wishes that I craved, that I needed to explore but could not do that because I was a coward. There, that’s it. (172)

Her rebellious act makes her stand tall against society, which tends to make her return to her horrible marriage. With the assistance of her brother, Yusuf, Hadiza can take the matter to court. She perseveres despite the intricacies of her husband, Abdurrazak, until she finally gets a favourable judgment dissolving the marriage.  

Conclusion

A Sackful of Wishes is one of the many texts that portray the difficulties, hardships, pain, angst, and oppression women experience in their marriages. It is one of the works that uses a feminist approach to fight for women’s freedom and free them from society’s shackles. 

Thus, it is evident from the text that there still exists a repressive and hostile environment against women. The text shows how young Hadiza faces and traverses through oppression and pain from her psychopath husband and his mother. 

Abdullahi Yusuf Tela wrote via abdullahiyusuftela@yahoo.com.

By Kabir Fagge Ali

Nigeria’s oil industry was recently thrown into chaos following disputes that erupted between Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group when the former accused the Dangote Refinery of producing substandard diesel and operating without proper licensing.

As stated by the NMDPRA, the diesel from Dangote’s refinery contained unsafe levels of sulfur, suggesting it was inferior to imported products. In response, Dangote countered these claims by presenting laboratory tests proving his diesel’s superior quality and compliance with international standards.

Dangote emphasised that the NMDPRA had previously accredited his refinery’s in-house laboratory, which added credibility to his defence—going ahead to criticise the reliability of the NMDPRA’s testing methods and called for an investigation into the standards of fuel testing laboratories in Nigeria.

During a visit by leaders from the House of Representatives, Dangote demonstrated the refinery’s production capacities and dismissed allegations of receiving special incentives. Industry analysts confirmed that although the refinery is in the pre-commissioning stage, it is already producing fuel.

This controversy brings to light critical issues surrounding energy security, monopoly, and the potential benefits to Nigeria’s economy as we understand the importance of energy security to national economic stability and development.

For Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, ensuring energy security is essential for economic growth, industrialisation, and the overall well-being of its citizens. Recent changes, such as removing fuel subsidies, have underlined the importance of a robust and reliable energy sector.

Energy security can be viewed through both long-term and short-term lenses. Long-term energy security involves investments that support sustainable economic development and environmental needs. Short-term energy security focuses on the immediate availability and affordability of energy.

It is often noted that energy security encompasses availability (geological), accessibility (geopolitical), affordability (economic), and acceptability (environmental and social) considerations. These address concerns related to the depletion of fossil fuel reserves and environmental impacts.

The Dangote Refinery represents a significant step towards improving Nigeria’s energy security. By reducing the country’s reliance on imported refined products, the refinery aims to enhance energy independence and stability. This shift is expected to alleviate some economic burdens, particularly in light of recent subsidy removals, as I mentioned before, that have led to increased fuel prices and higher costs of goods.

However, there are concerns about monopoly and regulatory oversight. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian government deserves a commendation for collaborating with the Dangote Refinery to address these challenges. Nevertheless, the government and the Dangote Group must work together to ensure that the benefits of this refinery extend to Nigerian citizens.

The Government should ensure that this collaboration includes fair pricing agreements and transparent operations, ensuring that the refinery’s products are affordable and accessible to the populace. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the removal of the subsidy has led to a decline in economic growth, with the country’s GDP contracting by 1.92% in the first quarter of 2023.

The Dangote refinery is a welcome development for Nigeria’s energy security. The refinery, which is expected to be one of the largest in Africa, will have the capacity to produce 650,000 barrels of refined petroleum products per day. This will significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products, thereby reducing the country’s energy costs and increasing its energy security.

Energy security is a critical component of Nigeria’s economy, and the Dangote refinery is a step in the right direction. By reducing the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products, the refinery will help to conserve foreign exchange, reduce the pressure on the naira, and increase the country’s GDP.

Furthermore, the refinery will create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and increase government revenue. However, the Dangote refinery’s dominance in the Nigerian energy market has raised concerns about an energy monopoly.

The NMDPRA has expressed concerns about the refinery’s potential to dominate the market, leading to a lack of competition and high consumer prices. Aliko Dangote has countered that the refinery will increase competition and reduce prices, as it will provide an alternative to imported petroleum products.

Despite the concerns about energy monopoly, the Nigerian government and Aliko Dangote have agreed to collaborate to ensure that the refinery benefits the Nigerian economy. The government has provided incentives and support for the project, while Dangote has committed to ensuring that the refinery operates transparently and competitively.

While the Dangote refinery is a significant development for Nigeria’s energy security, the country still relies heavily on fossil fuels. Nigeria needs to diversify its energy sources to include renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower.

This will reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels, reduce its carbon footprint, and mitigate the impact of climate change.

Although concerns about energy monopoly need to be addressed, the collaboration between the government and Dangote is a positive development. However, Nigeria must diversify its energy sources to include renewable ones to ensure a sustainable energy future.

Kabir Fagge Ali, a youth corps member with PRNigeria Centre, wrote via faggekabir29@gmail.com.

By Abdurrazak Muktar Makarfi

In every society, old age is a phase of life that carries a certain gravity, a reminder of the inevitable passage of time that each of us must face. Seeing an elderly person struggling with tasks that once came easily to them can evoke a deep sense of empathy and respect. 

It is a poignant reminder that no matter how strong or capable we may be today, the years will eventually catch up with us all. This awareness has shaped my interactions with the elderly, fostering a profound respect for them, regardless of their status or achievements. 

When I see an elderly man striving to complete a task that his body can no longer manage, it fills me with quiet sorrow, not because of his struggle alone, but because I recognise that one day, I, too, will face similar limitations. It is this awareness that guides my actions. If an elderly person asks me to stop doing something, no matter how important it may seem, I will stop. Not out of fear but out of respect for the years they have lived and the wisdom they have gained.

This respect for the elderly is not just about acknowledging their age but understanding the value of their experience. They have seen more of life than we have, and their words often carry the weight of that experience. Disregarding their counsel or disrespecting them is not only unkind but short-sighted. It ignores the fact that one day, we, too, will seek the respect and kindness of those younger than us.

Recently, I came across a disturbing video of Sarkin Gobir, a respected elder, who had been subjected to unimaginable cruelty by bandits. The sight of this old man, who had lived through so much, being treated with such brutality shook me to my core. It wasn’t just his status as a leader that made the situation so tragic, but his age. The mere fact that he was an elderly man should have been enough to shield him from such violence. Yet, these bandits failed to see the old age in him, or perhaps they saw it and chose to ignore it, driven by their evil.

When I later heard that Sarkin Gobir had passed away, my heart was heavy with sorrow, not only for his death but for the fate of those who wronged him. They had deprived an old man of his dignity in his final days, and in doing so, they had invited darkness upon their souls. Without Sarkin Gobir’s forgiveness, they are condemned to live with the weight of their actions. And indeed, peace will elude them for the rest of their lives, for they have committed an unforgivable sin against a man who should have been revered, not harmed.

This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of treating the elderly with the respect they deserve. We are all moving towards that stage in life; how we treat those already there will reflect on us when our time comes. If we are harsh and unkind, we cannot expect to be treated differently when we reach old age. But if we show respect, kindness, and understanding to the elderly, we pave the way for our future, ensuring that we will be treated with the same reverence when our hair turns grey and our steps grow slow.

In conclusion, the reverence of old age is not just a societal expectation but a moral imperative. The elderly have earned our respect through their years of life, and we must honour them for who they were and who they are now. We must remember that we are all on the same path, and one day, we will be the ones relying on the kindness and respect of others. Let us hope that by respecting the elderly today, we will secure the same respect for ourselves in the future.

Abdurrazak Muktar Makarfi wrote via prof4true@gmail.com.

By Muntari Umar

The word personal describes someone’s own possession alone—something that belongs to someone and has power over it. Development refers to sequential and evolving changes over some time. It is a gradual and eventual transformation in the state of a particular thing.

Personal development is a series of positive changes ascribed to an individual over time. It is an accomplishment that someone gets over some time due to discipline, patience, dedication, and training. Personal development is beneficial to its owner, including sometimes to the people living around him.It causes happiness and satisfaction.

Therefore, personal development is very important. Every sensible individual should have a target personal development that he will focus on realising. Becoming busy on various aspects of the topic will make one serious and bring public respect, awe, support from the likes, comfort, and other good feelings.

Personal development is a must for people, particularly youths in their twenties and thirties.

Some of its examples include both soft and hard skills. Soft skills such as the ability to communicate very well verbally and in writing, the ability to solve complex problems resulting in wonderful outcomes (creative and proactive), the ability to control one’s emotions, the ability to learn new things quickly (smartness), ability to detect changes around one’s environment and respond accordingly, and ability to operate computers. All these are things that are learned over a while.

Hard skills include carpentry, tailoring, phone and computer repair, fridge fixing, shoe making, welding, painting and wiring houses, building, and vehicle repair, among others. These, too, are learned with time. The two classes of skills generate money for their respective experts.

The paragraphs above show the extreme importance of the day’s business because they are sources of income. Every individual needs money to survive. We all need food, shelter, clothes, medication during sickness, and education from qualitative sources.

Fortunately, money is required to possess all these things, and wonderfully, money comes from a particular ability developed over time. Because as long as you are good at something when the issue of that thing arises, you must be needed and finally be paid.

Money will also boost your immune system and give you much freedom of speech, power, and influence.

These opportunities are almost everywhere. They are easily identified. You need to feed yourself with the passion of your interesting personal development. Befriend its experts. Show them your interest. Respect and be obedient to them.You will gradually, but with patience, dedication, resilience, discipline, and practice, learn and start making money, thereby transforming your life.

Failure to have any personal ability will cause people to look down on an individual, disrespect him, and consider himlazy and useless to his life and his society. People will withdraw from a person who lacks any ability and shows no interest in any matter of development.

With this, I call on all of my fellow youths who lack any skills to embrace learning any available skill they can access. I urge you to become alert and sensitive to the chances of transforming lives. Remember, seeing is with the eyes, while vision is with the mind. Good things will locate you if you think positively.

“Whoever fails to learn learns to fail.” — Anonymous.

Muntari Umar wrote via muntariu94@gmail.com.

By Garba Sidi

Various research studies have confirmed that there are 10,721 bird species in the world (Wikipedia, 2022; IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2022; IOC World Bird List, 2022). Although some species have become extinct due to various factors, new species continue to emerge.

As an avid reader, bird enthusiast, and forest lover, I am amazed by the beautiful colours of different bird species as they fly around their territory and eat nectar, insects, and small mammals in the forest. Observing them in their habitats allows us to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Among the 10,721 bird species, the Cuckoo comprises 140 species, all living in different habitats in various regions. The fascinating behaviour of Cuckoos, which captures the attention of bird enthusiasts and researchers, is their unique reproductive process. 

Unlike other birds, which lay and hatch their eggs in their nests, Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds’ nests after careful observation and selection. They sometimes remove other birds’ eggs from the nest and replace them with their own. The host bird will then hatch the egg and feed the chick until it grows.

This remarkable strategy teaches us about the importance of community members. If not for other birds, the Cuckoo species would not survive. This highlights that people in our society have advantages we may not know will help us someday. For instance, just as Cuckoos rely on host birds for survival, we may find unexpected support from others in our community during challenging times.

Secondly, Cuckoos use the break time of other birds during hatching as an opportunity to exchange their eggs. They watch and observe bird movement, nest structure, and surroundings for many hours. Although their efforts may sometimes go in vain when host birds recognise and remove their eggs, Cuckoos continue their strategic process due to their belief in opportunism. This teaches us to seize opportunities and persevere, just like Cuckoos continue to evolve their species.

Furthermore, Cuckoos’ adaptability is remarkable. They have been observed laying eggs in the nests of over 100 different host species, from tiny warblers to large gulls. This adaptability is crucial to their survival, enabling them to thrive in diverse environments.

Thirdly, Cuckoos have adapted to various environments, from extreme heat to cold, by forcing themselves to adjust. Their ability to live in diverse habitats, such as grasslands, wetlands, forests, and urban areas, teaches us to cope with different situations through patience. For example, just as Cuckoos can thrive in scorching deserts and freezing tundras, we can learn to overcome challenges through resilience and determination.

Moreover, the Cuckoo’s unique reproductive strategy highlights the importance of cooperation and mutualism in nature. Different species can thrive and survive in a challenging world by working together and relying on each other. This is evident in how Cuckoos rely on host birds for survival and how they have developed unique strategies to ensure the survival of their species.

The Cuckoo’s adaptability and resilience offer valuable lessons for our own lives. As we face the challenges of climate change, economic uncertainty, and social upheaval, we can learn from the Cuckoo’s ability to adapt and thrive in diverse environments.

Furthermore, Cuckoo’s unique behaviour and strategies offer insights into the importance of creativity and innovation. We can overcome obstacles and achieve our goals by thinking outside the box and developing new solutions to challenges.

The Cuckoo’s remarkable ability to adapt to different environments and hosts is a testament to their resilience and ability to evolve. This ability to grow is crucial in today’s fast-changing world, where adaptability is critical to survival.

We can also learn valuable lessons about cooperation, mutualism, creativity, and innovation. By embracing the spirit of collaboration and mutualism, we can build more resilient and supportive communities.

As we face the challenges of our lives and our world, we can draw inspiration from the remarkable lives of Cuckoos. By embracing their spirit of adaptability, resilience, and creativity, we can build a more sustainable, compassionate, and vibrant world.

In conclusion, the life of Cuckoo offers valuable lessons about the importance of community, adaptability, and opportunism. Their unique reproductive strategies, adaptability to diverse environments, and persistence in the face of challenges provide insights we can apply to our lives.

By studying the behaviour of Cuckoos, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the natural world and our place within it. Their unique characteristics and behaviours inspire us to be more adaptable, resourceful, and compassionate.

The lessons from Cuckoos’ lives become even more relevant as we face the challenges of climate change, habitat destruction, and species extinction. By embracing their spirit of adaptability and resilience, we can work towards a more sustainable future for all.

In the end, the life of Cuckoo teaches us valuable lessons about the importance of community, adaptability, and opportunism. Their unique behaviour and strategies offer insights we can apply to our lives, from the importance of creativity and innovation to the value of resilience and determination.

Garba Sidi wrote via sidihadejia@gmail.com.

By Abubakar Ibrahim Bako

The Bauchi State political permutation has just started growing, leaving the electorate with futile calculations that would re-jeopardize the state to another version of where it is now. However, since the 2023 general elections, many politicians of substance have gone away from their political allies. But Hon. Usman Adamu Sufi, despite not aspiring for an elective post during the past elections, remains a single person committed to touching the lives of the good people of Bauchi State.

On the plus side, Sufi has garnered goodwill from all sides of the state for the past many years, making the state’s products eagerly await the day they will pay him back for the contributions he has been offering to the state. People’s sympathy is what every politician dreaming of becoming successful needs.

Mr. Adamu’s political dexterity makes him stronger than those who went away from their people until the eve of another election. Notwithstanding, electorates want someone to visit them in the form of condolences, wedding ceremonies, and other things that will make people feel a sense of concern for the commoners.

In addition, Hon. Usman Adamu Sufi appears to be the only person who will play the card for the position of governor without much ado or political stress. This is because he is very clean and healthy, which could pave the way for him to be sold to the electorate, making it difficult for others to win against him.

The way people troop to his camp in the state alerts one to start thinking by saying, “What is this gentle dashing out to them?” Okay, as he is fondly called, Sufi becomes a household name for the humane action he always displays. One can hardly wake up in the morning without hearing about the gesture he extends. He is always making headlines in the state.

Being the last hope for the electorate, I would like to encourage Hon. Usman Adamu Sufi to keep doing what he has been doing to make the lives of commoners manageable. Equally, I would like to urge the people of Bauchi State to be hell-bent on canvassing their massive support for him in any elective post to which he might aspire.

Abubakar Ibrahim Bako writes from Fanfon Shanu, Azare, Bauchi State via Abubakaribrahimbako@gmail.com.

By Nura Jibo

In March 2020, Thwaites, the world’s biggest and riskiest glacier (moving ice) in Antarctica—bigger than Borno, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Gombe combined—broke away due to climate change warming the water beneath it.

The impact of the meltdown of this moving ice, which raised the sea level by 0.05% in March 2020, caused a catastrophic flood disaster globally that brutally affected towns and villages such as Magarya, Hadejia, Ringim, Dabi, Auyo, Kafin Hausa, Miga, etc.

The Thwaites (moving ice) is already on the verge of total collapse because its outflow speed has doubled in the past 30 years. Every year, it loses 50 billion tons of its body mass into the oceans and eventually inside the rivers and dams (NERC, 2021).

Within ten years (2009 to 2019), the Thwaites’ melting accelerated, making it change direction at a speed greater than 10 kilometres per annum. Its tongue, or rather ice tip, had already lost its integrity via melting, which made it weaker due to the effect of climate change.

In 5-10 years, the rapid melting of the Thwaites would swamp vast areas of troughs and low-lying coastal and drylands around the world, including Borno, Jigawa, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, and Benue, within a few decades (Jibo et al., 2020; Fred, 2024).

On December 13, 2021, and February 15, 2023, a group of American Geophysical Union and British scientists met at a global conference to discuss this catastrophic climate change disaster in Antarctica that affected the world’s oceans, rivers, and seas very terribly. They concluded that the Thwaites would most likely collapse within the next five years. Their reason is that this glacier “sheds billions of tons of ice into the ocean, contributing about 4% to the annual sea level rise.”.

Indeed, the total collapse of the Thwaites in the next five to ten years is a recipe for a global, unprecedented disaster that could wipe away several cities, towns, and villages, including the Vanuatu Islands and Pacific and African dryland states such as Borno, Jigawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, and Benue, to mention a few.

If the Thwaites collapse and melt completely, the sea level will rise by two feet. This would wipe out several regions and damage several countries worldwide.

Certain islands across the globe, such as the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, and the Maldives, would be completely wiped off of the map (Henry, 2023). 

Nonetheless, this isn’t the only thing that would happen if Thwaites collapsed. Changes in ice-shelf flooding would increase an unprecedented flow rate of 120 kilometres of underwater mountains.

As of today, climatologists and meteorologists have envisaged that the melting of this glacier would also likely destabilise the structure of the entire earth’s crust, not only its surrounding glaciers and ice shelves but also causing the global sea level to rise by an additional ten feet. 

Indeed, scientists at the AGU, Yale School of the Environment, and NERC that are conducting a study on Thwaites said that the glacier “is hanging on by its fingernails” and humanity needs to prepare themselves for the coming years (Henry et al., 2023). 

Therefore, as humanity commiserates with the entire people of Maiduguri over the early warning signs of the Thwaites along Nigeria’s drylands, it is very likely that it has already passed a point of no return unless there is drastic intervention. As Fred (2024) asserted elsewhere, “It is too late to prevent its collapse, but others say we could have 200 years. But it certainly could be beyond its tipping point, and we have to be prepared.”

The Thwaites climate change paradox:

It is a scientific fact that a polluted cloud doesn’t rain itself. It tends to grow bigger, and in the end, it bounces sunlight out to space. The effects of fossil fuels and terrible human activities in industries have caused global air pollution and depleted the ozone layer very badly. This singular man-made negative contribution to the planet has caused mankind to make a huge mistake in driving home environmental pax Africana and global environmental regeneration (Jibo, 2024).

Indeed, Borno, Jigawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, and Benue will struggle to cope with the torrential rainfall runoff that will engulf the entire River Gongola through the River Benue via Opalo and Imburu, passing through Kiri, Mada, and up to Jigawa along the Bare and Sabara tributaries.

A map obtained from the Google Earth platform has shown some “promise” over this interesting water body mass run-off.

The other three paradoxical impressions given by the Thwaites are as follows:

The shattering of the ice.

Ocean melting.

Losing grip on seamount.

According to Pettit et al. (2021), there are already signs of fractures propagating along weak zones of the Thwaites. This is aggravated by the melting down of the seabed due to warming, and the entire ice could be gone by 2030 or even before that time.

Nura Jibo MRICS has been a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Designated Contact Point (UN-DCP) on Climate Change for 14 years.

By Bilal Muhammad Bello

Sir, as a concerned indigenous person of the Kumbotso Local Government Area, I am writing this letter to remind you of a project that your administration has abandoned.

Your Excellency, I want to commend you for the unparalleled projects you have bequeathed in Kano State, especially in road construction in urban and rural areas. Not to mention other roads that are still under construction. The public, inhabitants of Kano State and visitors to the state can testify to your good work.

Today, the Kano metropolis has roads built with green verges, pedestrian walkways, drainage systems, street lights, and an underpass, all thanks to the development of your orientation.

Sir, the people of Zawachiki Diga, Yankusa, Rinjin Wanzamai, Gadama, and Kumbotso Township in Kumbotso Local Government Area want to draw your attention to the reconstruction of Kumbotso Road from Zawachiki Diga—Kumbotso Township to Zaria Road.

As we all know, the road network contributes immensely to Kano state taxation because of the Challawa Industrial area and the socio-economic development of the area.

It is also important to draw the governor’s attention to the silent neglect of the construction of Sabuwar Gandu—Danmaliki to Kumbotso Township Road, which has stopped. 

Therefore, I wish to appeal to the governor to do something about these roads so as to bring succour to our people whose economic activities, livelihoods, and related developmental issues have been hampered by their deplorable state.

I respectfully appeal to your administration to revive these projects and alleviate the hardships faced by our people.

Bilal Muhammad Bello (BMB) is a student of Mass Communication department, Bayero University Kano.