Opinion

By MD Aminu, PhD 

Yesterday, I met a young lady who graduated with a degree in fisheries from the University of Port Harcourt. She was hesitant to tell me about her field of study because she often encountered scepticism about its prospects. Initially, she had wanted to pursue engineering but was assigned to fisheries. Many of her classmates transferred to other departments after their first year, driven by the belief that fisheries lacked career opportunities. 

The lady shared her concerns that people often looked down on her course of study, assuming it had no potential for a sustainable livelihood or a great career. However, I assured her that a fisheries degree holds significant promise and began to outline various opportunities, although our conversation was cut short. 

If I had pursued a degree in fisheries, here is the approach I would take to maximize its potential. With a good first degree in fisheries, I would utilize my national service year to study diligently for the GRE, preparing for graduate school in the United States or Canada. Prior to graduation, I would research the top researchers in fisheries globally and identify the institutions they belong to. By examining their research trends over the years, particularly focusing on the last five years, I would gain insights into the latest advancements and focal areas in the field. 

I would then reach out to these researchers, discussing my plans for graduate school and exploring potential funding opportunities within their departments. This proactive approach would demonstrate my interest and alignment with their work. 

Additionally, I would investigate the practical applications of these research trends beyond academia, specifically looking at what employers of fisheries graduates, such as FAO, IFAD, and the World Fish Centre, are currently focused on. Understanding that these organizations emphasize sustainability in their programs, I would delve into the major issues concerning sustainable livelihoods and fisheries management. 

As an African, I would pay particular attention to sustainability challenges relevant to African fisheries. This would ensure that my studies and future research remain pertinent and impactful within my regional context. Additionally, I would explore what researchers in sustainable fisheries in the tropics are identifying as future problems, aiming to stay ahead by addressing medium- and long-term challenges. 

Securing admission to a reputable university under leading fisheries researchers would be a significant milestone. My goal would be to produce a doctoral thesis that is futuristic, globally relevant, and applicable to Africa. I would aim to publish at least three research papers in leading fisheries journals, establishing my expertise and credibility in the field. Throughout my graduate studies, attending leading conferences where fisheries experts convene would be essential. Presenting my research at these events would enhance my visibility and allow me to network with professionals from both industry and academia.

 As I near the completion of my research, I will actively seek positions at global organizations like FAO, IFAD, and the World Fish Centre. Additionally, I would monitor the activities of institutions like the African Development Bank and other UN organizations involved in fisheries and food security in Africa, aiming to identify relevant vacancies. 

Securing a position in a global organization would provide not only an exciting career opportunity but also a platform to make a significant impact. My work would contribute to global initiatives in fisheries management and sustainability, and my expertise would be recognized internationally. 

By strategically planning my education and career path, networking with top researchers, understanding industry trends, and focusing on sustainability, I would be able to carve out a successful and impactful career in fisheries. By leveraging available resources, staying informed about industry trends, and aligning my studies with global and regional sustainability challenges, I would ensure that my fisheries degree opens doors to a fulfilling and globally influential profession. 

The young lady I met need not worry about the perceived limitations of her degree. With determination and strategic planning, she can transform her fisheries education into a thriving career with significant impact.

MD Aminu can be reached via mohd.aminu@gmail.com.

Isma’il Hashim Abubakar, PhD

Being one of the followers and now among proponents (perhaps pioneers) of Jafarology, an ongoing hypothetical intellectual formulation of a school of thought that seeks to document, survey and study the scholarly legacies of Shaykh Ja’far Mahmud Adam from multiple angles and diverse approaches, I ought to blindly oppose, like many fellows, anything favourable connected to Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The reason for this is apparent: Shaykh Ja’far, my favourite scholar, had a bitter polemical engagement with Sanusi, and the duo exchanged hot tirades that escalated to the use of deregulatory labels and scathing monikers to attack each other. 

As someone who always aspires to operate objectively and dispassionately, in addition to having conducted a broad investigation on the pros and cons of the dispute between the two prominent figures, I feel it a duty-bound and personal responsibility to reveal what many people are oblivious of, mainly as thousands of people rely on the recorded and widely circulated sermons of the late Shaykh Ja’far against Sanusi to not only point to the latter’s lack of competence to rule the Islamic society of Kano but to go to the extent of excommunicating him.  

My decision to join issues with Sanusi’s critics on this saga, most of whom I believe are sincere, was informed by the desire to clear many misconceptions and set the record straight. Perhaps it will sound shocking if I boldly suggest that were Shaykh Ja’far alive today, having witnessed the many transformations in Sanusi’s career and the onerous memorable developments witnessed as a result of his adventurous capacity in the various roles he served, including as the 14th Emir of Kano, the late prominent cleric would have hailed and applauded Emir Sanusi in the same degree, if not higher than, he praised a few traditional figures. 

During his reign before the government of the day’s interruption, Emir Sanusi presided over a lively empire that revived, to a greater degree, the culture of intellectual debate and involvement of scholars and luminaries in various fields in the decision-making exercise. Sanusi’s leadership in prayer, his daily free-feeding scheme for the poor and regular comments on the goings-on, which were sometimes controversial, were all rendered dormant by his dethronement. Therefore, in as much an admirer of Shaykh Ja’far criticises Sanusi relying on the positions of Shaykh Ja’far on the former in some respects, one cannot help but align with Sanusi for epitomising what Shaykh Ja’far had been preaching, perhaps more than many of his peers who served similar roles as his. 

Having conducted my PhD research and written the thesis on the career, thoughts and ideas of Shaykh Ja’far and awarded a doctoral degree in July 2023 by Mohammed V University, Rabat, I present below a section in which I examine the engagement between the cleric and Sanusi, a social analyst by then. Enjoy.

Ja‘far had a bitter engagement with Sanusi Lamido Sanusi for the latter‘s critical view of the Shari‘ah project and other issues associated with Islam and Muslims in Nigeria. In one Friday sermon, the content of which was partly reflected in a newspaper interview by the Weekly Trust with the late Shaykh, Ja‘far depicted Sanusi as (a nominal) Muslim who imbibed some features of hypocrisy, which then informed his criticism of Islamic values and Shari‘ah, while attacking Muslim governors who were committed to the return and implementation of Shari‘ah. Ja‘far argued that Sanusi, who was then residing in Lagos, did not, conversely, pen a single essay to condemn the massacres of Muslims by the OPC in the Southwest. Ja‘far further expressed disappointment over what he regarded as a brazen act of Sanusi, who paraded himself as a social critic and intellectual, only to rubbish northern Muslim leaders who, in their effort to resist the marginalisation of Muslims by President Obasanjo, held meetings in Kaduna on the issue.

Ja‘far‘s dismay over Sanusi‘s rubbishing of Muslim leaders who complained of marginalisation of Muslims by the Obasanjo administration was a reference to Sanusi‘s article in which he argued that having fewer Muslims in the executive arm of the federal government was nothing scary, as scholars like Ja‘far and the northern leaders were ―needlessly – crying out. In the words of Sanusi, to reduce Obasanjo‘s crime to the number of members of the Muslim elite he has appointed-or rather not appointed – to key positions and to pretend that if we had more Muslim appointees,then Muslims would be better off automatically, to say this, is to speak from an ethically blind perspective (https://www.gamji.com/sanusi/sanusi48.htm).

Sanusi‘s concern that there was virtually no difference between Muslims and non-Muslims in terms of performance and citizen-concerned leadership was, to a large extent, correct. Ja‘far himself mostly criticised Muslim politicians who, in some regimes, dominated the echelons of power but failed to solve the myriad problems of their people, while in some occasions, he indirectly upheld the records of some non-Muslims who did better than their Muslim counterparts in some capacities. Nevertheless, equitable representation and centralisation of power are important ingredients of democratic dispensation, the absence of which has the potential of throwing political entities into chaos. Sanusi‘s criticism came at a time when sentiments among Muslims over marginalisation were heightening. Not only that, but it came at a time.

Obasanjo was convening a national constitutional review conference, which was seen as a robust chance to further shut out Muslims in the scheme of things. After all, despite being in the minority, Christians were given slots for delegation,which outnumbered Muslim delegates, hence the too much anxiety from the Muslim quarters.

When he took a swipe at Sanusi about Shari‘ah, Ja‘far was obviously referring to Sanusi‘s arguments in some of his writings where he portrayed the Shari‘ah as a tool for politicians to promote their popularity, while in essence, not applying the Shari‘ah to themselves but limiting it to the poor. Similarly, Sanusi had intensely criticised some rulings of Shari‘ah courts, which passed hudud verdicts over convicted criminal cases like flogging in the case of fornication, stoning for adultery and amputation for thievery. This had, at the time, led many Muslims in the country to conclude that Sanusi was a secularist Muslim or even a Marxist pursuing an anti-Shari‘ah agenda. But at the same time, he earned accolades and commendations from the Southern press and intellectuals who hailed him as an enlightened, progressive, reformist, modernist Muslim, etc. 

Ja‘far‘s Friday sermon and newspaper interview were greeted with Sanusi‘s ripostes in which he challenged Ja‘far‘s view of him and descended on the Kano-based scholar‘s personality. Sanusi dismissed Ja‘far as “an unknown quantity that rides on the back of religious fundamentalism to gain social relevancy” but also described him as “a Nigerian who was educated on the charity of Saudi Arabia and whose mosque and school – his source of livelihood – are funded by Arabs (http://www.gamji.com/sanusi/sanusi49.htm). 

This attack opened floodgates of defensive rejoinders from supporters of both Ja‘far and Sanusi, with some accusing the latter of pontificating about his “privileged background” and someone who “can tangle with the Karl Marx‘s of this world but not Qur‘an and Sunnah”, hence he “could not contribute to his society and religion as Sheikh Ja‘far does”. Although he admitted that Sanusi‘s response was too offensive for a respected scholar like Shaykh Ja‘far, one defender of the then-Kano prince observed that Sanusi‘s arguments were “not entirely bereft of its merit and sound judgment”, particularly his call for the adoption of “national identity”, rather than clinging onto ethnic and geographic proclivities.

Whatever the case, Sanusi seems to have developed an ambivalent position toward the Shari‘ah project in Nigeria, either because of the persons involved in the project or due to some personal interpretations of his on the Shari‘ah codes which might differ from the mainstream conception of Shari‘ah. As an independent thinker and intellectual, a quasi-Islam scholar, Sanusi is sometimes a complex person who is too difficult to predict. As opposed to Ja‘far‘s allegation that there was not a single instance in which Sanusi mounted a public discourse in defence of Islam, some other developments showcased Sanusi siding with Shari‘ah and championing the cause of some 

fundamental aspects related to it. In one conference held in London in 2005, Sanusi not only defended the Shari‘ah but also juxtaposed it against Western legal values, pointing out the defects and hypocrisy in the normalisation of free sexual relationships with multiple women while ridiculing polygamy, the myopic legal protection of a murderer by not subjecting him to the same death process, etc (http://www.gamji.com/sanusi/sanusi51.htm).

Similarly, in one other article, Sanusi countered the growing sentiments from Christian quarters about the potential of Shari‘ah controversy to plunge Nigeria into crisis, arguing that it was the portrayal of Shari‘ah in a bad light, that was an “attribute of injustice, this tendency to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it that will destabilise Nigeria, and not introduction of sharia”. Exonerating the Zamfara State government from some unfounded stories related to Shari‘ah implementation, Sanusi accused Christian leaders of threatening peace in the country by convening conferences to propagate anti-Shari‘ah rumours, calling on Christians to “judge Shari‘ah by what the Shari‘ah is” while arguing that “the historical church is no yardstick for measuring Islam”. Sanusi boldly declared that if “Christians fear intolerance from Shari‘ah, or accuse Islamic law of being barbaric, therefore, it is because their knowledge of Shari‘ah is limited to the bible and their experience under catholic popes which led to rebellion and secularism” (http://www.gamji.com/sanusi/sanusi8.htm).

 Therefore, Sanusi advised one Christian-owned newspaper, the Guardian, to listen to the Zamfara state government. It is time to know that the Qur’an and Sunnah enjoin creating a just and honest society and protecting freedom of religion and conscience. It is time to ask those who feel there are legal problems to go to a court of competent jurisdiction. Alhaji Ahmed Sani has repeatedly said his priorities are good government, education, poverty alleviation, and moral rebirth. He has assured non-Muslims of the full protection of their rights. He has never declared Zamfara an Islamic state (see http://www.gamji.com/sanusi/sanusi8.htm).

Above all this, as detailed in chapter two, it was when Sanusi served as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria that Muslims finally got the approval for non-interest banking and financial transactions, otherwise known as the Islamic banking system, to operate despite the vehement rejection by Nigerian Christians. Sanusi, who was once hailed by Christians and upheld as “progressive” in the Southern press, had quickly transformed into an agent of Islamization of Nigeria and was labelled with different dismissive names. Sanusi was subsequently promoted in the Muslim milieus as a hero and champion for Muslims and Islam, particularly as Christians united against him, calling for his removal from his post as CBN governor.

Interestingly, although this development was realised in 2012, five years after Ja‘far‘s assassination, Ja‘far‘s public discourses were full of advocacy and agitation as early as the late 1990s for the introduction of interest-free, Islamic-compliant banking and financial transactions.

Furthermore, when Sanusi became the emir of Kano in 2014, he transformed into a religious scholar who not only closely related with scholars, some of whom were members of Ja‘far‘s circle, but he uniquely led religious functions like serving as an imam and giving a weekly sermon, addressing the topic of public concern, much tallying with the way Ja‘far had been advocating for Muslims rulers. Sanusi built a reputation as one of the few traditional chiefs who used to boldly challenge the policies of governments, a move that largely contributed to his deposition in 2020 by the Kano State Government. As shown elsewhere in this chapter, Ja‘far gave special emphasis on the role he envisaged Muslim rulers to play in defending the interests of their subjects and uplifting them in multidimensional spheres of life, and this seemed to be one of Sanusi‘s priorities as the emir of Kano. It is safe, therefore, to trace some fundamental areas of convergences between the two fearless figures, born nearly the same year and at some point both went to Sudan and studied at the OIC-funded International University of Africa, Khartoum. 

If Ja‘far were alive when Sanusi navigated the later developments that catapulted his prestige among religious leaders and ordinary Nigerian Muslims, Ja‘far would have been most outspoken in celebrating the achievements recorded by Muslims through Sanusi. Interestingly, as two informants have revealed to me and later confirmed to me by Sanusi himself, before Ja‘far died, a meeting was arranged by Sanusi‘s mother where the duo had reconciled, understood each other and sheathed their swords.

Isma’il writes from Rabat and is reachable via ismailiiit18@gmail.com.

By Zayyad I. Muhammad 

Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, former Honourable Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, an Islamic sheikh, and a UK-trained Ph.D. holder, has found himself in a triangular situation: an Islamic sheikh, a politician, and an academic. This revered status means any issue that affects his personality will always be a hot topic and attract public scrutiny.

Pantami’s full transformation into a politician who is eyeing the ‘ballot box’ was noticed during this year’s Ramadan Tafsir; his style of delivery and the content of his messages were noticeably altered. Traditionally known for his sticking to religious contents during tafsirs, this time, the sheikh took every opportunity to showcase his extensive knowledge of the economy, geography, and global politics. This shift did not go unnoticed by the audience and observers.

Pantami’s discussions were peppered with references to economic policies, geographic strategies, and the intricacies of international relations, signalling a significant change in his focus and priorities. Pantami continues to align himself more closely with political aspirations, and his body language has also evolved to reflect this new ambition. 

Recently, controversies, debates, and discussions have emerged about Pantami’s books, Skills, Rather than Just a Degree and A Scholar’s Journey: Navigating the Academia. These books trended for a while and reignited old controversies about how he obtained his professorship. This situation has also awakened Pantami’s political adversaries, who view his behind-the-scenes early efforts to enter the Gombe state governorship race as an encroachment on their territory.

Many politicians, especially in his home state of Gombe, are upset with Pantami because they view him as an outsider who seized opportunities to occupy their ‘slots,’ first as the Director-General of NITDA and later as a federal minister representing Gombe State. However, after eight years of working independently, he now seeks their support to establish himself in their domain.

Conversely, the majority of Pantami’s critics regarding his appointment as a professor are academics. In contrast, most of those who backed the critics were Pantami’s political opponents and their supporters.

One of Pantami’s critics was reported to have penned this: 

“Mr. Pantami was only for the most part a Lecturer 1 or 2 where he first served and didn’t spend a whole working career in the university system or in a university’s employment,” he was “made” a Professor by a university where he never worked, taught, sat in its Senate, worked in its committees, never examined or marked UG or PG exam scripts, and his whole promotion papers were never processed at the departmental and faculty levels, and, indeed, he never had a payroll number… Mr. Pantami was thus never a scholar in the classical or academic sense of that word. I wonder whether he’s now teaching or giving classes or seminar papers at any university after his leaving office in May 2023.”

On the other hand, supporters of Pantami’s professorship encompass academics with a fondness for him, members of religious groups, his students, and his political associates. 

In fairness to Pantami, having held a ministerial position, he is already entrenched in politics. Moreover, the criticisms in his books predominantly consist of one-off comments rather than comprehensive analyses or academic discourse. Furthermore, Pantami’s challenge for a debate on his book is yet to take place. 

The debate about Isa Pantami’s books, professorship, and foray into politics has three divides: his adherents, his opponents, and those sitting on the fence. The views of his followers and critics are well known and are often based on their perspectives. However, those sitting on the fence have, on many occasions, provided valid points both for and against Pantami.

Isa Ali Pantami’s transition from an Islamic scholar to a politician and professor has sparked both controversy and applause. His political opponents view his entry into politics as an intrusion into their territory, while his academic critics regard his professorship as ‘unearned.’ On the other hand, his supporters perceive his multifaceted identity—as a sheikh, a politician, and a professor—as exceptional among his peers.

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

By Dr Raji Bello

Following encouragement from some friends, let me say what I’ve been a bit reluctant to say. It is based on my conviction as a dispassionate and non-partisan observer and of course, as a non-indigene of Kano State.

The root cause of the emirship imbroglio in Kano, in my view, was the inability of Muhammadu Sanusi II to subordinate himself and his office to the Ganduje administration as required by the terms of his appointment. This is essentially what triggered every other thing that has happened and which has led us to where we are today. To correct any problem permanently, we need to examine its root cause.

I am not saying that Sanusi is not an emir of high intellect who is enormously popular among the people. This assessment of mine is based on only one criterion — his willingness or ability to comply with the terms of his appointment — and it is made without prejudice to his qualities, endowments and accomplishments as an individual, technocrat and emir. Like other human beings, the emir is not perfect. He might have excelled in 9 out of 10 criteria but his failure in the 10th is the cause of the emirship crisis because it happened to be a very important criterion.

All post-colonial emirs and traditional rulers have been obligated to demonstrate loyalty and due courtesy to government be it colonial, democratic or military. History is replete with examples of the huge price that was exacted each time an emir fell short on loyalty towards government.

As an intellectual of high standing, the emir must have been aware of that history. When he set out to be emir, he should have been conscious of the terms of appointment and should have fully reflected on whether it was the appropriate platform for someone of his disposition or not. The emir seems to want the Kano emirship in its pristine 19th century form when it didn’t answer to a non-traditional authority. This betrays a lack of situational awareness and good judgement because the reality is that the 19th century is long gone and can never be brought back. So if anyone is interested in becoming emir in the 21st century, it has to be under 21st century terms.

The Ganduje administration had accused the emir of multiple infractions from political partisanship, insurbordination and failure to demonstrate courtesy towards it. Some of these infractions had played out in public for all to see and hear which means that they were not false accusations. I do not fully endorse the former government’s actions (which bore traces of the usual Nigerian impunity) but it is clear that it was provoked into taking actions against the emir. I believe that all state governments are inclined by default to respect the traditional institutions within their states and hostilities only break out when there is a breach of the terms of appointment (usually, but not always) on the part of the traditional rulers.

There is no individual who is so important or popular that they would enjoy exemptions from complying with the terms of their appointment. This is an incontrovertible fact. A friend told me that the emirship style of Aminu Ado Bayero is a bit bland compared to that of Muhammadu Sanusi II. I replied that this is true but the Aminu style is actually the correct one.

Post-colonial emirship is not a radical or revolutionary platform and, after the 1976 Local Government Reforms, the traditional institutions in northern Nigeria lost all the vestiges of authority that were previously delegated to them under the Native Authority system. The post of traditional ruler is now just a custodianship of heritage whose essential features are loyalty, co-operation and circumspection.

Yes, Sanusi is wildly popular, has a deeper intellect, a gifted oratory and displays a higher sartorial elegance but it was Aminu Bayero who was doing the emirship correctly under its current terms. Those who cheered Sanusi as he breached the terms of his appointment were not helping him or the Kano emirship institution.

By Mukhtar Jarmajo

The recent appointment of Mallam Isa Yuguda as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has sparked hope for a new era of growth and excellence at the institution.

As a former minister and governor, Yuguda brings a wealth of experience to the table, which will be crucial in shaping the future of NOUN.

However, the new leadership faces significant challenges. NOUN has struggled with issues of funding, infrastructure and quality of education, which have hindered its ability to reach its full potential.

One of the primary challenges is the need to improve the university’s infrastructure, including its virtual learning platform, to enhance the learning experience for students.

Another challenge is addressing the issue of funding, which has been a perennial problem for NOUN. The new leadership must explore innovative ways to secure sustainable funding to support the university’s programs and initiatives.

The quality of education is also a critical area that requires attention. NOUN must ensure that its programs meet the highest standards of academic excellence, and that its graduates are competitive in the job market.

Despite these challenges, the prospects for NOUN are bright. With the right leadership and support, the university has the potential to become a center of academic excellence, providing access to quality education for millions of Nigerians. The new leadership must also focus on building strategic partnerships with local and international organizations to enhance the university’s research and innovation capabilities.

Furthermore, NOUN must leverage technology to expand its reach and improve its services, including online learning platforms and digital resources. It has the potential to play a critical role in addressing Nigeria’s development challenges, including poverty, inequality, and unemployment. By providing access to quality education, NOUN can help build a more skilled and competitive workforce, which is essential for driving economic growth and development.

The new leadership at NOUN faces significant challenges, but the prospects for growth and excellence are bright. With the right vision, leadership, and support, NOUN can become a beacon of hope for millions of Nigerians, providing access to quality education and driving national development.

Jarmajo wrote from Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.

By Bilyamin Abdulmumin

To commemorate Workers’ Day on May 1st, FG announced the long-awaited salary increase from 25% to 35 %. However, hours later, the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, kicked against the increase and instead stuck to the 615,000 they proposed as minimum wage.

Although this total figure looks astronomical, it suddenly looks normal, putting the breakdown that Ajaero gave into perspective, especially with the current high inflation. At least that amount should reflect the salary of anyone receiving 100k or more before Tinubu came to power. In other words, the breakdown might be exaggerated to the bottom-line salary earners but not the middle ones.

When several pundits shared their analysis on National Assembly wages, the Ajaero recommendation suddenly became realistic again. The National Assembly’s daily take-home is more than the recommended minimum monthly take-home. So, the argument is that if NA daily wages are so high, the minimum monthly salary asked by NLC should not be too much. This is quite plausible.

But from the interview Abdulaziz Abdulaziz gave, it could be discerned that the highest minimum wage the government is ready to pay is double the current minimum. Abdulaziz first clarified that the current salary increase is temporary, pending when the tripartite committee under the former head of service concluded their assignment. However, as a committee member, he said unlike the 25 to 35% increase, the minimum wage may go up to 50 to 60k. He also emphasised that the federal government is bidding for the highest among the three parties: federal, state, and private.

An argument accompanying the discussion of salary increases is the plight of non-governmental citizens. The argument is that if FG increases government workers’ salaries, what about the rest of the citizens? To buttress this point, government workers are said to be just about 10% of the total population. This argument appears to carry substance, but it is misleading by flipping the coin because the more money on the government workers, the more money on every one.

The people who should be rather pitied are the state and LG workers. Because some of these tiers of government still receive the 1999 salaries benchmark. A friend who works with the local government health sector summarises their predicament. He said a decade ago, when he married, a mudu of foreign rice was 450 naira, and they only used half of it. Now the mudu costs five times, and because their family has increased, they need the whole mudu, but the pathetic part is that the salary hasn’t only increased since, but several bogus deductions have eaten deep into it.

At this time when the FG and labour are arguing about high salary increases to meet public expectations due to high inflation, there is no better time to remind ourselves of the famous “Udoji award” than now.

As a fan of Dan Anache, I heard one of his songs mention “Udoji.” I understood that he was mocking someone, but I didn’t know what it meant, so I took it at face value and enjoyed the song. The lyrics read: “Kai baka soja, kai baka dan sanda, kattsaya jiran Udoji. To Udoji in dai sadaka ce muma araba abamu.” It wasn’t until I came across Mahmud Juga’s article titled “UPE, WAI and Udoji” that I realised what it meant. 

In the article, Jega concluded, “Why has there been no Adebo and no Udoji in this country since 1974? Any young person who does not know what that means should please ask the elders.” So, with the right name in hand, I did what everyone does when faced with a burning question—I turned to search engines.

The Middle East, the world’s oil bank, is known for conflicts and unrest, so anytime one arises, just like the current one is on the card, the global oil price experiences a meteorological rise. One of the most popular oil price rises occurred during the Arab-Israeli War and the Iranian revolution in the 1970s. This was when Nigeria had had an oil boom, and there appeared to be no idea what to do with excess money, so the Udoji Award was. 

Jerome Udoji chaired the committee focused on the effectiveness of public service. One of the committee’s recommendations was to increase the salary twofold, which was implemented by the military head of state, Yakubu Gowon. The salary increase was so popular that it became known after Udoji. Please, someone should tag the current chairman of the minimum wage committee, Bukar Goni Aji.

There is no oil boom now, but there is a subsidy removal boom. So, to paraphrase Jega, Please FG, why has there not been a Udoji Award since 1974?

By Sharif Ishaq Abubakar

Introduction

Man envisages hope and secures confidence. In the course towards thriving to make a better positive arrival to the future, emanating from a past and rolling to a thoughtful destination, though I’m not quite sure, I set goals to beat what has to spell the past. There is a joint alliance with history as a discipline and what a layman could call the “Good old days”. 

The good old days, as the essay subscribes to them, are precision in explaining what is commonly attested to when there is a flashback in a human being’s life, portraying the rosy and more easygoing way of life or the simple life of the past. This is usually not welcome in the language of academic historians, as what is more vividly visible is the past in response to the doctrine of history. 

The good old days in question are what I find and regard as a commonly digested utterance by those who find their past life more pleasing. They are not necessarily shouldered with success in a weighted rate, but a sense of appeasing and touching unforgettable times that the present has swallowed but left tangible emotions for the utterer to describe. It is not elusive. It happened, occurred, took place, and was quite eventful. 

With this periodic relevance, I sensed a spectacular alliance between the history known as a Study and the phrase candid by mostly good explainers of events and happenings, adhering and recalling their past days as the good old days. I see the two working relatedly, but I saw them separating as the latter could not get a fixed spot as shallow as a topic.  This essay, therefore, will highlight the alliance of History and the phrase” Good old days”.

The Past and the Emotion of the Old Days

This piece does not set itself in the medicinal or health advocative stance, guided by medication or clinical hypothesis. In this context, the past and the emotion of the old days patronise a common fact that should be well acknowledged by every human being, which posits that the past was not that less patchy or lacked bruises in the lane that gave birth to the present. There were struggles, but the man still thrived like the men of the stone age. The measures and methods might not constitute similar skills and advancement, but what ascertained the inbuilt tradition of man is to uncover the path for survival, which further comes with attached conditions and risk-taking that also spells more of man’s ways. 

If this is how the generational pattern of man’s life was and will continue to be, how did man develop emotion for the past and even refer to the past with an emotional remembrance phrase, the Good old days?

I found the worthiness of my response to these questions in stages of human being growth. 

In the study of history, those before us paved the way for the advancement we enjoy today, and we are responsible for what will become of future advancement. It is a stage, and it is periodical. Man, stages of growth come with several definitive developments and mistakes, which transform into lessons. Historically, our forefathers have been down to us, and we shall be forefathers to another set. 

Man grows up leaning on his parents, forming a bond and several events transpiring in his life; in several clicks of time, one can no longer go back to those days, but the days stay in the heart, brain and the whole body system, despite the natural heritage from the parents which of course speaks clearly of who you took after, one still look back at the gone days and smile, blushing out some event that occurred not because there were meant to make a joke of, but because there are several notable notations attached to that scenarios. The past is lovely because it makes you remember who you are and what you are supposed to strive for. The mind works in a mysterious way that flashes back in a second to events that take you out of your present, honouring the past and handing over the juridical capability to make your choice forward. It is emotional, but the phrase “good old days” weighs a lot.

The Alliance of History and the Phrase the “Good Old Days”.

Standing from within, inspecting the past, observing the turning points of events, and profoundly judging the historical stages that led to the current development, one would apparently love the past because it is historical; it takes you back to the meaning of the present. This sets a distinct correlation between the term history as a study and the above phrase.

What will become of the understanding of democracy or the modern pattern of international relations when one thinks of imperialism and how it transpired, where it became economically and practically legal to show nation strength and capability by annexing and conquering more land, these territories and lands have settlers and indigents inhabited in them. Still, the wake-up of the clamour of securing your land by defending and raising quite a courageous military to secure land proves the days to be readymade for wars. 

Territories prepare and anticipate war. Some nation-states have made a fortune and are where they are today because conquest was practicable before today, and there is no favour history can bring about their success without pointing at those days. Today, national flags speak volumes of reasons why they appear with specific colours, not because the past covers the unscratched step to their current capability, but because it was worth passing through the past and having the present as a representative of the past.

Aside from the above example, why would a layman refer to the past as the good days, and how is it related to history?

Indeed, they have been developed, but glaring at the present harbours inflation and population growth as resources tend to be fewer than in the past. Looking back to the past and scoring those days as good days defines the long way the past determines the future and how related they are. It breaks an alarming projection when the hope of the future is always cherished to be better. It hence gives birth to a predicament when the future of the past becomes less provident than it was judged to be. 

Man is hence left with a single option: turn to the better days, which is why history deals with everything. History is used to judge the progress of a certain goal; it tracks the impact and provides facts that place the past and the present on a scale for one to choose between whether the past had a more promising trajectory, or the present thwarted those policies initiated to befit the future (Now Present). Either way, I will cite Nigeria as a critical reference.

Nigeria gained independence in the year 1960. The individuals who worked through the path of success in attaining Nigeria’s freedom from colonialism were highly respected and celebrated with greater hope for the country’s future. All reflection points to leadership, health care, education, youths, democracy, infrastructure, and other aspects that require reliable leaders’ consent. That was hope, and it started on a good platter, but the future led to crises and other predicaments, resulting in a civil war within six years of attaining a positive foot in the country’s history. 

The future rolled on, leading to several phases of military leadership, and the country bounced back to democracy in 1999. Why, then, will one refer to the days of the leaders of the first republic as the good old days? There is a response to the question when one depicts the days of the previous leaders who died not owning or amassing the wealth of the public or citizens of the country despite being labelled as corrupt. 

One of the reasons the First Republic’s political settings crumbled was corruption. Still, till today, the pattern of corruption has only taken a glorifying approach that seems more degrading than that of the leaders of the First Republic. That is to assert that in a situation where the past seemed to be more politically sound than the future (now present), the past must be seen as the good days, not because it was hoped for to be that way, but because it proves better than the worsening present/ future.

 Conclusion 

 This essay captured the relevance of the past, thereby mirroring the fact that not all events that happened in the past historically can be beaten by the future or present. Some might indeed wish the past should fade, but growth seems to make one attached to his past so much that the yearning for past memories leads to a label known as the “Good Old Days.”

Sharif Ishaq Abubakar wrote via Sharifishaq55@gmail.com. He is a PhD Student at the University of Abuja, Department of History and Diplomatic Studies.

By Ibrahim Tukur

As we celebrate Children’s Day, I want to use this opportunity to remind all parents of the importance of sending their children with disabilities to school.

Education is a powerful tool for transformation. When children with disabilities are educated, they have the opportunity to grow up and become socially and economically valuable members of society. Education empowers them with the knowledge and skills to navigate life’s challenges and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

The consequences of not sending children with disabilities to school can be severe. Without education, these children are at a higher risk of growing up in ignorance, which can lead to a life of dependence, poverty, and unemployment. Many may resort to street begging as a means of survival. This not only affects their quality of life but also perpetuates a cycle of poverty and social exclusion.

Education provides children with disabilities the tools they need to escape the cycle of poverty. It opens doors to better job opportunities and higher incomes, allowing them to become self-sufficient and financially independent. Educated individuals are better equipped to make informed decisions, solve problems, and advocate for themselves, fostering independence crucial for their personal development and dignity. 

Additionally, education helps children with disabilities integrate into society, reducing stigma and discrimination and promoting understanding and acceptance within the community.

By ensuring that children with disabilities attend school, we are investing in a future where everyone has the chance to succeed, regardless of their abilities. Let’s work together to break down barriers and create an inclusive environment where every child can thrive.

On this Children’s Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to educating all children, including those with disabilities. Our collective responsibility is to ensure they receive the education they deserve, paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future.

By Abdullahi Khairalla

I am not a huge fan of reviewing books that come my way because of personal reasons, but this time around, I felt compelled to share some major lessons and takeaway from a book I personally found rich in ideas for building and shaping leadership journey of any aspiring leader across different sectors.

“Lead Disruption” is a book written by Dr. Akin Oke with thrust and focus on providing a guide for exceptional leadership performance in this era of turbulence and uncertainty.

To begin with, the author began by establishing the fact that, the world today is faced with all kinds of disruptions, chaos occasioned by the accelerating rate of change and uncertainty in our hyperkinetic environments caused fundamentally by three seismic events:

• Global Health Pandemic(Covid-19)
  *Global reorganisation of work due to the adoption of new technologies and
• The ongoing geopolitical transformations across the globe (east/west tension).This according to him, summarises our world into VUCA meaning– Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous.

Additionally, recent predictions about the advance of the fourth industrial revolution indicate that the speed of change, uncertainty and disruption to businesses will continue to increase. The world will have to brace up for potential global economic recession and the effects of climate change due to the continued depletion of ozone layer. This rapid change taking place, will invariably displace the old order and that will require leaders who are well-packed and positioned with requisite skills to transit their businesses and societies into prosperity in line with the new realities.

It is not a matter of conjecture that the Covid-19 has taken the world by surprise and has shifted and dismantled many old conventions, practices and ways of doing things that had previously existed during the pre-Covid era in our business space, industries, government halls and social realm. One thing that stood out is the complete migration of human race into a technological world, work from home, a situation he terms as the “new normal”

To effectively provide effective leadership in light of the current precarious reality of our fast-paced world, the book outlines among other themes and concepts such as self-awareness, resilience, innovation quotient, empathy and effective communication as critical elements for leaders to navigate through the tough and murky waters of the VUCA world.

I will touch briefly on each of the concepts for the sake of time. Self-awareness is the bedrock of effective leadership. This is because effective leadership, begins with good self-leadership. For a leader, knowing yourself and staying true and authentic to oneself is one of the salient assets you need, to be able to lead others in times of uncertainty. Asking yourself how well do you know your personal traits, your strengths, weaknesses, values and preferences? are very critical for a leader that aspires to lead his people even in times of turbulence. Dr. Akin Oke gave an analogy of a dangerous turbulence called “clear-air” by aviators that airplanes face which occurs when the plane has stabilised and in the cruising altitude and is always difficult to predict as radars cannot signal it in advance.

At this point, pilots are not too concerned about it, because the body of the plane itself has the ability to come back to its original planned position based on the inherent strengths of the plane itself. “Aeronautical engineers call this ability positive stability and pilots will tell you that the secret lies within the complex technical configurations at work in-between the wings of the plane and the in the belly of fuselage. This is the same way ‘self-awareness works for a leader. Leaders should have this capacity within them-they must build that resilience within them, that positive stability. And you cannot do that without having a good configuration of yourself (you morality, integrity, honesty, etc)”

Again,self-awareness is very important as there is a strong nexus between private morality and public morality of a leader because his personality is molded by these two realities. Though, this assertion has met stiff criticism by some leaders who try to separate public morality from their private morality. Unfortunately, these two intertwined. While it’s true a leader is human like everyone else and is entitled to private life outside the public role, the reality is that the leader’s private life can have serious consequences on the larger society especially in terms of public perception or behaviour. A bigoted leader, for example, is unfit to lead a company or plural society made up of people of diverse inclinations, backgrounds and idiosyncrasies. This is because his professional sense of judgement will be affected. A bad father , would not be the ideal person to lead or speak to other about fatherhood or parenting,especially if his private life as a failed father is a matter of public knowledge.

Another key element highlighted in the book is of course ‘resilience ‘ which is about the ability of a leader to respond in a positive and constructive way to uncertainty. It is about adapting to a prompt change and capacity to bounce back after a setback. A leader is required to be resilient even in the face of towering threat and dilemma and do everything to emerge out of it. This of course led the author to introduce me to a concept previously unfamiliar to me ‘antifragility’ which is a notch higher than resilience. While resilience rests on the capacity to bounce back after a setback, antifragility has to do with not only bouncing back but how to learn to thrive in the face of adversity and uncertainty. Simply put ‘a resilient leader resists shocks and stays the same, the antifragile leader gets better”.

Equally, the author looks at the central role of innovation in propelling one to be an effective leader in times of disruptions such as the covid era. Innovative leadership lies in the ability of a leader to provide solutions that lead to improvement in the life of an organisation or society, using new ideas. Covid era is a referral case in point, with Zoom coming to the rescue of mankind at its most critical point of need. As a leader, your ability to generate breakthrough ideas that help and transform society at a time of needs and despair, speaks volume of you. Voltaire was right to say “no problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking”

The last but not the least, among the tips reeled out by the author is “empathy”. This is about a leader putting himself in workers’ or subjects’ shoes to understand their emotions and feelings while ultimately providing solutions to them. He interestingly demonstrated how a leader with no empathy may receive vitriolic backlash by his subjects or workers. The case of Adams Osiomole in 2013 was cited when he was begged by a widow illegally selling wares by the roadside, where he told her to, “Go and die”.

Although Oshiomole’s outburst stemmed from his frustration as a leader trying to enforce street trading laws in a bid to make the city better, his unguarded utterance was met with widespread condemnation. He had to organise a highly publicised reunion with the widow barely a month later to apologise.

The book reached its climax on stressing the invaluable role of ‘communication’ in engendering effective leadership. Effective leadership communication is about transferring message in such a way that it can be understood by all the parties involved. The leader should take into the audience’s level of understanding and ability, especially by enhancing the clarity and unambiguousness of the every message transmitted to them.

Without effective communication, nothing gets done in a society especially in hours of uncertainty. An example of former governor of New Yoke Mr. Andrew Cuomo was drawn especially his daily Covid-19 briefings viewed globally via CNN which were source of information, direction and vision casting without leaving his subjects second-guessing on every next move. It enabled New Yorkers to have clear vision of the impact of the Covid Pandemic on the state of New York and probably America at large.

As far as I am concerned, Borno state governor Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum is also a shining example of effective leader even in moments of fear and despair. This could be seen during his frequent state-wide broadcast during the pandemic in English, Kanuri and Hausa respectively which provided hopes, empathy, details of infection rates, estimated death toll, that way, the people of Borno were able to make informed decisions towards slowing down the spread of the virus by complying the with Covid protocols and appreciate the need to endure tough lockdown restrictions. This is the essence of leadership communication.

Finally, providing tips for building effective communication in leadership by the author is just “an icing on the cake” these are; Affirming words or communication with action(behaviour of the leader), Demonstrate and Provide stories, anecdotes that inspire and motivate action, Communicate relentlessly, Active Listening and encouragement of inputs, Clarity, and simplicity in communication.

Abdullahi Khairalla writes from Maiduguri

By Mukhtar Jarmajo 

In a surprising turn of events, veteran journalist Jaafar Jaafar, who wrote a scathing article against Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II in 2017, appears to be either neutral or even supportive of the emir’s reinstatement last week. This shift in stance has raised questions about Jaafar Jaafar’s change of heart.

In the famous 2017 article, Jaafar Jaafar accused Emir Sanusi II of squandering N4 billion inherited from his predecessor, the late Emir Ado Bayero, and criticized his lavish spending on foreign travel, cars, and internet bills. He also condemned the Sanusi’s remarks about the Kano people, which he deemed abusive. The article concluded with a warning to Emir Sanusi II, reminding him of the consequences of his actions.

Fast-forward to 2024, and Jaafar Jaafar seems to be singing a different tune. His recent support for Emir Sanusi II’s reinstatement has left many wondering what prompted this change of heart. Has Jaafar Jaafar reevaluated his stance on Emir Sanusi II’s leadership and policies? Has new information come to light that challenges his previous assertions?

As a respected journalist, Jaafar Jaafar’s opinions carry weight. His initial article sparked intense debate and scrutiny of Emir Sanusi II’s actions. His apparent support for the emir’s reinstatement raises questions about consistency and credibility.

Jaafar Jaafar should clarify his stance and provide insight into his change of heart. What prompted this shift in perspective? Has Emir Sanusi II demonstrated significant growth or change in his leadership style and policies? Jaafar Jaafar needs to address these questions to maintain transparency and accountability in his journalism, upholding the principles of fairness and truth-seeking that underpin his profession.

Jarmajo wrote from Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, via dattuwamanga@gmail.com.