Opinion

By Uzair Adam Imam

Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, recounts his harrowing near-death experience at a hospital in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Dalung reveals that he fell ill on Wednesday and was rushed to the hospital, where he lost consciousness shortly after undergoing doctor’s interviews.

In a post shared via X on Friday, Dalung recounted being admitted to the emergency ward but left unattended for over four hours due to non-payment of admission deposits.

He shared how he regained partial consciousness and managed to make the necessary deposit before receiving medical attention.

“I took ill on Wednesday, arrived at the hospital, and shortly became unconscious after doctor’s interviews.

“I was ferried into the emergency ward but abandoned for over four hrs due to non-payment of admission deposits.

“Regained partial consciousness and later did the transfer of deposit,” he revealed.

“After that,” he continued, “I fell into unconsciousness again for about seven hours.

“To God be the glory, I have been discharged after three days and recovering. Were it not for partial consciousness to pay the deposits, I would have been Mr. late.

“Many Nigerians have gone this way. Where is our humanity?” Dalung added, highlighting the urgency for better healthcare accessibility and compassion towards patients in need,” he said.

By Halima Ibrahim

Sheikh Ali Isa Ibrahim, also known as Pantami, a former Nigerian minister, called for a debate over his books. In response, Ibrahim Bello-Kano, a Professor of English from Bayero University Kano, called Pantami a “poor writer”. The rejoinder, as obtained by The Daily Reality, reads:

Now, I have a few points to make about Mr Pantami wishing or asking to debate his critics. But before my first point, let me say this. If the forwarded message on this platform is really from, or written by, Pantami, then it’s clear that he’s a poor writer and a shoddy thinker to boot.

Look at the poorly written prose and the ample indicators of the writer’s low critical thinking acumen.

So, back to my first point: millions of books and papers by living authors are reviewed across the writing and publishing world daily, but I’ve never heard of any serious writer or author asking to debate his or her reviewers or commentators on his or her book. Pantami’s demand to debate his critics is pretty odd for any sound academic or scholar.

Second, Reviews have a world of their own and are not personal or personalised pieces or responses.

Third, Pantami can respond to his critics in writing. This is quite acceptable. His quip that his critics should rather write their own books is powerful evidence of his being an alien to academic culture.

Fourth, the debate on skills versus degree qualification is an old one, since the 1950s. It was an old credo of American Pragmatism from William James to John Dewey (see, on this, Richard Rorty’s “Consequences of Pragmatism”, 1989). So, Pantami isn’t saying anything new. He’s, again, not conversant with the topic in Education, Pedagogy, or Teacher Training.

Fifth, Pantami is the typical semi-educated person who’s pained by ASUU’s rejection of his illegal Professorship and is desperate to soothe his badly bruised ego.

Sixth, his or the claim that his book is being translated into many other languages is either a lie or just an attempt to pass off his questioned erudition. Let him or his defenders mention or give evidence as to the languages that his book has been translated into. Just how many? It’s rare to see an author literally begging to debate his critics or reviewers in the immediate moment.

Finally, Pantami can have his dubious “bragging rights”, but that’s where his case properly belongs — bragging rights for a man whose ego and scholarly claims have been badly and justifiably bruised.

Indeed, the whole debate on skills and not just degrees was misconceived. Richard Rory in his book, “Consequences of Pragmatism” shows how skills as such and theoretical understanding or epistemic capacity cannot ever be separated. Pantami’s book was a cowardly critique of University academics in general. As a person, Pantami has had deep inferiority complexes relative to his more intellectual colleagues. That became worse after his illegal Professorship debacle, which was heavily criticized by many groups. The Latinate word TECHNE says it all. You learn to root knowledge in the very act of doing.

Conceptual thinking is always present, even in the so-called skills. Take a mechanic who has had long years of learning by doing. Yet that mechanic cannot now know about changes in technology in which one has to follow diagrams, instructions, and manuals to install an electric circuit or new nozzle equipment in a new model car. The best doctors or mechanics are those who keep abreast of theoretical or conceptual developments in their field. Skills are not enough. Theoretical understanding prepares one to adapt to a situation. Pantami is just flogging a dead worse.

Again, he’s not well versed in the very philosophy of action that he wrongly thinks comes before the episteme. Finally, what would Pantami say about a cutting-edge science called THEORETICAL PHYSICS?

By Usman Muhammad Salihu

Jos, the capital city of Plateau State, has for long been grappling with the persistent issue of water scarcity, leaving residents to endure the consequences of insufficient water supply from the body responsible. The lack of functional boreholes and wells further compounds the challenge, painting a grim picture of daily life for the city’s inhabitants.

The city, despite being blessed with natural water sources, finds itself in the grip of a water crisis. Government efforts to address this issue have fallen short, with inadequate infrastructure and supply systems unable to meet the teeming demand.

To effectively bring an end to the menace, the government must prioritize infrastructure development, including the construction of water treatment plants and distribution networks, to ensure equitable access to clean water across the city.

Implementing and enforcing water management policies and regulations can help curb wastage and ensure responsible usage of available resources.

Engaging with local communities to understand their needs and involve them in decision-making processes can foster a sense of ownership and accountability in water management initiatives.

On the other hand, well-to-do individuals and private companies operating in Jos should integrate water provision mechanism and sustainability practices into their corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Collaborating with government agencies and NGOs can amplify the impact of private sector efforts, leveraging resources and expertise to address water scarcity more effectively.

Empowering residents with knowledge about water conservation and hygiene practices can promote responsible usage and reduce strain on limited water resources.

Supporting grassroots initiatives aimed at water conservation, such as community-led well drilling projects or water purification programs, can foster resilience and self-sufficiency within our neighborhoods.

By implementing comprehensive solutions that span governmental, private, and community sectors, the city can break free from the cycle of scarcity and ensure a sustainable water future for generations to come.

Usman Muhammad Salihu writes from Jos, Nigeria.
muhammadu5363@gmail.com

By Ishaka Mohammed

In a recently published article in The Daily Reality, one Muhammad Isyaku discussed the harsh reality of being a private school teacher in Nigeria. Despite arguing the inhumane attitudes of many school proprietors towards their employees (teachers), the writer admitted that there are still good school owners.

I have seen and heard about bosses being cruel to their subordinates in many private organisations, including schools. However, much as I wouldn’t want to completely rationalise the ill-treatment of any human being, I have to mention that some cases of maltreatment are simple reactions. Some workers break agreements without expecting any consequences. So, any attempt by a boss to implement a penalty could easily be considered as cruelty.

Nonetheless, I understand that some bosses take advantage of their subordinates by presenting them with seemingly unrealistic terms of contract. It’s unfortunate that desperation or economic realities force many people to sign some ridiculous conditions of service without a thorough examination.

For instance, as a secondary school teacher with over 24 lesson periods in a week and an average class size of 40 students, it would be unrealistic for one to prepare lesson plans and notes, deliver lessons effectively, give students a task after every contact and mark their books before proceeding to the next topic.

It would also be ridiculous for one to be expected at work by 7 a.m. and be prohibited from eating until the close of work (usually after 2 p.m.). Some people would sign but violate such seemingly impractical conditions and then demonise their employers for applying penalties.

A colleague of mine once lamented a deduction (for lateness) from his salary and threatened to resign. I found his outrage irrational because, despite the fact that we signed 7.30 a.m. in our conditions of service, our principal gave us a ten-minute grace. In addition, the first three violations in a month are pardoned. So, I wondered what that colleague really wanted.

Aside from the above, there are workers who hide their violations from their employers. Some go as far as telling lies to avoid penalties. I once went to work late and signed in after 7.40 a.m., but I was shocked when I later noticed that an older colleague, who arrived after me, falsified the time and signed in as if both of us had arrived before 7.40 a.m. Where is our integrity? Imagine what this colleague would have said about the organisation if the violation had been reported and penalised!

Things aren’t always what they appear on the surface. Just as many tenants are fond of demonising their landlords, many private school teachers vilify school proprietors by telling incomplete stories.

My views on this topic have made some people mistake me for a school owner. No, I’m not. In fact, I’m still a private school teacher.

I’ll share my thoughts on private school teachers’ salaries in another article soon, God willing.

Ishaka Mohammed can be reached via ishakamohammed39@gmail.com.

By Isma’il Hashim Abubakar

Schools established, owned and run by non-state actors and private institutions have, no one doubts, been providing a veritable substitute to the dilapidated public schools which have been suffering from wanton neglect by governments at various levels in Nigeria. Private schools have successfully, though not completely, reduced the burdens on governments to supply basic education for children in their public schools, which have been perpetually operating under the shadows of existential threat.

Although people of all social strata now have more faith in private schools and parents with even the meanest incomes and most fledgling source of earning, who always struggle to make ends meet, prefer to take their children to commercial schools at the behest of other life comforts, public schools, which serve as the last option for the extremely downtrodden, still seem to get congested due to the high number of enrollments of children from low-income families. If this indicates anything at all, it shows that people have now fully embraced modern education, and they can sacrifice the expensive things they have just to secure a quality formal education for their wards and children. 

While, as everyone knows, public schools tend not to have too many demands apart from the meagre or more affordable tuition fees, their private counterparts, in most cases, operate in such a way that many parents inwardly feel that the system is tilting more toward a business direction in an obvious capitalist fashion, despite that the dominant pretension of both parents and school managers is that of purely imparting knowledge and building sound character to the young and upcoming generation.

Many schools are extraordinarily excellent in both transmitting sound knowledge and instilling good morals in pupils, and as such, no material gratification can remunerate their work or compensate the teachers for their hard work, dedication and commitment toward discharging their duties and keeping good custody of what has been entrusted to them. In fact, some well-to-do parents often give gifts to teachers as an expression of gratitude for feeding their children with sound knowledge, which is primarily the responsibility of the parents but perfectly undertaken by the teachers on their behalf. As such, many parents may not bother with and will gently turn blind eyes to some straitjacketed and arbitrary financial demands that most commercial schools are now introducing day in and day out.

Some schools go beyond decorum and do not, in the least, pretend to be shy to depict their operation as a purely extortionate venture, deemphasizing the moral and instructional dimensions which their institutions are set upon. Parents now no longer feel at ease after having settled school fees which are the most basic financial burden that comes to everyone’s minds once private schools are mentioned. Not only do textbooks and instruction materials represent the source of anxiety that parents grapple with, but virtually everything which a school stipulates, largely with a marketing mindset. While most schools impose decrees that make it binding upon parents to buy textbooks, stationeries and all other instructional materials from the schools, some schools turn it into a rule that pupils and students must never be allowed into schools wearing uniforms supplied to them by their parents through all other channels apart from the tailoring unit of the schools.

Schools do complain that external tailors often violate dress codes and principles earmarked by the schools, including non-compliance with size, width and length but above all, the lack of authority to manufacture and issue official badges that are glued to uniforms. Hiding behind this pretext, schools have seized the free will of parents to transact with tailors of their choice, and because they aspire for their children to acquire quality education, they relinquish their right and bow down to the pressure of the schools. 

There is, however, no guarantee that the tailoring units of schools themselves are perfect for designing the most fitting and immaculate school attire for pupils. Having taught at both primary and secondary schools (as well as university), I have personally seen pupils wearing school-supplied uniforms that never matched or fully fitted the bodily structures of the pupils. If this is the case, this particular rule might have been informed more by a business instinct and less by a concern to preserve institutional dress codes. Parents of final year students who could only afford to pay for either WAEC or NECO exams for their children, which by the way, is better than missing both of them at once, are coerced by some schools to move heavens and earth to pay for the two exams or risk having their children removed from the list of graduating students. When they could not settle for the fees of the two exams and require the refunds of their money, they hardly recuperate more than half of what they have paid. 

Perhaps the most brazen example of such pecuniary impositions manifests in the demands of some schools on parents to pay internet charges, which would have been understandable and justified if pupils or students were engaged in regular computer lessons that are punctuated at close intervals by visits to websites. Alas! There are schools which extort this surcharge even from parents of nursery pupils, and the only justification for it is the data consumed by Whatsapp groups of parents initiated by the schools on which an administrator often sends announcements.

Many parents relate with schools while they are inwardly burnt due to how things have become in private schools, but because they envisage a better future for their children, they prefer to remain mute and only murmur their complaints on the rarest occasions or when they meet with fellow parents by the roadsides. The best opportunity for them to communicate or even express their squawks loudly to the schools is during periodic parents-teachers meetings, but the schools have been, paradoxically, hijacking and making platforms to further advocate their fiendish and self-aggrandizing policies. Their covert strategy is to appoint a loyal, docile and exceedingly compliant head of Parent-Teachers’ Association (PTA), and to gag his mouth for fear of being influenced by nonconformist parents, the schools bribe him with some free scholarship slots for his children. As a result, he weakens and sabotages any attempts by the parents to rise and challenge arbitrary extortions they suffer from these schools. 

Other schools have different, perhaps more treacherous strategies of navigating intricacies and tackling eventualities that may come up owing to this venture, such as giving undertaking papers for parents to sign before the children are accepted at the stage of enrollment, and many parents are carried away by the desire for the admission of their children and often don’t pay commensurate attention to these documents or mull over their future implications. The question that, however, is seldom asked, what is the legality of these modes of institutional marketing practices that have become norms in not only purely western-style schools but also model Islamic schools? To what extent do these operations comply with Islamic teachings and principles, and what are the business dimensions of these dealings which should then ideally be done and looked at from the viewpoint of Islamic commercial and financial regulations?

First of all, everyone knows what schools are primarily meant for, which is imparting knowledge and this should be the apex among all the operations that are expected to exist in the schools. Hence, from this prism, school fees are the most obligatory financial demands that parents are, by default, owed to schools and upon which any compromise will be a favour that the schools could grant or deny at will. Any other charge or tax is secondary and gains its legitimacy according to how it complements the primary function of schools, but, above all, it should be done in a transparent atmosphere defined by mutual agreement and understanding. In other words, selling textbooks, stationery and instructional materials at schools should be governed by Islamic commercial laws, without discrimination or thinking that schools could do as they will without referring to Islamic stipulations. If this is the case, then these materials sold to parents must be on the basis of freewill and agreement and not impositions that may result in penalties. 

Of course, many schools publish exercises and textbooks with their names and logos finely inscribed, which then makes it compulsory for parents to obtain the materials in no other places but the schools. Many other schools, meanwhile, retail the materials from markets and sell them to parents at exorbitant prices that at times double or triple the normal market prices. All these are normal and should be considered lawful businesses if only it is done with a mutual agreement such that parents have the liberty to buy either from the schools or at markets, or in the former case, if the materials are not sold arbitrarily at unimaginable prices just because of the inscriptions of logos and names. 

The general Islamic principle that confers legitimacy or otherwise to any business venture is free will and mutual agreement, and interestingly, this is explicitly postulated by the Qur’anic verse and Hadith, the two most fundamental sources of Islamic law. Allah says:

“Yā ayyuha alladhīna āmanū lā ta’kulū amwālakum bainakum bi al-bāṭil illā an takūna tijāratan ‘an tarāḍin minkum. Wa lā taqtulū anfusakum. Inna Allaha kāna bikum Raḥīma”.

“O you who believe! Eat not up your wealth among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah has been to you Most Merciful!” [Sūrat al-Nisā’: 29].

In his groundbreaking exegetical work al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr, the prolific commentator of the Qur’an, Muḥammad Ṭāhir Ibn ‘Āshūr posits that the prohibition to eat up people’s wealth without mutual agreement is paired with the crime of murder in the verse to draw Muslims’ attention on the gravity and heinousness of such a practice. He argues that it is emphasized because people do not largely consider it something significant and the victim is usually powerless and could hardly resist (as it occurs in private schools).

Moreover, in an authentic Ḥadith narrated by Anas bin Mālik, the Prophet (SAW) says, “lā yaḥillu mālu imri’in Muslimin illā ‘an ṭībi nafsin”. (It is unlawful to take a Muslim’s wealth except with his goodwill). [Dāru Qutnī, 3/26].

As asserted earlier, a lot of transactions in private schools are imposed upon parents, and school authorities often warn parents and even threaten to apply penalties when these marketing ventures are observed in the breach, leaving no room for a bargain and mutual consent that would ordinarily prevail in open transactions. Since this is the case, only a few people will contest the illegality of this practice. Needless to say, some officials and authorities, including ironically, of schools paraded as Islamic models, are, to some extent, oblivious of the legal status of their policies, although this is not a valid, genuine and acceptable reason. A Muslim is, after all, and before anything else, principally required to be fully conversant with the pros and cons of any action he undertakes.

One of the easiest ways to make amends and rectify this wrong tradition, irrespective of how well consolidated it is, how difficult it may be to refrain from or how odd our argument may sound to some, is to be so transparent and open to parents and gear the deal to be dictated by consent and mutual agreement. Freewill and mutual agreement are pivotal in any financial dealing and they determine whether it is done lawfully or unlawfully. 

And since schools, especially the religious ones, enjoy respect from parents, it will hardly be burdensome to mutually arrive at some understanding, and this, as beautifully ratiocinated by Ibn ‘Āshūr, could lead to the implementation of the divine principle that “if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease” (fa in ṭibna lakum an shai’in minhu nafsan fakulūhu hanī’an marī’a) [Sūrat al-Nisā’, 4].

Indeed there is a need for governments to intervene and reintroduce guidelines that will neither oppress the schools nor allow them to do as they like, pertaining to their financial dealings with parents. Parents in Kano, for instance, will certainly look back with nostalgia at the era of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who laid down modalities that checkmated arbitrary extortions of parents by commercial schools. He formed a formidable committee that regularly went around schools and observed their operations to ensure they complied with state regulations, most of which were meant to shield masses from further extortions.

Unfortunately, Kwankwaso’s successors did not maintain the tempo, and now things are, to say the least, almost getting out of control. School authorities would increase school fees at will and would rush to mention inflation as a cause and the need to better the condition of their staff, while in essence, it is the proprietor and a few notable among his cliques that would end up enjoying while flowing pittance to and leaving the majority of staff to keep on wallowing in despondency.

Ismail writes from Rabat, the Kingdom of Morocco and can be reached via ismailiiit18@gmail.com.

By Lawan Bukar Maigana 

Many people believe that journalists also aid money laundering in Nigeria. This may be true as some professional journalists are sometimes hired to protect and polish the horrible images of politicians, like the former Governor of Kogi State, Alh. Yahaya Bello.

Let us be brutally frank: Bello was notorious for owing Kogi workers their salaries for months and even years when he was governor.  

The self-acclaimed White Lion was a ‘cancer’ Kogi workers battled with throughout his stewardship. Surprisingly, a mere eagle chased him, and everyone knows he went into hiding despite his lioness strengths. It is so strange that a perceived ordinary eagle has humbled him. This eagle deserves a national award for successfully turning a lion into an ordinary fearful man.

Unequivocally, I have come to the realization that some lawyers are also culpable when it comes to issues of protecting political elements who looted public funds for their personal enjoyment, forgetting the indomitable eagle that fights fat-belly lions and defeats them, especially when the lions and tigers have eaten so much that they can’t even run, let alone fight back. 

If not unpatriotic, why would a legal luminary describe the EFCC’s move against the former egoistic Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, as ‘illegal’? If arresting or declaring him wanted was illegitimate, what is the constitutional name given to money launderers? I guess they are called ‘My lord’. I can’t even describe how sad I was when I read the news that a lawyer has advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to act above the law in its efforts to arrest and subsequently prosecute Kogi’s former governor.

I don’t know what the lawyer means by ‘not acting above the law’ in this context because it is the law that establishes the commission and empowers it with the right to arrest and prosecute unjust public officers who turned public offices into a stealing factory where theft is committed with impunity. Professionals like journalists and lawyers should ideally lead the fight against injustice and bad governance and uphold state accountability and transparency through every means available at their disposal, not the other way around.

While writing this afternoon, I read an article by a reporter from The Street Journal. The report was accompanied by a video of a female civil servant protesting against the non-payment of nine years’ salaries by the immediate past Governor of Kogi State. She said, ‘I have not been paid for seven years. Tinubu, are you hearing this? I am dying of hunger. Tinubu, where are you? Yahaya Bello, armed robber.’ I believe there are thousands like her who are suffering in silence due to fear of victimization by either the past Governor or his cult-like loyalists, who can commit unspeakable offences to silence the existing truth that uncovers the wrongdoings of the white lion. 

The lawyer uncommonly went on to challenge the withdrawal of state security details attached to the ‘White Lion’ and even termed it as illegal, adding that Bello is now exposed to great political dangers. I tend to wonder if there is anything as dangerous as subjecting people to hunger and starvation by not paying their salaries for years. It is in the news. The man has been having issues with the Labour Congress over non-payment of salaries for years. I guess the alleged pocketed N80.2 billion Naira largely owned by starving civil servants of Kogi State.

In relation to the charges against Yahaya Bello, the 21st Century Chronicle published on January 12, 2024, that the embattled ex-Governor of Kogi State, along with his nephew Ali Bello, had been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over a suspicious transaction in a N10 billion money laundering case, transferred in tranches from the accounts of the Kogi State Government and that of the state’s government house account. This, among many similar charges against him, shows that he’s unlikely innocent of the crimes attributed to him.

I am not antagonistic towards Yahaya Bello as a person. My concerns stem from patriotism, and I only wish that the Federal Government will not interfere in his case in any way, as he is a white lion who proudly once said that he is never afraid of any confrontation. Let the truth set him free if he was truthful and honest. We are keenly following his case.

Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Abuja and can be reached via email: Lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Elisha Bello

Yesterday, I embarked on a nostalgic journey to visit the son of the late Mallam Ahmadu, a kindhearted individual who had significantly impacted my life during my entrepreneurial venture in Buni Yadi, Gujba LGA, Yobe State.

I used to design and sell posters and stickers featuring Hausa Movie Kannywood actors, Bollywood actors, and football players. My business trips would take me to Kano, where I would purchase these posters and return to sell them in rural markets like Bumsa, Goniri, Kukuwa, Wagir, Buni Gari, and Tarmuwa.

Mallam Ahmadu, may he rest in peace, was a constant source of encouragement and support. He would often welcome me with a warm smile and a refreshing African Tea, accompanied by bread and egg, all for just ₦450. I would make it a point to deposit some money with him in advance, ensuring I could enjoy his hospitality whenever I returned from the markets. On occasion, he would even offer me free tea, a gesture that meant the world to me.

One fateful day, I faced a significant setback when I lost my business capital due to unforeseen circumstances. With my SSS 3 school fees and WAEC/NECO exams looming, I was desperate for a solution. Despite pleading with those around me, I couldn’t gather the required ₦13,250. Feeling defeated, I considered abandoning my education to focus on my business. That’s when Mallam Ahmadu noticed my absence from school and inquired about the reason. I shared my predicament with him, and without hesitation, he asked me to return in the evening to collect the necessary funds.

True to his word, he handed me the exact amount from his wooden drawer, saying, “Allah ya ba da nasara, Doctor Elisha” (May God grant you success, Doctor Elisha). I was overwhelmed with gratitude and asked how I could repay him. He simply said, “Whenever God blesses you, come back and pay me back.” Mallam Ahmadu’s kindness and encouragement stayed with me, and he fondly referred to me as “Doctor Elisha” due to my ability to read and interpret both Hausa and English languages.

Fast-forward 20 years, and I recently had the opportunity to reunite with his eldest son, Salisu, who has continued his father’s legacy. As I shared this story with him, we both became emotional, reminiscing about the past. I treated myself to a cup of African tea, and the memories of Mallam Ahmadu came flooding back. I’ve since repaid the debt and purchased food items for the family. Moreover, I’ve committed to supporting Fatima, his daughter, with her school fees until she completes her university education.

As I parted ways with Salisu, I shared with him that I’ve finally become a Doctor, just as his father used to affectionately call me. He was overjoyed and offered his prayers for me. This heartwarming encounter serves as a poignant reminder of the power of kindness and the impact one person can have on another’s life.

Sunana Elisha Bello, Ph.D.

Editor’s note: The story was published on Dr Elisha Bello’s verified Facebook page.

By Muhammad Isyaku

The challenges faced by private school teachers in Nigeria are weighty. Many feel undervalued and disrespected by school proprietors, who often fail to treat them as equals. Despite their qualifications, teachers find themselves in dehumanising situations where their salaries are insufficient to meet their basic needs.

In Nigeria, private school teachers, particularly those working at the crèche, nursery, primary, and secondary levels of education, are akin to pumpkins in deserted homesteads because most school proprietors don’t treat them as fellow humans.

Imagine someone who has never paid your school fees; they just met you as a graduate with your qualifications, but because you are working under them, it would be dehumanising to you as if what they pay you could cater to your life demands.

Private school teachers are going through tough situations, and some of them contribute to their misfortunes because they are stuck in monster schools where they are not respected and dignified. If not for weaklings and silly-minded teachers, how could you choose to continue working with a proprietor who doesn’t respect your persona?

Some proprietors would shout at teachers in front of the students or their parents, giving students much higher priority than teachers in some schools. Some proprietors would prefer losing a teacher to losing a student, and the only excuse they have is that they might use the money to employ another teacher to replace the one they lost but could not use the funds to bring in students to their school, which is a terrible idea to me.

Furthermore, private school students are often disrespectful. Most of them don’t exhibit good manners in school, and their reason for misbehaving toward teachers or other school personnel is that their parents pay for their school fees, so they should be exempted from discipline. In contrast, students in public schools behave better because the government pays for them and provides everything for them for free.

In my experience, the most annoying place for a graduate to work is a private school. Though not all private school students are hellish or mannerless, some respect us as our younger siblings do at home. I won’t fail to admit that but the majority are not well-mannered. 

Most of the management in those schools doesn’t respect the welfare of their staff, but they want teachers to do a donkey job for them in the school. Some even have the manner of owing salaries; some would pay but not complete; some would pay, but teachers have to buy all the textbooks needed for their subjects.

I don’t want to be on record saying all proprietors are bad. Some are good and nice to work with, but others are pharaohs in human skins. My only candid advice for young graduates of either NCE or degree programs to work for private schools is for experience’s sake, nothing more or less.

Suppose one works in a private school before getting employment by the government or any private sector. In that case, he will learn much more, especially by being contemptuous and modest, because the salary can never be enough. Though nothing can be reached in this life, patience is the key.

However, in a private school, if one is to calculate what he is earning, even a pure water hawker could be earning more than he does in a month if all the daily earnings are to be calculated at the end of the month. 

I advise graduates to look for alternatives to teaching in private schools because those proprietors would exploit them and get richer through their sweat while they are getting poorer. The annoying part is that they don’t appreciate your effort. If they did, they should have found a token or incentive to offer you or pay while on vacation, but they won’t. All they do is let the month end before they pay you the salary.

People, especially young graduates, should go and learn skills or other business because teaching in private schools is not for them and can never contain their needs, especially in this hard-hit Nigeria. I am saying this from experience and as a private school teacher presently.

Moreover, for those who might be stricken or hurt by my words, I want to categorically state that I owe nobody an apology whatsoever. If you are unhappy with my submission, you can write a rejoinder and counter-argue.

Muhammad Isyaku wrote via muhammadisyakumalumfashi@gmail.com.

By Fatimat Ibr

It was my first Ramadan as a graduate and as a serving copper, and it was two days before Ramadan. As a tradition, I called my mom to ask her about the preparation for Ramadan. I knew I couldn’t afford her anything just yet, but checking in was very necessary and important.

She answered, “Hmmm, you know the condition of this house before you left, nothing ohh I don’t have anything, this is 08:30, I am still on my way home from the market, I delayed hoping I will eventually make a good sale so I can get some things we need but no show, things are expensive, we don’t have beans, rice auger or millet, like always I will be buying with cups when I can, Aisha is sick, Usman hasn’t pay his school fees, wallahi I am tired, you and your sis should do fast and come and continue I am tired”.

Before she ended her conversation, my throat was dry and tight, tears were rolling down my cheeks, I couldn’t form a word, tried but couldn’t, and had to end the call.

This is a story of one to a hundred youths in Nigeria, both male and female.

I am a young girl in her early twenties, already caught in the fire of fending for myself, which I barely can do and must carry on with four or five family members. Why? Because I need to pay the “black tax.”

Black tax is a term that originated in South Africa and refers to money that black workers or professionals and others with high income give their parents, siblings, friends, or other family members. The origin of the black tax is rooted in historical and systemic inequality that was prevalent at the time. 

The history of black tax can be traced back to the legacy of apartheid in South Africa, which ended in the 1990s. During the apartheid era, Black individuals and families were denied access to many economic opportunities and resources. As a result, they often relied on the support of extended family and community members to make ends meet.

When apartheid ended, many Black individuals and families gained access to new economic opportunities and were able to improve their financial situations. However, they continued to feel a sense of responsibility towards their extended family and community, and this financial obligation became known as the “black tax.”

The black tax has become a menace in Nigeria that needs to be curbed due to the increase in the rate of poverty.

However, we know that it is a thing of honour and Noble to extend hands to others, family, and the community at large,but not at the expense of your personal development and growth.

As the saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have”, which is why you need to show up fully for yourself to be able to show up for others.

I want you, my friends and youths, to know and learn to show up for your siblings, parents, and your community with a full cup. You could be there for them emotionally and intellectually.

I talked with fellow corps members, and they have these to say.

“I do not pick up calls from my mum or siblings anymore. I am taking care of my mental health, and I am tired of hearing stories and being guilt-tripped about how I was trained for school and all. I do know  they are my responsibility, but I need them to understand that I am trying and thinking about them” ~ Oghene Martha

“I have been paying Black tax since my undergraduate days, and I never get to try restaurants and fun places in school that require money. In school, I constantly thought of things we lacked at home that I needed to get when going back, so I used to do little business in school to stay afloat. Now that I am serving and had to go to a different state, it is challenging because I haven’t recognised any opportunity here, and the 33k barely takes me through for three weeks, but I still have to send money home. My siblings always ranting, it overwhelming actually” ~ Yusuf Nana

Both religion and education have taught us the benefits of giving, and its importance cannot be overemphasised. However, strategy and caution are needed in all aspects of life. We strain ourselves so much to our elastic limit that when things get turpsy, we are again looking for the next best target to Leach off from.

How To Deal with Black Tax?

Communicate:  Talk to your family; they will understand. Be transparent, and let them know how much you are trying and working to help yourself and for them. Tell them how much their understanding and emotional support would mean to you. Assure them that you know, see all they did for you, and appreciate them, but you need them to be patient with you.

Work with gross income, not Net income: Your gross income is what you have after settling or deducting your debts, transportation costs, and other daily costs you incur while working over the month. If you must tell your parents, siblings, and friends your salary, it should be your Gross income.

Example: My net income is 250k, and if I tell my parents that I earn that, how would they feel when I send 50k at the end of the month? The best way is this: You earn 250k, you spend 50k monthly on transportation, and airtime 5k. You are left with 195. Then, that is what you share with them. They would be happier if you sent them 30 to 45k.

Set Financial Goals: No matter how minimal your income is, you should have a savings plan; all it takes is discipline, and you will make it work. In the end, it all goes to add up.

Do not lend money to friends and family: 80% of the money you borrow from your friends and family will be very difficult to recover. Most debts end up severing ties between friends and family. Instead, you could adopt this strategy. My friend or one of my siblings asked me to lend her 20k, and I told her I did not have that money, but I could spare her 4 to 5k. I am giving you this for free, so you do not need to pay it back. This is a proven strategy that works most of the time. You protected your relationship and your money. Never give room for cash to steer problems between you and a family.

Learn to say No: This is difficult, but it is necessary. You can be in everyone’s good books. Know what you can bear, recognise your strength, and say no to everything else. Remember, you are nobody’s last hope. Eventually, they will find a way to survive with or without you.

Invest in yourself: You need money to make money, buy things, take trips, and eat good meals. If you fail, people pulling you down with expectations will be the first to criticize you. Take care of yourself. 

Be intentional about your physical, intellectual, and financial growth. Black tax is a tool for guilt trips and emotional blackmail, creating balance, and taking care of your mental health.

Until we learn to eliminate pressure, expectations, and guilt and focus on building sustainability and savings, the black tax will continue to be an endemic that will continue to affect future generations.

Together, we can break the vicious cycle of generational dependence.

Fatimat Ibrahim Abedoh is a corps member in Nassarawa State and wrote via abedohfatimat@gmail.com.

By Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi

I have recently seen the proliferation of the use of some letters which are clearly not part of the mainstream Hausa writing system. These letters are now getting ground and are even trying to push away the real and bonafide owners of the place. These are no other than the new Ƙ and Ƴ and some of their other dependants.

You see, in the field of Hausa orthography, we are already battling with various challenges that defy simple logic and reasoning and lack uniformity amongst the Hausa scholars. However, I find this recent one very shocking and disturbing. This is simply because, when you have a controversy about how to write a Hausa word, that may not be a big problem as perhaps each variant of the spellings may have some scholars backing it, and they may have a cogent and academic reason for that. But for these new entrants – Ƙ, Ƴ, ƴ – I don’t know who backs them. I don’t know who sent them. I don’t know who among the scholars promotes and propagates them. I feel like they are sent by some hidden forces of technology.

I can guess from where these recalcitrant intruders are coming. They are from our (newly) electronic gadgets and some Hausa keyboard applications, which are just sent into the market without any regard to the experts and knowledgeable professors in the field. Someone who has a company of smartphones will just employ those who think they know Hausa or, those who speak Hausa, or those who don’t even care about Hausa to do the Hausa technical dealings for him. This is where the problem probably came from. If you check our smartphones and some computer symbols, you find these deviant Ƙ and ƴ hanging around without any reason and without knowing who brought them. They are just like gatecrashers who are trying to feast more than the invited VIPs.

The affected legitimate Hausa consonants, which are the victims of this I-don’t-care mischief, are primarily the К and ‘Y. These are the correct ways in which these two are written: /К/- /ƙ/ and /’Y/- /’y/ respectively, and not as /Ƙ/ and /ƴ/. The main point of contention is the hook and where the hook should be. For the sake of knowledge, these are the only primary hooked and twin letters we have in Hausa, both small and capital, respectively /ɓ/,/ɗ/, /ƙ/,/’y/ and their capital Ɓ, Ɗ, К, ‘Y. The hooks you see on them have their specific and fixed position. It is not hooked anyhow and anywhere.

Phonologically speaking, /К/ is the capital letter of that Hausa voiceless velar ejective sound, while the /ƙ/ is the small letter. Equally, /’Y/ is that Hausa palatalized-glottal stop sound, and /’y/ is the small letter, but we don’t know of the newly emerged – /Ƙ/, /Ƴ/ and /ƴ/, from where are they and how are they phonologically represented? All we know is, that they are the illegitimate trying to push away the legitimate sons of the Hausa alphabet. And they are gradually gaining ground and getting momentum even among those who ought to have cared a lot and dismissed them for long.

Hausa orthography is one of the essential forms of knowledge, yet many people don’t bother to learn. Many writers don’t know how to write Hausa correctly or even know they don’t (know that). So sad! But very few are trying to learn. Good!

Generally, in the Hausa language, the hooked letters suffer a lot of trouble and total neglect by those who don’t care. But we are there for them as we surely care. I recently bought a smartphone and decided to return it when I realized it doesn’t contain Hausa in its language entry setting. I took it to someone who did something to it and the Hausa is back. Later, I formatted the phone and lost the Hausa again. I feel like throwing the phone away because I always feel embarrassed when I have to type something or respond to someone while the hooks are not properly represented. This is something serious to us that many others see as nothing.

I don’t have any problem with them if they are accepted, authorized, and certified by respected members and our professors in the field, but I have problems when they keep popping up and occupying the legal orthographical space of others.

Whatever someone says about them, one thing is certain: They are not in the books or from the books. Who can clarify this for us? Please help and save me or save them. If we accept them, fine; they are welcome. If not, please jail them. They are real intruders and disrupters of peaceful and correct writing.

Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi is a Hausa Language lecturer with the Department of Nigerian Languages at Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. He can be reached via muhammadunfagge@gmail.com.