Opinion

By Salihi Adamu Takai 

Women in the Hausa community shouldn’t remain as they were in the 90’s. They don’t have to be so conservative — refusing to delve into the reflection of the life of smartness. Islam has a lot for women, and in fact, they are mostly recognised more than men in different perspectives. So, women are expected to use the opportunity Islam gives them. 

Before Prophet Muhammad (SAW) married his first wife, Khadijah, she was a wealthy businesswoman who employed men to run some of her businesses. She was inspired by the Prophet’s trustworthiness when she hired him to lead the business, which made her propose to him for marriage. The Prophet married her. 

The Khadija’s adventure in her life of being a businesswoman and the first wife of the Prophet was a challenge to the Muslim women who think that marriage is only the means to become a liability. If the Prophet’s wife could be such a businesswoman in those days, the reason for dumping our women is very outrageous. 

This could also apply to paying the dowry for marriage. Islam makes brideprice the sine qua non of marriage and says it is the right of the wife, not her parents or guardians. It is the wife’s privilege to have capital in her matrimonial house. The dowry can help her run a business while living as the wife.

Almighty Allah decreed paying for a dowry in the Qur’an, Chapter 4, verse 4, in which He says: “Give women ˹you wed˺ their due dowries graciously. But if they waive some of it willingly, then you may enjoy it freely with a clear conscience.”

Thus, dowry could serve as a form of security for the wife to use in the marital home or even upon marriage breakdown. Therefore, if that’s the case, it would be better for women to use the money for business.

Women should stop feeling dependent on their marital homes. They must be innovative and collaborate with their husbands to improve their lives.

During the Prophet’s lifetime, it was reported that the wife of the Prophet’s companion used to help her husband with some work on his farm when he was sick to get what they could. Islam is concerned about the chastity of women, so women should dress decently.

Salihi Adamu Takai wrote via salihiadamu5555@gmail.com.

By Bala Idris

When, on 29th May 2023, against the advice of the Presidential Transition Council Inaugural Committee, you took to the podium at Eagle Square to audaciously declare an end to the corrupted fuel subsidy regime in your first speech as President of the Federal Republic, you most certainly did not envisage an instant bushfire effect – a rabid fuel scarcity which immediately ignited intense economic hardship and food crisis across the country – even before you stepped down from that platform. 

That singular phrase, “Fuel subsidy is gone!” reverberated harshly and pummeled the nation to a pulp, with prices skyrocketing and people’s modest earnings suddenly becoming unbearably meagre. This sparked an agitation for a new salary and minimum wage regime in the country.

The situation took a deeper dive when you announced the student loan scheme with all the attendant uncertainties, causing another spike in tuition fees across universities and concurrent student dropouts. Then, the Naira plummeted against the dollar, further tightening the noose of survival for everyday Nigerians. This effectively wiped out the middle class and created a situation where even basic commodities like Maggie, Oil, Toothpaste, and Garri, to mention a few, were no longer affordable to “ordinary” Nigerians, particularly Pensioners. 

All through this crisis, you have consistently demonstrated an abiding commitment to work harder to ensure that life eventually becomes easy and meaningful for Nigerians. This is in addition to obvious mitigation measures like the recent NGN200 Billion Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, effective monetary policies that made the Naira rebound in a record feat, and a review of the Student Loan Act with more enabling and lenient provisions, among other sustainable initiatives. 

These have demonstrated that it is clearly not in your character or policy to deliberately perpetuate hardship or deprive the labourer of their wage. 

As such, organs of government under your watch should not be used as a launchpad for inhumane onslaught by heads of agencies unilaterally degrading salaries and emoluments, particularly at a time of huge price increases in the middle of the most severe cost-of-living crisis in Nigerian history. 

Such is the situation that over 20yrs pensioners of Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASCL) in October 2023 woke up to, a shocking unilateral decision led by the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr Chioma Ejikeme, to decapitate their emoluments by up to 33% under a “backend computation” pretext. 

In the wake of this onslaught, many woke up to payment alerts far below the existing minimum wage, more so when their pension was already not adequate enough for the comfortable last days of a nation’s senior citizens who have spent the better part of their useful lives in the service of their fatherland! 

This is also coming at a critical time when spiralling inflation has already degraded the emolument by many percentages, shrinking it to a sub-existence level. 

Mr President, it is important to point out that this inhumane act against our nation’s senior citizens by PTAD and its E.S. was carried out without any known authorising memo from its supervising ministry and without any known audit that points to the alleged discrepancies it claimed to have covered in the so-called backend competition that equally lacked relevant stakeholders input. 

While an existing court order has urged both parties to maintain the status quo, PTAD has continuously been in contempt of this order, still insisting on paying the degraded emoluments, which have been found to be fraught with monumental errors. As a result, PTAD agreed to an out-of-court settlement, agreeing to review the backend computation again with relevant stakeholders’ input. 

However, this has proven to be an exercise in futility as it appears PTAD is only interested in stalling the court case. It has not lived up to its promise by reverting to the normal pension regime as of the last payment in March 2024. 

Meanwhile, these pensioners are languishing in abject poverty, deprivation, hunger and some terminal ailments, mostly unable to feed their families, pay the bills, purchase essential drugs or pay for school tuition fees. 

Your excellency, sir, your intervention in this matter in not only ensuring their right dues are paid to them but also enabling them to benefit from upward reviews of salaries and minimum wage will bring a relief to which the pensioners will remain eternally grateful to you. 

You may wish to recall that about six months ago, Federal pensioners under the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate(PTAD) raised concerns over your re-appointment of Dr Chioma Ejikeme as executive secretary.

The pensioners also demanded a prudent audit of PTAD’s activities under her leadership, including the recovery of 163 million naira in monthly running costs, looted pension funds by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ( ICPC), and the recovery of 9 billion naira in assets from Bots and insurance companies.

On this basis, Mr President sir, I call on you, as a compassionate father, to order the restoration to the normalcy of ASCL Pensioners’ monthly emoluments and urgently invite the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission to advise the Federal Government accordingly on the true interpretation of the pensioner’s emoluments. 

In other words, Mr President, sir, call PTAD to order, declare an immediate probe into the situation, order a reversal of the status quo, and follow due process. Let the “poor breath!”

Bala is a concerned citizen and public affairs analyst, he writes from Abuja the Federal Capital Territory.

By Haitham Al Ghais 

The energy transition as a concept is itself in need of a transition. 

We must move beyond the blinkered view that this is about substituting energy sources, that hydrocarbons should be consigned to the past and that recent real concerns expressed by energy consumers around the world on current transition strategies are temporary blips.

In recent years, there has been much discussion among policymakers of the International Energy Agency’s prescriptive “Net Zero by 2050” scenario. Many ambitious proposals for net-zero policies have leveraged this scenario, but there is evidence that some of these policies are now being pulled back and reconsidered.

There is a refocusing on the daily energy realities lived by billions of people. Yes, we all want energy with lower emissions—that is a given. But we also want to ensure reliable and affordable energy, enable economic growth, and enhance energy accessibility.

Ongoing Re-Evaluations

There are a number of reasons for these ongoing re-evaluations.

Firstly, technologies like solar, wind and electric vehicles (EVs) are not replacing hydrocarbons at any real scale. While these alternatives will play a role moving forward, the share of hydrocarbons in today’s global energy mix is over 80%, similar to the level 30 years ago. Wind and solar combined make up under 4% of the world’s energy, and global EV penetration is between 2%-3%. This is despite the fact that $9.5 trillion has been invested in “transitioning” over the past two decades.

The course of history has shown that energy transitions take centuries to evolve and have been about energy additions, not energy subtractions. Previous transitions were technology-driven, with policy following suit. This current transition has, to date, been policy-driven, with the hope that technology will catch up.

Cost and Competitiveness Challenges

Secondly, the costs and competitiveness of many of these alternatives remain a challenge. Renewable costs have been reduced, but when considering intermittency issues, the levelized cost of “total” electricity from solar is more than seven times higher, and from wind 15 times higher when compared with conventional power plants. Additionally, reports of the profitability struggles of many renewable developers are a testament to their economic challenges.

For EVs, the volume-weighted average retail price of EVs in the United States and Europe is higher than gasoline and diesel models, and EVs are heavily subsidized. Such subsidization cannot go on forever. Many automakers are also scaling back or delaying their EV plans, and some have declared bankruptcy. Clearly, the hype around EVs is wearing off, as consumers are showing a preference for continuing to have a choice of vehicles and as the huge challenges around electricity grids, battery manufacturing capacity and critical minerals increase.

For critical minerals in particular, imbalances between processing capacity and reserve concentration present significant challenges, such as supply chain bottlenecks, price gyrations, and geopolitical tensions. Moreover, mining is an energy-intensive activity that runs today on hydrocarbons. In fact, studies show that final energy consumption in mining activities could increase more than fivefold by midcentury.

Developing Country Needs

Thirdly, billions of people are playing energy catchup. Oil consumption in developing countries currently ranges from less than one to just below two barrels per person per year, compared with nine in the EU and 22 in the US. These countries will require more energy, not less, in the future. They cannot wait on costly alternatives when reliable, secure and affordable hydrocarbon options are already available at scale, ones that continue to provide prosperity to the developed world.

Fourthly, renewables and EVs do not own clean energy technologies or efficiency improvements solely. The oil industry is also advancing efficiencies and investing in technologies to reduce emissions, such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage, direct air capture, carbon dioxide removal, and clean hydrogen, alongside investing in renewables.

Rethinking Perceived Wisdom

It may make for some awkward conversations, but the perceived wisdom on the energy transition needs a serious rethink.

We need to move away from categorizing energy sources as good or bad.

We need to reflect the realities on the ground and park the misguided narrative of there being no need for new oil and natural gas fields. With oil and gas demand continuing to rise to historically high levels, it is not a prudent or stable way forward for global energy security.

We need to invest in all energies and technologies and recognize the needs of people around the world, delivering on both our energy security and climate objectives. All the dots require connecting, not just a few. Our energy and climate ambitions necessitate realistic policies that ensure that emissions are reduced while populations have access to affordable energy products and services they require to live a comfortable life.

Haitham Al Ghais is the Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

By Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD

The Lead British school management now has the situation under control. Therefore, the bully will be punished, and, generally, bullying will not continue, at least not in the egregious form most of us see in the trending videos. However, one thing will remain the same: the “Western-style” dress code.

It may shock you to know that some private schools in other cities, such as Kano, have similar miniskirts as uniforms for girls, including Muslim girls. It’s astonishing to see the girls in hijabs before and after school hours. I once wrote about a student I saw struggling to put on a long skirt soon after their school hours in Kano.

Honestly, as a Muslim parent, you are to blame. After all, these are private schools. What we consider decent dress does not hinder the wearer’s ability to learn. It’s a myth to think that a hijab or long skirt can impede learning.

If our governments (for example, in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, etc.) cannot enforce a dress code on those private schools—for whatever reason—parents can and should.

It’s a shame that we still hold on to British and American traditions in many ways when they, too, have already changed with the times—based on the current realities.

Over there, police officers and soldiers can have beards, Sikhs can wear turbans, and women can wear hijabs. Even judges and lawyers don’t have to wear wigs anymore.

Nigeria and other former colonies, what are we waiting for?

Muhsin Ibrahim lives and teaches at the University of Cologne, Germany. He can be reached via muhsin2008@gmail.com.

By Aisha Musa Auyo

I often dismiss the hearsay that everyone must be attacked by this virus once in their lifetime. It’s a superstition, I would reply to them. My sisters were all attacked by the virus, one after the other at a roll, all four of them. I was the one applying calamine lotion on them. We were all waiting for my turn, but I wasn’t infected. Very unusual, even the doctors would say. I must be immune to the chickenpox, I would boast.

After about 15 years, the virus knocked and crushed me to the point of losing hope of living again. From high fever, sore throat, muscle pain, dizziness, and general discomfort. My son was the one who contracted the virus, and obviously, I’ll be the one to take care of him. I did it with full confidence and carelessness that I was immune to the virus. However, I separated him from his siblings and classmates. His illness didn’t last for more than five days, and in a week, he was okay and mixing with everyone.

We travelled for Easter, and I was sick throughout the Easter break. It is Kano weather, I would say. All I do is lie down. Cooking and Tarawih during the last days of Ramadan became impossible for me, yet I didn’t go to the hospital. I deceived myself into thinking I’d get better when my body adjusted to the weather. Until one Tuesday, I felt so sick I couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk, and hated the sound of everything.

Then, one of my kids complained of heat rashes. I undressed him so I could bathe, and viola! Chickenpox rashes all over his body. I checked my other son and found the same issue, then I took a closer look at myself, the rashes were all over my body. I was so sick that I wasn’t paying attention to my skin. It then dawned on me that all three of us were infected by Haidar two weeks after his illness.

I made some calls and was told to stay at home, that we can infect the entire community by going to the hospital. The virus is very contagious. We stayed indoors, and medication was sent to us. We were told not to entertain visitors and not to go out till we were fully recovered and free from the virus.

“Lockdown II,” I thought to myself. We became prisoners in our house, and although the lockdown did give me a chance to rest and bond with the kids, it’s not anything I would hope for anyone.

My fever kept getting high, and I was told the virus punishes adults 50 times the way it treats kids. 

My kids were active and eating after three days, but I wasn’t. The rashes were all over me, including my feet, palms, ears, scalp, lips, throat and tongue. Eating and drinking become difficult. These rashes are not only irritating to the eyes, they hurt like ant bite. I have to be recording my temperature every 3 hours just to see if everything is going well. I finished all the painkillers in the house. Sitting becomes difficult, and leaving my room becomes difficult, too.

I kept thinking something else must definitely be wrong with me; chickenpox could not be this hard. A malaria drug was prescribed for me. Since I wasn’t eating, the ulcer came back in full force. Then I learned that the rashes and scars do not go away. My world was crumbling, and I was crying like a baby. I can’t imagine living with these scars forever.

After nine days, the pain became bearable. I felt better and had the hope of living again. I was told I could still spread the virus even at that time, so I spent my Eid al Fitr at home, browsing and researching chickenpox and how to get rid of the scars.

I learned that the only immunity to the virus is being infected by it. Once you are infected, you will hardly get infected again. It happens once in a lifetime. Although some countries were able to eradicate it, most countries are still battling the virus.

Now and then, especially during the hot season, this virus will spread. It’s there to make sure everyone is immunized, meaning everyone is infected with it once in his lifetime. If it’s a choice, one would prefer to be infected at a younger age, as the virus is merciful to kids and merciless to adults, lol. I’ve come up with a few things to do when the virus strikes.

• As a parent, once you notice that such a contagious virus infects a family member of yours, kindly seclude your ward from the public. It starts with one person, and in less than a week, the whole committee can be infected. Kindly reject visitors by letting them know your condition. Do not travel till you are fully recovered. These teachings from our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. He emphasized the importance of quarantine, separating sick individuals from healthy ones, and avoiding contact with contagious diseases to prevent their spread, all of which are integral to Islamic rulings on managing infectious diseases.

• Chickenpox medications are over-the-counter meds. You don’t have to go see a doctor. Once you notice fever, headache, muscle ache, and rashes, know that it’s either chickenpox or measles. They’re contagious. By going to the hospital, one may infect the nurses, receptionist, and even the doctors. Send an immune person to get the drugs for you.

• Drink a lot of water and fluids. Those monster rashes drain one to the point of dehydration.

• You, as a healthy individual, should not feel bad when a person tells you not to visit due to the nature of their illness. Kindly understand that they have your best interest at heart. A colleague of mine is still angry with his Uncle because the uncle told him not to visit them as the whole family is infected with chickenpox.

• Chickenpox doesn’t sit well with heat, so make sure you stay in a well-ventilated space and do not wear clothes since you are indoors.

• Bathe at least thrice a day with room temperature water, and avoid hot or warm water.

• If possible, wash your hands with a hand wash every hour when you are not sleeping.

• Try your best not to forcefully scratch or remove the rashes when they’re drying. Allow your skin to shed them. This is easier said than done. Feeling a blister or bump on your skin and letting go isn’t easy. Let me not deceive you.

• Calamine lotion helps to soothe and dry the rashes.

• If the fever is high, try using a damp cloth over the patient and take painkillers according to the doctor’s instructions.

• After you are healthy and free of infection, sanitize the house and the clothes you use with hot water and disinfectants. This includes towels, bedspread and sofas.

• I was told the rashes and scars never disappear; some said it takes years before they disappear. One of my sisters was born with a fair complexion, but after a chickenpox infection, her complexion darkened. She never recovered her colour. As discouraging and sad as this may sound, one should not relax and allow the virus to ruin one’s looks and confidence. Aloe vera gel does wonders with consistency and patience.

• Honey, neem oil, or water infused with neem leaves also help a lot. Retinol creams are also very effective. But please don’t bleach your skin or use harsh chemicals on your body.

Aisha Musa Auyo is a Doctoral researcher in Educational Psychology, a wife, and a mother of three. She is a homemaker, caterer, and parenting/relationship coach.

By Dr. Fahad Ibrahim Danladi

Unfortunately, bigotry has permeated the fabric of our society, affecting some Nigerians. Recently, I was surprised to learn that the girls wearing miniskirts in the Lead British School, Abuja bullying video were Muslim students.

This incident highlights a concerning trend, also seen in Lagos, where students in private schools may be restricted from wearing modest attire that aligns with their religious beliefs.

In contrast, I’ve witnessed a more inclusive approach in the United States, where my children attend public school. Their schools accommodate diverse religious and cultural backgrounds by offering flexible dress code options.

For instance, my daughter’s elementary school has a uniform policy with various styles that cater to different religious and cultural needs. Similarly, my other daughter in middle school wears traditional Hausa dresses to school without issue.

In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, it’s crucial for both private and public schools in Nigeria to adopt inclusive uniform policies that respect the two major religions in our country, promoting a culture of acceptance and understanding.

By Mohammed Usman

Recently, the world has welcomed the advent of a rich, sophisticated, and yet unprecedented technological breakthrough with the potential to reshape the tapestry of human life. This breakthrough is referred to as “artificial intelligence” or simply “AI.” AI means the ability of a computer program to mimic the capability of the human brain. 

Artificial intelligence, more than it was initially envisaged, has proliferated acceptance in almost all realms of life. Because, in a very short period, it has proven itself to be the tool for metamorphosing and mushrooming productivity, efficiency and effectiveness that no human beings would have ever dreamed of. 

However, this breakthrough has recently been a heated debate among experts in various sectors of life, especially academia. Though the debate does not seem to conclude the horizon because of the weight each party has been proving in favour of its side, none can deny that this AI does not solely mimic the human brain’s capability. Still, it has made it evident that there is additional potential to do away with it.

Technology has made many people, especially youth, weak and reluctant to use their brains to think and be productive as long as this Al is at their disposal. They distrust the effectuality of their brains so long as they seek access to AI and find it. This is not only a challenge to the potentiality of youth but also to future generations at large.

A time can come, and God forbid, when people can be likened to pieces of objects that cannot do any simple task for themselves without the help of this Al. Deep and critical thinking, as well as cognitive capacity, will flutter away from those people. 

Hence, the need for members of any given society, especially the youth, to limit the use of this technology can never be overemphasised. It must always be handled with care and suspicion since it has come to stay and co-evolve with them.

Governments at all levels must develop policies, rules, and regulations that govern the use of this technology, be it shadow, put it under control, and ensure that it does not damage its citizens in any way. 

Mohammed Usman (Noble-Pen) wrote via mohammedusman5706@gmail.com.

By Zayyad I. Muhammad

The principle “you only sell what you have” is a cornerstone of all businesses, resonating throughout different industries and emphasizing the importance of aligning offerings with available resources and expertise.

It’s crucial to provide goods or services that are accessible and within one’s capabilities. However, Nigerian power distribution companies (DISCOs) are selling services they cannot deliver to their customers. For example, the promised 20–24-hour electricity supply under the new tariffs, such as Band A, appears to be unsuccessful.

The DISCOs are simply selling 20–24 hours of darkness, causing disappointment, eroding trust, and damaging the reputation of both the DISCOs and the Minister of Power.

Among economics and political observers, there is a widely held belief that credibility is paramount in retail, manufacturing, or service-oriented businesses. Customers expect transparency and reliability, and any deviation from this expectation can have detrimental effects on long-term success.

The DISCOs want to emulate other countries, but in those with privatized electricity, tariffs are usually categorized into residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. However, in Nigeria, consumers are simply grouped into ‘BANDs.’ For instance, in countries with reliable electricity, like the EU, consumers have the freedom to choose an electricity supplier from the full range available in their area, as well as the type of tariffs they prefer. In Nigeria, DISCOs hold a monopoly. If your service provider is Ibadan Electric, Kaduna Electric, Yola Electric, etc., you have no alternative; you must remain with that specific DISCO and the tariff band they have assigned to you.

We must acknowledge that every business, including DISCOs, operates within constraints, whether financial, logistical, or technical. While acknowledging these constraints is logical, the new tariff appears to be nothing more than an attempt to expedite Nigeria’s electricity sector development without addressing underlying challenges. How can Nigeria implement tariffs similar to those in countries with well-developed electricity sectors, characterised by massive infrastructure, reliable electricity, flexible tariff structures, and numerous options for consumers in choosing service providers?

The Band A tariff is nothing but overpromising and underdelivering. Businesses that embrace this principle prioritise maximising profits at the expense of their customers’ needs and freedom of choice.

In fact, the majority of Nigerian electricity consumers, regardless of whether they are in Bands A, B, C, D, or E, are angered by two entities: DISCOs and the Minister of Power. DISCOs are perceived as collecting money for services not rendered, while the minister is seen as defending the indefensible.

In serious countries, electricity supplies and tariffs are considered a security and economic imperative. Thus, electricity tariffs can vary widely depending on factors such as economic conditions, infrastructure, government policies, and production methods.

Presently, Nigeria’s economic conditions cannot support or sustain these new tariffs; we lack the infrastructure and economic strength for businesses to bear such high tariffs. Consequently, this would lead to high commodity prices as production costs increase, ultimately resulting in higher prices for goods and services.

In countries with efficient electricity systems, tariffs often reflect the costs of generation, distribution, and maintenance, resulting in lower rates for consumers. For instance, countries like Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland utilise a mix of hydroelectric, nuclear, and renewable energy sources, which helps keep tariffs relatively low compared to gas-powered alternatives.

The Minister of Power and DISCOs must revisit the drawing board as the new tariff has failed upon arrival. For instance, according to an investigative report by the Daily Trust on April 12, 2024, DISCOs issued 37 apologies to Band A customers within one week. They are struggling to sustain a 20–24-hour power supply to Band A customers.

It’s crucial to remind DISCOs of the provision by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC): ‘When the Disco fails to meet the committed service level to a Band A feeder for seven consecutive days, the feeder shall be automatically downgraded to the recorded level of supply in accordance with the applicable framework.

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja, 08036070980, zaymohd@yahoo.com

By Ado Magaji Mansur

As the saying goes, “We are the books we read.” Therefore, we should all thank our writers, past and present, for depriving themselves just to share their ideas and experiences with us through books. 

Although I am not a writer, I believe that writing books is both painful and rewarding. Without these books, our world would’ve been a totally different place. 

However, as the world is moving from script to screen, coupled with the gradual death of the reading culture and rise in the “watching” culture, especially among our people. I hereby ask the question: Can’t our intellectuals use film to transmit their great ideas to the people?

We have already made the mistake of entrusting our films to the people we all know who can’t be relied upon as the sole custodians of our culture and the psyche of our younger generation. Therefore, instead of observing and criticising the films, their makers and producers from a distance, why can’t some of the great minds among us think up some appropriate ways of putting their ideas to improve the powerful Kannywood, especially now that it’s been confirmed that they can’t live up to our didactic and moralistic expectations? And since no one can moderate (read: censor) their movies before they reach our homes, we must help them improve.

Very soon, we will start alleging or complaining that foreign countries and organisations are sponsoring and producing films like “Dadin Kowa” to intentionally misrepresent us or to sustain the stereotypical image of us that has already been created. 

Like books, films have the capacity to convey a wide range of ideas, making them a versatile tool for people from all disciplines. If handled with care, films can have a profound impact on the audience, much like books do for readers. 

Finally, I must confess that, some years back, when our friend Muhsin Ibrahim defected from Literary Studies to Theater/Film/Television studies, I secretly doubted the sagacity of his choice because I then wrongly thought that, as a promising writer and critic, he would contribute to his society better as a literary guru than a film scholar. But now we can all see his great job for Kannywood. We can all take some cues from our friend and see how we can contribute.

By Wonderful Adegoke

In a Northern Nigerian region plagued by stereotypes and obstacles to academic success, Khalilat Bello’s unwavering advocacy for academic excellence has defied all the odds and carved a path to success. Her journey is not only inspiring but also a testament to the power of perseverance and determination.

Hailing from Offa Local Government Area in Kwara State, Khalilat came to terms with her fate of studying Applied Chemistry at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) after realizing that pursuing a medical degree would be a forlorn attempt. She accepted her new path and threw herself into her studies, determined to make the most of her time at the university.

Khalilat recounted, “Reflecting on the past, there has never been a record of my struggling in the field of chemistry. When I graduated from secondary school, I was awarded for being the best student in chemistry. Moving forward, my interest in the subject deepened.”

Khalilat’s Resolute Grit

Fully aware of undergraduates’ volatile academic experience, she subsisted her academic pursuits by attending lectures regularly and taking tutorials on obscure courses.

“Earning 4.89 on a 5.0 CGPA scale in 100-level compelled me to give it my all,” she enthused, revealing how she persevered among a class of brainy students who were in healthy competition with each other.

“As an ardent believer in hard work, I spent countless hours reading and writing, thoroughly studying the materials. Attending tutorials, brainstorming and sharing ideas with my classmates helped out in some challenging courses.

On the subject of long-term concentration during reading, “The goal I had in mind kept me going and helped manage distractions.”

Though actively involved in extracurricular activities and has served as the one-time Vice President of her departmental association, she added, “All engagements are brought to an abeyance during tests and exams.”

“I’m immensely grateful to God for being the top student in my department with the highest CGPA of 4.85. I attribute this achievement to the self-discipline I developed in my early days and the encouragement I received from my friends and family.”

Remain Committed — Khalilat advises undergraduates

Khalilat warns against inconsistency and advises undergraduates to be committed and hardworking. “Hard work helps mitigate against gratuitous results.”