By Uzair Adam Imam

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) held a prestigious event to mark the investiture of the Kano and District Society’s 43rd Chairman, Sa’idu Musa Bala, for the 2024/2025 term.

The ceremony, which brought together distinguished guests, including professionals in the accounting industry, business leaders, and government officials, took place on Sunday at the Grand Central Hotel in Kano State.

Other notable personalities attended to witness the formal induction of the new chairperson and celebrate the continued commitment to excellence in accounting practice.

A traditional title holder, Sarkin Shanun Kano, Shehu Muhammad, called on the new chairman to work diligently to ensure progress, emphasizing the importance of making significant achievements within the one-year tenure.

He stated, “The new chairman should work tirelessly to ensure that he makes wonderful achievements within the span of twelve months of his tenure. We also wish him the best of luck.”

Professor Kabiru Isa Dandago presented a paper titled “Spirituality and Godliness in Accounting Practice,” highlighting the promise of the accounting profession in the fundamental accounting equation, which represents moral truth: every transaction has a giver and receiver of the same value. He emphasized that accountants must act ethically, faithfully, and consistently in the best public interest.

He was quoted as saying, “However, in real life, accountants have not been able to harmonize or reconcile the latter and the spirit of accounting with happenings in society and to extricate the accounting profession from unethical and unspiritual transactions.”

Professor Dandago further stressed that Nigeria needs all practicing accountants and accounting officers in various public and private sector organizations to be ‘vaccinated’ with SAV (Spirituality, Accountability, and Vigilance) to protect the country’s wealth against the high level of fraudulent practices.

After his inauguration, the new chairman, Sa’idu Musa Bala, expressed his commitment to improving accountancy in Kano State.

He stated, “We are aware of the situation of the accountancy profession in Kano. Kano is the center of commerce in the country. However, many companies are failing every day, and the reason must not be unconnected to the lack of professionalism.”

He added, “Any company that you see making significant progress, if you look behind that company, you will see that they have many chartered accountants guiding them. A chartered accountant is like a medical doctor to any business. A businessman will come, and the chartered accountant will analyze that business, see where it is ‘sick,’ and provide a solution.”

The new chairman and the newly inaugurated executives are determined to ensure the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in accounting practice in Kano State.

By Uzair Adam Imam

According to authorities, two female suspects have been arrested in connection with the detonation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Gwoza local government area of Borno State on Saturday.

A local government official confirmed that 30 female suicide bombers were sent to Gwoza to detonate IEDs at different locations within the area. However, only four suicide bombers had carried out the attack so far.

One of the female bombers, who came from the Pulka axis, detonated the IED at a checkpoint, killing herself, a soldier, and a civilian JTF member. The women were said to have entered Gwoza from different locations, including Pulka and the Mandara mountains.

Security operatives are currently on the lookout for the remaining would-be suicide bombers to prevent further disasters. The source explained that one of the female bombers that came from Pulka axis was responding to military interrogation at the checkpoint when she panicked and detonated the IED.

The Borno State government has condemned the attacks and vowed to continue the fight against insurgency. The governor of Borno State visited the victims of the bomb blast and reiterated the government’s commitment to ending the insurgency.

The investigation is ongoing, and security operatives are working to prevent further attacks in the region.

By Abba Sadauki

Introduction

There comes a time when the world’s weight seems unbearable, making each breath a struggle. Like a midlife crisis, this pivotal moment is when one confronts the reality of their material existence. It’s a stark realisation that all the goals and aspirations pursued were essentially economic activities aimed at providing for oneself and loved ones. 

Another revelation compounds the gravity of this understanding – the fact that these efforts have primarily served to enrich others. Despite all the hard work, one finds themselves barely making ends meet, with the prospect of accumulating enough wealth for a comfortable life or pursuing truly fulfilling endeavours seeming increasingly elusive. 

The weight of economic struggle is a universal experience shared by countless individuals across the globe. This article aims to shed light on the historical journey that has shaped this experience, particularly within the context of Northern Nigeria. 

We will explore, starting from the feudal reigns of the Sarkis (Kings) and Amirs (Emirs), delving into the transformative impact of British imperialism. Our journey will culminate in an analysis of post-colonial governance and the pervasive influence of global capitalism, painting a picture of our present reality. 

Through this, we will uncover the roots of the stark wealth inequality that pervades our society, understand the purpose and implications of debt, and confront the enduring reality of class struggle. 

As we navigate through the complexities of these issues, we will question the viability of our current system in the face of 21st-century challenges. The 2008 economic crisis is a stark reminder of these challenges, prompting us to reevaluate and rethink our economic structures. 

The Emergence of Capitalism in Northern Nigeria: Pre-capitalist Economic Systems

The Emergence of Market Societies

As in the bible, we will start at Genesis, to the very inception of our economic systems. In the beginning, there were no economies, only markets. But what exactly are markets? They are places where a willing buyer and a willing seller meet to exchange goods or services. Here, we encounter the first myth that capitalism propagates – the notion that markets did not exist before its advent. However, markets existed long before capitalism emerged as a system during the Industrial Revolution in Britain in the 18th century.

You might wonder, what do I mean by “there was no economy”? The answer lies in a simple yet crucial condition for markets to evolve into an economy – the existence of a “surplus”. A surplus refers to the excess resources that can be accumulated and utilised.

When our ancestors first tilled the land and initiated the process we now know as agriculture, they created resources that exceeded immediate needs. This surplus transformed markets into an economy – a complex network of relationships that emerges in societies with a surplus.

This economy enabled us to produce food and, more importantly for this discussion, tools and instruments that wouldn’t exist with labour alone. The first instrument of this system was likely writing, used to account for the units of agricultural produce stored by an individual in the communal granary. These units were probably represented by engravings on shells, signifying the value of the stored produce.

These shells could be exchanged between individuals for goods or services. If this concept sounds familiar, it’s the precursor to what we know as money today. Instead of shells, we now use pieces of paper or digital representations.You could also borrow these shells or promise a specific amount in the future in exchange for immediate service. This is the concept we now understand as debt.

Someone had to ensure the value of these shells was guaranteed, often through force. In today’s terms, this individual might be known as a king, whose domain of influence is a state. The king would have people managing the accounting and others enforcing his guarantee, akin to modern-day police.

As we can see, a “surplus” led to a radical societal transformation. However, this transformation was not without its adverse side effects. One of these was that the king and his bureaucracy accumulated a surplus, leading to an overconcentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few. This process, which we now call inequality, is still a pressing issue in our modern society.

Now, let’s dive into the heart of our economic systems, armed with conceptual toolboxes that will guide us through its intricate workings. Our first concept is a ‘commodity’. Simply put, commodities are goods produced to be sold. Each of these goods has a market price reflecting its exchange value.

Next, we explore ‘production’, the transformative process that turns raw materials into components or finished goods. This production journey begins with the first factor, the raw materials and the infrastructure used to extract them, such as tools and machines. These are what we refer to as ‘capital goods’.

To carry out this process, we need a location—land or space—our second factor of production. Lastly, we require human labour to transform these raw materials into finished goods. This production process forms the bedrock of an economy, making it tick and thrive. 

The Hausa Feudal Society

The early days of the Hausa kingdoms are shrouded in various myths used to legitimise their existence; the most plausible scenario of how they came to be is that diverse ethnic groups cohabited in the same area, known as Kasar Hausa. These groups were often embroiled in relentless resource conflicts, leading to chiefdoms composed of dominant families.

As time unfolded, the chiefdoms with superior military prowess and organisational structures absorbed the weaker ones, giving rise to kingdoms. The less powerful chiefdoms gradually became vassals, paying tribute to a king or Sarki.

The kingdom’s population began to stratify. The most influential family head ascended to the position of Sarki, distributing offices among his followers from other families. The lineages of these followers evolved into Sarakuna, the aristocracy. These Sarakuna integrated into Sarki’s military organisation, acting as vanguards in establishing dominance over weaker groups and compelling them to pay tribute.

Over time, the Sarki and Sarakuna transformed into the leisure class, while the rest of society, forming the base of economic production, became subordinate to them. Within the broader Hausa society, another stratification layer emerged based on the economic services offered. Free peasants, serfs, and enslaved people emerged as the new classifications of the labour class.

Each kingdom mentioned earlier was divided into administrative units (fiefs) by its ruling class, with a titled lord or his representative serving as its overseer. The kingdom’s capital depended on the resources sent from the labour class in the fiefs and political power in the form of laws, and their enforcers came from the capital to enforce them in the kingdom’s territory.

Society was broadly divided into two distinct classes. The’ Isarakim’ ruling class comprised the king and his officials. On the other hand, the ‘Talakawa’, or the ruled class, consisted of peasants, serfs, and enslaved people.

As we’ve observed, the ruled class formed the backbone of the economy. The ruling class appropriated their labour and the fruits of their production through tribute, taxes, special levies, and forced labour. This arrangement, where the ruling class expropriated labour at the expense of the commoner, is a characteristic feature of all feudal societies

Rise of Merchant Class and Beginnings of Capitalist Spirit

Trade in the Hausa states was determined by the basic facts of geography and communication, the primary routes linking the area to the rest of the world being the trans-Saharan caravan routes. The main imports from Europe and North Africa were cotton and calicoes from Lancashire, cotton and sugar loaves from France, red cloth from Saxony, beads from Venice, needles, mirrors, and paper from Nuremberg, sword-blades from Solingen, razors from Styria, fine silks from Lyons, coarse silks from Trieste and Tripoli, red fezzes from Leghorn, and all kinds of Arab dress from North Africa. In contrast, the main commodities the Hausa exported to balance its trade with the outside world were cotton, goatskins, leather goods, and slaves.

The acquisition of wealth from these ventures eventually led to new values within the ruling class and new members of that class—the merchants. These emerging values played a crucial role in shaping modern social stratification and the formation of nation-states.

The merchants and their heirs, often referred to as the “nouveaux riches,” found themselves beyond the control of the aristocracy. With the support of imperialists, they absorbed ancient traditional kingdoms, uniting them into regional and national entities under their control. In the following discussion, we’ll explore the process by which this transformation occurred.

The Creation and Evolution of Capitalism and Its Effects in Colonial Northern Nigeria

1. The Birth of Capitalism

In the earlier societies we explored, none of the factors of production were treated as commodities. For instance, consider labour: throughout history, people worked, but during feudal times, this labour was not sold or rented to the aristocrats. Instead, a portion of the talakawa’s harvests was forcibly taken. The tools of production—such as hoes and cutlasses—were often crafted by the talakawa themselves or by craftsmen from the same fief. In exchange for these tools, the talakawa provided food to the craftsmen. Land, too, was never treated as a commodity. The sarakuna never sold it; such an idea would have been unthinkable. Land ownership was either inherited or forever out of reach.

The process by which these factors became commodities began with the development of shipbuilding in Europe and advancements in sea navigation. European merchants traded vast distances, shipping wool from England to places like Shanghai in exchange for silk and other Asian goods. Upon returning to England, they exchanged these acquired goods for even more wool than they had initially started with. The traded products gained international value through these exchanges, and those involved in their production or sale amassed significant wealth.

By observing these nouveau riche individuals—whom they considered social inferiors—amassing fortunes that threatened to overshadow their own, English aristocrats adopted a classic strategy: “If you can’t beat them, join them.” They disrupted the existing system built by their ancestors. They uprooted perishable crops that lacked international value and fenced off their land. Peasants who had lived on that land for generations were evicted and replaced with sheep, whose wool could fetch a healthy price in international markets. It is estimated that around 70 per cent of the peasants were displaced during this transformation. Ultimately, this process turned Britain from a society with markets into a market society, effectively commodifying land and labour.

Indeed, the commodification of labour emerged from the basic human need to survive. As the newly evicted peasants wandered from village to village, desperate for sustenance and shelter, they knocked on countless doors, willing to do anything in exchange for those necessities. In this process, they unwittingly auctioned their labour, transforming themselves into the precursors of modern workers—the very traders of their own toil.

The land was commodified when aristocrats decided to lease it rather than directly oversee wool production. They set rental prices based on international market conditions. Some former serfs accepted these offers, as it was a choice between that or poverty. They signed leases hoping that selling wool in the market would cover rent and wages for other serfs working under them, with any leftover funds going toward their families’ sustenance. These transformations, coupled with the invention of the steam engine, eventually gave rise to what we now refer to as industrial society. This development reinforced the Great Contradiction: the simultaneous existence of unimaginable new wealth and unspeakable suffering. As a result, the inequalities that originated during the agricultural revolution, which we encountered previously, increased dramatically.

New creations also came about due to the birth of this new system, and the concept of debt has existed throughout human history. In simpler times, it might manifest as a neighbour helping another in need, with the recipient expressing gratitude by saying, “I owe you one.” No formal contract was necessary; both parties understood that the favour would eventually be repaid, settling their moral debt. However, with the advent of capitalism, this moral obligation became legal. Debt now comes with terms—precisely, exchange values. When a debtor borrows money, they agree to repay the original sum plus a little extra to compensate the creditor for granting the loan. This additional amount is known as interest.

Another new creation was the subversion of production by distribution; in the feudal system, the production process followed a specific order: serfs worked the land (production), feudal lords dispatched agents to collect rents (distribution), and any surplus from rent collection was converted into money. This allowed the lords to purchase, offer loans, and pay for services (credit-debit).

 However, under the new capitalist system, distribution began before production. Former serfs, now renting land from landowners, supervised the production of wool and crops for profit. But they needed capital upfront—for wages, seeds, and rent—before producing any goods. To acquire this capital, they turned to debt. Those who lent them money naturally expected interest as profit. Since all the production processes (wage payments, rent to the landowner, procurement of raw materials and tools) occurred before actual production commenced, distribution now preceded production, and debt became the primary lubricant driving the capitalist machine.

2. Capitalism and Imperialism in Northern Nigeria 

We previously touched upon the collaboration between imperialists and the nouveau riche, which is pivotal in shaping today’s social stratification and nation-states. The process unfolded through a series of significant events.

Firstly, colonial assaults weakened the power and economic position of the feudal aristocracy. Territorial fiefdoms were abolished, along with the economic foundations of feudalism—such as tribute, taxes, levies, tolls, and forced labour. The military hierarchy was dismantled, and the judicial powers of the feudal class were curtailed. These measures effectively stripped the feudal class of its political influence.

Subsequently, during independence movements, the imperialists lost ground to the merchant class. As political power shifted, so did economic power. The traditional elites—the former ruling class—also experienced this loss.

The new elites, primarily merchants, leveraged the state’s economic structure to accumulate wealth. They secured loans from state banks and participated in emerging enterprises. However, they didn’t entirely abandon the traditional aristocracy. Instead, they strategically married into feudal families, accepting honorific titles from kings. This move allowed them to invoke an ethnocentric ideology reminiscent of feudalism, defending the unity of the now-defunct feudal kingdoms and their values.

For instance, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) was entangled with the emirs—a metamorphosis of feudal society in a new guise. Yet, the forces of modern capitalism compelled this new ruling class to target vital vantage points of feudal state power, which they perceived as impediments to the evolution of capitalism.

“All these forces transformed the merchant class into the new bourgeoisie in modern capitalist Northern Nigeria. This class spans both the public and large-scale, foreign-controlled capitalist sectors. Its dominant elements include administrative, managerial, and supervisory roles alongside local private capital and professional groups.

The arrival of oil revenue further strengthened the federal drive at the centre, led by the federal bureaucracy. This allowed the state to play a crucial role in creating a national base for capital accumulation. The state achieved this through infrastructure expansion, the development of a local financial system, the growth of state capital in industry and agriculture, and measures to increase local ownership and control.

Conclusion

The Nature of Capitalism

Throughout this journey, I have aimed to demonstrate that capitalism is not a natural system, as some claim, but rather a created system that evolved and transformed through historical conditions and forces. While capable of generating immense wealth and development, capitalism also bears the responsibility of allowing a select few to accumulate wealth at the expense of the majority, pushing the system to its limits.

Capitalism has historically experienced periods of crisis, but the current crisis extends beyond mere stagnation in productive forces. It encompasses a broader cultural, moral, political, and religious turmoil. The 2008 financial crisis marked a significant turning point. World capitalism has never fully recovered from that shock; massive government interventions were necessary to prevent total catastrophe. However, these measures led to uncontrolled inflation and substantial public, corporate, and private debt. 

Now, the entire process must reverse. The world hurtles toward an uncertain future marked by perpetual cycles of war, economic collapse, and increasing suffering. Even in the wealthiest nations, rising prices erode wages, while cuts to public services like healthcare and education exacerbate social inequalities. In poorer countries, millions face slow starvation, trapped by the grip of imperialist moneylenders.

The comforting myth of equal opportunity for every citizen has shattered. Obscene wealth flaunted alongside poverty, unemployment, and homelessness highlights the stark contrast. Capital increasingly concentrates in the hands of a few billionaires, giant banks, and corporations. We must seek a new system that acknowledges the unsustainable status quo and upholds the sanctity of life. The era of the sarakuna has ended, and the time has come for a new bourgeoisie to emerge. The shifting sands of the North must transform into an oasis of new ideas and a system dedicated to uplifting all.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The reason for the query is the non-participation of some districts in the traditional Durbar during the last Eid-al-Adha celebrations, two weeks ago.

However, as some observers pointed out, there has been a cold war between the Emir and Governor Dikko Umar Radda in the last six months.

They added that Governor Radda is bent on checkmating the Emirs’ perceived excessess.

Part of the governor’s plan, the observers who prefer to remain anonymous said, is to restructure the Emirate, bring on board some of the Emir’s sworn “detractors,” and appoint them to strategic traditional stools.

Incidentally, the governor and the Emir are blood relations. The Emir himself said so publicly during the 2023 electioneering campaign.

By Ibrahim Yunusa

The National Association of Kano State Students (NAKSS) held its convention yesterday, where new leaders were elected.

The association’s convention was held at the Murtala Muhammed Library under the auspices of the Convention Planning Committee (CPC) constituted by the association’s stakeholders.

The mother union of all students of Kano has 136 registered local chapters in different universities and colleges, and 42 of them appeared at the convention and cast their votes. The president and secretary of each chapter are the delegates and are mandated to vote at the convention.

Announcing the results of the election, the chairman of the election committee, Yaseen Sulaiman Saye, said that the seats of Secretary General and Sports Director were the only seats that were duly contested by two aspirants each, while the remaining seats had single contestants.

The new leaders of the NAKSS national body are: Isyaku Ali Kanwa from Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, who emerged as the association’s president, and Rabi’u Muhammad Sa’ad, Zainab Musa Isma’il, Sabi’u Rabilu Kabo, and Muhammad Ghali Muhammad as Vice President 1, Vice President 2, Secretary General, and Assistant Secretary, respectively.

Others are: Abdulyasar Muhammad Dabo, Treasurer; Abdulkarim Idris Namadina, Financial Secretary; Mustapha Abdu Saye, Welfare 1; Maryam Bala Isa, Welfare 2; Fiddausi Abdulkarim Salihu, Women Mobilizer; Abubakar Abdullahi Tabuke, Social Director; Abdullahi Ali Gambo, Auditor General; Ahmad Khamis Umar, Sports Director; Mustapha Mustapha Bashir, PRO 1; and Shehu Amiru, PRO 2.

The newly elected administration of the NAKSS National Body has a tenure of one year.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Superintendent of Police, Ibrahim Sini, has been honoured for rejecting an N150m bribe from a Lagos-based businessman, Akintoye Akindele. 

Akindele was arraigned in August 2023 for allegedly diverting $5.6m and N73.5m belonging to Summit Oil International Ltd. Sini led the investigation team and was offered the bribe to permit Akindele’s escape abroad and write a favourable report.

Sini said, “I am very happy to be here and I want to appreciate the organisers of this programme. They have beat my imagination and added more grease to my elbow.”

He recalled the incident: “The person in question asked me, ‘Do you want to be rich?’ He said this is an opportunity for you to be rich. So, what I said was that it depends on the kind of riches. 

“I would like to have money so that I can lay my head down and sleep at night. I don’t want to have something that will make me think twice and be running from one hole to another. 

“So, I decided to do the right thing so that I can have peace of mind and also stand to do what is right for myself, for my organisation, that is, the Nigeria Police, and also for the country at large,” he added.

Sini advised youths not to trade their integrity for anything, stating that he would like to have money that would allow him to sleep at night and have peace of mind.

Presenting Sini with the document of the land, the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, said Sini’s conduct has brought pride to the Nigerian Police Force.

The charge sheet revealed that Akindele and his company, Duport Midstream Company Limited, were accused of conspiring to commit a felony, stealing, and dishonest conversion of the sum of $5,636,397.01 and N73,543,763.25 belonging to Summit Oil International Limited.

By Aisha Musa Auyo

Hormones influence or determine a considerable percentage of our behaviours and physical appearance. If we say our hormones are what makes us, we won’t be exaggerating. Yet, we hardly discuss it. Yet very few know about it; very few believe in its impact. From genetics to behavioural scientists to physiologists and psychologists, these specialists believe in the power of hormones, especially in women. I will try my best to write in the simplest language possible so that I will not suffocate you with medical jargon.

Hormones are chemicals that coordinate different bodily functions by carrying messages through the blood to the various organs, the skin, muscles, and other tissues. Hormones are the signals that tell your body what to do and when to do it. There is no gainsaying, therefore, that hormones are essential for life and health. So far, scientists have identified over 50 hormones in the human body.

 Hormones control many bodily processes, including metabolism, homeostasis (constant internal balance), such as blood pressure and blood sugar regulation, fluid (water) and electrolyte balance, body temperature, growth and development. Hormones also affect sexual function, reproduction, sleep-wake cycle, and mood.

With hormones, a little bit goes a long way. Because of this, minor changes in levels can cause significant changes to your body and lead to certain conditions that require medical attention. The levels and nature of hormones in the body correlate with our moods, sense of smell, body odour, taste buds, thinking faculty, energy, and looks. 

In this week’s outing, I will start with women, as they are the gender whose hormones have a greater influence and impact on their lives. If you have a woman in your life, regardless of your relationship with her, know that hormones are constantly influencing her. 

Growing up and transitioning into a woman is a roller-coaster of emotional and physical changes. There will be noticeable differences in her attitude, looks, behaviour, and even how she smells. There will be irritability, sadness, and heightened or lowered confidence.

Women have heightened hormonal influence during certain periods. When she grows from a girl to an adult, when she’s ovulating, and at different times when she is on her monthly period. There is a hormonal influence in pregnancy when she is breastfeeding and when she is using hormonal contraceptives. There is yet another hormonal issue at menopause, just as it is at adolescence. 

A few days to menstrual onset (ovulation periods), a woman experiences a libido boost, appetite changes, heightened sense of smell and mood changes…usually in a good mood. But, during the onset of their period, a woman will experience cramps, dizziness, bloating, acne breakout, feeling tired, and mood swings…sadness, anger and anxiety. It isjust a roller-coaster of feelings and emotions. 

When pregnant (this should be a topic of its own), a woman is most likely to experience, among other things, morning sickness, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting; strange food cravings; fatigue; heightened sense of smell; forgetfulness; lack of patience; and crying for no explicit reasons. Bro, be patient and empathic; it’s beyond her. 

Then there comes the postpartum and breastfeeding period, which is associated with crying, difficulty in making decisions, lack of sleep or oversleeping, tiredness, mood swings, etc. Not infrequently, a woman may fall into depression at this phase. 

Then, there are issues relating to the use of contraceptives. These range from headache, migraine, acne, weight loss or gain, hair loss, smooth skin, dryness, and mood swings. The signs are numerous, depending on the woman and the type of contraceptives used.

Then, there is the advent of menopause, which comes with palpitations, hot or cold flashes, difficulty sleeping, tiredness and irritability, dryness and a whole lot of other changes.

Have you ever noticed how a woman can be so lovely today and nasty the next day for no reason? Have you ever seen a woman cry just like that? Have you ever seen a woman with clear skin today and skin full of rashes or acne tomorrow? Have you ever noticed that a woman can be thin today and bloated the day after? Know that these amazing, dramatic transformations result from the interplay of hormones. You have to be tolerant, understanding, and kind.

As a husband, father, son, brother, or friend, you need to understand the complexities of hormones in women to a certain level. This will help you make informed decisions about certain behaviours. This might help explain some oddities in women’s behaviour you experience or notice. The knowledge will help you and be the person she needs during those trying periods.

Sometimes, all a woman needs is space, silence, patience, kind words, empathy, massages, or a shoulder to cry on (that is, if she’s your wife, yauwa!). Chocolates, a listening ear, a credit alert (LOL!), hot tea, a pain killer, or taking her on a walk may be the healing or soothing balm.

The above is just a summary of what women go through. I will expound on each stage in subsequent editions, each stage as a topic of itself, and see how we can navigate through each milestone of hormonal symphony and the complexities of women’s health and emotions. Insha Allah.

Dear reader, but do you know that men, too, have hormones and emotional issues which we overlook? From childhood to adolescence and adulthood, men also come under certain societal expectations and pressure to suppress their feelings. I will try to summarise that in my next article.

Aisha Musa Auyo is a Doctorate researcher in Educational Psychology, a wife, a mother of three, a homemaker, a chef, and a parenting/ relationship coach. She can be reached via aishamuauyo@live.co.uk.

By Abdullahi Khairalla

Borno State Police Command has confirmed that eight people were killed and fifteen others sustained various degrees of injuries following a bomb explosion in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, which is about 100 kilometres away from Maiduguri.

Police Public Relations Officer ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso reported that the tragic incident occurred on June 29, 2024, at approximately 15:40 hours. 

The command further notes that ” a woman carrying a baby detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at a busy motor park in Mararaba T. Junction in Gwoza town. 

The explosion claimed the lives of the woman, her baby, and six others, with fifteen individuals who sustained injuries currently receiving treatment at General Hospital Gwoza”.

This is happening in the wake of the cropping season, which many observe is part of the sinister efforts of the insurgents to cause havoc and instil fear in the people, thereby preventing them from accessing their farmlands.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 36-year-old driver for allegedly attempting to steal his boss’ car after dropping her off at Tejuosho Market, Yaba.

The driver was trailed to Shubiri Road, Ojo, where he was arrested and the car, a Lexus ES 350 with registration number EXY 950 FZ, was recovered.

The police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest and stated that the suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation.

The complainant, whose identity was not disclosed, reported the theft of the car and her laptop to the police at about 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The suspect will face charges for the attempted theft, and the police are continuing their investigation into the incident.

By Uzair Adam Imam

An Abeokuta Magistrates Court has remanded a 32-year-old housewife, Rahmat Abdulateef, for allegedly arranging her own kidnap to extort money from her husband.

The defendant was arraigned on a one-count charge of self-kidnapping and was remanded in prison for 60 days pending legal advice from the Department of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

According to the police counsel, Insp Adekunle Opayemi, the defendant committed the offence on June 20 at about 2:42 p.m. at Elite Road in Abeokuta.

She allegedly arranged for herself to be kidnapped to extort money from her husband, Mr Ogunbummi Lateef.

The offence committed contravened section 27 of the Prohibition of forcible occupation of landed properties, armed robbery, kidnapping cultism and other anti-violence and related offence laws of Ogun 2016.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.O Odumosun, adjourned the case until September 19 for mention.