By Muhammad Suleiman Adam

Yobe state Governor Mai Mala Buni said he would personally supervise the implementation of the Sustainable Solutions for Long-Term Displaced persons (SOLID) project to ensure the success of the programme in the state.

He stated this on Wednesday when a team from the World Bank paid him a working visit in Damaturu. 

“I am delighted to welcome yet another initiative by the World Bank to support the state government in implementing more sustainable solutions for long-term displaced persons and to support the host communities in dealing with the challenges they face” Buni said

He further said Yobe is the second most affected state that recorded massive destruction of facilities and infrastructure by the insurgency, therefore, the need for additional facilities to support government efforts to effectively serve the people cannot be overemphasized as some of the displaced persons have chosen to settle permanently in the host communities.

He commended the World Bank and other development partners for supporting the recovery efforts of the state government in resettling displaced persons in their communities with dignity.

He directed MDAs to ensure full participation for ownership and sustainability of the SOLID project “the MDAs should identify areas of intervention and ensure harmonization for greater impact across the state”.

Leader of the delegation, Fuad Malkawea, commended the positive interventions made by the Multi Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) another World Bank programme in the state.

He assured that the partnership would further provide support to the host communities.

“The intervention is to provide support to existing facilities some of which are over stretched” he observed. 

By Sa’id Sa’ad

Earlier this year – when Bello Galadanci’s videos were becoming popular on digital platforms – a colleague posted a video of his skit on his WhatsApp status. From what might be a simple curiosity, I asked him if he knew who the person was – of course, expecting him to at least know a bit – but he replied that he did not know him beyond his not-so-much-funny recent “comedy skits.”

That was weeks after the publication of my recent essay, A Crack on Hadiza Gabon’s Wall: Humanizing Northern Nigeria Storytelling, where I described what the show meant to storytelling in Northern Nigeria and the impact of what I called “hypocritical denial and intentional lack of acknowledgement” from the northern community. As it has always been, I bumped into a tweet where a young person from “northern” Nigeria condemned the entire comedy skits made by Bello Galadanci. If I weren’t from the North, I would have wondered why Northern consumers always find a way to devalue Northern content creators in whatever discipline. But I didn’t, because I understood the game. So. Well. It is nothing to raise a brow at, mainly because, as creatives, criticism as such is often expected, “Thanks for the PR” was the short response Galadanchi gave him.

Even with the recent trooping of young creators into the skit-making industry in Nigeria, majorly due to its financial and digital-popularity lakes tunnelled by TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, one could guess accurately – as most other useful or even useless “developmental” growth – that adoption of content creation as a business by young people in Northern Nigeria, came very late, as well. It is difficult to mention by name – the northern skit creators who began early – and still maintain the same consistency as one would mention Taoma or Aproko Doctor or Mr. Macaroni from the South. Only Galadanchi and a few others still retain their craft consistently.

Many young people in northern Nigeria continue to comment, criticise, or label Bello Galadanchi and his skits in multiple ways.

Aside from the unpopular northern Nigeria population that perceives his skit as the “working-for-the-white” theory (or the painting north black belief), and the many who – due to educational standards and exposure – fail to comprehend the satirical nature of his contents, most of those who do not find him funny do so due to Broda-Shaggying or Sabinufying Galadanchi’s skit.

Unlike most skit makers in Nigeria, whose focus is majorly only on sowing laughter and entertainment into the market and reaping their golds, built on creative juice – Galadanchi’s contents are meant for social and political commentary using humour and satire. Backed by journalism, creative, and educationalist careers, it might seem almost impossible for Galadanchi – even by himself – to create non-questionable or fluid content only meant for laughter because creatives are muscled with the hunger to correct and change using their art. His could be simplified as addressing serious problems without being too serious.

Therefore, this makes it difficult for those Broda-Shaggying and Sabinufying him to comprehend the content as, thus, they expect a consciously endowed full-length comedy. I don’t mean to belittle content created by skit makers whose conscious aim is to create a hundred-percent comedy piece. However, expecting an all-comedy-induced piece from a skit maker whose purpose is challenging social and political ills using humour could be as good as expecting something from nothing.

While writing this essay, I shared on WhatsApp status a short clip from an interview Bello Galadanchi granted CGTN where he sat on stairs with three other Chinese, in a swagger-spirited looks with polished accent and blonde hair. Most GenZ’s (respectfully) responded to have known him only through his comedy and never “expected” him to be this “polished”, so far away from what they expected Dan Bello (his character) to be.

That means most of those who denigrate his content would have been from their “expected lens” through which they measure him to be. As argued in my previous essay above – could this also be what I called “hypocritical denial and intentional lack of acknowledgement” of the northern population for contents and creators coming from the north? Because, of course, what Bello Galandanchi is doing for northern Nigeria-specific social and political issues is what Aproko Doctor is exactly doing for Nigeria’s health sector and health-related issues.

Though satire could emerge in professional, amateur, elitist, and popular forms, those who do not comprehend his satire might also be due to their level of comprehension rather than the perceived educational standard or exposure. However, I believe both play a role here. Of course, satire is meant to use humour and irony to criticise, as in the case of the Nigerian writer Elnathan John with his famous book, Be(com)ing Nigerian. However, because Galadanci focuses on the “North”, he is quickly labelled with the “working-for-the-white theory”.

Perhaps if Elnathan’s book was a digital piece as Galadanci’s – and produced in the same form and language – the same label could have been blanketed for him, too. Sometimes, the theory sounds a lot like a comedy skit as well because even a deported northerner fighting the cause of his people – in any way different from the (usual) northern norms – would be considered brainwashed to work for the whites.

More so, those who do not comprehend the satire in the contents are often blindfolded from seeing the patriotism in these pieces. If not for a deep love for a people, I wonder how one would continue to create these provocative contents that question deep political ills in the region. While also soaking insults from young people in the same region who barely understood the depth of what his craft was uprooting.

However, looking at his pieces of art critically (beyond Broda-Shaggying them), how they are deeply immersed in satire and sheer creativity, one could vividly tell how varying it is from the contents created by other skit makers. If other skit makers called theirs “contents”, a creative could easily describe Galadanchi’s as a “piece of art”. The beauty in the work is so immense that one could smell creative fragrances all over the place.

Imagine if the digital youths in the north focus on – if not creating – promoting creators from the region rather than policing social media in the holy name of the north. Imagine if we all question the system in the individual creative juices deposited in us. Imagine if we learn to place a market value on the creators and contents from the north rather than wasting our time watching these wayward girls crowd-chasing nonsense on TikTok in Hausa and serving them to your screen back-to-back. Imagine if we focus on the problems rather than those who help us understand the problem. Imagine if we don’t call for the heads of those who create alphabets to remind us of where we are.

Galadanchi didn’t just find questioning the ill social and political system for Nigerians in Nigeria. He has lived with the system, experienced the system and carried dozens of scars from the system to wherever the world took him.

If these pieces of art are what come out from creatives whom the ill Nigerian system has wounded, then very soon, the Bello Galadanchi in all of us will prevail.

Sa’id Sa’ad is a Nigerian writer, poet, and playwright from Maiduguri. He won the Peace Panel Short Story Prize 2018 and the NFC Essay Prize 2018. He tweets @saidsaadwrites and can be reached directly via saidsaadabubakar@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Imo State witnessed increased tensions as Joe Ajaero, the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was reportedly arrested by Nigeria Police Force operatives in Owerri on Wednesday.

Ajaero was taken into custody at the NLC state council secretariat, according to Benson Upah, the Head of Information at NLC, and subsequently transported to an undisclosed location. 

This development followed the NLC’s announcement of an impending total strike in Imo State, set to commence on November 1, 2023.

Ajaero had accused Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma of neglecting workers’ welfare and violating their rights.

He highlighted several issues, including prolonged non-payment of salaries, the wrongful categorization of workers and pensioners as ghost beneficiaries, and non-compliance with the national minimum wage. 

During a press briefing held on Sunday, Ajaero criticised the state government’s refusal to honour past agreements and its resistance to engaging in social dialogue and collective bargaining.

He underscored the grave consequences, citing reports of workers losing their lives due to the alleged lack of salary payments. 

The arrest of Ajaero has intensified the labour dispute, raising concerns about the ongoing situation in Imo State.

The NLC and its members continue to demand fair treatment and the fulfilment of workers’ rights.

As the state government faces mounting pressure to address these grievances, the labour unrest in Imo State remains a cause for growing apprehension and scrutiny.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

President Bola Tinubu has issued a strict warning against unauthorised attendance at Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings.

Specifically addressing his son, Seyi Tinubu, and other individuals, President Tinubu emphasised the need for adherence to established security protocols during the vital national discussions. 

The president named the only approved attendees, including his Special Advisers and key staff members, stressing that no one else should participate without his explicit invitation.

He directed top officials to enforce this directive, ensuring the integrity of FEC meetings. 

President Tinubu also praised the recent successful bilateral meetings with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and urged ministers to focus on innovative reforms to attract investors.

He noted the importance of creative solutions for enhancing Nigeria’s investment opportunities.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has debunked rumors of a naira redenomination in the near future. 

In a statement, which was signed by the bank’s Director of Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, on October 31, 2023, the apex bank states that the contents of a text message circulating widely suggesting that the CBN plans to redenominate the naira in January 2024 are “misleading.” 

It further states that the authors of the text message “modified text eked from an old policy move by a previous CBN Governor in 2007 to make it appear recent.”  

The CBN advised the public to ignore the rumors, as they are “speculative and calculated to cause panic in the polity.”

The bank also stated that any reforms to the naira would be subject to “laid down procedures in line with the provisions of the CBN Act, 2007.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Lionel Messi, the iconic Argentine forward, has seized the Ballon d’Or for an unprecedented eighth time.

Messi, who now graces the fields of Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, achieved this remarkable milestone after steering Argentina to its maiden World Cup triumph in Qatar last year.

Not only did he guide his nation to glory, but he was also honoured with the Golden Ball award, recognising his stellar performance as the tournament’s standout player. 

His achievement widens the gap between him and his perennial rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, who notably did not feature on the shortlist for the first time since 2003.

Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, currently plies his trade with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. 

Having bid adieu to European football at the conclusion of the last season, exiting after a successful stint with Paris Saint-Germain, where he clinched back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, Messi embarked on a new chapter in his illustrious career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Tensions within the British government have come to the forefront as a ministerial aide, Paul Bristow, was dismissed from his position after calling for a permanent ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Bristow’s plea for a ceasefire conflicted with the government’s support for “humanitarian pauses” instead. 

The dismissal came in the wake of a letter Bristow addressed to the Prime Minister, urging for a lasting ceasefire to save lives and enable crucial aid delivery to the affected region.

His removal was swift, with government officials citing his comments as a breach of the principle of collective responsibility, wherein government members are expected to publicly support official policies regardless of personal beliefs. 

The internal discord was further highlighted during a recent session of Prime Minister’s Questions, where Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak advocated for “specific pauses” to facilitate aid delivery while firmly rejecting calls for a complete ceasefire.

Sunak emphasised Israel’s legitimate right to self-defence, underscoring the government’s stance on the matter. Bristow, a Conservative MP representing Peterborough, expressed his deep concern for his constituents, a significant portion of whom have been directly impacted by the conflict.

His questioning of the effectiveness of ongoing military actions in enhancing security or improving the situation resonated with a portion of the public. 

This incident reveals a rift within the UK government, raising questions about the nation’s diplomatic stance and the complex challenges posed by international conflicts.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, has appeared again to conduct a press conference in the aftermath of the judgement passed by the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in favour of President Bola Tinubu. 

Below is the full text of the press conference: 

Protocol. 

Gentlemen of the Press. Someone asked me what I would do if I lost my election petition appeal at the Supreme Court. In response, I said that as long as Nigeria wins, the struggle would have been worth the while. By that, I meant that the bigger loss would not be mine but Nigeria’s if the Supreme Court legitimizes illegality, including forgery, identity theft, and perjury.  

If the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, implies by its judgment that crime is good and should be rewarded, then Nigeria has lost and the country is doomed irrespective of who occupies the Presidential seat. If the Supreme Court decides that the Electoral umpire, INEC, can tell the public one thing and then do something else in order to reach a corruptly predetermined outcome, then there is really no hope for the country’s democracy and electoral politics.  

Obviously, the consequences of those decisions for the country will not end at the expiration of the current government. They will last for decades. I am absolutely sure that history will vindicate me. We now know what the Supreme Court has decided. 

At critical points in my political life, I always ignored the easy but ignoble path and chosen the difficult but dignified path, the path of truth, of morality, of democracy and rule of law.  

I always chose freedom over servitude, whatever the personal discomforts my choice entails. When I joined politics, the critical challenge was easing the military out of power so that civilian democratic governance could be restored in Nigeria. It later became a very defining struggle, and, as one of the leaders of that struggle, I was targeted for elimination.  

In one incident, nine policemen guarding my home in Kaduna were murdered in an attempt to assassinate me. I was also forced into exile for nine (9) months. In addition, my interest in a logistics company that I co-owned was confiscated and given to friends of the military government. As Vice President in the civilian government that succeeded the military, I, again at great personal cost, chose to oppose the extension of the tenure of the government beyond the two four-year terms enshrined in our constitution.  

In response to the official backlash against me, I instituted several cases in the courts, which led to seven landmark decisions that helped to deepen our democracy and rule of law. At the current historic moment, the easier option for me would have been to fold up and retreat after the mandate banditry perpetrated by the APC and INEC.  

But I went to the Nigerian courts to seek redress. I even went to an American court to help with unravelling what our state institutions charged with such responsibilities were unwilling or unable to do, including unravelling the qualifying academic records of the person sworn in as our President and by implication, hopefully who he really is.  

I offered that evidence procured with the assistance of the American Court to our Supreme Court to help it to do justice in this case. I give this background to underscore that what we are currently dealing with is bigger than one or two presidential elections and is certainly bigger than Atiku Abubakar. It is not about me; it is about our country, Nigeria. It is about the kind of society we want to leave for the next generation and what kind of example we want to set for our children and their children.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Northern Governors’ Forum has expressed its deep sadness over the passing of the revered Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr. Abdul Rahman Ado Ibrahim.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, the Chairman of the Forum, expressed heartfelt condolences over the demise of this iconic monarch. 

Mr. Yahaya, in a statement, praised Dr. Ado Ibrahim’s legacy of peace, unity, and cultural preservation in Ebiraland.

He extended his sympathies to the people of Kogi State and the entire Ebira community, urging them to uphold the late monarch’s values. 

In this time of mourning, the Northern Governors’ Forum stands in solidarity with the family of Dr. Ado Ibrahim, honouring his contributions to the region’s heritage and praying for his soul’s eternal peace.

By Zayyad Muhammad

In my piece, “What Next for Aishatu Binani?” Published months ago, I postulated that the Adamawa APC Gubernatorial Candidate in the 2023 election, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani, had three options to choose from, which would make or mar her political future. First, Binani can continue to insist that she is the ‘Governor-Elect’, as declared by the suspended Adamawa INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Barristers Hudu Yunusa Ari. In this case, Binani will approach the tribunal with that sole demand.

The second option for Binani was to pursue her case through the tribunal while ignoring Hudu’s bizarre actions. The third option for her was to retreat and congratulate Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. That’s to discard the option of any litigation and move forward for the future. Binani and her team chose the former; they opted for litigation. Now, the Adamawa Governorship Election Tribunal has dismissed her case, thus putting her in a catch-22 situation. If Binani has to pursue the case to the Appeal and the Supreme Court—she will overstretch her luck—in politics, when you overstretch your luck, you may hit the wall with your head.

Everything being equal, Binani will battle three issues: she has lost a good rapport with most Adamawa APC-critical stakeholders. Second, the party itself seems not to be on the same page with her. Thirdly, continuing the legal battle means pressure on her pockets while knowing she has no chance. All the politicians that will hang on Binani’s side will only continue to do so if it will oil their courses.

Prof. Jibrin Amin has a famous saying: Ba’a adawa, babu dawa (opposition only survives with resources at hand). Fourthly, her philanthropic activities will diminish because she is not in a government position that allows her easy access to the materials used for the philosophical activities. Fifthly, discontinuing the case will portray her as weak in the eyes of her supporters. All Binani diehard supporters heavily rely on ‘the court case’ to have temporary relief and hope.

To be fair to Binani, she is among the few politicians with cult-like followers. She has fought a good battle in her own rights, but now she has found herself between two dicey options: one: reformat her politics by discarding all the unnecessary legal tussles; two: mend fences with her party at the state and LG levels, including lowering her head to some APC stakeholders who, hitherto, she assumed were not important, but they have shown her their capacity and understanding of how Adamawa politics works.

Two: go with her cult-like followers, whose only hope and temporary relief is to continue with the extraneous legal battle. And, whichever way she follows—Binani will now battle with being absent from the scene—no federal presence and local presence were cut short by the tribunal dismissal of the case and loss of influence in the local APC chapter.

Another salient fact is that one cannot discuss Binani’s political future without looking at Barr—Hudu’s faith in the court. A federal high court has ruled that Hudu’s trial can go ahead. Hudu’s conviction will have an impact on Binani’s political future.

Furthermore, the Adamawa APC will continue to have two sides: the Binani side, who have suffered massive losses of positions and steam due to court judgements against them, and the other side, who are in absolute control of the party machinery, federal might, and also sitting akimbo, laughing at the former’s predicament.

Nevertheless, one big picture is that Binani, as a person, will have to sit down and look at things from one important angle—the feasibility of being the sole financier of an opposition facing a battle from two fronts—its party and the government in power. Will Binani resort to what she did after the 2015 elections? When she suffered a ‘not surprising’ defeat in the 2015 Adamawa central senatorial election, she imposed upon herself a premature retirement from politics. The 2015 senatorial outing was a product of a miscalculated political move—contesting for the senate on a very weak platform—the PDM.

Here is the big dilemma: if Binani decides to temporarily ‘abscond’ from the scene, events and ‘new’ people will take over her spot before the 2027 election cycle, and if she decides to pursue her case to the Appeal and Supreme Courts, it will be an extraneous and costly adventure.

Here are three suggestions for Binani: First, she has lost goodwill within the APC family but has strong goodwill within her supporters’ base, so it’s time for sober reflection and amendment. Two: Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri appears to be more calculative and bold. The Fintiri team—the Deputy Governor, SSG, Chief of Staff, and the rest—appear to work with the ‘books’ and off-the-shelf as well. In contrast, Binani’s team heavily relies on weak pivotal emotion hearsay and is confined to just a minute unit, which their eyes see, forgetting the wider picture.

The best bet for Binani is to congratulate Governor Fintiri and move on, as Mallam Nuhu Ribadu did to her after the APC Gubernatorial primary election tussle. The last suggestion for Binani is to make a deep soul search for where she wants to be in 2027 and the tough road ahead.

Congratulations, Governor Ardo Ahmadu Fintiri!

Zayyad Muhammad writes from Abuja. He can be contacted via zaymohd@yahoo.com.