Federal University Gusau

By Dr. A. M. Lawal

Until fate brought us together at the Federal University Gusau, Professor Muhammad Lawal Mayanchi was an uncle I hardly knew. Growing up, he was a military man who lived far away from home and rarely visited. The few times he visited after his compulsory retirement, I was away in school. So, my first major interaction with him was at FUGUS. 

The first day we met, his attention was divided. On the one hand, he was trying to make up for the lost time he had with me and, on the other, as the then Dean of Students, he was busy trying to control and keep students in line so they could board the University shuttle to town in an orderly fashion. From there, I witnessed first-hand his discipline and how obsessed he was with entrenching the same to the students. Watching him, I could not help but admire his drive to make his children, as he called his students, as disciplined and driven as he was. 

From that day, Prof. usually called me to ask about my progress as a man and as an academic. Where I erred, he often reported me to Professor Ahmad Galadima for reprimand. Thereafter, he would call me to either his house or his office for counselling. In shaping me, Prof. Galadima was the carrot to Prof. Galadima’s stick. And it worked—perfectly. 

Whenever and wherever I met Prof, he always told me his life stories and the challenges he faced post-military career before asking me the lessons I learnt from them. Spending time with him was like being in a class where one is taught the dynamics of life. 

In hindsight, it is clear that during my last physical interaction with Prof, he had a premonition of his death. We discussed some family matters after which he told me, ‘as we are leaving the scene, the leadership of our families both immediate and extended, will fall on your shoulders. You have to be ready. I have a feeling it will be sooner than we think.’  

And then Prof left us. Now we have to fill in the void he left behind. Or at least try to. A task as daunting as it is challenging. 

May his soul continue to rest in Allah’s bosom, amin.

Dr. A. M. Lawal wrote from the Department of Chemistry, Federal University Gusau, Zamfara.

Bello Hussein Adoto

The tragic deaths of two students and the injury of 23 more at the botched distribution of palliatives at Nasarawa State University on Friday is a disturbing addition to what has been a troubling period for undergraduates in Nigeria.

Just last Friday, nine students of Federal University Gusau regained their freedom after spending over 170 days in terrorists’ captivity. On Thursday, three medical students of Abia State University died in a road traffic accident while returning from their seniors’ induction.

Unlike these other tragedies, however, the Nasarawa stampede could have been envisaged and prevented. The successful distribution of similar palliatives at the University of Ilorin shows us how we can do things differently.

Following subsidy removal and the attendant inflation in the country, several state governments distributed palliatives—foodstuffs and stipends—to ease the economic burden on citizens. Some states like Kwara and Nasarawa recently extended the palliatives to students in their tertiary institutions.

The initial distribution of the palliatives across institutions in Nasarawa state was peaceful. A government statement released after Friday’s stampede noted that previous distributions were “a huge success.” Students got two 7.5 kg bags of rice and 5,000 naira each.

However, events leading to the stampede at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, points towards a mismanagement of crowd control by the organizers responsible for distributing the palliatives. According to media reports, the palliatives were scheduled at the university convocation square until students arrived in large numbers and disrupted the distribution.

“After our arrangement for the distribution of palliatives to the students which was to hold at the University’s convocation square, they (students) suddenly arrived at the venue in their numbers and overpowered the security,” said Yunusa Baduku, National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, in a Punch Online report.

He added that the students “broke through the gate into the Convocation square where the bags of rice was to be shared,” leading to the stampede that consumed the two students and injured many more.

Sadly, such chaos is not new. In February, the Nigerian Customs Service had to suspend its sale of seized bags of rice after seven people died at one of its centres in Yaba, Lagos. Some two years ago, 31 people died at a stampede at the King’s Assembly in Rivers state church during the distribution of palliatives to church members; seven more were injured.

Although the state governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, was quoted as calling the tragedy “a needless stampede,” the state could have prepared better for it. Distribution events, especially those intended to provide aid or relief, tend to draw large crowds, making effective crowd control essential.

In Unilorin, for instance, where students received palliatives—cartons of noodles—from the Kwara State government, distributions were such that students did not have to gather in their numbers at the arena or use vouchers.

The government sent the palliatives to the university, who distributed them to the faculties. From the faculties, they were distributed to departments, where class representatives from each level went to retrieve the packages for their class. It was as seamless as public distributions go.

I suppose the Unilorin model could help other tertiary institutions plan more effectively. The university leveraged student associations and divided the population into manageable chunks. Such divisions made it difficult for hoodlums to gatecrash, as the class reps knew their colleagues. The strategy also eased accountability.

While I admit there is a risk of student representatives appropriating the palliatives or shortchanging their colleagues, this is more manageable than asking a crowd of desperate undergraduates to gather for government handouts.

A departmental or level advisor can be mandated to coordinate the distribution, even if he has to be paid or receive palliatives, too. It is not likely that the coordinator will conspire with the student reps to loot the palliatives. In the rare event that that happens, then so be it. Nigeria students have suffered enough than to die in avoidable stampedes.

Adoto writes from Ilorin via bellohussein210@gmail.com.

By Usman Zubairu Yakubu

On a day like this in 1960, Nigeria gained independence from Great Britain. But the question today is, is Nigeria an independent nation? I think the first and only Nigerian prime minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, during the 1960 independence speech, answered this question. He said, “Political independence is totally inadequate if it’s not accompanied by security and economic stability”.

From the above-quoted speech, I think that Nigeria’s independence is inadequate. For this reason, we must all put hands on deck to ensure we build a prosperous Nation that will fill the missing inadequacies. A safe country for all. This is our responsibility, my responsibility and your responsibility.

The decreasing numbers of celebrants on this day show that things are not working well in the country and that the drivers of the nation are not doing the necessary to bring back hope into the hearts of Nigerians. Many Nigerians have lost hope in the country; this may arise from the ugly condition of almost everything. They feel hopeless not because they don’t love the country but because the leaders made them feel that way. We may tag that as unfortunate, but the truth is always bitter, and that doesn’t make them less Nigerians because they have their reasons to feel so. The optimistic ones who believe that Nigeria will one day get better are only trying to be stronger. Count me among them; I hope the leaders will not kill our little hope for the country and its future.

Many things have happened in less than a year of Tinibus Administration. First, the subsidy removal imposed a lot of hardships on Nigerians. Second, Economic destruction left millions of Nigerians in abject poverty and the bedevilling issues of insecurities affecting the country, especially the Northern region of the country. And by mere looks, things are only getting worse, not better. The current abduction of the Federal University Gusau students is an alarming sign of left dust that needs to be cleaned. This is to talk less of the economic hardship Nigerians are going through.

In a situation like this, independent celebration shouldn’t be the focus of any sensible Nigerian. On every blessed day in the country, Bandits kidnapped people, some killed, and some thrown out of their homes. Many Of the victims were left homeless. Go to the streets of Katsina, Zamfara and Borno to have a glance. Is this what we are celebrating? I believe independence under insecurity, corruption and poverty shouldn’t be celebrated. Until these issues are addressed, we will celebrate Nigeria’s independence with true love and patriotism. But at the moment, we don’t have the energy to celebrate.  

In a country where over 40% are living in abject poverty. And 63% are dimensionally poor as of 2022. This is before subsidy removal; how many per cent will now be in poverty as the economy shakes? Tell me, should we celebrate poverty? Or should we celebrate insecurity at the moment? Unfortunately, the future of Nigeria is gloomy as its youth remains jobless. Should we celebrate unemployment? In a country where justice is abolished, is that one country to celebrate? In a country where tertiary education is on the verge of becoming a privilege and not a right, please tell me, should we celebrate that country? In a country where the leaders don’t care about the educational future of its citizens, is that one country to celebrate? In a country where a man can’t afford healthcare, food, and life necessities, is that a country to celebrate now? Nigeria’s problem is far beyond what one can imagine. At this moment, celebration is not for us but rather a critical way of thinking about building a prosperous nation because it’s possible.

But despite all the challenges, I  believe Nigeria shall prosper, and we will live in a country devoid of insecurity, corruption and abject poverty. We will live in a peaceful nation of economic prosperity educational rights, and a country that will stand on its feet as the Giant of Africa. May God bless Nigeria!

Happy independence.

Usman Zubairu Yakubu writes from Toro, Bauchi state, Nigeria and can be reached via usmanzubairuyakubu@gmail.com.