Kano State

By Mujahid Ibrahim

As I sat in the conference hall at the Kano Social Influencer’s Summit (KANSIS) of 2021 and 2022, organised by the Centre of Information Technology and Development (CITAD), I couldn’t help but wonder about the immense power of social media. The conference brought together a diverse group of social media influencers, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts who shared their experiences and perspectives on how social media can be leveraged to drive social and economic growth.

However, amidst all the exciting stories and success tales shared at the conference, one thing was clear: the effects of mismanaging social media can be disastrous. From cyberbullying to misinformation and hate speech, social media has the potential to be a double-edged sword. While it can be used to amplify positive messages and drive change, it can also be a breeding ground for negative and destructive forces.

One instance of the adverse effects of social media mismanagement is the infamous #EndSARS protest in Nigeria, which was initially launched on social media platforms. The protest started as a peaceful campaign to end police brutality but eventually turned violent due to the spread of fake news and misinformation on social media. The consequences were dire, with many lives lost and properties destroyed.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Social media platforms provide endless opportunities for individuals and businesses to connect, engage, and grow their brands. From advertising to influencer marketing, social media has become indispensable for businesses looking to reach new audiences and drive revenue.

Numerous success stories exist of individuals and businesses leveraging social media to achieve their goals. For instance, the fashion brand Fashion Nova has grown from a small online store to a multi-million-dollar brand by utilising social media platforms to drive brand awareness and engagement. Similarly, entrepreneurs like Jeffree Star and Kylie Jenner have built successful cosmetic brands by leveraging their massive social media followings.

Other examples of social media success stories include:

Salt Bae: The Turkish chef Nusret Gökçe went viral on social media after a video of him sprinkling salt on a steak went viral. Since then, he has built a global empire of restaurants and has over 20 million followers on Instagram.

Wendy’s, the fast-food chain, has become famous on social media for its witty and engaging responses to customers. Wendy’s Twitter account has amassed over 3 million followers and has been hailed as a masterclass in social media marketing.

Glossier, the skincare and beauty brand, has built a cult following on Instagram, with over 2 million followers. Glossier has used social media to build a strong community of loyal customers who engage with the brand and share their experiences online.

GoPro, the action camera company, has used social media to create a platform for user-generated content. By encouraging users to share their GoPro footage on social media, the company has created a vast library of high-quality content that promotes the brand and inspires others to purchase their products.

Old Spice, the men’s grooming brand, revitalised its image through viral videos that parodied traditional male grooming advertisements. The videos were hugely popular on social media and helped to reposition the brand as edgy and irreverent.

These success stories, however, demonstrate the power of social media in building brand awareness, engaging customers, and driving revenue. By leveraging the unique features of each social media platform, businesses can create targeted and effective marketing campaigns that resonate with their target audience. Social media also provides opportunities for individuals to build personal brands, connect with like-minded people, and share their passions with the world.

To sum it up, social media has the potential to be a powerful force for good or bad, depending on how it’s managed. By understanding the power of social media and leveraging its unique features, individuals and businesses can drive social and economic growth. However, it’s important to use social media responsibly and to be mindful of the potential adverse effects of mismanaging it.

As social media continues to evolve and shape our world, we must use it to build a better, more connected, and more inclusive society. So, whether you’re an entrepreneur, an influencer, or just a casual user, remember to use social media to spread positive messages, connect with others, and make a meaningful impact.

Mujahid Ibrahim, Program Officer, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), can be contacted via littlemujahid4@gmail.com.

By Mansur Hassan, PhD

The Kano State government, under the administration of HE Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje spent eight years without offering employment opportunities to the state’s youth, only to make such opportunities available after losing the 2023 election. The added insult to injury is that these opportunities are being sold for exorbitant prices, ranging from N50,000 to N100,000.

This kind of behavior is not only unethical but also unacceptable in a society that aspires to be just and fair. Employment opportunities should be based on merit and offered to those who are most qualified for the job, not to those who can afford to pay for them.

The fact that such opportunities are being sold at all is evidence of a corrupt and dysfunctional system that is failing to serve the interests of the people.

It is particularly troubling that this situation has arisen in Kano State which happens to be a home to a large population of young people who are in dire need of meaningful employment. Youth unemployment has been a major challenge in Nigeria, and Kano State is no exception.

It is estimated that over 50% of the state’s youth are unemployed or underemployed, a situation that is fueling poverty, social unrest, and other negative outcomes.

The failure of governments at all levels to address this issue during their eight-year tenure of the current dispensation is a clear indication of the lack of concern from the outgoing administration of APC for the well-being of the state’s youth.

Instead of investing in job creation and skills development programs, they chose to focus on other priorities, leaving the youth to languish in poverty and hopelessness. This is a failure of leadership, and it should not be tolerated.

It is also alarming that the situation is unlikely to change, as the person who is widely believed to be responsible for this state of affairs, Governor Ganduje, is not expected to change his ways.

The fact that he is accused of being behind the sale of employment opportunities further underscores his lack of concern for the welfare of the people. It is clear that he has lost touch with the realities on the ground and is more interested in consolidating his power than in serving the interests of the people.

In conclusion, the situation in Kano State is a sad reminder of the many challenges that Nigeria is facing as a country. Youth unemployment is a major issue, and it requires urgent and sustained action by the government and other stakeholders.

The sale of employment opportunities is a symptom of a deeper malaise that is undermining the country’s development and progress. It is time for all Nigerians to demand better from their leaders and to work towards building a more just and equitable society.

Mansur Hassan, PhD is a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, Yusuf Maitama Sule University
He can be reached via mhassan@yumsuk.edu.ng

By Auwal Umar

The burden of expectation is often hard to shoulder. However, that won’t make the hope of the Kano people fade away on the good wish they bear for Abba to deliver Kano and bring the state out of the mess that engulfed her in the last eight years. Therefore, my constant prayer to Governor-elect Abba is: may the burden of expectation never dampen your indomitable passion, courage and vigour to serve and save Kano.

The menace of phone snatching is unimaginable. The slightest mistake of succumbing to the give-me-your-phone threat can easily land one in the most severe trouble of the loss of whole life. No being in the universe can create the wing of a fly. Imagine the priceless value of the Human soul! Think of how God created man most beautifully among all his creations. Unfortunately, some dim-witted dudes and miscreants, ungrateful and ruthless rascals, reduce human life to 20k or 30k. Sometimes, one’s life in their psyche is not worth 20k. 

Tackling phone-snatching head-on should be one of Abba’s plans. The threat dashes hope to see able-bodied men killing and maiming innocent humans for just some tokens they might forcefully make you depart this world and render the world into a darker place by destroying Allah’s beautiful creation that has no equal or duplicate. The perpetrators mostly go scot-free daily because impunity has already taken over the course of justice in the land. The absence of justice or lack of it can singlehandedly expedite the alarming rate with which new breeds of phone snatchers are hatched daily to get on with the dubious business as usual. 

This is the brain behind the meteoric rise of the devilish act of phone snatching. Placing a Sharp knife on one’s throat in a give-me-your-phone threat is no longer newsworthy as it has been reduced to the new normal in Kano. No one, I mean no one, can accurately estimate the number of people killed or rendered casualties from this unspeakable atrocity.

The joint task force should be initiated and equipped with modern security apparatuses in conjunction with vigilant groups in every nook and cranny of the state, with particular emphasis on the major roads that have almost become the constant targets and hubs of the perpetrators. Moreover, they should always have a system that may guarantee the check and balance process to sanitise the system from being hijacked by the invisible hands of the clandestine gangs of connivers.

The justice system should be sped up and established, or else jungle justice might be the last resort to curb the precarious acts of these people. I fear us all when people decide to have a recourse to bring them to justice through the backdoor without formal judicial proceedings. May the hand of justice be the mouth to speak the language and criminals understand better.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Malam Adam Imam, the father of The Daily Reality reporter in Kano State, Uzair Adam Imam, has died.

Late Adam died on Sunday at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano State, after a protracted illness. 

Announcing the demise of the deceased on Facebook, Malam Aisar Fagge, co-founder and editor of The Daily Reality, wrote: 

 “Innalillahi wa inna ilaihirrajiun! Yanzu na ke samun rasuwar mahaifin su Uzair Adam Imam bayan fama da jinya da ya sha ta watanni. Mal. Uzair was one of our outstanding students as well as the staff of The Daily Reality. May Allah rest the soul of his father and give them the fortitude to bear this monumental loss, ameen.” 

He has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

By Yakubu Nasiru Khalid

Journalists play a crucial role in the ruin of wrongdoings and corruption by reporting the news to the public through various media, research, interview sources, and writing accurate and balanced stories. They also hold those in power accountable by investigating and exposing wrongdoing and corruption. Journalists can simply be described as the voice of the voiceless. 

Moreover, Kano State is the second most populous state in Nigeria, with 44 local governments, and most local governments are outside of the Kano metro. As a result, the voice of the people living outside the metro is not heard. As a result of the lack of journalists that conduct rigorous investigations and research public problems, these rural areas remain neglected.

As gubernatorial elections and State Assembly were conducted in Nigeria on 18 March 2023, many polling units were declared inconclusive due to poor security operations, a snatch of ballot papers and arsons etc. This led to declaring some polling units as inconclusive.

Supplementary elections were held on 15 April 2023 in local governments like Tudun/Wada, Garko, and others. Unfortunately, a large number of thugs were brought into the respective polling units, and those that were legally and legitimately responsible for re-electing were denied and threatened by the thugs. But unfortunately, it is hard to get even a single journalist who eye-witnessed how the election was conducted. Most of these journalists only analysed reports based on their sentiments and opinions. 

In conclusion, journalists can positively impact rural areas by reporting objectively and accurately on public problems without pushing a partisan agenda. However, journalists must avoid promoting divisive rhetoric that pits rural communities against urban areas or different political factions. By investigating local government officials and other influential individuals, journalists can help ensure they act in the community’s best interests. However, this must be done responsibly and fairly without sensationalism or fear-mongering.

By Amir Abdulazeez

I became familiar with politics before the age of ten. One contributing factor was family members who contested for elective positions during Nigeria’s botched 3rd Republic in the early 1990s. I was close to people contesting positions as low as councillorship and as high as president. Whenever they were having discussions, there was one name that came up frequently, and that name was Malam Aminu Kano. At that time, his death was not even ten years old.

I knew little about this frequently discussed man then, but I grew up striving to understand more about him. I noticed that politicians from all affiliations adore him, pray for him and then treat him like a prophet. Whenever he is mentioned, people get filled with nostalgia. There is virtually no politician in Kano and, by extension, the greater part of Northern Nigeria who doesn’t want to be associated with the Aminu Kano brand.

For over thirty years since I first heard his story, I have struggled to understand more about him.  The deeper I went, the more I realized how special he was. From 2002, when I became much keen on observing and studying Nigerian politics, up to date, I have been very much convinced that the majority of the set of people we call politicians today are mere jokers without any vision compared to the likes of Malam Aminu Kano. Only a very few of them have tried to replicate the kind of discipline and honesty he was known for. During their era, the likes of Aminu Kano were in politics for a reason which was never self-centred.

Although he was known mainly as a politician, emancipator, reformer and activist, Malam was also a great author, orator, mentor and educationist. He is credited with establishing the modern Islamiyyah system we operate today. He is also believed to be one of the shapers of mass education practised today. He had touched society positively in many ways other than politics. That is why we have diverse institutions named after him; roads, schools, hospitals, airports, etc.

At the peak of his powers, Malam was literally the owner of Kano politics, yet he was humble, kind and generous even to his opponents. His honesty was uncommon even for his era. It was reported that one day, the then Kano State Governor, Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi, visited him with the gift of an electric generator. Malam enquired whether the governor had provided a generator for all the people of Kano State. That was how he rejected it, and Rimi had to leave with it. When Malam died, he didn’t leave any wealth for his family. His only house is now a research centre managed by Bayero University, Kano.

Today marks exactly 40 years since the demise of this rare human being. Although his ideology, ethics and teachings have remained significant, the people have never stopped mourning him. Every year, his death looks fresh; Malam will be mourned forever. He was a champion of progressive politics and justice, a defender of the oppressed and downtrodden, a true man of the people and a dedicated ad unique statesman. He is among the most outstanding Nigerians and a role model to millions of citizens and leaders. He will remain a reference point for a long time or forever. His history will be written and rewritten severally.

His death marked the end of ideological politics in Northern Nigeria. I see him as the greatest Kano citizen of all time, at least in the modern era. He has established a norm by living a life that any right-thinking person would aspire to lead. But, unfortunately, a society like Kano, which enjoyed a solid political foundation laid by the likes of Aminu Kano, is now governed by the kind of shameless and self-centred people we see today.

While some political leaders have worked hard and tirelessly to sustain the Aminu Kano legacy, many others have been anti-people, playing the politics of self-interest at the expense of society. The bitter part is that even political crooks and criminals disguising themselves as leaders are claiming to be identifying with the teachings of Aminu Kano.

Today, we have so many pretenders who claim to be disciples of the late sage, and only people with historical knowledge can unearth their treachery. It is funny that some people even wear his kind of attire, bragging about being like him, while in practice, they are corrupt, morally bankrupt and don’t adhere to any of his teachings.

Unfortunately, many who lived with him did not inherit his modesty, honesty and simplicity. Many of the influential people who remember him today only do so hypocritically. They were never sincere about promoting his virtues. People who claim to have him as their role model are stupendously rich beyond rationality while maintaining a questionable character. If he were alive, he would disown most of these pretenders.

Malam Aminu Kano was not wealthy; he didn’t hold many government positions. Malam didn’t force people into building a political empire, and he wasn’t greedy; his name has been written in gold, and nothing can erase it for the rest of history. The corrupt leaders of today will die to have his kind of name, but they can’t exercise any of his virtues. Instead, they are shamelessly hell-bent on garnering wealth, wealth and more wealth as if there is no life after death.

All my life, I have aspired to become myself and carve a niche from my own view of life. I had understood very early in life that every human being is unique in his own right, and there is no rigid template that everyone must follow to become great. Many great men have inspired me, but I still enjoy being myself. However, for every rule, there is an exception; from what I’ve gathered about Malam Aminu Kano, he is one person I can give up everything to be exactly like him.

Twitter: @AmirAbdulazeez 

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
The Kano Civil Society (KCSF) notes that it has received complaints from community members in the Tudun Wada/Doguwa Federal Constituency, the same areas where there were alleged intimidation, oppression, killings, and property destruction during the two previous elections in the state.
 
This was made known in a letter addressed to the Kano State Commissioner of Police dated April 14 and signed by Ambassador Ibrahim Waiya, President and Peter Hassan Tijjani, General Secretary, respectively.
 
The letter reads, “The above ugly situation, has till date become a National and Global human rights violation issue, as well as made the global community, the National Human Rights Commission, International organizations, National and Local CSOs to beam their search light on Kano State, in the supplementary elections.”
 
“Here we are, with the long awaited supplementary elections, which is scheduled to be conducted by INEC in some Local Governments, including Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal constituency.”
 
“It is against the foregoing, we call on your good office to uphold the best practices of professional conduct to proactively address any likely re-occurrence of the 25th February, 2023 ugly incidences, where innocent souls were allegedly burnt to ashes.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Nigerian Police Force, NPF, has dismissed three officers on the ground of infamous conduct.

NPF Spokesperson, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement he signed and made available to journalists on Thursday.

According to the statement, the dismissal is sequel to complaints received against the erring officers.

He wrote, ” Subsequent to complaints and findings on video evidence widely circulated on Friday 7th April, 2023, on social media of high-handedness, unprofessional conduct, and misuse of firearms against some policemen from Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 1, Kano, and a follow-up orderly room trial of the affected policemen by the Force Provost Marshal, three officers from the SPU Base 1 Kano have been dismissed for the offences of discreditable conduct to wit misuse of firearms, abuse of power, gross indiscipline, and wastage of live ammunition.”

The affected policemen are Inspector Dahiru Shuaibu, Sgt. Abdullahi Badamasi and Sgt. Isah Danladi.

The said officers were attached to a musician in Kano on escort duties and were seen in videos shooting indiscriminately into the air.

Consequent of the development, the NPF warned officers to be law abiding ‘to avoid running foul of its provisions and attracting attendant sanctions’

By Abubakar Suleiman

The Holy month of Ramadan is the month wherein the glorious Qur’an was revealed; hence, virtually all practising Muslims worldwide are occupied by its recitation while they ponder its meanings.

Ramadan in Northern Nigeria is greeted with Tafsir sessions, that is, the exegesis of the glorious Qur’an by different Islamic clerics or scholars. Many of these sessions are aired on television, radio and sometimes live on Facebook and other social media platforms.

However, during this period, controversies are unfortunately never in short supply among the Muslim Ummah as scholars from different sects or strands in a sect reel out interpretations of some verses. Scholars who consider some of these interpretations as skewed or deliberate distortions of the intended meaning of those verses dish out rejoinders.

Therefore, rebuttals and counter-rebuttals are being voiced out from pulpits. Followers of these scholars, too, take to their keyboards and engage in online arguments or knowledge exchanges. Unfortunately, sometimes these arguments are not without ad hominem. And if one is not careful, the essence of Ramadan, a month wherein Muslim faithful devote a considerable part of their time to acts of worship, repentance and seeking Allah’s forgiveness, would be lost amidst fierce arguments on religious matters.

Despite being dead 16 years ago, people usually comb the archives to unearth Shaykh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam’s explanation or exegesis on trendy religious arguments. And often, the resurfaced audio or video clips serve as an arbiter or at least give clarity to the subject matter. Late Shaykh Ja’afar is that blessed.

This morning, I stumbled upon a video clip of the erudite scholar, Late Shaykh Ja’afar, wherein he elucidated the value of constructive argument as he gave the exegesis from the glorious Qur’an. The clip reminded me of my distant encounters with the blessed teacher.

Whenever I was in Kano state while he was alive, I would leave my relatives’ residence in the ancient city just to go listen to his sermon in his Jummuat mosque in Dorayi. After observing the Friday prayers, I would also rush to the mosque in Gadon Kaya and book a place with a praying mat for the Tafsir session that would take place in the evening after Magrib. After quenching my thirst for new knowledge on that day, I always look forward to the following Friday with eagerness and glee.

Far away from Kano, I always stayed glued to the radio with my pen and note to write maxims from Usuul Fiqh, Qawaa’idu At-tafsir, and many poems. I memorised many religious diktats from the late Shaykh long before I eventually came across them in books during my tutelage.

There are arguably many Islamic scholars who are more learned than him in the North, but he is arguably the most eloquent and knowledgeable when it comes to the exegesis of the glorious Qur’an. In addition, his unique style of translating the Qur’an with the Qur’an – the flawless and effortless ability to quote various verses relating to a verse under discussion – endeared him to many.

Plus, his didactic prowess and eloquent delivery are also laced with authentic prophetic traditions as understood by the companions of prophet Muhammad (SAW), who lived with him and were present when the revelation of the glorious Qur’an was taking place.

His telling and bold voice reverberate with powerful and meaningful Islamic knowledge. Furthermore, his ability to decompose complex religious issues into lucid tidbits made him phenomenal and outstanding. 

Despite these qualities, he is not without flaws, but Allah has blessed him with the humility to succumb to superior arguments and even own up to mistakes. He never hesitates publicly, acknowledging his errors, wrong perception, or explanation of a religious topic. It is normal to hear him say my explanation on so and so matter yesterday was not completely accurate, and here’s the correct explanation for it. This humble attribute is not very common among many religious clerics.

I was still carrying the pains of my mother’s death when the Shaykh was assassinated. My mother died six months earlier. However, the news of his assassination sent shivers down my spine. On that very day, knowledge was buried, wisdom was dwarfed and eloquence in didactic prowess nosedived. We seek solace in the fact that his legacies live on in the students he has groomed and his documented audio and video.

May Allah accept his martyrdom and grant him the highest stations in Jannatul Firdaus, amin.

Abubakar Suleiman writes from Kaduna and can be reached via abusuleiman06@yahoo.com. 

By Lamara Garba Azare

A chieftain of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State and former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), Dr Abdullahi Baffa Bichi has distributed essential commodities worth millions of Naira to the needy as part of a humanitarian gesture to ease the suffering of the populace.

The items, which include rice, cooking oil, noodles and other commodities estimated at several hundreds of millions of Naira.

Interestingly, the commodity was given across the board irrespective of the party affiliations of the beneficiaries.

Those who benefitted from the gesture prayed to Allah to reward him abundantly.

A widow with 7 children who said she travelled from a far distance to come and collect the gesture burst into tears of joy when she was given 25kg of rice, noodle and cooking oil, saying the last time she saw rice was about a year ago.

“We have no words to thank Dr Bichi. If he had known how happy we are now, certainly, he would further understand the suffering of many of us. To be frank with you, the last time I cooked rice in my house was a year ago when I was passing by the Kabuga area, and I saw a large crowd of women going inside BUK quarters to collect food items. I joined them, and luckily I was given too.”

The coordinator of the distribution exercise, Honourable Ghali Mu’azu, said several thousands of people male and female from across the state have benefited from the gesture.

According to him, this gesture had been instituted by Dr Bichi for a long period of time, spanning over two decades, and priority was given to the elderly and those with physical challenge cutting across all strata of people.

“We gave out to every lucky person irrespective of his political leaning. Ours is to touch humanity by giving it to the needy among the populace,” he said.

Mr Ghali commended the compassionate attitude and benevolence of Dr Bichi, who he described as kind-hearted and a man with a big heart.