Kano State

By  Rabiu Gama

I had the (dis)pleasure of reading the full judgement of the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal last night, which was delivered on Wednesday, October 20, 2023, via Zoom. Here are my humble thoughts on it.

By the way, I am writing this under the safe assumption that anyone who is reading this is quite familiar with the story behind the judgment. Nonetheless, clarity is important. So, for the sake of clarity, let me quickly state that APC is the Petitioner in this case, while INEC, Abba Kabir Yusuf (AKY) and NNPP are the First, Second and Third Respondents, respectively. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, APC’s candidate, was not a party in the suit. The Tribunal, relying on the provision of Section 133 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and some judicial authorities, held, correctly in my opinion, that Gawuna must not be a party before the Tribunal.

As I see it, NNPP’s and AKY’s lawyers did a bad job. INEC’s lawyers did worse, though: INEC’s legal team failed miserably to prove that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 (the burden or onus of proof was on them in that regard) as alleged by the Petitioner (the APC). The First Respondent, i.e., INEC, made a terrible and costly mistake of relying lazily on the weaknesses of the Petitioner’s case. The cost of not doing the right thing at the right time is always high!

Since the outcome of an appeal largely, if not completely so, hinges on the proceedings of the lower court (the Tribunal in this case), then it is my humble opinion that NNPP’s (AKY’s) chances of winning at the Court of Appeal might not be as promising as many hope it to be. It shocked me that NNPP’s lawyers could not even establish that AKY was a legitimate member of the party when he contested the 18^th of March Governorship Election. The Tribunal was benevolent enough to point out some ways that they could have followed to establish it, but they couldn’t.

I, however, failed to grasp or discern why the Tribunal refused to apply “the principle of margin of lead” when it went ahead to declare that APC’s candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, was the winner of the election even though it had already found and, in no uncertain terms, admitted that the number of cancellations was in hundreds of thousands while its final finding showed Nasiru Gawuna was leading with tens of thousands only. The Tribunal, in my humble opinion, should have ordered a re-run: based on that finding, the election was supposed to be declared “inconclusive”.

The Tribunal also seems to have disregarded the provision of Section 63(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022 when it invalidated over 165,000 votes that were cast in favour of NNPP/AKY for the reason that the ballot papers were neither signed nor stamped, in other words, the ballot papers did not carry the official mark that was prescribed by the commission (INEC). The said provision of the Electoral Act is to the effect that even if a ballot paper is not signed or stamped, the Presiding Officer of the concerned Polling Unit can go ahead and count the ballot paper as valid.

All in all, I find some of the reasonings and conclusions of the Tribunal, based on what was laid before it, legally sound. But the Tribunal’s failure to apply “the principle of margin of lead”, as well as its apparent disregard for the provision of Section 63(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, do not sit well with me.

Even though it is trite that nobody knows for sure what a court of law will do, I will still strongly advise that AKY’s supporters (of which I am not ashamed to admit I am one) should manage their hopes regarding the chances of success in the Court of Appeal. This is because the odds seem frighteningly balanced. The scale might tilt in favour of any side.

The right thing to do right now is to pray for a “legal miracle” – whatever that means. Some miracle might happen, hopefully in the Court of Appeal, as the Supreme Court rarely tempers with the concurrent findings of the lower courts (the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal) unless those findings are glaringly perverse or have occasioned a miscarriage of justice.

Rabiu Gama is Law student. He writes from the Faculty of Law at Bayero University, Kano. He can be reached on 09061912994 or at rabiuinuwagama@gmail.com.

By Rukayya Abubakar Othman

In the last few years, Kano State has been plagued by a seemingly endless and unabated fierce political war that has divided the state and truncated its progress. The two principal political empires, the Kwankwasiyya and the Gandujiyya have polarised the people of Kano along two opposing camps, each calling for the head of the other.

It is difficult for any state or country to develop under an unstable and tumultuous political climate. Kano’s experience over the past years is a case in point. The incessant strife between the Kwankwasiyya adherents and the Ganduje’s followers has created a hostile environment for economic growth and social progress.

The recent election tribunal court verdict in Kano has further opened another dimension to the whole gamut of issues. The Kwankwasiyya adherents are questioning the true meaning and concept of independence of the Judiciary.

Will those who massively voted for NNPP accept the verdict of our courts in good faith? Will it further deepen confrontational politics in Kano? The answers to these questions can only be found in the upcoming Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court judgments.

More tellingly, the recent trend will no doubt tragically change the course of Kano politics. If the governorship polls in Kano are taken out of the general election, it will become like Imo, Edo, and Ondo states, where the governorship elections are held on different dates from the general election. This will have a multiplier effect on the political landscape of Kano, considering the central role that the state plays in the region.

The political leaders in Kano must put the state’s interests first and work together to resolve their differences. The people of Kano have suffered enough from the political instability in the state. It is time for politicians to put their differences aside and work for the good of the people.

Lastly, the recent court verdict in Kano has opened up a new dimension to the already turbulent political landscape of the state. It is difficult to predict the long-term impact of the ruling, but it will significantly impact the future of Kano politics.

The political leaders in Kano must put the state’s interests first and work together to resolve their differences. The people of Kano have suffered enough from the political instability in the state. It is time for politicians to put their differences aside and work for the good of the people.

Rukayya Abubakar Othman wrote via othmanrukayya0@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Shamsuddeen

On the first ground, which alleges that Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf was not qualified to contest the election because his name was not submitted by the party 30 days before the primary election. The tribunal accepted the respondent’s contention in their preliminary objection to the effect that this ground is an internal affair of the party and mainly a pre-election matter in respect of which the tribunal has no jurisdiction.

The court then proceeded to hold that even if the evidence before the court proves the failure to submit the name as alleged by the petitioners, the court had no power to make pronouncement in that respect. Consequently, the ground was struck out for want of jurisdiction.

The second ground is that the election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 in over 300 polling units. To prove this case, the petitioners called only 31 witnesses, 30 among whom are Polling Unit agents of only 30 of the affected Polling Units. The law, as held in a plethora of authorities, is that to prove noncompliance in several Polling Units, the petitioner is under a duty to call witnesses from each of the Polling Units who saw the noncompliance first-hand.

Despite the reiteration of the above provisions in Obi v INEC and Atiku v INEC, the Kano tribunal shut its eyes against the doctrine of judicial precedent and held that it would rely on the documents dumped on the court, investigate the same at its Chambers and made findings in respect thereto.

The court, on its own, analysed the documents and held that all the Polling Units in respect of which the petitioner complained must be cancelled, and the number of PVCs collected in the Polling Units is 231,843. The tribunal, instead of making a pronouncement of inconclusive, considering that the margin between the candidates is less than 231,843, just kept quiet on that.

It should be noted that the tribunal did not advert its mind to the foundational position of the law of ‘he who asserts must prove’ and went ahead to believe that whatever was presented before it by APC was true and need not be validated by credible witnesses. The greatest error is from the tribunal’s determination of ground 3 of the petition, which alleges that the 2nd respondent was not elected by valid lawful votes at the election.

The petitioner’s contention here was that there were several ballot papers that were not stamped, signed or dated, for which reason they alleged that the votes were invalid. As a preliminary point, it should be noted that the petitioners did not plead the number of ballots affected by the alleged non-compliance. The law is that parties are bound by their pleadings.

Section 63 of the Electoral Act provides that; “(1) Subject to subsection (2), a ballot paper which does not bear official mark prescribed by the Commission shall not be counted. (2) If the returning officer is satisfied that a ballot paper which does not bear the official mark was from a book of ballot papers which was furnished to the presiding officer of the polling unit in which the vote was cast for use at the election in question, he or she shall, notwithstanding the absence of the official mark, count that ballot paper.”

The petitioners called only one Dr Harbau, who alleged that he is an expert and that he analysed the ballot papers and discovered that they were unsigned, undated, unstamped or affected by a combination of two or more of these. However, the written statement on oath of this witness was filed long after the hearing had commenced, and not along with the petition as mandated by the Electoral Act and the case of Obi v Inec decided 2 weeks ago.

Instead of discountenancing the oath of the witness, the court believed him line, hook and sinker. There is no evidence from the Petitioner that any of the ballot papers were rejected by the respective presiding officers or the collation officers. There is, therefore, the presumption that they were believed by the officials as having emanated from INEC.

Similarly, in Boni v Muazu (2004) 16 NWLR PT. 900, the Court of Appeal held that to prove ballot votes stuffing, it is the duty of the petitioners not only to produce the ballot papers allegedly stuffed, they must also produce the particular ballot boxes in which the ballots were stuffed, and same must be demonstrated before the court by bringing out the ballot papers from the boxes and counting them before the court to establish the claim. This did not happen.

The court still went ahead to unilaterally cancel the votes, namely 165,763 belonging to the 2nd respondent. With this cancellation, the margin between the parties is 36,766, with Gawuna leading. However, since the court earlier held that the number of collected PVCs in the cancelled polling units is 231,843, the only conclusion is to declare the election inconclusive. The court shut its eyes to this legal position and declared Gawuna, who is not a party in the proceedings, a winner of the election.

In the determination of grounds 2 and 3 of the petition, the tribunal refused to follow the precedent in Obi v INEC, Atiku v INEC, AYETOLA V INEC, BONI V MUAZU and several other decisions decided by the superior court. This decision is indeed one of a kind!

Muhammad Shamsuddeen is a legal practitioner based in Kano.

By Fadhila Nuruddeen Muhammad

The journey towards becoming a doctor often begins in childhood, driven by a deep desire to help others and positively impact people’s lives. For many, like myself, the path may take unexpected turns, leading to different callings. I recall my childhood fascination with medicine, even playfully emulating the role of a doctor in my school days, using improvised tools such as cloth face masks and hand gloves to “perform surgery” on classmates’ pens. I’d then transfer the ink from one tube to another, all to save my classmates from running out of ink. Life has a way of guiding us, and for me, that path led to journalism.

Tijjani Ibrahim, however, followed his childhood passion to become a committed and dedicated young medical doctor. His journey was filled with promise, but it took an unfortunate turn when he was diagnosed with advanced Chronic Liver Disease, Liver Cirrhosis, a consequence of Hepatitis B Viral Infection in June 2023.

Dr Aisha Danbatta, a medical consultant at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, explained Hepatitis B as a global health challenge that targets the liver, causing both acute and chronic illnesses. “This virus can be transmitted through various means, such as from mother to child, unscreened blood transfusions, exposure to contaminated materials, sexual contact with an infected partner, and even through saliva. Unlike HIV, Hepatitis B has a longer lifespan, making it easier to transmit.”

Dr Danbatta emphasised the prevalence of undiagnosed cases due to a lack of immunisation, leaving many unaware of their condition. Those diagnosed often struggle to afford vital tests like viral load measurements, which determine the quantity of the virus in the blood and assess the extent of liver damage. Physical examinations, ultrasounds, and fibroscans are also crucial in evaluating liver fibrosis and scarring monitoring the progression of the disease.

Dr Tijjani was first at the National Hospital, Abuja, where he was doing his house job and diagnosed with Liver Cirrhosis at the same hospital in June this year. The cost of his treatment was quite high, and he could not afford it. The National Hospital Abuja could only support his medical bills by creating an official memo. He was later transferred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano.

Hamza Danyaro, a friend of the late Dr Tijjani Ibrahim, explained that “his return to Kano was motivated by the hope that the National Medical Association (NMA) Kano State chapter could provide support. However, it was revealed that to benefit from their assistance, he needed to complete his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), pay his dues, and work for at least a month or two before becoming eligible.”

“Tijjanii was not strong enough to go through these. Instead, we rallied to seek help from dignitaries such as politicians, the House of Representatives members of his local government in Kumbotso, and organisations. Unfortunately, the lengthy protocols inherent in today’s politics prevented direct outreach,” Danyaro added.

Tijjani was left with no other option than to seek funds. His friends organised the fundraising. The campaign was expected to raise a sense of urgency and necessity to help support a young medical doctor with funds to support his medical bills. This kind of transparency can prompt people to contribute to the cause. But only a tiny amount was raised after several days of campaigns.

Fauziyya D. Sulaiman, a philanthropist with a heart of gold, shared her disappointment on social media, writing, “It’s unfortunate that despite our community boasting politicians and business leaders among us, we couldn’t muster N25,000,000 to support Tijjani. If this were about some trivial matter, you would have seen some of us at the forefront. This is undeniably a disgrace.”

Dr Khalid Sunusi Kani, a medical doctor and health advocate, penned an open letter addressed to President Bola Ahmad Tinubu through Solacebase online newspaper. In this heartfelt letter, he expressed the critical need for Dr Tijjani Ibrahim’s services in Nigeria, emphasising the pressing issues within the country’s healthcare sector and the alarming rate of “brain drain syndrome.”

He wrote, “Your Excellency, Nigerians too are in desperate need of his services, looking at the manpower deficit in the health sector and the rate at which we suffer from ‘brain drain syndrome.’ I strongly believe Nigeria and Nigerians are unprepared and cannot afford to lose someone like Dr. Tijjani Ibrahim.”

Chronic Hepatitis B places individuals at a high risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer, leading to severe health consequences. In July 2023, the World Health Organization revealed that 296 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B infection in 2019, with 1.5 million new conditions occurring yearly. While there is no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B, medicines can effectively slow the progression of cirrhosis, reduce the incidence of liver cancer, and improve long-term survival.

Dr Tijjani Ibrahim died on September 6, 2023. His dedication to the medical field and his efforts to make a difference in the lives of others will be remembered and cherished.

Witnessing a doctor who devoted his life to saving countless others facing such challenging circumstances is genuinely disheartening. He dedicated his life to the mantra of ‘One Life, One Liver,’ yet our society struggled to come together to save his life. In a world where trivial issues on social media can garner an astonishing number of likes, it’s heartbreaking that Tijjani needed just 25,000 people to contribute a mere dollar each or someone who can just pay the total amount.

Tijjani’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the power of collective action and the importance of rallying together to support those in need, especially those who have dedicated their lives to serving others. Let us reflect on this unfortunate situation and take it as a call to action. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that the heroes who dedicate their lives to saving others do not suffer in silence.

“One Life, One Liver”: A heartfelt tribute to a fallen hero leaving an indelible mark on the world. May Allah rest his soul, amin.

Fadhila Nuruddeen Muhammad is a social media influencer based in Kano and can be reached via fadhilamuhd@gmail.com.

By Abbas Datti

Let us take a deep sigh to reflect on the remarkable achievements Barrister Muhyi Magaji Rimingado made as the Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission. Under Muhyi’s leadership, the fight against corruption and the promotion of public accountability has witnessed tremendous progress.

It is essential to highlight the proactive approaches, Barr. Muhyi Magaji adopted in addressing public complaints. Through establishing accessible and efficient complaint channels in various ministries, departments and agencies, Muhyi has provided a platform for Kano citizens to voice their concerns and grievances directly. This has increased public trust and facilitated prompt resolutions and the commission’s improved service delivery.

The chairman’s unwavering commitment to preventing corruption is genuinely commendable. In his steadfast commitment to fighting corruption, Muhyi has successfully implemented robust measures to ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity in government institutions. From implementing anti-corruption policies to strengthening internal control systems, his tireless efforts have significantly impacted reducing corrupt practices and enhancing good governance.

Furthermore, Mr. Rimingado has been instrumental in promoting awareness and educating the public about the detrimental effects of corruption. Through advocacy campaigns, workshops, and partnerships with civil society organisations and law enforcement agencies like immigration, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Muhyi Magaji has fostered a zero-tolerance culture towards corruption. Such initiatives have been pivotal in creating public awareness and mobilising support for the commission’s anti-corruption efforts.

Additionally, the chairman’s strategic collaborations with law enforcement agencies have yielded positive results in prosecuting corrupt individuals. He has sent a strong message that corruption will not be tolerated by facilitating swift investigations and ensuring due process. This has brought unscrupulous individuals to justice and acted as a deterrent for potential offenders.

Lastly, the chairman’s visionary leadership and ability to inspire a dedicated team have contributed to the success of combating corruption and addressing public complaints. By fostering a culture of professionalism, ethics, and integrity within the Ministries, departments and agencies, Muhyi Magaji has created an environment conducive to achieving the set goals.

In conclusion, these giant strides are a testament to Mr. Rimingado’s exceptional leadership, unwavering dedication, and relentless pursuit of transparency and accountability. Magaji Rimingado’s contributions have undoubtedly profoundly impacted the overall socio-economic development of Kano State, and we must applaud and support Muhyi’s continuing efforts in building a corruption-free society.

Abbas Datti wrote from Kano State via abbasdatti448@gmail.com

By Aliyu Nuhu

Mal Kwalisa (not his real name) is an acquaintance. He has never travelled outside Nigeria. He was a money changer. One day he made a big kill and came into some big money and decided to visit UAE. He only told me he was travelling to Dubai for two weeks, and off he left via Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

Three days after, Mal Kwalisa was back with us in Kano. I asked what happened. He was a bit ashamed, but later he blew the lid.

When he arrived in Dubai he booked into a hotel. After hours of rest, he went to one shop and saw a very beautiful Arab woman. He told her he came from Nigeria and he had plenty of money and promptly invited her to his hotel room. She smiled and told him she was married and that in UAE, women don’t visit men in hotels.

Mallam didn’t buy her story. He thought she could be persuaded by the promise of more money. He went back to his hotel and returned after lunch. He made the same offer again, and she smiled and told him to come back after closing hours, by 5 pm.

He went back at the appointed time only to find three askaris (police) waiting for him. They asked what his mission was, and he said he came to see his friend, pointing to the woman. The police asked him her name, and he didn’t know. They took him back to the hotel, packed his bag and drove him to the airport. He was lucky they did not chain him. They put him in the next available plight leaving UAE to Africa, Air Moroc. He landed in Casablanca.

After some hours, he was again put on the next available flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. After a long delay at midnight, he was bundled into a plane going to Lagos.

Our man had to find his way to Abuja by road after becoming Vasco da Gama overnight. He asked what could possibly be his offence.

I told him in UAE, adultery is punishable by death. The woman reported him to the police. He was lucky that she did not trick him and reported him while in his hotel room. And she didn’t mention rape.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Rufai Sani Hanga, the Kano Central senator, pledged to provide scholarships for students to study abroad.

The senator said the scholarship for the 200 students of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), which he paid recently, was just one of the many opportunities awaiting not only students but all women and youth in his constituency.

He added that he would try hard to ensure more investment in education and empowerment for women and youth for the betterment of society.

Hanga disclosed this Wednesday at an event that converged the 200 sponsored students of BUK in his office in Tokarawa, Hadejia Road, Kano, to receive their awarding letters.

It can be recalled that Senator Hanga had paid the registration fees of 200 BUK students as a response to the painful outcry by the students as a result of a hike in the registration fee.

I responded to the painful outcry of students – Hanga

Senator Hanga said his sponsorship of the 200 BUK students was a response to the uproar generated by the increment in registration fees by the university management.

He said he came to the rescue of the students due to a call by Malam Aisar Fagge, Malam Salihu Sule Khalid, Malam Abubakar Tijjani Ibrahim and Alhaji Musa Nuhu Yankaba.

“This (scholarship) is in response to the outcry generated by the registration fee increment in Bayero University, Kano, which threatens the progress of many students in the university.

He added, “Malam Aisar, Abubakar, Salihu and Alhaji Musa were the ones who called me and advised that I should come to the aid of these students. I really commend them and the other members of my scholarship committee.

“While I consider this a quick intervention, I want to stress that more programs that target the upliftment and empowerment of our people are on the pipeline, in sha Allah,” he added.

Hanga commended the scholarship committee, adding, “I wish to advise the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity.”

We tasked ourselves for this rescue mission considering the unfavourable economic situation in Nigeria

Malam Aisar who is also a lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Kano State Polytechnic said they were into this rescue mission because of the unfavourable economic situation in the country and understood many students could not afford to pay for their school fees.

He said, “I have been in the teaching profession and know very well how students struggle to pay 20 or 30 thousand naira as their registration fee.

“Some students mostly go to radio stations to beg people. So, given that now there was an increment in registration fees, I feared many would have no other option than to drop their studies.”

It gladdened me when my mother thanked me for selfless service to humanity – Aisar

The communication scholar also added that it excited him and nearly reduced him to tears when his mother called to thank him for his selfless service to humanity.

“Although I was very excited looking at the happy faces of these promising students, there was nothing more exciting than the moment when my mother called to thank me.

“My mother, Hajiya, was in a tricycle when she heard the other two passengers talking about the matter, thanking Senator Hanga for rescuing their children.”

Students narrate tribulations, thank Hanga

“I reckoned without a hike in the registration fee. When I heard about it, my mind was awfully heavy as I knew I couldn’t afford it,” recalled a 400-level student of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), with a beaming smile on his face.

The student said a new hope had been rekindled in him by the scholarship he got from Senator Rufai Sani Hanga.

Another student, Abdurrahman Kabir Yunus, said the news of the hike in registration fees paralysed him.

He said, “But Senator Hanga wiped up my tears. And what he did was a lesson to me as I really feel indebted.”

Sham’una Rabi’u from Warawa Local Government said it was underestimating to describe how happy he was.

Rabi’u said, “I am very happy to be one of the beneficiaries of this scholarship. I couldn’t thank Senator Hanga enough.”

By Muhammad Sani Usman

Somebody was shocked that the revenue of Zenith Bank as of 2022, which is N945 billion, is greater than the internally generated revenue of northern states combined. Literally, Zenith Bank alone is more financially buoyant than northern Nigeria. And he was lamenting about the poor inclusion of northerners in such investments in their states.

Kaduna is taking the lead in investments in the North, but her (Kaduna) IGR is not up to one hundred billion Naira; it is half of that. Even the profit after tax of Zenith is bigger than the economic cities of Kano and Kaduna. These two states are not up to N100 billion altogether.

I told him, “Investing in banking is highly industrious. But our northern billionaires have no business with anything “Knowledge-based economy”. What they know is to hoard dollars, buy shares, and run over a baby company/factory, as in acquisition.

Prof Murtala Sagagi of the Economics Department of Bayero University, Kano, told us, “While conducting a survey about the percentage of non-inclusion of Kano people to most of the fine-investments in food and beverages, logistics, and Banking Industries, one manager of one famous company told him, “When they try to recruit graduates for trainee positions; they expect them to be meticulous in training before they think of absorbing them fully as staff.

But you’ll employ someone as an assistant quality control officer or sales personnel, but his/her performance index will shock you unless you change your mindset seriously. Industries require expertise to run; you can’t employ someone you can’t fire or are lazy.”

There was another testimony last week. I was discussing with an auditor of one of the best companies in Northern Nigeria. The guy told me they had recruited a new customer care representative, and he was deployed to that branch, but all the time, the guy was not working; even the invoice that he was supposed to do, he couldn’t.

Unknown to the guy, a letter was sent from the headquarter for monitoring and evaluation of his performance by the senior staff of that organisation. My guy is among the people to vouch for him, i.e., whether he would be retained as permanent staff.

However, this is not limited to banking or the mentioned industries; this is about the lackadaisical attitude of our politicians about not creating factors that will favour industrialisation in the North. The A-K-K gas project is among the hope we have for the future of the North. Let’s wait and see!

Muhammad Sani Usman an industrial chemist who advocates good governance and Sustainable development goals. He writes from Zaria via Muhdusman1999@gmail.com.

By Dr Yusuf Ya’u Gambo

Thirty-nine years ago, Dr Aliyu Isa Aliyu came into this world just a year after Late Governor Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi left office. With over a decade of work experience, Aliyu is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and the Deputy Director of the Research and Development Directorate at Federal University Dutse.

He was a research fellow at the School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-Sen University, China, where he served as the assistant head of the research and development committee. He also worked as a part-time lecturer of mathematics at Kano State Polytechnic more than ten years ago. 

Aliyu’s dedication and high-impact works have earned him widespread recognition in the global mathematical community, which has seen him listed among the top 2 per cent researchers in the world by Standford University, USA, among the top 2 per cent Mathematicians in Africa in the AD Scientific Index 2022, and among the top peer reviewers in Mathematics by Publons Web of Science.

His research primarily focuses on fractional calculus and its applications, Solition Theory, computational science and engineering, symmetry analysis and conservation laws of differential equations.

Aliyu has an impressive track record of scholarly accomplishments, having won the National Natural Science Foundation of China research grant and authored numerous influential publications in prestigious mathematical journals that generate over 2,700 citations with an H-index of 33 and an i10-index of 71.

The research pundit is currently a reviewer of about 20 highly regarded international journals, including the well-known IEEE Access, Frontiers in Physics, Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics, Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences, among others.

Aliyu has taught several courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and has participated in various international conferences, some of which are the Computational Management Science Conference, Designing Health Care Appointment Systems using Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing Algorithm in Spain, International Conference of Mathematics and Mathematics Education- A Solution of Telegraph Equation by Natural Decomposition Method in Turkey, International Conference on Mathematical Modelling in Applied Sciences, Optimal system, nonlinear self-adjointness and conservation laws for generalised shallow water wave equation in Russia, among others.

Over the years, the Assistant Prof. has acquired technical skills in numerous mathematical and statistical software packages, including MATLAB, Mathematica, Maple, C++, LaTex, among others. He holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Firat University Turkey, an M.Sc. in Mathematics from Jordan University of Science and Technology Jordan, and a B.Sc. in Mathematics from Bayero University Kano.

Aside from his academic pursuits, Dr Aliyu is actively involved in politics, showcasing his commitment to public service. He holds the esteemed position of Financial Secretary in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Kano State, advocating for policies that promote education, science, technology and youth inclusion. Additionally, he served as the Administrative Secretary in the 2023 Gubernatorial/Presidential campaign directorate of the NNPP Kano.

By Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu

In an attempt to gauge the current popular culture market in Kano, I visited my old haunt at Kasuwar Ƙofar Wambai today, 2nd August 2023. It was the place where virtually all Hausa popular culture media products were distributed in the late 1990s to 2000s. It was simply the best in West Africa, as media products from this market – which took over from the Bata market – were distributed to other parts of Hausaphone West Africa.

I was shocked at the fact that there were only three shops selling CDs/DVDs and cassette tapes. The market had been taken over by plastic household items and blouses/football jerseys! It was so sad to see such a vibrant market – the best in West Africa – down on its luck. Discussions with three forlorn merchants reveal two main reasons for this sorry state of affairs of consumptive popular culture media in Kano.

The first was the proliferation of Download Centres. In these places, films were ripped off DVDs or CDs and with a reduced resolution to fit a Smartphone screen – and dozens were packed on a microSD card and sold for peanuts. This denies the content providers of profit from their hard labour. A licensing compromise was agreed between filmmakers and Downloaders to everyone’s satisfaction. Thus, no more CD purchases that require both a CD player, a TV and electricity to play. Downloaders often get their primary source directly from the producers – thus eliminating the media production processes.

Second was the rise of TV series, popularised massively by Arewa24’s Dadin Kowa (although it was not the first). Now almost every producer has jumped on the TV series bandwagon and using YouTube to distribute their programs. With data getting cheaper, it means viewership has migrated to YouTube series dramas – where more money is made with AdSense clicks. Rarely does a producer bother now with a feature film.

Sad as I was with these developments, I perked up when I visited the shop of Alhaji Muhammad Kalarawi. He is quite simply the best ethnomusicologist in the market. His nearest rival, Musa Nasale, passed away some time ago (and no one knows what has happed to his catalogue of unique and rare music field recordings).

Alhaji Muhammad Kalarawi got his name from being the recordist of the late Kano-based Islamic cleric, Alhaji Lawan Kalarawi (d. 1999). The term, “ƙala rawi” means ‘the narrator said’. Kalarawi established himself as a fearless, acerbic preacher in Kano – earning him numerous jail sentences. He was really telling it like it was – bringing his incredible interpretations on leaders (both modern and traditional) and commoners alike. Thanks to modern media technologies, there are hundreds of Lawan Kalarawi’s archival recordings on YouTube and MP3 trawler/caching sites.

Kalarawi’s popularity was enhanced by his street speech mode with jovial, often bawdy commentaries, which made him immensely popular. I personally count three Islamic preachers in Kano as those I avidly listen to: Lawan Kalarawi, Ibrahim Khalil and Aminu Daurawa. All down to earth. Just as it is, without any excess baggage or appendices.

The current Muhammad Kalarawi has almost every incidence of the late preacher’s recordings. That is a huge treasure trove. In addition, he still has stacks of tapes and CDs of traditional Hausa griots, which are simply not found anywhere. I was so elated to know he is still in the game, despite the suffocating pervasive influx of Hausa Afropop in Kano (which studiously avoided the Wambai market). I wish research institutes such as the History and Culture Bureau in Kano, or Arewa House in Kaduna, would license Kalarawi’s priceless catalogue and digitise them for posterity. Once they are lost, they will be gone with the wind.