While political support entirely is a choice, governed by emotion and often guided by personal aggrandisement, it is surprising if putting it written dismisses intellectual-based assessments and analyses coming from a scholar, even though a public relations consultant. So let me be clear here. I expect, yes, from a political PR consultant to sweet mouth his principal.
However, an assignment of this colour requires an honest appraisal of factors and challenges that might impede the principal’s success and how to mitigate them. Anyway, I rise to the task of unravelling the concoction of emotion and politics wrapped in the last article of Mallam Adnan Mukhtar Tudunwada titled Why Gawuna will win Kano Governorship.
The people of Kano are, at the moment, out at the polling unit to choose the next state governor between the quartet: Ibrahim Khalil; the charismatic Kano Malam, Abba Kabir Yusuf; Kwankwaso-backed candidates, the ‘born-again’ Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, and the carrier of the old school PRP; Salihu Tanko Yakasai!
Unlike Adnan, I do not have a personal relationship with any of the four. Therefore, my response is purely based on the analysis of his candidate, Hon. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna. Readers will believe me that an analysis of Gawuna should never be unconnected with the un-ceremonial Ganduje administration, especially since he is the number two.
The bane that will eventually cost Gawuna the Kano gubernatorial seat is, to list very few of the significant;
First. The Gawuna’s involvement in the Kano black history of ‘inconclusive’. It was exactly one year when the citizens of Kano, tired of the reckless and unthoughtful administration of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, after parting way with his old political ally Rabiu Kwankwaso, came out en masse to vote out the administration.
However, Gawuna disrupted the final collation of Nasarawa LG results and eventual cancellations effected by INEC, leading to the declaration of the election as inconclusive. Then, as though this is not enough, Gawuna and cohort mobilised for the re-run, thugs that banned legitimate voters from exercising their enfranchise. One!
Two. After assuming office, Gawuna was party to the crimes committed by the Administration of his principal, Ganduje. The vendetta set out by their reign cost the revered emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, his throne. It didn’t stop at the elite; the vendetta did not spare even the proletariats. The story of ‘Yan Adaidaita Sahu is permanently fresh with traps to whittle their business network. It became a gist that ‘yau baba wa kuma zai sosa’ people expressed their fear.
Salaries were slashed. Pension became uncertain. KAROTA unleashed to markets where they apprehend business allies as they set out to leave Kano in vehicles after transactions at Kwari, Singa, Wambai, Galadima, etc. Of all these shams, Gawuna has proven himself to be with the Talakawa. Neither him expressing disappointment on how Ganduje massacres the future of the state. We have known of the ‘Yan tebura mall and the corruption there. The butchery of Kwari and Kofar Wambai markets, the persecution of Farm Centre phone marketers, and the Kano Cancer Centre corruption charges led to the lay-off of Engr Muaz Magaji.
Third. It is even wiser not to talk of education, health and the civil service. The statistics and data by both Governmental and Non-governmental tracking bodies are something to give you tears.
Fourth. Respect and dignification for elder statesmen Gawuna pretend to have. Where was he when his principal, in his front, called the Kano elders ‘Dattawan wukari’? Where was he when he shunned the Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, et al., mediation to dethrone Emir Muhammadu Sanusi? Where was he when Adaidita Sahu riders were called Yan Iska, rascals by the MD KAROTA – Baffa Babba?
Where was he when a grand allegation of corruption was being unearthed left, right and centre in the government? He’s a second. Where was he when pensioners and civil servants were denied their full salaries, wages and pension? Where was he when businesses and traders in the state are being pauperised deliberately? These are some of what will cost Gawuna the seat of Governor and why he will fail.
Fifth. The ‘youth constituency’ became the major ‘enemy’ of Gawuna politically, not by coincidence, because their administration has shown indifference to the plight of the youth. They first fizzled out the foreign scholarship program they inherited neither continue to age-long domestic scholarships to tertiary institution students. There was no ‘Youth empowerment’ program such as the Tukwui’s Fish and Poultry, nor Gabasawa’s school for security studies or Kura’s Sport.
No ‘Gawuna or Gandujiyya’ taxis or the Garman Shanu rural-farming boost programs exist—zero youth-centred human capital development. So what was/is the future of youth under the Ganduje-Gawuna and Gawuna-Garo administrations? This is a one-billion-dollar question! Answer with reference to his past antecedence.
The Kano citizens under Ganduje were subjected to hardship and stern corruption. They no longer trusted the government and its officials. This prompted them to have launched a search for alternatives in 2019. Shaaban Sharada emerged, who soon garnered reception, Mallam Khalil made a deep inroad, and Dawisu in the race, among others.
If these third forces could become something to reckon with in the Kano polity at the moment, how about the Kwankwasiyya ‘bloc’ that had given Ganduje-Gawuna a hard knock in 2019 and 2023 they re-strategizes and already won two senators out of three, and more than 18 seats for REPs out 24 in the state? These are factors that won’t allow Gawuna to emerge victorious today.
Abdussamad wrote via abdussamadahmad69@gmail.com from Abuja, monitoring the election.
Fifth, the Kano people versus the Kano Government Act of Butchery on Land: The writer of this piece is neither environmentalist nor a climate expert, but from the little I know, it is never good for the health and wellbeing of the environment when open spaces in schools, road pavements, school premises and graveyards are fully or partially commercialised. Does this mean our urban areas are as well-planned as other major cities in Nigeria?
Kano’s schools and higher institutions were butchered not to afforest some trees to save us all from the danger of climate change or to provide new classes to alleviate overcrowding in our jam-packed classes that make the teaching and learning environment unconducive. The glutinous act of butchery of the Kano land by the invisible knives of the state government has not spared school vicinities, mosque premises or even graveyards in some instances.
As an illustration, many plots of land were carved out from the School of Management Studies Kano, located near the Sheikh Ja’afar Road and inexplicably allotted to the highest bidders to construct houses. If shame were an animal or human, it would surely be skinned alive. Arguably in most of our primary schools, one class is forced to accommodate two or three hundred pupils. It is surprising that there’s still a government in existence whose target is to commercialise the available spaces that are yet inadequate.
Sixth, Ƴan Adaidaita-Sahu (tricyclists) versus the Kano APC Government: No serious government attempts to base its decision solely on a profit-oriented venture instead of people based. The socioeconomic importance of this socially commercial venture to the state cannot be in any way overemphasised. It would be a minor miracle for business moguls like Dangote and BUA to be able to fully employ these youth when they are forced off the road to look for livelihoods elsewhere. Alarmingly, most of them might resort to illegal ways to sustain themselves.
Despite the huge amount of money the state government generates daily from these hundreds of thousands of youth, the tricyclists operate under constant threats from the KAROTA MD, who wants to ban the profession, notwithstanding the precarious consequences the so-called action may have on the whole state. For example, the Kano market experienced a drastic reduction in the number of customers because the state government has failed woefully to make necessary provisions to cater for the needs of the commuters due to its hasty decision to frustrate the people, perhaps owing to the perceived grudges they had with the governor. Many issues transpired as a result.
The tricyclists were forced to pay about ₦20,000 for a tracker. It is common knowledge that a ‘tracker’ is a technological device that provides much range of functions, including tracing the location of the vehicle, mileage report, stay report, overspeed report, fuel consumption report, travel report moving overview, driver’s behaviours and more importantly, it ensures the security of both the vehicle and the rider. This seemingly new development was welcomed by all and sundry. But to our chagrin, the supposed tracking device mysteriously transformed into a sticker.
The riders used their hard-earned money and tolerated the wonderful disappearance of their sweat for the love of peace. The maltreatment they were subjected to was best explained by both Barrister Abba Hikima and Malam Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan, who stood out and sacrificed their time to fight for them, with the former being their advocate in and outside the court.
Let everyone know that Adaidaita Sahu is not a venture that benefits only a few people. No, the entire Kano populace benefits from it directly or indirectly. For example, traders, students, guests, civil servants and the whole commuters are direct beneficiaries. The state government only suspends the ban for a while because of the looming election and the fear of the backlash from the teeming tryclists. But if they assume power again, nothing may stop them from going ahead with the ban. It is only God who knows how much billions several people invested in the Adaidaita Sahu business. What will be the fate of such a huge investment if this government reinstates the purported plan to ban this profession? The voters will answer these questions on 18th March 2023.
Seventh, the State Civil Servants versus the Kano APC Government: There is constant uncertainty about the actual amount of salary of civil servants in Kano and the time salary is paid in the state. I can vividly remember the biting economic conditions the generality of the Kano civil servants were subjected to during annual fasting periods and Sallah festivities. They were deliberately abandoned at the mercy of lenders and virtually inaccessible bank loans. In the spirit of mercy and compassion, they should have been paid on the 25th of the month of either Sallah or Ramadan fasting due to the increasing demand for money in such periods. This has been the story of Kano civil servants for so long.
In most cases, there is an urgent need for manpower in many ministries, with the education sector needing it the most. Our primary and secondary schools need more staff, but the government does not care to recruit new and competent hands, thereby leaving the current teachers with a heavy workload and a suffocating welfare package. The issue of promotion has become a serious headache for the poor teachers who deserve a promotion but cannot have it without a kickback, especially if you do not know who pulls the string in the top offices in the sector.
Eighth, the Kano Traders versus the APC-led Government: The highhandedness of the Kano state government towards marketers has made the business environment unfavourable. Gone are the days when a person could go freely to Kantin Kwari or Kofar Wambai markets without much apprehension about the parking lots. The lanes are not spacious enough due to the greediness that prompted the allocation of the space meant to be unquestionably public for commercial purposes. Many people can still recall how flood-ravaged many areas of the market recently. The unjust and greedy allocation of shops makes it difficult for the staff of the state’s fire service department to fight fire during some catastrophic infernos. Instead of the markets being decongested, the government created the very problem that made them jam-packed, thereby making it hard for business activities to run smoothly.
Ninth, commercialisation of public places: One can hardly explain what the Kano town plan looks like right now and how it used to be. Everything was thrown into confusion. Kofar Mata Eid prayer plot has been butchered and allocated to the highest-bidding traders. The famous Masallacin Waje was subjected to a similar fate. Many roadsides have experienced the same. Even schools. and graveyards are not spared from this unnecessary marketisation. Heck! Even some parts of the storied Sabon Gari stadium are commercialised.
In conclusion, the surge of anger in the minds of voters is an indication that the people are tired of this government’s style of administration. The issue of transparency and accountability are essential to any good governance. But many statistical data show that this government has performed so woefully in that areas. If we are serious and concerned about the state and overall development, we have cogent reasons to punish them with our PVCs on the D-Dsay.
Auwal Umar wrote from Kano. He can be contacted via auwaluumar9@gmail.com.
I heard Senator-elect Honourable Kawu Sumaila describing himself and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as Sabo Bakin Zuwo and Aminu Kano of our time in an interview he granted to local radio stations in Kano a few days after he was declared the winner of the just concluded election on Kano South Senatorial district under the platform of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). Perhaps, Kawu Sumaila’s analogy has to do with the relationship that existed between Malam Aminu Kano and Aliyu Sabo Bakin Zuwo, the relationship between a leader and his disciple and those who fought and championed the course of emancipation of the poor people and the downtrodden. Kwankwaso and Kawu are now under the same umbrella, as a political leader and his loyalist following the same path of fighting for the common man’s rights.
Although Malam Aminu Kano and Alhaji Sabo Bakin Zuwo are household names in the political history of Nigeria and Kano state in particular, Kawu Sumaila’s recent statement aroused my attention as passionate of political history to take a deep dive into the political history of the two ace politicians of the blessed memory. And in this piece of writing, I laid my emphasis on where Bakin Zuwo and Kawu Sumaila shared some similarities and differences.
According to Wikipedia, “Sabo Bakin Zuwo had no background in formal education, he missed the opportunity to get formal education at an early age but was said to enrol himself at the age of sixteen at Shahuci primary school adult literacy class in 1950-1954, Igbo community school Sabon Gari and a course on local government administration in ABU Zaria. He also attended Malam Aminu Kano political school in Sudawa, Kano. An outspoken politician, Zuwo was said to have used radio more effectively than any other politician in Northern Nigeria. He was elected to the Senate in 1979 and sponsored more bills than any other senator at the time.”
Unlike Bakin Zuwo, Kawu Sumaila acquired formal education at an early age. He attended Sumaila Gabas Primary School, Sumaila, and Government Secondary Sumaila, where he earned his First School Leaving Certificate and Secondary School Leaving Certificate in the years 1976 & 1988, respectively. He proceeded to Bayero University Kano and acquired a Diploma and an Advanced Diploma in Educational Management before he was elected to the House of Representatives in 2003 and spent 12 years representing Sumaila/Takai Federal constituency. Like Bakin Zuwo, Kawu utilises radio oftentimes to enlighten the local populace. An outspoken lawmaker, Kawu sponsored many important bills that reshaped the status of Nigerians during his days in the House of REPs.
In the 1983 gubernatorial election in Kano, Bakin Zuwo contested the election under the platform of PRP and defeated former governor Alhaji Abubakar Rimi. Even though he had the shortest reign as a governor of Kano state from October to December of 1983, he is remembered for his act of closing down the popular palace cinema in Kano, which was considered the haven of immorality at the time after listening to the yearnings of people.
Like Bakin Zuwo, Kawu also contested the seat of Kano state governor in 2015 after he finished three tenures in the House of Representatives. He later withdrew the contest on the day of the APC primary election to support the candidacy of the current governor of Kano state, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. He was appointed SSA to the president on National Assembly matters shortly after president Buhari emerged as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015.
In what appears similar to the act of Alhaji Sabo Bakin Zuwo in 2016, there was a public outcry in Kano on the federal government’s proposed film village to be cited in the state after listening to the peoples’ call who vehemently rejected the project, Kawu singlehandedly took the bull by the horns to approach the president on the matter. This single act led the federal government to rescind its position about the project.
One thing I learned about Alhaji Sabo Bakin Zuwo and Senator-elect Kawu Sumaila, which they shared in common, is vociferousness in voicing out their stance, especially when fighting for the interest of their people.
Hon. Kawu Sumaila is now elected Senator who will represent the people of Kano South in the Red Chamber, and before he was elected, he reached the pinnacle of formal education as he bagged PhD in political science.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Kano State, Muhammed Usaini Gumel, has pledged to ensure a peaceful election in Nigeria’s Center of Commerce.
CP Gumel, in a press briefing on Thursday in Kano, disclosed the readiness of the Police to ensure that the guber and state parliamentary elections are conducted peacefully.
CP Gummel, in the press briefing, outlined the measures taken by the Police to avoid security breaches during the election.
According to him, the Police have undertaken security analysis and upscale the level of preparation across all the polling units in Kano State.
He said, “We have undertaken security threat analysis and upscale the level of preparation for the elections across all the polling units at the local government areas of the state, and we are fully prepared to emplace the requisite strategies towards managing the identified threats.”
Against the backdrop of Police preparedness, CP Gumel sought the trust and confidence of the people of Kano. He stated that criminals that wish to thwart the electoral process would be decisively dealt with.
“Ladies and Gentleman, please give us confidence so that nobody should be in doubt, I repeat, nobody should be in doubt as to the current capacity and renewed determination of the police to deal decisively with elements that attempt to test the will by engaging in political violence or other electoral manipulations including vote buying or use of threats; direct or indirect which are some of the elements threatening our democratic values.
“A similar warning also goes to any person that intends to offer himself to be used negatively by some ungodly political class in the state and urges him/her to take the advice that it will be better to have a rethink or else be ready to face the harsh consequences. Thank you for listening,” He said.
I read an article with the heading above written by one Yakubu Nasiru Khalid, which somewhat tries to demonise activists and freedom fighters venturing into politics. I got heartbroken and dumbfounded at our level of understanding of politics and its roles in our lives and nation-building.
The writer asked a pertinent question: Should a real social fighter be partisan? In this article, I will address just the question.
For clarity, by social fighter, I believe he meant someone who promotes and fights for socially progressive ideas and, where necessary, takes actions that benefit society. This is typical of Abba Hikima’s activism and benevolence in helping less privileged people access justice, voicing out the predicaments of people, the maladministration, and educating the populace about their civic rights and responsibilities. Also, by partisan, I believe he meant partisan politics, where one supports the candidates of one political party over others or decides to contest for office under a certain political party.
To start with, Abba Hikima has not been appointed as a ‘social fighter’ by anyone, nor did he, from my knowledge, ever arrogate to himself that title. It is a result of the work he does in promoting social justice, good governance and progressive ideals that people decided to refer to him as Freedom Fighter, Human Rights Activist, Social Fighter and many more nomenclatures to qualify the person that he is, which left to me are very deserving of him.
However, being a Social Fighter does not in any way exempt a person from participating in the democratic process of his country, which our Constitution generously guarantees and even demands explicitly. Therefore, I believe it is a gross injustice and discrimination to demonise or question anyone from exercising his rights because of his voluntary service to his community and nation, which you coined as ‘social fighting’.
It is also disheartening that we think politics and participation in the political process is an exclusive preserve of the elites or people who have no feelings for social justice and people´s emancipation or people with no impact on society. A serious society should rather have the Social Fighters, the Activists, the Freedom Fighters like Abba Hikima, who are adept at understanding societal problems and proffering people-tailored solutions, than some proletariat who live upstairs and have no touch with the masses to dictate to them whom to vote and even lead them.
For example, Barrack Obama of the United States was a lawyer and community organiser before he ventured into politics. Look how it turned out. Gani Fawehinmi is a Nigerian Human Rights Lawyer and Activist who campaigned for democracy, fought the brutish military regime, defended its victims for over 40 years, and later ventured into politics and contested the presidential election in 1994.
Nelson Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid activist, lawyer and former leader, fought and resisted apartheid in South Africa and was also a politician to become the first black Head of State, among many others. These tell you the place of politics in societal emancipation and social justice.
More so, what Abba Hikima does is more of civic enlightenment to the citizenry on what he firmly believes is right, especially in the face of what seemed like a gang-up to impose characters that have no business in leadership. According to Martin Luther King Jr., “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence by the good people”.
The questions now are: Do you expect Abba Hikima to keep silent in the face of current political oppression in his state? Do you want him to disenfranchise himself because some people think he should not do so when no law or moral code is pointing towards that? Do you want Social fighters to steer clear of politics so thugs and the proletariat can take it over? These are questions worth pondering.
With the Supreme Court judgment affirming Senator Rufai Sani Hanga of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the Senator-Elect, Kano Central Senatorial District, the people of Kano Central have reason to rejoice.
Kano Central is genuinely abuzz with excitement following the judgment. Senator Hanga challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau as the winner of the February 25, 2023, senatorial election in Kano Central.
This victory of Senator Hanga is a significant boost for the NNPP. It also demonstrates the importance of pursuing justice through the appropriate legal channels rather than resorting to violence or other unlawful means. This is a win for democracy and the rule of law, a testament to his resilience and determination to fight for his right.
I am delighted that Senator Hanga has been elected to represent Kano Central at the National Assembly. With his experience and dedication to public service, I believe he will be an effective advocate for his constituents and a valuable asset to the Nigerian government.
A graduate of Accountancy, one-time member of the House of Representatives (1992-1993), and senator who represented Kano Central from 2003 to 2007, Hanga chaired several committees. They include Chairman Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes; Chairman Senate Sub-Committee on Housing and Urban Development; Chairman Sub-Committee on Finance; Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Tourism and Culture; and Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties.
These positions contributed to Senator Hanga’s deep understanding of Nigeria’s political and economic landscape. In addition, he has shown himself to be a skilled negotiator and collaborator, able to work effectively with others to achieve common goals. These qualities will serve him well as he navigates the complex issues facing the Kano people, particularly his constituents.
Senator Hanga has demonstrated a solid commitment to developing his community and the nation. His focus on education, healthcare, and infrastructure has been commendable. I am confident that he will continue to work tirelessly to address these and other critical challenges facing his constituents.
He is a politician with an impressive track record of public service, making him a valuable asset to any government. With years of experience working at various levels of government, Senator Hanga has developed a deep understanding of the political process, the needs of his constituents, and the challenges facing the country. His wealth of experience and expertise will undoubtedly prove invaluable in driving positive change and development initiatives in Kano Central.
Kano Central Senatorial District, located in northern Nigeria with fifteen local government areas, is known for its political and economic importance. It is the metropolitan commercial city of Kano, one of the largest cities in Nigeria.
One of the major reasons Kano Central needs good representation at Nigeria’s National Assembly is to ensure that the interests and needs of its people are adequately represented and addressed at the national level. This is important because the National Assembly is responsible for making laws that affect the entire country. It is also crucial that the laws made are fair and just for all Nigerians, including those in Kano Central. Now, the voices of Kano Central people will be heard, and their needs will be addressed in the national discourse.
Senator Hanga’s representation at the National Assembly should ensure that Kano Central gets its fair share of the national resources. This includes funds for infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and other social amenities. Moreover, with his effective representation, the district will not be left behind in terms of economic development, as policies that promote economic growth and development are made at the national level.
Furthermore, Kano Central is facing several challenges that require urgent attention from the National Assembly. These challenges include insecurity, unemployment, poverty, and a lack of access to clean water and electricity. Effective representation at the National Assembly can help to address these challenges and improve the standard of living of the people of Kano Central.
The importance of good representation at Nigeria’s National Assembly cannot be overemphasized. The National Assembly is the highest legislative body in Nigeria, responsible for making laws that govern the country. Therefore, good representation is crucial for developing any district or constituency.
Kano Central is in dire need of infrastructure development. The district is home to several markets, industries, and transportation hubs, making it a hub of economic activity in the state. However, the lack of good roads, electricity and other basic amenities hinders economic growth. A good representation of Senator Hanga at the National Assembly should ensure that the district receives adequate funding for infrastructure development.
Kano Central has several tertiary institutions, including Bayero University, Kano State Polytechnic, and Yusuf Maitama Sule University. However, the education sector in the district needs significant improvement. His representation at the National Assembly should ensure that these institutions receive adequate funding to improve the quality of education and provide better facilities for students.
Kano Central is also in dire need of better healthcare facilities. The district has several hospitals and health centres, but most are understaffed and lack adequate medical equipment. Senator Hanga should ensure that the district receives proper funding for healthcare facilities and training and medical personnel recruitment.
Kano Central has a high rate of unemployment, especially among the youth. Senator Hanga now has the opportunity to use all means of legislation that can attract foreign investors to the state and promote entrepreneurship, leading to job creation and economic growth.
Kano Central has experienced several security challenges recently, especially phone snatching, political thuggery, and burglary. Senator Hanga should ensure the district receives adequate security funding to combat these challenges and maintain peace.
I am excited to see what Senator Hanga will accomplish during his time in office. With his dedication to public service, commitment to his constituents, and extensive knowledge of the Nigerian political landscape, I am confident that he will be a valuable and effective representative for Kano Central. I wish him all the best in his new role, and I look forward to seeing his positive impact on the people of Kano and Nigeria.
Should a real social fighter be partisan? Does this mean the side he has taken has no weakness at all, or does it mean Abba Hikima is no longer a freedom fighter as people regard him but a politician?
Bar. Abba Hikima is a well-known social fighter, and he is one of the four most influential persons in Kano State who day and night fight to liberate have-nots peoples from the slavery of crooked individuals.
He is a loving person within Kano State metropolitan area. His lovers are from various political parties such as NNPP, APC, PDP, etc. Many of his supporters use his picture as a slogan for their businesses, like tricyclic drivers (Keke-Napep), just because he fights to liberate them from evil hands. Many love you because they do not know you are partisan.
It is good for a social fighter to build relationships with politicians and policymakers to create positive change. You should try to connect with politicians who share similar values and goals. Building trust and respect with politicians is essential to maintain their dignity while dealing with politics.
But should Abba Hikima be partisan as politics is concerned? Your benefit is more meaningful and beneficial as a freedom fighter than to be a politician. You can only maintain your dignity in politics by staying true, which is costly in Nigerian democracy. “If you want to understand a person, give him power.”
Being partisan means you are willing to swallow all sweetness and bitterness of the side without scrutinising. Still, social fighters always struggle to ensure that the public meets their needs effectively and efficiently.
As we all know, politicians in Kano have been claiming they are followers of the late Malam Aminu Kano to achieve their political interests. We all know and remember him as a leader of the masses, a reformist, educationist and revolutionist. Mallam had built the most substantial legacies. When he was minister, he joined protests against the federal government in Nigeria.
Honourable Kawu Sumaila is Malam’s ghost. As a strong opposition leader after resigning from his position as senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matters, Kawu defeated the incumbent senator that spent sixteen years in the seat last week.
He is ready to represent the good people of southern Kano. He contrasted and won the election three times. He represented Takai/Sumaila for 12 years in the Green Chamber.
Kawu’s action is louder than his voice. He knows the problems of his senatorial district. That’s why he aspired for the seat in 2019 and lost in a questionable primary election. He is ready to speak about his senatorial district, Kano state and northern Nigeria.
Kawu supports the less privileged within and outside his constituency. He founded Al-Istiqama University, the first private university in southern Kano.
Umar Ahmad Rufai wrote from Kano via umarahmadrufaijr@gmail.com.He is a student at Aminu Kano College of Education in Kano.
About a hundred students sponsored by the Kano State Government at Digital Bridge Institute have expressed their worries over the state government’s failure to pay for their certificates five years after graduation.
The students decried that the state government has not paid the designated fees to the institute to enable them to collect their results since 2019.
They complained that the development is delaying their education as they are left stranded for over five years.
The students said they need the certificate to further their education and apply for various job opportunities, saying their future would remain bleak if the government refused to intervene.
The Daily Reality gathered that the Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had sponsored 100 students, 40 males and 60 females, to study at the institute in 2017.
The students were sponsored to study various ICT programs such as Software Engineering, Multimedia Technology, Networking and System Security, Hardware Engineering and Telecommunications.
Our future is bleak students
The graduates said their educational careers were at risk, saying the years they spent at the institute would be wasted if the government refused to intervene.
One of the graduates, who pleaded anonymity, said he missed many opportunities, including admissions to study abroad because he has not collected his certificate.
He said, “I was offered three admissions to study in India, but I could not go because my certificate was not given to me.
“Some of my colleagues told me that they even got job offers. However, they could not go for an interview since they didn’t have the certificate.
“I would have scored admission and graduated had I the certificate. Probably got employed in an organisation.”
Muktar Ibrahim (not a real name) said he wanted to further his education but could not lay his hand on his diploma certificate after graduation in 2019.
He said, “I wanted to further my education. However, I have no certificate to seek direct entry into the university.”
Aisha Hussain (not a real name) said it was painful that she was yet to acquire a degree certificate while some of her sisters and friends were serving their one-year mandatory NYSC.
She said, “We have long been expecting the payment by the government for the release of our certificates. It is sad that some of my sisters and friends have completed their degrees even though I started schooling before them.
“I also got so many opportunities. However, I hopelessly saw them pass as I could not go for any of them,” she stated.
Government ignores our appeals
Since graduation, the students said they have been pleading with the government to settle the outstanding debt to enable them to collect their certificates.
The students went to various media stations pleading with the government to come to their aid and settle the debt.
They said they also wrote letters to the Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, through the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education of the state.
However, all their efforts were in vain, as their plea did not yield any positive result from the government.
Some of these letters.
We are still not tired – students
The students who spoke to The Daily Reality said they are still not tired of sending their passionate appeals to the government to consider them.
They said they are still hopeful and pleading with Governor Ganduje to settle the debt before he leaves office this 2023.
Halima Ibrahim (not a real name) pleaded, “I urge his Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to help us and pay for our certificates.
The lady said her parents are poor and therefore placed all their hopes on her certificate.
Another student who asked not to be named said, “Your Excellency, we know you are good and kind to the poor. We are your children. We are pleading with you to consider us.”
Maimuna Sunusi said, “Our parents cannot afford to settle this debt. Therefore, we are pleading with His Excellency to pay for our certificates and not to waste the years we spent at the institute.”
Kano State Government response
Our reporter has made several attempts to hear from the government, but all his efforts were in vain.
While the Public Relation Officer of the Kano State Ministry of Higher Education, Sunusi Abdullahi Kofar Na’isa, denied knowledge of the development, the Ministry’s Commissioner, Mariya Bunkure, could not be reached for comment.
His name was Sadik. Perhaps about 11 years old. He walked into my newly allocated office in the old Mass Communications building of Bayero University Kano (Nigeria) in 2013. I was startled. He was a tiny boy with deep dark skin, a beautiful face with intense eyes and a dolphin smile. He asked if I wanted to buy Fura (steamed millet balls blended in cow milk, often used as dessert, although it could stand on its own as a nutritious meal). He did not look like any of the usual urchins who thronged the corridors of the building look for odd jobs – run errands, empty trash, sweep office when those officially charged – and paid – to do so did not. Intrigued, I ordered one. He disappeared and returned some twenty minutes later with the Fura in a transparent plastic bag. I paid him, and that was that.
He returned the following day. When I declined to buy it because I didn’t feel like drinking the Fura, he insisted I buy it for others. When I asked why, he simply retorted that I appeared richer than other staff because, first, I was a professor, and second my office was larger. I was amused by his evaluation of my finances based on my position. And true, my office was the largest for staff, but I was a new bride in the Department – having been wedded to Mass Communication after an amicable transfer from the Department of Science and Technology (thus the ‘double’ professor tag), and all stops were pulled to make me welcome. Based on his logic of having a larger office, if not a deeper pocket, I bought about ten and asked him to distribute them to colleagues.
Sadik was to become a regular fixture in the corridor. Always after 2.00 p.m. One day he came with a blue checkered school uniform. Mentally, I thanked the boy who gave him the ‘hand me down’. The uniform was from Musa Iliyasu College, located along Gwarzo Road, a few kilometres from the New Campus of Bayero University Kano. This was a private and prestigious high school in Kano, attended by the children of the well-to-do.
I was told, however, that the uniform was his own and that he was indeed a student at the famous prestigious college. Curious about the human aspect of this development, I decided to delve further. What I found was what I want to share with you regarding the world of Hausa women.
Sadik did not come from an elite home. He was from a large Fulani family living in a ruga (a Fulani cattle encampment) near Janguza Army Barracks in Kano – itself a few kilometres from Bayero University Kano, New Campus, along Gwarzo freeway. The unit was a father, three wives and eighteen children. Sadik was the eldest in his mother’s room. They were herders. Indeed, Sadik was born near Tamburawa along Zaria Road in Kano when the family was on the move in 2002. They camped near Janguza Barracks, where they located their ‘hometree’.
The mother was the one selling the Fura at Bayero University Kano New Campus that Sadiq marketed. She had a ‘stand’ near the Faculty of Engineering. She had a lot of customers in all categories of the university community. After all, even professors love Fura. Her interaction with the university community enabled her to develop an interest in education, and she wanted to get Sadiq to attend a school and eventually a university. She did not want Sadik to follow the family herd. His father, however, wanted the child to join the family herding tradition. The mother then engaged one of her customers, a professor, to drive to the ruga and convince the father to allow the child to attend school, to which he reluctantly agreed. The mother then took over the process of educating the child.
She enrolled him in a local private primary school inside the Janguza Barracks. After he finished, she inquired which was the best high school around, and Musa Iliyasu came highly recommended. She enrolled him there. An exclusive private school. Paid for from the proceeds of her Fura business. She bought a bike for Sadik to make it easy for him to attend the school, some five kilometres from their tent. His legs could barely reach the pedals, but he was enthusiastic about learning. After school, he would go to her Fura stand, park the bike and then trample all over the BUK mega building advertising his mother’s Fura (even boldly entering the Vice-Chancellor’s office to market the Fura), all the way till 6.00 p.m. when they close ‘office’.
I interacted with Sadik for three years. He was so curious, bold, confident and always lifting books on my desk, trying to read them, asking endless questions, his eyes always darting and roving all other office. He was truly an inquisitive and intelligent child.
In 2016 I temporarily relocated my place of work to Abuja, and that was the last I saw of Sadiq. I did not fully return to Bayero University till 2022. In the intervening period, I had wistfully thought of Sadik and finally decided to find out what had happened to him when I returned. It was a massive success story of doggedness by a traditional woman.
When Sadik finished Musa Iliyasu College, he told his mother he wanted to be a pilot. She asked him to find out how much it would cost. Off he went to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, where he learned the fees could be as much as ₦7.5 million. He informed his mother, who immediately asked him to continue the process of getting admitted. She would pay the entire sum – after all, she was already a millionaire with the large herd she had. She earmarked the number of cows to sell to raise the pilot school fees. Sadik did the entrance exams but did not scale the final test. So, he was not admitted.
He then applied to BUK with his JAMB score of 201 for Computer Science but did not meet the Post-UTME requirements for the program. Again, he faced rejection. His mother initiated the process of getting him alternative university admission and was advised to take him to Al-Qalam University, a non-profit Islamic university in Katsina. He went there and inquired about the admission process and the fees. With his results, he was admitted. His mother sold two of her cows for ₦450,000 and gave him the money to pay for the school fees in Computer Science and his accommodation in Katsina. He enrolled and started his program.
When he relocated to Katsina, she sent him money every day. She eventually gave him ₦200,000, with which he started a Fura packaging business, employing his co-tenants in the house he was renting. Soon, he established a small business employing other students. Eventually, he vied for and succeeded in becoming the Vice-President of the Computer Science Students Association of the Al-Qalam branch.
Sadik became a dedicated student with a consistently high CGPA, which could eventually lead to either a good second upper or a first in Computer Science. He was eventually elected the President of the Computer Science Students of his university chapter. One day, the officers of the Association came to Kano for a function during a school break and decided to see his house, especially after he told them he lived in a ruga. They were astonished to discover he was telling the truth – their respect for his modesty raised higher.
In January 2023, I was in my office at the Faculty of Communication BUK when someone walked in. I was bent on my laptop but did notice the guest removing his shoes and coming and standing in front of my desk, waiting for a pause in my typing.
I looked up at a tall well-built young man. I immediately knew it was Sadik. At 21 years, everything about him has changed, of course, but not his dolphin smile. He told me he learnt I was asking of him and decided to come and greet me. I was so happy to see him, and it was he who related to me what I had written so far. I immediately connected him to Sunusi Ahmad Baffa Dawakin Tofa, Chairman of the Kano State chapter of the Fulfulde Development Association of Nigeria (FULDAN), of which I was a patron. They promised to come together and see how Sadik could be part of community mobilisation awareness and a role model, especially for youth. Sadiq owes his success so far to his mother.
Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu and Sadik
***
Sadik’s mother, Hajiya Hauwa Suleiman Dikko, was not an educated, entitled, privileged woman. She did not go to school. Her class was the hard knock of life. As a young girl, she missed going to school with lunchboxes and rucksacks festooned with stickers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Spiderman, Hulk, X-Men, and Fantastic Four. She did not attend a privileged landscaped school with paintings of Micky Mouse and Donald Duck on their walls. She had no driver to chauffer her to school in an airconditioned SUV. No TV to return to after school hours in a nice airconditioned living room. No iPads to play with. No Netflix to relax her hard stressful day. No extra lesson teacher (Uncle John or Auntie Funmi) to ensure she passed those horrible subjects such as Mathematics.
Her contemporaries who lived such life finished successfully from their expensive private schools (of course, no private school would allow mass failure, especially from children of the privileged) and had gatekeepers to ensure they got admission into the juiciest disciplines in the university of their choice. If at all in Nigeria – otherwise, it would be off to Ukraine (before it became too hot), some obscure countries in Eastern Europe, India, Cyprus, the UK or preferably, Malaysia.
When such contemporaries returned, they had cushy jobs waiting for them and a relatively easy path to the top. Eventually, they are celebrated as women of substance – given awards (which they don’t need) and celebrated in academic papers and opinion pieces as role models of female achievement and doggedness in a patriarchal society. I don’t mind their high-profile visibility. I just believe the accolades are wrongly placed, or at the very least, the Point of View (POV) should sweep around.
My female heroes? Those I will be celebrating today, the 2023 International Women’s Day? Let’s start with Sadik’s mother. And hundreds of others like her. I am sure you know one or two in your locality. They are women, often widowed, left alone, with little or no inheritance, and who, with the little they have, were able to provide much-appreciated services in their communities and keep a tight hold on their families. They don’t engage in endless and fruitless debates about gender identity or reproductive rights nor women’s representation in political representation and their share of hegemony. Rhetoric. Talking loud and saying nothing. As my main Man sang, “Like a dull knife / Just ain’t cutting / Just talking loud / Then saying nothing”. (James Brown, 1970).
Mainly, restauranteurs, these local women build people and impact their communities. With their business – restaurant (ƙosai, koko, tuwo, ɗanwake, wake da shinkafa, alkubus, gurasa, ƙashin rago, etc.), public transport (Keke NAPEP, buses, Acaba/Okada, Ƙurƙura), estate (properties, rental apartments, plots of land) – they are the role models who should be celebrated. They don’t feel entitled and are privileged in the peace of mind they have and the mentoring they do in their communities. They have no PAs, SAs, fierce dogs at the gates of their solar-powered villas and mansions, no frowning ‘maigad’ to intimidate and scare away panhandlers.
They have no SUVs as the cost of one could serve as capital for a whole year for their business. They don’t even have cars, despite some owning a transport business or so. They do not take their holidays in London or Dubai – they have no time for holidays as they are busy serving their communities. They marry off their daughters, not in grand style, with furniture imported from IKEA in China but from local makers – thus contributing to local economies.
So, what should be the concerns of women on International Women’s Day? For me, with a focus on Muslim Hausa women living in traditional communities, how about integrating them into the modern sector digital economy? Instead of empty rhetoric about gender representation, why don’t we focus on enabling them to acquire skills such as mobile phone repairs and POS services – in the comfort and safety of their homes? Many women are now engaged with mobile phones and online trading and payments. Muslim Hausa women feel unsafe in approaching service centres where clusters of men provide these services. Empowering them to be skilled in digital knowledge in the lungu and saƙo (alleyways) of our communities works better than hot-air rhetoric and genuinely can make a difference.
On this day, I, therefore, award accolades to Sadik’s mother, Hajiya Mai Ƙashin Rago Fagge (with a whole street named after her), and countless others whom I am sure Jaafar Jaafar knows more. They are truly women of substance.
Today, being International Women’s Day, please locate any in your community, go right up to her and appreciate her. Celebrate her achievements and her silent but visible impact in the community as the REAL woman of substance.
PS: Some have asked about Sadik’s whereabouts. He is in his final year at Al-Qalam, Katsina, Computer Science, and from his results so far, he is heading towards either a First Class or a very good Second Upper.
Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu can be contacted via auadamu@yahoo.com.
