Kano State

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

The 10-megawatt Tiga Dam hydroelectric project has been completed.

 This was announced by the Kano State Government through Hadiza Tukur, managing director of Kano Hydro and Energy Development Company (KHEDCO).

The power plant, according to Mrs Tukur, will supply power to the city’s street lights as well as the state’s water treatment facility in Tamburawa.

She said the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency has not yet certified the power facility (NEMSA).

“In the power plant, we have two generators, one is vertical, which will generate 8 megawatts of power capacity, and the other one is horizontal, which will generate two megawatts of power making ten megawatts. That is why it’s called Tiga ten megawatt power generation station.

“Everything is being completed pre-commission test is ongoing. What remains is the certification of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).

“Another thing waiting for is also automation when it’s completed, we are going to open the water and allow it to rotate the turbine. We have gotten permission from the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority.

“The Eight megawatts are being tested without a load, but in the next two weeks, we are going to test them with a load. The same applied to the two megawatts,” she was quoted as saying.

By Lawi Auwal Yusuf

It is essential to understand that the community’s participation in fighting drug abuse is an effective remedy that helps tremendously in reversing the trends. Fastidious minds would think that it is beyond exaggeration, if not a mere goof, to make the dubious inference that we cannot clinch a victory over this quagmire without the community vigorously joining the crusade. No doubt, the first step to facing this insidious cankerworm bedevilling the country is dependent on the community’s cooperation.

We are at an appalling risk because drug abuse has become a serious societal phenomenon at an all-time high and regrettably remains unchecked. Youths have already been taken over by drugs which is the centre of crimes and other social vices, while some have succumbed to its suicidal trafficking. Consequently, Nigeria continues to disproportionately bear the brunt of detriments caused by this evil, which thwarts all efforts of transforming our youngsters into enterprising folk.

The emerging trends of terrorism, kidnappings, gruesome murders and a myriad of other reprehensible and despicable crimes are particularly damaging as they create social fissures, flay investors and lead to a total collapse of society necessitate coming together to make concerted clamant efforts in order to battle these crime inducing substances.

But, of course, we must take responsibility for our troubles for being obstinate in breaking away from the old way of doing things and not seeking to unite and confront this lingering peril so as to make way for Nigeria’s defining moment.

It is worthwhile to know that the war against drug addiction is not an exclusive responsibility of law enforcement agencies, in particular, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Rather, it’s our collective burden. Each and every one of us must honestly believe that he is a worthy stake in this issue, determining to immerse himself in this national salvation giving his best shot.

Collaborative efforts are vital mechanisms for efficient service delivery to Nigerians. Genuine and active community participation is a necessary measure that will absolutely end the age of this atrocious challenge and is a vital step towards addressing heinous crimes and protecting communities. It will truly catalyse meaningful and systematic change. Thus, producing enigmatic and highly yielding episodes that will deliver on the transformation of Nigeria.

It is difficult to dislodge the significance of collective participation in fighting illicit drugs, which necessitates the public to wade in and intervene to support the law enforcers by providing moral and financial support, as well as intelligence information to forge bridges between the community and lawmen. Participation at every level is essential in obtaining commitment and achieving goals.

The need for communal efforts to augment those of the government is a key to tackling this social upheaval and the most effective tool in overcoming this intractable problem for a better society. This idea is not only framed on the goal of extricating drug abuse but also on assisting security agencies in establishing and maintaining a safer and orderly social environment. And also working on improving the understanding and trust between the cops and residents, hence, giving the residents a better vantage of law enforcement.

Nonetheless, a partnership between law enforcement and residents adds to the deepening of our sense of collective responsibility and civic bond while helping security agencies have more accurate information.

Affluent individuals can also contribute by providing vehicles and other logistics to the overwhelmed NDLEA to ease their activities. Moreover, NGOs must embark on active sensitisation to expose the dangers of doing drugs and also extol the virtues of abstaining from it altogether. Equally important as well is the impulsive commitment of traditional rulers, religious leaders and other relevant stakeholders to checkmate the threats at the grassroots level.

However, parents must always monitor the movement of their wards to protect them against the wrong hands and also keep a watchful eye on them to notice any conspicuous behavioural change.

Furthermore, we must band together and face up to the adversaries who are the centre of this issue and report any fishy movement of individuals in our midst to the security operatives. The notorious peddlers are the major concern as they are the key players that continue to supply these perilous drugs just to realise their apocalyptic fantasy of amassing stupendous wealth by all means and at all costs. This presupposes the imperative to put society’s interests at the core and make speak louder than these egocentrics and the demons who pander to them.

We shouldn’t sit idly by while the storms of egocentrism threaten our existence. We need to bolster efforts to strengthen the existential commitment in order to put up a good fight to break the jinx and weather the storm at this crux, and have success over the malicious forces.

Lawi Auwal Yusuf is the PRO and Chairman Media and Publicity Committee, Youth Against Drug Abuse Foundation (YADAF), Kano, Nigeria.

By Rukayya Abdulhadi

A dream has always been a glimpse of the future—yet to happen and fragments of the past or what we thought to be. But, the Kano of my dream is a Salad of both; past and present.

It has always been hard to differentiate between my dreams and fantasies. What I have always dreamt as Kano, my past, present and future, was just a hallucination. The surest way to make your dreams a reality is to live them.

I dream of Kano to be the peaceful city that it once was – where people slept outside the walls of their rooms undaunted.

A Kano where humans are as safe as birds, swirling inside streets ‘Lunguna’ with no phone snatchers or intimidating drinkers.

A Kano where there is no imposing but tolerant of religion and cultures. Where marriage is bound by love, not ethnicity or race. Where schools outnumbered business centres branded as mosques. Where sect ‘Dariqah’ is not a prerequisite for relationships.

I yearn for Kano to be where nobody has to know someone to get their children educated. Where the rich and the poor eat in the same bowl without distinction. A Kano where anyone sitting on the throne of Emir is respected, their counsel duly noted. A Kano where elders are leaders.

I want Kano to be where every father is a father to all, and every child is a child to society. A Kano, which will not only be the centre of commerce but it is also the portrait that speaks the values of Hausa and Islam. A clustered society that doesn’t discriminate.

A Kano with a unique voice of respected command, youngsters, scared to dare elders. A Kano where respect is bounded by deserving.

A Kano where politics and religion will no longer be an instrument of coercion and manipulation.

A Kano free from the insalubrious dependence of pseudo-clerics, religious entrepreneurs and miracles.

A Kano where religion will not take the place of good governance.

A Kano with critical thinking youth, not human—machines for winning elections.

I dream of a Kano without all the cacophony of the ill-mannered and bastardised semi-illiterate politicians.

A Kano where every girl-child deserves an education, her dreams not shattered by the pretence of street hawking and child marriage. A Kano where female nurses and doctors are welcomed, not accused. Where motherhood and carrier peacefully coexist; accepted. Where a woman’s place is beyond the ‘oza room’.

A Kano where givers give without being asked, where takers take without asking. A Kano free from child labour camouflaged as ‘Almajiranci’.

I would love Kano to be a place wallowing in technology and accelerating towards the future, with a promising economy and fertile land. A Kano where poverty is dying while commerce is thriving.

Where leaders are readers, not a collection of nincompoops monopolising power.

A city where for kids, night tales will replace the abracadabra of TV series and an avalanche of technology with no use.

A Kano of my dream is possible.

As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Rukayya Abdulhadi is among the runners-up in the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via rukayyaabdulhaddi@gmail.com.

By Abdulmajid Mudassir

I dreamt a good dream, a perfect dream about Kano. I consider Kano the best part of myself. Words are indeed scantier than dreams. The Kano of my dream is nearly impossible to describe. It is the Kano that cannot be found elsewhere in a hurry. Dear reader, I will describe it to you. 

The Kano of my dream is a society where education is the most valued treasure. It is where primary and secondary education is free, compulsory and easily accessible in the real—not political—sense of the word. The Kano from whose territories illiteracy has entirely vanished. The Kano, where tertiary education is affordable and accessible by anyone who wishes to pursue it. Education is the bedrock of any thriving society. Education is to a society what fresh water is to thirsty lips. 

People often say: “health is wealth”. In the Kano of my dream, there is the required number of doctors, nurses, midwives, paediatricians, obstetricians and public health officers who are patriotic and caring. There is also an adequate number of hospitals and materials. Listening to people begging for money via radio stations for medical care is horrific. 

Kano has been blessed with seductive fertile lands: there is virtually no farm produce we cannot grow. I dream of Kano growing food in excess. 

Is a just society not the best society? I dream of Kano, where injustice of any kind is zero-tolerated. Where the weak can successfully seek redress with ease. 

I dream of Kano, where good road networks and potable water in rural areas are available. 

I dream of Kano, where there is respect for the values and dignity of women and where the youth are considered the engine of growth. 

It has been said that every limit is a beginning as well as an ending. All that you read above are hopes. How can we achieve all our hopes? George Elliott, the author of the Middlemarch, said: “hopes are often delusive.” But is hope not delusive only when the wrong remedies are applied? If we carefully observe, understand and plan for the solutions to our problems, they are surmountable. 

Although there is a concentration of pupils in rural areas, primary schools in rural areas give very little or no consideration to knowledge, skills and new ideas needed by these pupils to function effectively in their environment (e.g. farming practice and management, community development, fishing, sheep and goat rearing, hygiene, nutrition etc.). Moreover, the teaching focuses more on recitation and repetition instead of thinking and problem-solving. 

The curricula shall be radically reformed. It should incorporate the subjects needed in rural areas. Our primary and secondary schools should not only focus on general but also a family improvement, community development, and occupational education. Failure to do this will cause the youth to drift away from rural areas, eventually leading to more crimes and job lottery in the Kano metropolitan area. 

To achieve the above, the government shall reopen teachers’ training colleges. Furthermore, primary schools should observe and prepare pupils who distinguish themselves in terms of sharp thinking, problem-solving and creativity for those schools. 

Research shows that not more than 35% of the potentially cultivable lands are used in Kano. Therefore, the government shall revivify our dams, provide more irrigation channels, construct road networks, and provide materials for land improvement in preparation for intensive farming by the teeming unemployed labour force willing to participate in farming. 

As a state estimated to have over 15 million people, it is horrific to learn that no manufacturing company produces merely distilled water in the whole state. Government should concentrate more on providing the sophisticated and expensive machines and other materials desperately needed in our hospitals instead of focusing on building new blocks in the existing hospitals where it is unnecessary. 

It is now the time for Kano City to develop vertically instead of horizontally in building construction. What if we have multiple twenty-and-above-storey buildings in Kantin Kwari Market? The urban planning authority should help with ways to encourage people to build multiple storeys instead of making several buildings with one level. 

Waste materials shall be adequately recycled. In addition, there shall be a widespread plantation of trees. 

What seems a foreboding is the emergence of the modern Almajiri system of education. The situation must be handled properly, for it is a time bomb. The system should be reshuffled and incorporated into the modern education system. 

Our lack of trusted leaders pains me the most. But, with good governance, we can achieve something meaningful. It is, therefore, a collective responsibility to make sure we go out en masse on election days to vote for suitable candidates. 

The leaders know everything except what the followers know better. Therefore, public opinion shall matter in all governmental policies. 

All forms of productive competition, such as agricultural produces and writings (such as this), shall be encouraged. 

Happiness and sports are always hands in gloves. The Kano Pillars should utilise the legacy of Golden Stars—a founding member club of Kano Pillars. Golden Stars used to select only players who were squarely passionate about football, not money, fame or anything else. That action made them win 32 out of 36 matches in a football tour they took in the late 1980s across West Africa. 

If we keep it right, other things will keep it right. If we brave all the difficulties, it may cause to make this state great: a thrice-blessed Kano is attainable. But it is an accumulation of trouble to think that making Kano great is not a collective responsibility. We have no right to urge greater change until we have tried as much as possible to alter the wrongs beneath our hands. Let us work together to make Kano a smaller edition of the terrestrial paradise.

Abdulmajid Musassir is among the winners of the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via abdulmajidmudassir@gmail.com.

By Suhaibu Safiyanu Bagwai

Indeed, one of the most important developmental aspects of modern Nigeria is the growth of public opinion, which, aided by universal education and the mass media, can today keep the government in check as has never happened before. We can still march on through our fastidious conscience and occasional rebellion or our constant prodding of society’s leaders for better things. Even in a perfect world, there will always be men who will dream of other worlds, of better things, since not everyone is likely to be enthused by their current world, let alone someone who lives in Kano, a state that is riddled with corruption, social insecurity and illiteracy, bloated by debts and battered by economic volatility, poorly planned buildings and poor refuse disposal and management, to mention but a few.

Kano is one of the seven ancient Hausa kingdoms, and the principal inhabitants of the state are the Hausa people. A commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria, the “Centre of Commerce”, with a population of about 20 million people. The large population of people and the ease of doing business in the state have added to the crowded nature of the state. Nevertheless, it has maintained its commercial status for centuries, although the economy is friable, despite the inconsistent government policies and sporadic electricity supply, which hamper the manufacturing industry. Kano’s economy relies primarily on trade, retail and services.

Over the years, Kano has encountered enormous urbanisation challenges, ranging from rapid population growth, overcrowding, increasing vehicular and industrial pollution, high rates of out-of-school children, and urban poverty resulting in many environmental issues. Compared to its neighbouring states, Kano is faring better; but when put on a realistic scale, it is devastatingly poorer! Thus, every Kano citizen dreams of seeing that the major problems bedevilling the state are properly checked, and I am not an exception.

Looking at the population of Kano, one will find how it grows at a hysterical height. Rural-urban migration is at its peak; the city is overpopulated with people who leave their hometowns for greener pastures. That makes the city dirtier and unhealthy to travel around. But why the rural-urban migration increases every day? This is the question we seldom ask.

Nigeria’s current economy is debilitating; the inflation rate is high. The recent statistics of multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians rise to 65%, and 75% (of this percentage) live in rural areas. This shows that the urban-rural poverty and unemployment margin is wider, hence the rise in rural-urban migration. However, this is something that is not uncontrollable. Job creation and providing basic social amenities will go a long way in solving this problem. Offering loans, fertiliser and seeds to our small-scale rural farmers and making sure they reach the target people and introducing government and private agencies aimed at educating the farmers on how to make a good harvest, storage and sale will boost our agricultural produce, create job opportunities, diversify our economy and reduce the rural-urban migration drastically.

Reading the statistics of the number of out-of-school children in Kano and seeing it myself in my hometown, Bagwai, scares me the most. A society that invests less in education is stagnant and hopeless, with little or no future. Over the years, our government’s educational policies could have been better planned and executed. For instance, the current government’s introduction of the “Free and Compulsory Education Scheme” has, owing to poor planning and execution, ruined the education system. Before the scheme’s introduction, students used to pay 700 naira per term, which was used for the management of the school and pay teachers, mostly volunteers, some tokens. Now that the fee is removed, teachers – that are primarily voluntary – become scarce, and the principals and the head teachers cannot raise the money to pay them or manage the schools. It is the government’s responsibility to look for a way out. Unfortunately, public schools have remained neglected since the law was passed.

Many students drop out of school due to dilapidated buildings, overcrowded classrooms, scarcely qualified teachers, and poor teaching and learning atmosphere and facilities. Therefore, the government should look deeper into this scheme and make immediate improvements. In addition, the sectoral allocation in the education ministry should be increased. We have thousands of well-trained, unemployed education graduates ready for recruitment.

Kano is notoriously known for political thuggery, and it is one issue that perversely mocks my hope of a better Kano. However, I learned that most are either unemployed or school dropouts. Thus the creation of rehabilitation centres, youth empowerment schemes, sporting activities and public enlightenment programs will help reduce it.

Although there has been some development in the road network of the Kano metropolis, the number of vehicles at some road injunctions exceeds the road’s designed capacity. The trading activities along the major roads and inadequate planning obstruct efficient road transportation in urban Kano. Poorly planned buildings in our major markets, mostly built on water passages, blocks the water passages causing water to flood when it rains, which leads to the loss of lives and properties worth billions of naira – as it happens yearly – and obstructs the easy passage of vehicles whenever there is an accident or a fire outbreak in the markets. I dream of seeing some of the major markets relocated from their present locations or their buildings re-planned and trading activities along the roads banned, providing them with space for their businesses. More bus stops and parking spaces should also be provided to prevent indiscriminate parking and to stop at prohibited places.

One of the most disturbing environmental problems we face is refuse dumping on the streets outside our homes and any unused space in our neighbourhood, including open sewers and ponds. We produce almost 2,000 tonnes of garbage daily, but the sanitation workers can only approximately dispose of 800 tonnes. The remaining 1,200 are piling up on the streets and alleyways of the city, posing severe health risks to the inhabitants and blocking water passages. That is why the city is always dirty! Therefore, through REMASAB, the government should provide sufficient equipment for refuse disposal and the general public, who mostly needs a culture of refuse disposal, be enlightened on the dangers of improper refuse disposal and how to control it.

Bringing traditional and religious leaders closer to the government will influence public adherence to some governmental policies since the citizens are religious. The leaders are also influential. There should also be an establishment of a law that will restrict religious leaders from using abusive or provocative language during their sermons and preaching.

The poor supply of electricity and acute dearth of pipe-borne water in Kano can also be reduced if the government were to utilise its resources accordingly. Kano is blessed with almost seven major dams that can generate hydroelectric power, like the ones done at Tiga and Watari dams, providing adequate electricity and water supply for public and industrial usage. The surroundings can also be used for hotels and tourism by building amusement parks which can generate revenue for the state and create jobs.

The agency responsible for revenue collection, KIRS, needs to be redressed and transparent. The government’s spending should also be transparent to the public to know where and how their taxes are spent.

If I were to advise the government and the budgetary committee, I would suggest they determine budget priorities so that resources can be directed to issues of higher priorities and the proposed plans to be in line with the projected range of resources for each government agency. That will also compel the government to make hard choices between using available resources to start new projects or completing the existing ones. For instance, this year’s priority is education; new teachers recruited, buildings renovated, wages increased, teaching and learning facilities provided and so on. Then, next year will be the health sector, followed by commerce, water, electricity, agriculture, and sports…in the subsequent years. This will go a long way in tackling our problems.

Finally, I believe that hopeless as she may seem, Kano is not beyond redemption. We just need the will to do that. This is my dream, and I believe it is everyone else’s!

Suhaibu Safiyanu Bagwai is among the winners of the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via bagwaisafwan@gmail.com.

By Ayuba Ibrahim Gezawa

Kano, located in northern Nigeria, is a place of great cultural and historical significance. It has a rich history dating back to the 7^th century and is known for its strong Islamic influence, vibrant arts and crafts scene and bustling markets. In my dreams, Kano is a thriving metropolis that is modern and progressive while still maintaining its rich cultural heritage.

One thing that makes Kano so unique is its diverse and vibrant culture. It is home to a mix of ethnic groups with unique traditions and customs. In my dreams, Kano celebrates this diversity and promotes cultural exchange and understanding. The city is full of vibrant festivals and events that bring people from all walks of life together to celebrate their cultural traditions and share them with others.

Another aspect of Kano that I admire is its strong sense of community. The city has a strong sense of pride and belonging; its residents are known for their hospitality and generosity. In my dream, Kano is where people come together to support each other and work towards a common goal. Whether it is through volunteering at local charities, participating in community projects or simply being there for a friend in need, the people of Kano are always willing to lend a helping hand.

One of the things I would love to see in my dream Kano is a strong focus on education. Education is the key to a better future, and I would love to see Kano become a hub for learning and innovation. In my dream Kano, top-quality schools and universities provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the modern world. There are also numerous research and development facilities where scientists and innovators can work to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.

Technology is the heart of all developments in the current world. It changes how we interact, do business, entertains ourselves, and understand the world. In Kano of my dreams, technology plays an integral role in its development. It prioritises the training of technically oriented personnel who are to be the initiators, facilitators and implementers of the technological development in the country. Not only that, but it harnesses those technological developments and applies them to the economic, social and environmental challenges.

In the Kano of my dreams, corruption has no place. Corruption is a disease capable of hindering all forms of progression. One way for Kano to tackle corruption is to implement strict penalties for corrupt behaviour and to enforce those penalties consistently. This could include fines, imprisonment, and other consequences for individuals and organisations engaging in corrupt practices. Additionally, the city could increase transparency in its financial and decision-making processes by making budget information and contracts available to the public.

Furthermore, Kano could establish a hotline or other mechanism for citizens to report instances of corruption and take steps to protect those who come forward with information. Finally, the city could invest in education and public awareness campaigns to encourage citizens to speak out against corruption and understand its negative impact on the community.

I would love to see an improvement in the healthcare system in the Kano of my dreams, by hugely investing in the health sector, not just by building world-class hospitals but through proper management and sustainable accountability of those hospitals. A Kano city where the poor, the rich, and our top government officials patronise the local hospitals rather than opting for other alternatives. A Kano where the local hospitals would provide the same quality of healthcare services as the ones in the developed countries. A city with a drastic reduction in infant and maternal mortality due to access to qualitative and world-class healthcare services.

Distinguished and prominently renowned as the centre of commerce as Kano already is, in the Kano of my dreams, I would love to see a city that further promotes exponential growth and development in our businesses. It encourages businesses to start or expand in the city, supports entrepreneurs, creates jobs, and stimulates economic growth. This might include offering tax incentives, providing business development resources or investing in education and training programs to help prepare the local workforce for new job opportunities.

My dream Kano is a place that uses its natural environment to generate electricity so that every place within the rural and urban metropolis will experience an uninterrupted power supply. A city that provides all the basic amenities: good roads, portable water, good rural and urban town planning, sanitation and recreational facilities, among others, to its citizens. A state that puts an end to high levels of poverty, inequality and unemployment, a united, stable and peaceful place. A city that would inspire other northern states and Nigeria as a whole to become important and giant figures in the global community.

Overall, my dream Kano is a place of diversity, community and education. It is a thriving state celebrating its rich cultural heritage while embracing progress and innovation. It is where people from all walks of life come together to support each other and work towards a brighter future for all. I dream of a better Kano, a state with a brighter future, where everyone would work to make these dreams a reality.

Ayuba Ibrahim Gezawa won the 3rd position in the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via ayubaibrahimgezawa@gmail.com.

By Ibrahim Abubakar

In the late 1890s, my great-grandfather narrowly escaped the evil claws of the Mahdi’s hostile and belligerent lieutenant, Rabeh Bn Fadlallah, who had invaded Borno to spread the Mahdist ideology. They sacked the empire’s capital of Kukawa, captured and executed Sheikh of Borno, and enslaved many people. This martial excess sent trembles across the land, and many thought it wise to migrate westward into the Sokoto Caliphate for safety. Among those who migrated to the Caliphate was my great-grandfather, Mamadou. Of its two dozen emirates, Mamadou chose Kano as his refuge.

Kano was the jewel of the Sahel, a centre of trade and commerce with walls 50 feet high and immensely thick, surrounded by a deep artificial gully making it an impenetrable fortress; a marvel to behold! It is this sense of security and opportunity, I believe, that made Kano a desirable place for my ancestors.

During colonial times, Kano increased in its majesty. The British administration modernised trade and industry, built hospitals, schools, and railways and improved the justice system by integrating and superbly implementing strategies that supported the rule of law and ameliorated the superficial old system. Kano’s commercial strategies were carefully designed to produce a positive net economic effect. For example, hide, skin, groundnut, animal feeds, meat and textile were exported to Britain. These export plans were supported by long-term government programmes that continued into post-independence Kano.

According to a World Bank report, Kano State’s mainstay is agriculture. It employs about 60% to 70% of the population producing rice, maize, millet, groundnut, beans, etc. Livestock production is another source of income for the farmers. The industrial output is from oil mills, textiles, tanneries, flour mills, and several others.

As the centre of commerce, Kano handles about 75% of finished goods from Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo industries. These are distributed to all the northern states and the neighbouring states of Niger, Cameroon, Chad, etc. From Kano, the following are exported: semi-finished leather, cotton lint, gum, hibiscus, sesame seeds and other minor items. All of the above have immensely contributed to enhancing Kano’s GDP as one of the highest in the country.

Unfortunately, the contemporary situation is rather bleak. Most of the factories have closed or have reduced their production capacity. Kano had about 30 tanneries producing over 45 million goats and sheep skins for export. In addition, over 7 million cattle hides were processed as finished leather for making shoes and other leather goods. However, there are only a dozen tanneries in production today. As for cattle hides, 90% of it is consumed in southwestern Nigeria as Ponmo or Ganda. In addition, cattle hides are imported from neighbouring countries and Mali, CAR, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia. The last textile to close was Angel Spinning and Dyeing Limited.

It is not a hidden fact that education has crumbled in recent years. Many children in Kano are poorly educated (the lucky ones?) and without a solution in sight. Although I am aware that education has exacerbated globally, for example, my father, 48 years older than me, is better educated in most branches of general learning. Kano is in the top five states in the country with substantial numbers of out-of-school children.

Healthcare facilities across the state are in a deplorable state. For example, the last time I visited the A&E department of a general hospital in Kano, I was sickened by the gruesome sight of accident victims on the floor, literally bleeding to death. In addition, there is an enormous disparity in the doctor-to-patient ratio, albeit not the worse in the country. It is, however, in the top ten states lacking doctors, with a ratio of 1 doctor for every 14,123 persons. To put it into perspective, the UN standard doctor-to-patient ratio is 1:600.

Kano used to be safe. Growing up, very few isolated incidences of theft were heard of in the city. Today, people get robbed in broad daylight. Thieves with sharp knives of all shapes and sizes attack people on the streets to rob them of their phones and other belongings; those who refuse to comply are fatally stabbed without remorse. Rape cases are rising exponentially. This year alone, over 1,300 cases of rape were reported. It is sad to see Kano vitiated.

The Kano of my dreams is the Kano my great-grandfather fell in love with. A Kano where there is opportunity and hope for everyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion. A Kano where I feel safe walking any street at any hour of the day or night. A Kano where women can feel comfortable around men without fearing harassment or misogyny. A Kano with subsidised agricultural products such as fertilisers and an established avenue for creating liaisons with agencies that will be responsible for borrowing funds from the banks of industry and agriculture for the benefit of farmers, and this will increase productivity as well as employment.

Similarly, the Kano of my dreams will create an investment agency to secure funds from the Bank of Industry for the closed tanneries/factories and companies at low capacity. This will enhance business activity and employment. Furthermore, the Kano of my dreams will utilise Tiga Dam power generation to supply electricity to the industrial areas of the state and set a good precedence for the future supply of power to the entire state, either through hydroelectricity, solar energy, or thermal power.

The Kano of my dreams is a Kano where children are given quality education regardless of the social and economic status of the family they come from. A Kano where children do not go around begging for food on the streets. The Kano of my dreams is a Kano where hospitals are abundant, and doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers have all the needed equipment to make their jobs easier. A Kano where the large, proposed sports complex at Kofar Na’isa is turned into a colossal state-of-the-art medical centre to cater for the entire country. A Kano where neighbours assist one another.

I dream of a Kano where the rich invest more in local small-scale industries to boost production and employment rather than holidaying abroad and boosting the economy of the colonial order neglecting their brothers and sisters at home languishing in abject poverty. Lastly, the Kano of my dreams will have excellent and selfless leaders that genuinely care about the advancement of the state and will put in their utmost to see to it becoming the gem that it was, if not better than it was in days of yore. In sha Allah!

Ibrahim Abubakar won the 2^nd position in the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via ibrahimabubakhr@gmail.com.

By Rabi’u Muhammad Gama

Introduction

The Kano State Hisbah Board (hereinafter referred to as “the Board”) has been an object of controversy, particularly on social media, for quite some years – probably right from the inception of the Board. The controversy usually surrounds the way and manner by which the Board, or more properly, the foot soldiers of the Board (the Hisbah Corps), carry out its, supposedly, statutory responsibilities (functions), ranging from matchmaking, reconciling civil disputes between persons and/or organisations, seizing and destroying bottles of alcohol, imposing a certain mode of dressing on people to waylaying young people, especially males, when they seem to have a certain objectionable hairstyle considered to violate Islamic morals.

Even though some historical accounts of the philosophical underpinnings behind the evolution of Hisbah will be very rewarding for a better appreciation of the topic, this article restricts its scope to the constitutional status and the functions of Hisbah as provided for in the Kano State Hisbah Board Law No. 4 of 2003.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (hereinafter referred to as “the Constitution”) is the Supreme Law of the Land. It is the Law over and above which there is no other law. As such, if any other law, either deliberately or by necessary implication, happens to be inconsistent with the provision of the Constitution, the Constitution shall always prevail, and that other law shall, to the extent of its inconsistency, be void and of no effect whatsoever. See Section 1(1)(2)(3) of the Constitution.

The Constitution is not only the Biggest Law of the Land, but it is also the  Fountain Law of the Land from which all other laws flow. It (the Constitution) distributes legislative powers between the federal and state legislatures. Section 4(1) confers on the National Assembly(which comprises the Senate and the House of Representatives) the power to make laws for the whole country or any part thereof. Section 4(6) likewise empowers the State House of Assembly to make laws for the state or any part thereof. However, these powers are to be exercised within some certain constitutional limits: the National Assembly cannot legislate outside the Exclusive Legislative List and the Concurrent Legislative List, while the State House of Assembly cannot, and shall not, trespass upon the Exclusive List. This clear distribution of powers forms the foundation of the debate as to the legality of the Hisbah Board Law, but that should be a topic for another day.

In response to the then prevailing circumstances and mounting agitation for the reintroduction of Shari’ah in the State, which was sparked by the reintroduction of Shari’ah in Zamfara State, the Kano State House of Assembly exercised the powers given to it by Section 4(6) of the Constitution by enacting a law known and cited as “The Kano State Hisbah Board Law No.4 of 2003, which brought the Hisbah Board into existence.

The Hisbah Board Law

The Kano State Hisbah Board Law, 2003 (hereinafter referred to as “the Law”) came into force precisely on the 7^th  day of November 2003. The law is relatively short: it has 17 Sections only. Section 3(1) of the Law establishes for the State “…a Board to be known as the Kano State Hisbah Board”. “This Board”, says Section 5 of the Law, “shall be responsible for general policy-making as well as coordination of activities between State and…Local Government Hisbah Committees”.

Section 7(1) of the Law empowers the Board to establish the State “Hisbah Corps”, who, according to the Section, may be eligible for appointment as Justices of Peace. By virtue of Section 7(2), the Corps so established shall be under a Commander who shall be appointed by the State Governor. And the duty of the Commander of the Corps, by virtue of Section 7(3), shall be the general administration of the Corps.

According to Section 11(1) of the Law, the Board shall have a Secretary who shall be appointed by the State Governor. The Secretary to be appointed shall be a legal practitioner with not less than 6 years of post-call experience. That Secretary shall be both the legal adviser and the head of the legal department of the Board.

It is important to assert, at this juncture, that the Kano State Hisbah Board, in spite of the raging debate going on in the legal cycle, is a legal and lawful organisation/institution which is duly and validly created by the Kano State House of Assembly pursuant to Kano State Hisbah Board Law No.4 of 2003. See also the case of Yahaya Farouq Cheɗi v. A.G Federation (2006) 13 NWLR (Pt.997) 308  (CA).

Duties of the Hisbah Corps

The Hisbah Corps, created by Section 7(1) of the Law, is the most active arm/department of the organisation. The Corps is the foot soldiers and the chief executor of the responsibilities of the organisation. For the sake of clarity and precision, below are the functions, or rather, responsibilities of the Hisbah Corps, as provided for under Section 7(4) of the Law. According to the said Section, the Hisbah Corps shall have responsibilities to:

Render necessary assistance to the Police and other Security agencies; encourage Muslims to unite in their pursuit of justice; encourage kindness to one another; advise against acquiring of interest, usury, hoarding and speculation; encourage charitable deeds, particularly the payment of Zakkah; give advice on moral counselling; encourage orderliness at religious gatherings; encourage general cleanliness and environmental sanitation; reconciling of civil disputes between persons and/or organisations where parties are willing; assisting in traffic control; emergency relief operations; assisting in any other situations that will require the involvement of Hisbah.

Anything other than the above is beyond the statutory functions of the Hisbah Corps. This begs the question: can the Hisbah Corps give itself powers or functions that are not given to it by its enabling law? The answer is “No”! And one fundamental thing that can be deduced from the above functions is that the Corps seems not to have any “actual power” to execute anything. The Law seems only to empower the Corps to “advise”, “encourage,” and “assist”, nothing concrete and definite! The Hisbah Corps clearly has no power to arrest, detain, waylay or force anybody to do anything against his or her will. The Law could not be clearer, and it is there for all to see.

Conclusion

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, is the first and the ultimate law of the country, the Grundnorm of the Land, so to speak. It creates and empowers the Kano State House of Assembly to make law for the peace, order and good government of the State or any part thereof. It is in the exercise of these powers that the Kano State House of Assembly made the Kano State Hisbah Board Law No. 4 of 2003, which brought into existence the Kano State Hisbah Board. The Kano State Hisbah Board Law, 2003, also creates the Hisbah Corps and empowers it with some specific functions and/or responsibilities.

It is the view of this writer that any act, no matter how noble or well-intentioned, done by the Board or the Corps must be in accordance with the provisions of the Kano State Hisbah Board Law, 2003; otherwise, the act is illegal, unlawful and ultra vires. And where an act of the Hisbah Board, or the Hisbah Corps,  happens to be in conformity with the Kano State Hisbah Board Law, 2003, but not in conformity with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999, or any other law validly made by the National Assembly, then the Constitution, or the law of the National Assembly, shall prevail and that act stands unlawful and illegal, no matter how religiously rewarding or well-intentioned the act is. See the case of Musa v. INEC (2002) LPELR-11119 (CA).

Rabi’u Muhammad Gama is a Law student; he writes from the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano, BUK. He can be reached via rabiuminuwa327@gmail.com.

By MA Iliasu

The dilemma with Kano has always been about standards. So, naturally, Kano’s advantages and disadvantages in socioeconomic assets have outgrown everyone’s. The history of Hausa land and much of the Sahel will confirm that assertion.

Kano’s population was approximated in 2022 as the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos and sixth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), ranking behind Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Oyo, and Imo. Kano is blessed with more than ten major markets across its rural and urban settlements, with Kantin Kwari and Dawanau serving as the largest textiles and food markets in West Africa, respectively. The state is enriched with the twentieth highest landmass in Nigeria, the biggest part of which is a prosperous arable land, with a favourable temperament that enables consistent rainfall and harmattan during rainy and harmattan seasons, on top of the twenty dams distributed across the rural economies of the state. Kano is one of the largest industrial hubs in West Africa, and the aggregation of these natural and human resources earns the state the title of “Centre of Commerce” in Nigeria.

By the same standard, however, the same factors make Kano an unfavourable environment. The massive population is more neglected than cared for, thus becoming a liability rather than an asset. There is a large number of out-of-school children roaming streets as beggars and hawkers, with many engaging in child labour. Many youths have been reduced to thuggery, thievery, and drug abuse. The economy is overwatched, yet doesn’t reflect in the state’s treasury by how the state rank lower in revenue generation, signifying, among others, the corruption and mismanagement holding its potential backward. The landmass is underutilised, with poor urban planning in the metropolitan areas and primitive agriculture in rural areas.

Consequently, signals of environmental hazards like crime, congestion, and flooding have become significant threats to the Kano metropolis. The dams have been neglected in the rural settlements. The widening gap between the rich and the poor makes the Human Development of the state ranks 28^th, according to Human Development Index (HDI) 2019, among the very worst in Nigeria. The income per capita of Kano is among the lowest, with its healthcare being one of the worst in Africa. As of 2021, the state could only hire one medical doctor to tend to the emergency unit of Murtala Muhammad General Hospital during the weekends.

The common factor in both the contrasting pictures is that Kano never does anything in small doses – it’s so-called standard. The Kano of my dream, therefore, is the one in which this standard is retained but only positively to enable the growth and development of the state to measure up to it.

In the Kano of my dream, agriculture and industry are the central focus. A coherent plan which utilises the twenty dams for irrigation farming in forty local governments has been implemented. And courtesy of that, the agricultural output from Kano has outranked every state in Nigeria and equals the capacity of many African countries combined. The landmark is achieved thanks to overwhelming human labour and fertile land, and after the state government widens its thinking beyond small partnerships with regional development banks by reaching out to international agricultural cartels.

A deal has been stroke with India, China, Nepal, and Thailand that sees to it all Kano dams have been utilised in exchange for an uninterrupted supply of agricultural output to the Asian markets. And the reliance on agriculture has paved the way for the flourishing of other farming and manufacturing industries, the rural economy, and infrastructure, which consequently ends rural-urban migration and reduces the pressure on metropolitan areas. Resurgence occurs in food and technology markets, with advanced research in agricultural institutes and massive employment generation for the teeming population. Agriculture is Kano’s largest labour employer for the first time this century. And the problems of unemployment, revenue generation, urban migration and planning, rural negligence, and food security have become negligible.

The multiplier effect of achieving such economic landmarks will, among others, boost the GDP, HDI, Per Capita Income (PI), and general economic buoyancy across all social classes, which in the Kano of my dream, enable investment in education and healthcare. The fantasies of free education and healthcare are now history. The government has seen the truth and intensified its efforts towards achieving a hundred per cent literacy rate and eighty years average life expectancy through massive investment in education and health infrastructure, with more than sixty per cent of its talent pool channelled to study science and technology.

The revolution in the education sector takes place in two dimensions. The first is by reconstructing the state institutions and equipping them with modern learning tools, recruiting more teachers and retraining them, and taking their remunerations to a world-class standard. The second dimension is by reshuffling the curriculum by removing the outdated, less relevant subjects and introducing modern, relevant ones, and rearranging the method of achieving Senior Secondary School Certificates (SSCE) by turning terminal examinations into grade point averages, the cumulative of which will determine whether a student qualifies to take the SSCE or not. Students who excel by having high cumulative grade points from their terminal examinations across six years of Secondary School education will be able to sit for SSCE and secure government scholarships. While those who have yet to excel will have to engage in compulsory remedial studies before they become eligible to write SSCE. That way, the higher institutions will admit students not by chance but by competence, making them more productive intellectual environments. Breakthroughs have since been recorded in research and innovation.

Investment in healthcare starts by providing each local government with a general hospital and enough health workers. Infant and women mortality shall be met with formidable maternal health departments. And health education shall be prevalent, especially among women.

The political culture in Kano of my dream is perceptive and intentional. The fusion of power between state and local governments is abolished, enabling a reformed, energetic, merit-based, transparent, and accountable leadership style of leadership that is appropriately informed by and with the major activities of the clerical, academic and social establishment in the state.

Sports and recreation are engaged with remarkable intensity by establishing sports academies to meet the demands of modern football, basketball, tennis, and boxing. Kids are trained at a young age, adults are funded to do their coaching badges, and sports entrepreneurs are granted smooth platforms to facilitate the transfer of Kano talents to major European and American leagues, revolutionising domestic football to a world-class standard. For the first time in football history, Kano Pillars, an African team from the Nigerian league, has won the Club World Cup, thanks to the formidability of local talents.

In the end, the Kano of my dream isn’t only distinguished with glowing physical features such as roads, schools, hospitals, and recreational facilities but also with a glowing soul, mind, and heart. The spiritual infrastructure is also revolutionised through changing mindsets, attitudes, and beliefs. As a religious society, we have admitted to the supremacy of destiny, one who greatly appreciates the purity of our hard work and ethics. And through the pursuit of this, we turn into reality the endless upward possibilities of our beloved ancient society.

MA Iliasu won the 1^st position in the 2022 “The Kano of my dream” writing competition jointly organised by Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, and The Daily Reality online newspaper. He can be reached via muhada102@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A young man who murdered his stepmother in Kano, Sagiru Wada, was sentenced to death by hanging by the Kano State High Court on Thursday.

The man was arrested some eight years back after killing his stepmother, Zainab Dan-Azumi, and subsequently cut her into pieces with a sword.

Justice Aisha Mahmud, who presided the judge, said the court was satisfied with all the evidence presented before the court.

She added that the court convicted Wada under Section 221 of the Kano State Penal Code, adding that the prosecution counsel had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.

However, Barrister Rabi’u Abubakar, who was the defence counsel, argued that the suspect was mentally ill.

However, the court rejected his claim reiterating that the evidences presented before the court were enough to convict Wada of murder.