Muhsin Ibrahim

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim from Sokoto State, Nigeria, has founded a nursing services company in Hamm, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Dr. Muhsin Ibrahim, a German resident, announced in a Facebook post on Sunday. 

According to Dr. Muhsin, the company, staffed by healthcare professionals from Nigeria, Kenya, Turkey, and Germany, offers critical care services.

Dr. Ibrahim’s achievement demonstrates the potential of African professionals making a meaningful impact globally. 

After studying medicine and surgery in Bulgaria and specialising in anaesthesia, Dr. Ibrahim moved to Germany in 2009.

His success has sparked praise from friends and colleagues, including Dr. Muhsin Ibrahim, a lecturer at the University of Cologne. 

“This is a massive achievement, and we are very proud of Dr. Kabiru,” Mr. Muhsin said.

Dr. Kabiru’s venture serves as a shining example of Nigerian excellence in the diaspora, which fosters economic growth and cultural exchange between Nigeria and Germany.

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I was en route to Casablanca during Ḍuhr prayer. I attempted to do it on the train, but as a traveler, I told myself that I could combine it with ʿAṣr at the famous mosque I was going to visit, Hassan II Mosque.

Completed in 1993 and named after the King of the day, Hassan Mosque is said to be the second-largest mosque in Africa and the 14th-largest in the world.

Unfortunately, it was closed to worshippers when I reached there; only tourists were allowed in. To enter, a visitor has to pay 150 Moroccan dirhams, which is about ₦26,000. I hesitated to do that. The security man told me to wait until 4:30 p.m., the time for ʿAṣr, to enter free of charge.

I left the mosque’s vicinity. After all, I am in a vastly Muslim-majority country. I said I would find another mosque nearby. To my shock, I couldn’t. Even gas stations nearby don’t have any—something strange by northern Nigerian standards.

I returned to Hassan II Mosque. Pressed to pee, I prayed for the opening time. Luckily, they gave us access before 4:30 p.m. I relieved myself, performed ablution, and walked into the beautiful, massive edifice. I was awestruck.

Unfortunately, there were only a few of us in the mosque. We did not fill the first two rows. It felt like I was in Cologne Cathedral, another large and beautiful place of worship with few or no worshippers.

What is happening to us? What are human beings becoming? Frankly, Morocco is far less religious than I thought. This wave is becoming more powerful, perhaps more threatening, than one can imagine. I will say more on this another time.

May we be guided, amin.

Muhsin Ibrahim, who teaches at the University of Cologne, Germany, wrote from Casablanca, Morocco during his short stay in the Northern African country. He can be reached via muhsin2008@gmail.com.

 By Muhsin Ibrahim

Procrastination affects not only writers but also people from almost all walks of life. We all have tasks to do. However, due to procrastination, we keep saying that we will do them later again and again until the time is gone.

When I was writing my dissertation, I struggled with procrastination. I often put off writing, thinking I could do it later. This led to a lot of stress and anxiety as deadlines approached. However, I was determined to find a solution. I tried different techniques, such as setting strict deadlines for myself and breaking up my work into smaller, more manageable tasks. Eventually, I found a solution that worked for me.

I was reading a book with a ‘funny’ title: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, when I found the following:

‘When I was in high school, my math teacher, Mr. Packwood, used to say, “If you’re stuck on a problem, don’t sit there and think about it; just start working on it. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, the simple act of working on it will eventually cause the right ideas to show up in your head.’ (Manson 2016, p. 109).

I printed out the page and hung it in my room. I highlighted the above and another line. So much like the author, whenever I open my computer, a voice from within tells me to write something, not just to sit there.

Don’t hesitate to jot down your thoughts; the longer you wait, the more likely they will evaporate. Instead, take action and write! Remember, you can always revise, edit, and refine your ideas later. So go ahead and let your creativity flow without hesitation.

So, in Manson’s words, “Don’t just sit there. Do something. The answers will follow.” Do it in no haste, but don’t keep delaying it. Writing is unlike a speech; there’s almost always a time to revisit what you have written.

Dr Muhsin Ibrahim writes from Cologne, Germany and can be reached via muhsin2008@gmail.com