Nigeria

By Huzaifa Dokaji

Kano is not a place you reduce to a headline or dismiss with a stereotype. It is a city with too many layers for that—too much memory, too many voices. This is the Kano of Muhammadu Rumfa, the ruler who gave it form and vision, and of Ibrahim Dabo, the scholar-king. The Kano of Kundila and Dangote, where wealth meets ingenuity.

It is the Kano the British once described as the ‘London of Africa,’ the Tripolitans praised as ‘a city like a thousand others’, each one magnificent—and its own people, knowing its complex social and ideological chemistry, named tumbin giwa, the intestine of an elephant: vast, winding, and full of hidden depths.

Kano has always carried many lives at once. It is the home of Shehu Tijjani Na Yan Mota and the sanctuary of Abdullahi dan Fodio when he felt the revolution had been betrayed. It is Madinar Mamman Shata and the home of Aminu Ala, the author of the philosophical Shahara and masterfully composed Bara a Kufai. This is the same Kano that made Dauda Kahutu Rara, the master of invective lyrics, and Rabiu Usman Baba, the Jagaban of Sha’irai.

Here, contradictions do not cancel each other, they coexist. It is the city of yan hakika and yan shari’a, of Izala and Tariqa, of Shaykh Rijiyar Lemo and of Shaykh Turi. It is the Kano where people will argue passionately about doctrine, then share tea afterward. Where silence and speech, mysticism and reform, are all part of the same long interesting yet boring conversation.

This is the Kano of the diplomatic Emir Ado Bayero and combatant Muhammad Sanusi II. Of Rabiu Kwankwaso, the red-cap-wearing jagora, and of the agreeable Ibrahim Shekarau. It is that same Kano of the incorruptible Malam Aminu Kano and Dollar-stuffing Ganduje. The cosmopolitan city of Sabo Wakilin Tauri and of the saintly Malam Ibrahim Natsugune.

If not Kano, then what other city could birth Barau Kwallon Shege, the bard of the profane, and welcome Shaykh Ibrahim Nyass, the towering saint of the mystics? Where else but Kano would you find Shaykh Nasiru Kabara- scholar and Sufi master- sharing the same cityscape with Rashida Yar Daudu and all the remembered and forgotten Magajiyoyin Karuwai? This is the Kano of yan jagaliya and attajirai, of the sacred and the profane, the pulpit and the street. The Salga and of Sanya Olu and Ibedi streets. Kano has never pretended to be a city of one truth, its greatness lies in the multitude it carries.

So when people speak carelessly about Kano, they miss the point. Kano is not a relic. It is alive. It debates itself. It holds its tensions with pride. And like Adamu Adamu said, “the story of this enigmatic city is simple and straight backward – and , in the end one can only say Kano is Kano because Kano is Kano – and that’s all; for; it is its own reason for being.”

You don’t explain Kano. You respect it.

Huzaifa Dokaji is a PhD student and teaching assistant at the Department of History, State University of New York at Sony Brook. He can be reached via huzaifa.dokaji@stonybrook.edu.

By Uzair Adam

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said his opposition to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential ambition was driven by principle and not personal disappointment.

Wike clarified that his stance was not about being sidelined for the vice-presidential slot, as widely speculated, but rather rooted in his belief that power should have shifted to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.

“I wanted power rotation. After eight years of Buhari, I couldn’t support power remaining in the North. It wasn’t about whether I was picked or not—it was about principle,” he said in a recent interview.

The former Rivers State Governor added that he never considered Atiku a viable option because, according to him, the former Vice President is not reliable.

“From day one, I told my delegates that Atiku doesn’t keep to his words,” Wike said, citing past experiences.

He recounted how in 2019, Atiku, alongside Bukola Saraki and Uche Secondus, assured him of nominating individuals for key ministerial positions, but later acted contrary to the agreement.

“I was told I would nominate the attorney general and minister of petroleum. After the election, I saw the legal team formed on TV, and the person I was supposed to nominate didn’t even know when it happened. That was when I laughed and called Saraki,” Wike explained.

He maintained that he never trusted Atiku’s promises and never expected to be selected as his running mate.

Wike’s remarks add another layer to the internal wrangling that plagued the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the lead-up to the 2023 elections.

By Uzair Adam Dangote Petroleum Refinery has once again reduced the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, cutting it by 3.5 per cent.

The new rate is now N835 per litre, down from the previous N865, following a steady decline in global crude oil prices, which recently dropped to $64 per barrel from over $70.

This marks the second price cut in recent weeks, after the refinery earlier brought the price down from N880 to N865 per litre.

However, marketers reportedly failed to reflect the reduction at retail outlets.

With a daily refining capacity of 650,000 barrels, the Dangote Refinery continues to shape Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector and influence market trends.

By Teco Benson, MFR

One of the most intellectually dishonest and damaging narratives in recent years is the partitioning of Nollywood into “Old” and “New.” It’s a simplistic label that started as a casual argument among a few younger practitioners but has unfortunately crept into academic discourse and mainstream industry conversations. This idea is not only divisive, but deeply offensive to the legacy of the industry and to those who built it from the ground up.

There is no such thing as Old Nollywood or New Nollywood. There is only Nollywood—a continuous, evolving industry built on layers of sweat, sacrifice, creativity, and resilience. What some choose to call “New” is not a replacement of the “Old”; it is a progression made possible because of the foundational work of the pioneers.

What many fail to understand is that our storytelling essence has not changed. The values, themes, cultural textures, and emotional core of Nollywood have remained consistent through the years. What has changed—and continues to change—is technology, and that is not unique to Nollywood; it’s a global phenomenon across all creative industries.

Even during the analogue years of Nollywood’s emergence, there were constant technological shifts. The iconic 1992 film Living in Bondage, which benchmarked the Nollywood movement, was shot on Super VHS. To improve quality, filmmakers soon transitioned to U-matic cameras and their full post-production systems. After that came Betacam, which was adopted for both shooting and editing. Then came MiniDV, followed by DVCAM—a digital video format that coincided with the arrival of non-linear editing.

This shift from linear to non-linear editing was revolutionary. It allowed filmmakers to use computers to seamlessly edit and manipulate captured footage—something unthinkable during the earlier years when it was strictly garbage in, garbage out. In those days, whatever was captured in-camera was exactly what the audience would see. There was no room for error. This forced cinematographers, sound recordists, and directors to train rigorously, work with precision, and strive for excellence at every stage of production.

From DVCAM, the industry moved to HDV (High Definition Video)—the final tape-based format—before embracing tapeless high-definition systems using memory cards. That ushered in a digital revolution, and Nollywood embraced it with open arms. Suddenly, filmmakers had tools to correct errors, grade visuals, enhance sound, and polish rough footage. As a result, even inexperienced filmmakers could produce glossy-looking films. But what this also meant was that those trained in the era of analogue discipline had a stronger professional foundation—having learned to get it right at the point of capture, rather than fixing it in post.

Today, technology continues to evolve—from 2K to 4K, 6K, 8K, 12K, and beyond. Tomorrow will bring even more shifts. But through it all, filmmaking has remained constant. The values, the voice, and the cultural richness of Nollywood have endured.

Another major transformation lies in distribution and audience reach. In the early days, Nollywood was feeding the Nigerian nation alone. Films were sold as physical cassettes and distributed within the country. Ironically, it was pirates—not formal distributors—who duplicated these tapes and spread Nollywood films across Africa, the Caribbean, and among global diaspora communities. This unintended export planted the seeds of the industry’s global influence.

Today, with the internet and streaming platforms, national borders no longer exist in the virtual world. Once a film is uploaded online, it instantly becomes global content. The filmmaker’s audience is no longer a town, a state, or a country—it is the world. And with that expanded reach comes intentionality. Scripts are now written with global standards in mind, stories are told with international audiences considered, and production decisions are made to meet the expectations of a diverse, global viewer base.

These changes are natural. They are part of the organic evolution of any thriving creative ecosystem. It doesn’t make the early days “old” or “outdated.” It doesn’t elevate the present generation above those who came before. If anything, it emphasises the need for continuity, respect, and intergenerational collaboration.

To classify pioneers as “Old Nollywood” is to ignore their innovations and the fierce battles they fought to establish the industry in the first place. It is to forget that there was once a time when there was no Nollywood—only brave individuals daring to tell African stories using whatever tools they could afford. They didn’t wait for validation. They created a movement.

What exists today—the funding, the streaming platforms, the global attention—was made possible because a group of passionate dreamers picked up VHS cameras and believed their stories were worth telling.

This is why the “Old vs. New Nollywood” narrative must be retired. It is reductionist, divisive, and counterproductive. Every generation has its own tools, challenges, and breakthroughs. But the spirit of storytelling, the soul of our culture, and the purpose of our cinema remain the same.

Let’s stop building walls within the house we all call home. Nollywood is one—past, present, and future.

Teco Benson, MFR, is a veteran film director, industry pioneer and cultural commentator.

By Anas Abbas

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has assured candidates that they will not be required to take the upcoming examination outside their registered states.

Dr. Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, provided this assurance during a recent telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

He clarified that while some candidates for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) were assigned to mock examination centers outside their states due to limited availability, this will not be the case for the main examination.

Benjamin explained that if mock examination centers in a state, such as Abuja, are fully booked, candidates may be redirected to nearby centers in other states, like Nassarawa.

However, he noted that the main UTME will have a wider array of centers available, ensuring that all candidates can take the exam within their state of residence.

He added that early registration plays a crucial role in determining the proximity of a candidate’s examination center. If a closer center is filled, candidates may be assigned to any available center within the same state.

In a statement released on Sunday, Benjamin acknowledged the delays and challenges faced by some candidates during the mock examinations and expressed regret for any inconvenience caused.

He attributed these issues to new features being tested to improve the overall conduct of the UTME.

“The mock examination serves as a trial run for the UTME, allowing us to implement innovations while helping candidates acclimate to the Computer-Based Test (CBT) environment,” he stated.

“This initiative has consistently met its goals over the years, addressing identified shortcomings and providing candidates with essential experience for the main examination.”

JAMB encourages all candidates to continue making necessary preparations to ensure a smooth examination experience that meets their needs.

The 2025 UTME is set to commence on April 25.

By Uzair Adam

The police in Niger State have confirmed the death of two individuals following the collapse of a mining pit in the Farin-Doki area of Shiroro Local Government.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, told journalists in Minna on Monday that the tragic incident occurred on Sunday night, trapping two miners later identified as Buhari Kano and Mallam Tasiu, both natives of Kano State.

He explained that officers from the Erena Division, alongside local residents, rushed to the scene and began rescue efforts.

However, the victims were eventually found dead and their remains were taken to the Zumba hospital for further examination.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the miners were operating illegally at the site at the time of the collapse.

Abiodun stated that a full investigation is currently underway to determine the exact cause of the incident.

By Oladoja M.O

…and if we begin to face a threat of setbacks in our supposed success against diseases induced by pathogenic microorganisms, are we not seemingly sent back to the dark ages even as we claim to have advanced? When recounting the history of medicine, few triumphs can compare to the emergence and widespread use of antimicrobials, for indeed, it was a win for the world. 

Without mincing words, Alexander Fleming’s serendipitous discovery of penicillin on his petri dish ushered in a new era in biomedicine. For just before our eyes, pathogens that had wreaked havoc for generations, perpetuating morbidity and mortality in their wake, were suddenly at the mercy of the new chemical arsenal deployed in the fight; and just like that, infectious diseases receded before the ever-rising tide of antimicrobials. Everyone felt optimistic and, in fact, predicted a swift and righteous victory over the scourge of infection.

For over a decade now, the world’s leading figures have consistently voiced concerns about the threat to global health posed by microorganisms’ resistance. It appears that humanity’s arsenal, which once assured victory over these microorganisms and their harmful effects, is now inadequate. Can we suggest that the drugs being produced are ineffective? Can we assert that our research is flawed? Or that humanity has developed a different genetic makeup? Or that these microorganisms are now clever enough to evade destruction? 

Well, many questions like these are very relevant. But as we consider these questions, it is more reasonable to retrace our steps to identify the real causes and understand what has positioned the world, particularly Africa and Nigeria, toward this path of looming global, continental, and national health breakdown.

Nationally, for example, this issue is moving very rapidly. Diseases that should be treated in a short time are becoming difficult to manage, with treatment becoming elusive. Many blame the serious organized crime surrounding “fake drug production ” in Nigeria, which floods the market day and night, and yes, this is a reasonable claim. What greater factor could contribute to a drug’s ineffectiveness than poor or flawed production? However, if this were the only cause, it would be a unique issue to Nigeria; instead, it transcends even beyond that. 

The individual practice can be directly linked to this whole issue without prejudice. Simply put, the consistent intake of drugs renders the individual impotent over time. The Department of Health of the Australian Government, in one of their submissions, noted that “using a drug regularly can lead to tolerance (resistance); your body becomes accustomed to the drug and needs increasingly larger doses to achieve the same effect or, even, becomes less potent.” This attitude, unfortunately, is almost a daily occurrence for many individuals, stemming from the persistent issue of self-prescription, however minor it may appear. 

The US National Library, in one of its publications in 2013, stated that “Self-medication is a global phenomenon and a potential contributor to human pathogen resistance to antibiotics. The adverse consequences of such practices should always be emphasized to the community, along with steps to curb them.” I think we can all agree that many people are guilty of this act; at the first sign of discomfort, almost everyone becomes a medical expert in their own home, concluding which drug works best for them, diagnosing their own ailments, and taking antibacterial drugs for fungal issues. 

A user on X @the_beardedsina narrated his experience: “A patient comes to the hospital. He has been sick for a week, having had a fever for days. A blood culture is done, and the result shows that he’s resistant to the following drugs (antibiotics): Ceftriaxone, Ampicillin, Cipro, Levofloxacin, Metronidazole, Cefepime, Meropenem, Piperacillin, Gentamicin, Amikacin, Nitrofurantoin, Vancomycin, and Chloramphenicol.” How can we survive this??

The issue of how antimicrobials are used in agriculture is another concern. The rise of industrial farming has fully embraced the prophylactic use of antimicrobials in livestock, not primarily to treat diseases, but to enhance growth rates. However, unlike clinical settings, the agricultural use of antimicrobials lacks the same oversight and prescribing guidelines. 

The inconsistency in regulation allows for significant variation in the classes and concentrations of antimicrobials used in agriculture. In 2021, approximately 54% of the 11 million kilograms of antimicrobials sold for use in domestic agriculture in the United States were categorised as “medically important. “

In conclusion, this issue requires significant awareness and sensitisation of the general public regarding the dangers of antimicrobial resistance. Conservative preventive care should be promoted, and individuals should seek care from qualified professionals. 

The commercial use of antimicrobial drugs must be approached with caution, and all relevant agencies responsible for this oversight at national, continental, and global levels should act swiftly before the situation escalates and threatens global health, reverting us to the dark ages of high mortality and the economic toll of microbial threats.

The world faces numerous challenges, and we should focus on celebrating our victories rather than becoming overwhelmed by this struggle.

Oladoja M.O writes from Abuja and can be reached at mayokunmark@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) has welcomed back Augustine Madubiya, a final-year student recently rescued unharmed from kidnappers, thanks to local security agencies. This is stated in a press release by Jamilu M. Magaji, Head of Information and Public Relations.

Augustine was officially returned to the university on Thursday in a ceremony held at the Council Chambers. The event was attended by Kebbi State’s Deputy Governor, Sen. Umar Abubakar Tafida, along with the Commissioner of Police Kebbi State Command, CP Bello M Sani, who personally handed over the student to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Zaiyan Umar.

In his remarks, the Deputy Governor attributed the successful rescue to the unwavering commitment of the State Governor, His Excellency Comrade Dr Nasir Idris. He emphasised the importance of the firm directives given to security forces to take urgent action in response to the kidnapping incident.

Augustine is currently receiving medical treatment, after which he will be reunited with his fellow students at the university. The Vice-Chancellor expressed profound gratitude to the state government and security operatives for their prompt response and mobilisation of resources in support of the university during this crisis.

The university community has extended its heartfelt appreciation to Governor Idris for his ongoing commitment to the safety and security of all residents in the state, highlighting a collective effort to safeguard lives and properties.

As the university continues its mission of providing a safe learning environment, this incident serves as a reminder of the challenges faced and the resolve needed to overcome them.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has received the “Public Service Person of the Year 2024” award at the 17th Leadership Conference and Awards, held in Abuja.

The recognition celebrates his impact since assuming office as head of the NCS.The Leadership Group, which hosted the event, said Adeniyi emerged as the winner following a thorough evaluation that considered the performance of more than ten high-ranking public officials.

In a statement released by the organisers, the award was conferred on him for his “transformative leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ushering in a new era of transparency, operational efficiency, and improved revenue generation that has significantly contributed to Nigeria’s economic stability.”

Adeniyi attended the ceremony with his wife, Kikelomo Adeniyi, and some senior Customs officers. In his remarks, he thanked the organisers for the recognition and promised to intensify efforts toward trade facilitation, revenue improvement, and anti-smuggling initiatives.

Acknowledging the contributions of his colleagues, he said: “This award is not just about me; it reflects the collective commitment to transparency, efficiency, and national development.”

He restated his focus on modernization, enhancing trade processes, and raising revenue, while underlining the importance of accountable leadership and border control in ensuring national security.

Adeniyi received the award alongside notable figures such as Aliko Dangote, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and governors Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), and Abba Yusuf (Kano).

Also honoured were some senators and key players in the private sector.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has strongly advised families against paying ransoms to kidnappers, stating that it only fuels criminal activities.

His warning came as over 60 hostages, recently freed in Zangon Kataf, Southern Kaduna, were handed over to the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, in Abuja on Tuesday.

The rescued victims, including a civil service Deputy Director and a relative of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, had spent over a month in captivity.

Ribadu commended the military and security agencies for their efforts, crediting President Bola Tinubu’s support for recent successes. Defence Minister Badaru urged the public to provide actionable intelligence to aid security operations.

One freed captive, Adesiyam Michael, recounted his traumatic ordeal and called for youth rehabilitation to deter crime.

The operation is part of ongoing efforts to dismantle kidnapping networks nationwide.