Nigeria

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, has cautioned political actors not to drag Nigeria into anarchy. 

On Tuesday, the apex Islamic organisation gave the warning in a press statement jointly signed by the organisation’s Secretary General, Prof Salisu Shehu and the Director of Administration, Arch Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu. 

The NSCIA warned political actors to refrain from making unguarded and provocative utterances.

Part of the statement reads, “While reckless statements from inconsequential individuals can be easily ignored, this is not so of those from respected political leaders.”

“It is important that patriotic and well-meaning Nigerian leaders should support unrelenting adherence to process and procedure in the ongoing electoral process. This is because any inclination to unprocedural decision or action at this critical time is a direct call for anarchy which will not yield any positive outcome to the Nation.”

By Ibrahim Nura Aliyu

Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in Africa, with over 200 million people. It is also one of the most diverse countries. Its rich and varied cultural landscape comprises various languages, religions, and ethnic groups. Nigeria is also an essential global player in commerce and industry. In addition, the country’s abundant natural resources and strategic location make it an important economic hub in West Africa.

However, its recent history has been challenging. The country has faced several security challenges, including the Boko Haram insurgency, cross-border terrorist attacks, and regional rebellions. In 2017, the country faced a major humanitarian crisis due to extreme weather conditions.

Nigeria has many problems with security and helping people, and journalism has played a big part in solving these problems. The media plays a significant role in informing the public and raising awareness of these issues. They also play a crucial role in reporting the government’s response to these challenges. This has assisted in ensuring that the public has a better understanding of the challenges faced by the country and the measures taken to address them.

Journalists have done more than just report on what the government is doing. They have also worked to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis. This has helped get more people behind the efforts to deal with the problem. It has also ensured that the humanitarian situation is given adequate attention.

Journalism has been critical in tackling Nigeria’s security and humanitarian challenges. It has helped ensure that the public has a better understanding of the challenges faced by the country and the measures being taken to address them. Nigeria’s security and humanitarian challenges are among the many issues that urgently need attention from the Nigerian government and the international community.

Also, because the old naira notes can no longer be used, there is a need for cash and food in the country. This has led to widespread hunger and illness and placed the lives of many Nigerians at risk.

Another urgent humanitarian problem is that there aren’t enough naira notes to go around, hurting the economy.

Most of Nigeria’s population is poor, relying on cash transactions for necessary household goods and services. This has caused great hardship for the family budget and has pushed millions into poverty. The recent ban on using naira notes has made it harder for millions of Nigerians to buy food and has led to widespread malnutrition.

Nigeria’s struggling economy has only the naira note as a form of currency inefficiency, which worsens the situation.

The challenges faced by Nigeria’s humanitarian crisis are several. This includes the lack of quality education, healthcare, food, water supply, and access to basic sanitation. Journalism has been one of the key players in helping to require accountability and prevent the spread of terror.

Journalists have been able to get the latest information and give essential perspectives on the conflict by doing their jobs. They have also been able to shed light on many issues that are causing the humanitarian crisis.

Ibrahim Nura Aliyu can be contacted via khalilnuradeen@gmail.com.

By Muhsin Ibrahim

Religion was central to Bola Tinubu’s emergence as the APC’s candidate for the 2023 presidential election. We discussed the issue as if it would not end. Since the 1993 annulled election of Abiola/Kingibe (both Muslims), no major candidate and his running mate have ever come from the same religion until now: Tinubu/Shettima (both Muslims). But, as the election approaches (we are, in fact, counting hours), only a few people talk about that. However, religion will play a significant role in the voting pattern.

The wild popularity of Labour Party’s Peter Obi on social media and his appeal to foreign media has something to do with his religion. I know this may sound controversial, but it is so. The three other front candidates are Muslims, while Obi is Christian. Besides this, I can’t see a glaring difference between him and NNPP’s Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso per se.

Tinubu and PDP’s Atiku Abubakar are in their 70s, while Kwankwaso and Obi are in their 60s. The four leading candidates are stinking rich and belong to 1% of the Nigerian elite. Interestingly, the candidates represent Nigeria’s so-called major ethnolinguistic groups of Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, alias WAZOBIA.

Though, there is a parallel between Obi and Tinubu. Many people will vote for them because of their religious identities. I learned that many churches, especially in the North, had ordered their members to vote for Obi. Likewise, the faith-based civil liberties organisation Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) recently “reminded Northern Muslims of their promise to support a Southern Muslim [i.e. Tinubu] in the 2023 presidential election”.

Given the above, I agree with some observers and analysts that Obi may surprise his critics, such as myself, in the upcoming election. The votes from his Christian brethren and others supporting him for other reasons will make a difference. However, Tinubu has many more advantages – being APC the ruling party and his decades-old political footprints, among others.

Anyway, we hope for the best and pray for peaceful elections. But, please, stay away from violence. Your safety should be your most treasured possession. No politician or political party is worth dying for.

With love from a disenfranchised Nigerian citizen.

Muhsin Ibrahim works and lives in Cologne, Germany and can be reached via muhsin2008@gmail.com.

By  Abdullahi Yusuf

Globally, the health care system is governed by ethical principles guiding the professional conduct of different professions within the coordinated body of health care delivery. Those ethical principles regulate service delivery in every profession and safeguard the well-being of the patients handled by those professionals within the scope of their professional practice.

Nigeria, with no exception, has its own healthcare system encompassing three delivery levels, ranging from primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare. Each level has personnel that are professionally trained in the various fields of health practice to take care of patients according to their expertise and professional boundaries.

The relationship between a healthcare provider and his patients from a legal perspective is contractual. The healthcare provider owes his patient a duty of care, and the patient owes the healthcare provider a token as payment for the service rendered. A contract is known to be an agreement between two or more parties that is legally binding, but in some cases, the relationship between the health care provider and the patient is not mutual, as the patient might not be in the right state of mind to make decisions. Regardless, the relationship is contractual, as implied by law.

In every contractual relationship between parties, there is a legal obligation that is to be fulfilled. Failure to fulfil the obligation will be regarded as a breach of contract. Breach of contract, according to law, generally attracts damages and, in some exceptions, can attract restitution, quantum meruit or specific performance, as the case may be. Inadequate knowledge of the law leads to the exploitation of many patients by some healthcare providers, which usually slides without punishing the offenders.

A healthcare provider can exploit his patient through breach of contract, medical negligence that could give rise to tortious liability, violation of some specific fundamental rights or violation of the patient’s rights under the National Health Act 2014. A healthcare provider can be punished when he/she commits any action under the aforementioned through specific disciplinary mechanisms set aside by the law.

The disciplinary mechanisms could be a civil or tortious liability, where the offender will be required to pay for damages by the court; criminal liability, where the offender will be punished based on the intensity of his crime according to the penal code of the state; and professional punishment can be served by the professional body that the offender belongs to by demotion, revoking of license or dismissal as the case may be.

There are instances where the management of a health facility could be held responsible for an accident that occurred to the patient in the facility—it is referred to as “Occupier’s liability” in law. In this regard, the accident must be a result of the negligence of the management, caused by failure to provide something necessary in which its absence resulted in the accident, or there may be a lack of maintenance of some equipment or devices that might have led to an accident.

Vicarious liability is also a situation where the management of a health facility can be held responsible for an act committed by their employee. When a patient is maltreated in a health facility by any member of staff, be it a violation of the right, tortuous act or breach of contract, the patient can sue the whole management of the facility in court for justice to prevail.

Any health consumer in Nigeria that once in a while visits a health facility to patronise health care services should know his rights as stipulated under the National Health Act 2014.

Part III of the National Health Act 2014 (Rights and obligation of users and health care personnel) encompasses eleven sections, starting from section 20 to section 30. Eight of those sections (sections 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29 and 30) directly state the right of patients in relation to the health care provider.

Section 20 is about “emergency treatment”, where the section mandates any healthcare provider on duty to attend to a patient in an emergency without any hesitation or formality.  Contravening the section can attract a fine of ₦100,000 or imprisonment of not more than six months, or even two, as the case may be.

“User (Patient) to have full knowledge” is what section 23 is all about. It explained the right of a patient to be well informed of his condition and the possible treatment that will be administered to him/her, unless in the case where informing the patient will cause more harm. Section 24 expatiates the “duty to disseminate information” by federal, state or local government health authorities. Facilities should make such information visible at the entrance. The information should include the services provided by the facility, operating schedule and visiting hours, processes for making complaints and the rights of the patients as well as the health care providers.

Section 25 explained the “obligation to keep records”. This record involves the demography, treatment as well as medical history of the patients. It is mandatory for any health facility to keep records of their patients for future reference. “Confidentiality” of the patients must be a priority for any health facility and its personnel, as stated in section 26 of the National Health Act 2014. Disclosure of a patient’s information without a genuine reason is an offence that can attract punishment if reported.

The health record of the patient can be disclosed in some cases where the disclosure is in the best interest of the patient or is required by the court of law for judgement. It is stated as “Assess Health Record” under section 27 of the National Health Act 2014. “Protection of health record” is stated under section 29. Negligence in handling the record of a patient or deliberately tampering with any information without legitimate authorisation is an offence that can attract conviction to imprisonment for not more than two years or a fine of ₦250,000.

The last section with respect to patient’s rights under the National Health Act 2014 is section 30, which expatiates on the “Laying of complaints”. Any patient that is maltreated by any health personnel has the right to complain. The complaint should be in accordance with procedures provided by the federal or state ministry of health.

As a citizen of Nigeria, knowledge of fundamental and specific rights is necessary regardless of one’s level of education. People are being oppressed and maltreated on a daily basis due to ignorance of their rights and how to seek justice. To have a just and egalitarian society, people need to be aware of their rights and what should be considered a violation of those rights.

Conclusively, the law is set aside for justice to prevail, and nobody has the authority to deprive you of your right to justice. To get justice, you have to find it by going through the right channel. Albert Einstein said, “In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same”.

Abdullahi Yusuf wrote is a final year student of Health Education, Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Bayero University Kano. He can be contacted via abdoolphd@gmail.com.

By Tijjani Muhammad Musa

To become President, they made him publicly cry, swallowed his pride, compromised his principles, made him have dinner with the devil, and almost sold his soul to the accursed. If it’s the only way, he walked the shameful path.

When he emerged as the President, the underlying wounds of aye were opened afresh, with many calling him a former dictator, military General, GMB, not a Democrat and many other hurting labels. He took it in his strides and refused to bear his fangs. In fact, he went and got his incisors removed.

Then he was taken ill and had to fly abroad for the required medical attention, which wasn’t available in the country. Something he had used in his campaign and had no option but to swallow up his vomit. Speculations and rumours followed that he had died, but the news of his death was being censored.

Many of his party bigwigs welcomed the development and even started reassigning and sharing positions in the government, only for him to return back in one piece. An alarm was raised that a cabal existed in the presidency and were the ones running his government, but he didn’t fret or say a word about that.

His family was used to expose his weakness and humiliate his stance as a man of principles and strong resolve. Concerted efforts were made to break up his marriage and disgrace him before the world. He barely managed to escape that plot. That, too, he bore with utmost patience.

Several palliatives he approved, employment and empowerment of youths, monies he signed to be disbursed to the populace, and grants he endorsed to be released for the public benefits were mostly stashed away by the greedy Governors, making him look like a supporter of corruption, even if he himself was not.

The Boko Haram insurgency he inherited from the previous government he subdued, only for Banditry, Kidnapping, Extortions and so on to rear their heads and be used by politicians and some of the traditional ruling class to tarnish the achievements of his government with regards to security and good governance. Here too, he hurt in silence.

Many of his staunch supporters like yours truly were utterly stripped of all their fighting tools, points of defence and arguments in debates, their pride as diehard Buharists quashed, so much so that the Buharists Movement and Ideology ended up as almost nothing, but a stillbirth. The man showed no public annoyance but cried for them within.

The so-called “cabal”, along with his kitchen cabinet, had a field day running the affairs of government as they deemed fit. They made his government such a disappointment to the poor people who donated their meagre earnings, stood in the harsh sun and voted for him twice to be their President, all in the hope of a new and better Nigeria, which has yet to see the light of the day.

The opposition, along with the judiciary and legislative arms of government, left no stone unturned to frustrate his fight against corruption, thereby ensuring that his stance against reigning in the criminality of many embezzlers and criminals came to an embarrassing caricature of purpose. At a point in time, he became a laughing stock of those who thought of him as a champion of the fight to annihilate the looting of the treasury.

Meanwhile, the chess master player and military strategist that he is, Buhari waited until the right moment to checkmate his opponents by making his winning move! For a moment, when he allowed Emefiele to stay on as CBN Governor despite all the corruption allegations levelled against him, some analysts thought President Buhari was the “nonchalant” H.E. as usual. Only for him to surprise all with the aces up his sleeve.

The new Naira redesign shocked them all. And with that single master stroke, the stash accumulated over time to be used in continuing the corruption flight by politicians heading to Elections 2023 was instantly crushed. Those who used to make his government look evil by collecting several billion in ransom for kidnapping and banditry are also left with no cash but trash.

A cashless policy, by the way, is not a Buhari government’s call but a new global agenda. His government is just following orders to implement it, and probably as requested now by the puppet masters pulling the strings. Buhari or no Buhari, this policy has been designed to come to pass. In fact, it has been long overdue as India towed that line since 2016. 

It is just the way that the policy is being implemented that seems to be the problem, as the poor masses are becoming the collateral damage of the project, though the process is being used, possibly unintentionally, to crash out the government in power. This is because the ones bearing the brunt of the implementation, the populace who happen to be the voters, would want to take their pound of flesh at the upcoming polls. The irony of it all is that Buhari is the one implementing it.

And this is what is making some Governors who have prepared to use the money to influence the outcome of the eventual elections lose their calm, cool and composure. Suddenly, they realise their folly that they have been taken to the cleaners by the old fox they grossly and unfortunately underestimated.

We, core and genuine Buharists, often surprise many when we reaffirm that was the old war horse still eligible to run for the presidency of this nation Nigeria. We would have lined up, bore the scorching sun and cast our votes wholeheartedly once again for him despite all said and done. 

Why? Because we know for certain in our heart of hearts his good intentions and strive to make Nigeria great was pursued with all the vigour and sincerity on his part. It was the saboteurs of our national progression that made all efforts to see that Nigeria did not emerge out of her countless doldrums.

As someone said, the problems of Nigeria are the means through which many of its citizens (Nigerians) are making their money, getting their means of livelihood and earning a living. Take any sector of the economy, for example, finance, education, health, security, oil sector, housing, civil service, politics, agriculture and many more. It is all the same, systemic corruption!

And there are many other non-citizens and even certain countries whose economies partly depend upon Nigeria’s lack of headway to consolidate their earnings. Thus, how can they allow their means of survival, i.e. Nigerian problems be solved? They will do all they can to ensure it never gets sorted out! And that is why we have not been able to solve Nigeria’s limitless quagmires. 

Therefore, for us true Buharists, the chant and slogan “Sai Baba!!!” are my as dear to our hearts and still ring from Sokoto to Bayelsa, Maiduguri to Lagos. He has not failed Nigerians, but rather Nigerians have failed themselves.

Tijjani Muhammad Musa, alias Poetic Tee, is the Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Kano Chapter. He can be reached via mmtijjani@gmail.com.

By Umar Yahaya Dan’inu

Mass migration is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that affects individuals, communities, and entire countries. It is driven by factors such as economic opportunity, political instability and natural disasters as people seek to improve their lives.

In Nigerians, many people are driven to migrate for better lives, education and healthcare, and job prospects. Political instability, such as conflict, insurgency and human rights abuses, also contributes to a mass migration of Nigerians.

The term “Japa” refers to the migration of Nigerians to foreign countries, especially Western ones, in search of a better life. A lack of quality leadership in the country at all levels often causes this phenomenon. Several reports and writing has shown that despite their love for their home country, many Nigerians have lost trust in their leaders and feel compelled to leave in search of a better future. Moreover, the decay in leadership has caused division within the polity; every tribe or region is suspicious of one another, and there is fear of domination and marginalisation.

In the 60’s and late ’70s, Nigeria was a country that commanded respect in the global arena. Our passport is a thing of pride at any entries and departure level. The Nigerian currency and economy were in good shape. However, the challenges facing Nigeria, such as insecurity, kidnapping, banditry, corruption and political violence, have led to the decline of the country’s economy and international standing. This decline has driven many young people, skilled and unskilled, to leave in search of a better life.

In Northern Nigeria, where Islam dominates the culture, people prefer to migrate to Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia and recently Dubai and Qatar, where they share the same religion and beliefs. In contrast, Southern Nigeria is the centre of migrants, as people seek to escape bad governance and poor leadership. Despite the differences between the North and South in terms of access to education, quality of life, job prospects and economic opportunities, many young people still feel compelled to leave.  

However, the skilled and unskilled knows what they can do to navigate their way to leaving Nigeria. In Benin, the state of Edo, people are trafficked in the name of migration to get a better life, and they mostly end up enslaved and sold to work without regard for the dignity and respect they left in their country.  

Furthermore, some skilled migrants bring positive changes to Nigeria; they are doing wonders in their new countries, such as setting up companies that employ Nigerians, impacting the economy positively. In addition, statistics have shown that Nigerians are highly skilled people in the UK and the US, contributing to the economies of the host countries.

The migrations of these groups affected Nigeria negatively because Nigeria is among the world countries with the highest numbers of out-of-school children and increased maternal mortality rates. Nigerian-trained Doctors, Engineers, Scientists, Musicians and filmmakers are all over the world doing great work. Nigerian government needed their services and contribution to help in reducing the numbers of maternal mortality and to help in actualising effective education take place at all levels.     

To address the Japa syndrome, a multi-faceted approach is needed that addresses the root causes of migration and its challenges. These involved improving economic opportunities, promoting stability and security, and increasing access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities can help reduce migration. In addition, strengthening the democratic process, improving wages and salaries, and enhancing the country’s security architecture are also important steps that need to be taken.

Nigeria is ours, and our responsibility is to ensure a bright future for our nation and youth. We must take action to address the Japa syndrome and create a future that is worth staying for.

Umar Yahaya Dan’inu wrote from Hausari Ward, Nguru, Yobe State. He can be contacted via umarnguru2015@gmail.com.

Bello Hussein Adoto

The signing of the Mental Health Bill into law presents a renewed imperative to rewrite the mental health narrative in Nigeria. Here is how Nigeria can do better.

‘All diseases are equal, but some are more equal than others’. Although Nigeria is not George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the country has a glaring disparity in the kinds of diseases it considers a priority, but the recent signing of the Mental Health Bill into law can help us to rewrite the narrative.

At the mention of infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, or non-infectious diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, one could point to tangible, nationwide, and sustained initiatives to promote public health and reduce their impact on individuals and communities. But very few such initiatives are available, if any, for anxiety, depression, or Alzheimer’s disease. 

While anxiety and depression do not kill as regularly as untreated malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, and uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension – diseases that received far more attention, these mental illnesses are nonetheless deadly.

Anxiety and depression, for instance, reduce our quality of life and living, undermining our productive capacity, while depression increases a person’s risk of suicide. This reality makes diseases that affect moods and behaviour as relevant as those that affect tissues and organ systems.

Mental health disorders are a huge challenge in Nigeria. A recent report puts the number of people living with one mental illness or the other in the country at 60 million. According to a World Health Organization report, Nigeria has more than seven million people living with depression. This value doubles the number of people living with depression in South Africa and Ghana combined. A similar story plays out in the estimate for people with anxiety in the continent.

Nevertheless, the signing of the Mental Health Bill offers a renewed imperative for stakeholders to harness the several opportunities that could rewrite the narrative of mental health in the country.

The first opportunity is an extensive network of primary, albeit underfunded and underutilized, healthcare centres across the country. Nigeria has more than 33,000 primary health centres with a potential capacity to provide mental health first aid services to Nigerians. The government can expand these facilities to provide mental health care services.

The centres have community health officers (CHOs), community health extension workers (CHEWs), registered nurses, and midwives. Specialists can train these non-specialist healthcare workers to provide basic mental healthcare services nationwide, especially in rural areas, in a task-sharing, task-shifting policy.

Nigeria has applied this policy to provide malaria and family health services, and a 2015 study shows that integrating mental health into primary healthcare in Nigeria could follow a similar model. Such integration will buffer the shortage of mental health specialists in the country and improve care coverage for underserved populations.

Secondly, the digital era is here. Digital channels such as social media, webinars, SMS, and tools such as smartphones and software, provide an exciting, affordable, and sustainable opportunity to reach many people. The government could harness these channels to support non-specialist care delivery, educate the public about the fundamentals of mental health, reduce ignorance about mental health, and eliminate the stigma and dangerous practices associated with mental health disorders in the country.

Beyond helping to raise awareness, the government and other relevant stakeholders should harness digital channels to deliver e-health to people with mental health disorders and bypass the barriers to accessing traditional care. Such digital interventions have been shown to improve mental illnesses among students and could be helpful in care delivery to a larger population.

A third opportunity is the existence of non-governmental organizations, such as the Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) and Asido Foundation, that champion mental health causes in the country.

NGOs are paramount to health promotion because they supplement public efforts to promote health. Some NGOs operate helplines for mental first aid; others, like the Asido foundation, run the Unashamed campaign to increase mental health awareness and reduce stigma in the country. The government can partner with these NGOs to sensitize the public and provide the much-needed care and support that millions of Nigerians need.

Finally, a special insurance package should be instituted for people with mental health disorders, so they can access essential care without worrying about the cost. Awareness about health insurance has increased over the years, and more Nigerians are enrolling in their numbers. The number of enrollees in the Nigerian Health Insurance Scheme [(NHIS), mow National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA)] has nearly doubled between 2007 and 2013. Stakeholders can expand current social health insurance packages for insurance owners to include mental health conditions and give Nigerians a new lease to access proper mental health care whenever needed.

Bello Hussein Adoto, a researcher, writer, and journalist, writes via bellohussein210@gmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

An umbrella organization for banking sector employees, the Association of Senior Employees of Banks, Insurers and Financial Institutions, revealed that banks lost N5 billion as a result of demonstrators’ attacks on assets due to naira scarcity.

Oluwole Olusoji, the group’s president, revealed this on Thursday in Lagos.

He also lamented that the attacks by demonstrators had affected 17 commercial banks.

He explained that in addition to attacks on bank employees, bank premises and ATMs were set on fire.

He said, “We call on the public to desist from threatening or attacking our members or destroying our properties as they will be only proverbially cutting their noses to spite their faces. We can only give what we have been provided with and nothing more.”

By Zulkifil Aminu Adam

Over the years, people with hearing loss, primarily those who cannot speak, particularly the uneducated ones, experience the stereotype of being naturally aggressive. And that’s nothing but a misunderstanding that continues to remain despite continuous awareness against it.

The terming of deaf people as aggressive is not only done by ordinary people but also by lecturers, doctors, and even special educators. And as a matter of fact, the absence of a psychological approach in how people reflect on this matter leads them to conclude so grossly incorrect.

Imagine you cannot hear and you cannot talk. And you’re living in a community that has deprived you of the privilege of effective communication and self-expression, given the fact that nobody knows how to communicate with you. So you will surely be lonely and depressed. And then an incident happened where you were maltreated and stigmatised.

Psychologically, people naturally react and respond to treatments directly to indirectly. They speak and complain to defend themselves and their dignity when mistreated. But you’re deaf and can’t open your mouth to exercise self-expression. You can’t say, “I don’t like how you treat me. Please, treat me with respect.” At that point? What would you do?

You will think of what to do to ensure the person who maltreats or stigmatises you learn a lesson. A deaf person has three options: exhibiting frustration or using physical violence to respond to the treatment they received, and the third option is crying. The weak do the last chance because that’s the only thing left for them. They will always look for a language that the people who maltreat them will understand, i.e. crying, showing their frustration, or applying violence.

Deaf people are not aggressive. Instead, they use aggression as a defence, a means of self-expression, or a way of showing their inner disapproval because they often have no other means of communicating their feelings to people who don’t have a genuine knowledge of the deaf or sign language.

As long as deaf people can effectively communicate and have a mutual understanding with a person, the person will surely realise that they are no different from normal people who possess various traits, both positive and negative.

The only thing the Deaf needs from their family, colleagues, and society is attention and understanding. And these two require the presence of effective communication. For this reason, the Deaf continues to spread the knowledge of sign language and continuously create awareness and advocacy, for they know that the most powerful method for eliminating the conflicts between them and normal people is to connect both with the wire of communication. It is to bridge the communication gap that disconnects the two communities. 

I have talked with different deaf children and older ones regarding their stay with their families. All of them expressed a disheartening amount of loneliness and anxiety, the cause of which is the iota of attention they receive at home that is inadequate and depressingly isolating, harming their lives. Yet, at the same time, it stays unnoticed by their family members.

Moreover, when deaf family members attempt to bring it up, they hardly get the attention they expect. Even if they do, once another family member interrupts, that’s always the end of the conversation. Their effort to retrieve the attention that deviated from them to another family member often fails, making several deaf family members give up on discussions with their parents and siblings.

Zulkifil Aminu Adam is a 100-level student at Bayero University, Kano. He can be reached via zulqeepil19@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The National Universities Commission ( NUC), has approved a new university for Kano State.

Consequent of the approval, Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso is now a university of education.

On Tuesday in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abubakar A. Rasheed, presented the letter of recognition of the institution to Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje .

Ganduje said, the new university was part of his administration’s efforts to meet the growing demand for education in the state.

According to him, the university, which is the third under Kano State, has 116 lecturers with PhDs.