Nigeria

By Lawal Dahiru Mamman 

Nigeria is so blessed with agricultural land that all that needs to be done is to tickle the soil with a hoe, and it smiles with a harvest. Therefore, the name Nigeria ought to be synonymous with agriculture by practice, not just by name, because our identity depicts agriculture; the green colour of the National flag shows land for agriculture, and the shield on the national coat of arms represents the fertile soil for same. Unfortunately, a good number of citizens suffer from malnutrition as a result of acute hunger. 

In the assumption that there is insufficient rainfall, the name Nigeria was suggested in the late 19th century by a British journalist, Flora Shaw, who married the British colonial administrator Lord Frederick Lugard. The nomenclature was derived from the River Niger, which enters the country from the northwest and flows down to the Niger Delta, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean through its many tributaries. With this feature (if harnessed properly) alone, we could produce crops and rear animals all year round.

Before the discovery of crude oil in 1956, agriculture used to be the country’s mainstay. When the nation realised it had to reclaim its past glory, feeding the teaming population and directing funds otherwise used for importing various food items to other infrastructural and human capital development, boom! Insecurity strikes from different angles, with each geopolitical zone with its peculiarities. Going back may not be possible if insecurity is not squarely addressed because farmers are afraid of being killed or kidnapped away from the civilisation where they have their farms.

The vociferation to achieve self-sufficiency in Agriculture and food security in the country may not be feasible anytime soon because of insecurity. Poverty is the inability to access basic human needs like food, shelter, clothing, portable drinking water and medical care. Those in this category become angry at all other persons in the society because they believe the society has failed them by depriving them of their fundamental human rights. With food on the top of the chart for these basic necessities, the agriculturist believes that most of the world’s problems will be solved if food is made available and affordable. 

These groups of people can easily be brainwashed by miscreants hell-bent on bringing the nation down to its knees, committing horrendous crimes against other humans and threatening the state’s sovereignty when offered as little as a meal.

In January 2020, the country became the largest rice-producing country in Africa, with 8 million tonnes per annum as against the total of 14.6 million tonnes produced in the continent, with progress being recorded in the production of other food crops simultaneously. At this point, citizens and even government officials started having a glimpse of hope in the independence we crave in agriculture. The hope faded into thin air when the agricultural practice became inversely proportional to insecurity. By implication, increased insecurity leads to a decrease in farming activities 

This is because for a farmer to practice, they would have to look over their shoulder, making those still willing to produce have divided attention – which is not good for any practice willing to succeed while others abandon the profession in totality because ‘Life is Precious’. 

For agricultural practice to continue and develop beyond the old-fashioned, the unwanted elements causing the unrest must be eliminated from the equation with efforts from the administrators, our gallant security forces and even citizens – by extending hands of fellowship to the less privileged.

Mamman, a corp member, writes from Abuja and can be reached via dahirulawal90@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Kano State Ministry of Education on Saturday conducted a screening test for the state’s candidates that would be sponsored to study in Bilingual College, Niamey, the capital city of the Niger Republic.

A statement Saturday by the Director Public Enlightenment, Ministry of Education Kano state, Aliyu Yusuf, said the test was in preparation for the 2021/2022 admission exercise.

Bilingual College is a joint initiative between the Kano State Government and the Government of Niger Republic to groom students in French and English languages.

The statement read in part, “The Screening test which was conducted across the 3 senatorial zones of the state was aimed at selecting 1 best candidate each from the 44 local government council areas of the state to study at the college.

“Similarly, another selection exercise will be conducted among the remaining candidates that have attended the screening test for the Bilingual College, with a view to admitting them into various Unity  Schools across 18 northern states that runs  Students exchange programme.

“In the same vein, the ministry has also facilitated the movement of another set of Kano state students that conducted an entry examination into Gifted Academy, Bamaina in Jigawa.

“The Successful students at the end of the examination will be sponsored to study at the Gifted Academy Bamaina by the Jigawa state Government,” the statement added.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Chinese Business Community Association of Nigeria, CBCAN, has condemned the murder of Ummu Khulthum Buhari, alias Ummita, in Kano.

This was made known through a statement released on behalf of the Wakilin Mutanen China a Kano by his personal assistant, Ghuan Lei Zhan on Monday.

“The Chinese Business Community Association of Nigeria (CBCAN) under the leadership of Wakilin Mutanen China a Kano, Mr Zike Zhang, has condemned the Killing of Ummukuthum Buhari allegedly by a Chinese National, her lover Geng Quarong” Part of the statement reads.

The Chinese Business Community also said it supports law to take its proper course.

Ummukuthum was allegedly murdered by her Chinese lover on Friday night. Her murder has generated outrage on social media. Many people expressed concern over crimes allegedly committed by Chinese nationals working in Nigeria.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The House of Representatives have scheduled a meeting with the leadership of the Academic Staff of Universities, ASUU, in a bid to resolve the lingering impasse between the union and the government.

The Clerk of the Green Chamber, Yahaya Danzaria made the revelation in a statement he made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja .

According to Danzaria, the meeting will take place at the Representative Wing of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

“The House of Representatives is deeply concerned about the renewed strike which seems to have defied all efforts made to find a solution or reach an agreement between the Federal Government and the striking University lecturers.

The House is more worried about the negative consequences of the strike on the future and quality of education of our teeming youths who have been kept at home for the past six months despite the intervention of the House and several well-meaning Nigerians overtime to see that the matter was resolved.” Part of the statement reads

ASUU embarked on strike on February 14, consequent of which most Nigerians public universities have been shutdown.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) Zaria has proposed to legislators to provide a law that will ban the consumption of animal skin, locally known as ‘ganda’ or ‘kpomo’ in the country.

The Director-General of the Institute, Prof. Muhammad Yakubu, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja Sunday, September 17, 2022.

Yakubu stated that the law was to help revive the comatose leather industry in the country. Meanwhile, the eating of animal skin should be banned.

He added that “the habit of eating animals skin, which has no nutritional value, should be stopped in order to save the industry and boost the nation’s economy.

“To the best of my knowledge, Nigerians are the only people in the world that overvalue skin as food. After all, ‘Kpomo’ has no nutritional value.

“At a point, there was a motion before the two chambers of the National Assembly, it was debated, but I don`t know how the matter was thrown away,” he said.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Spokesperson of the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi said Nigerians have no right to retaliate when assaulted by men of the Nigerian Police Force.

He stated this on Twitter on Saturday Adejobi tweeted in response to a viral video of two young men dragging a riffle with two policemen in uniform.

In the video, the two young men whose phones were seized reportedly by the policemen were seen haranguing the officers for the release of their phones.

Adejobi said doing that is against the extant laws of the land and that such actions are disrespectful to the country.

“Even if a policeman on uniform slaps a civilian, the civilian has no right to retaliate more so if he is on uniform, its an act of disrespect to Nigeria, to beat an officer on uniform, the disrespect is not to the policeman but to our nation and its a crime as enshrined in our criminal laws.

“So its not a case of what the policeman did, that led to it, but the reaction of the civilians who actually assaulted the police. If police assault a civilian, you report and actions will be taken to rebuke him, not to take the law into your hands.” He tweeted

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, departs Abuja today and will be representing Nigeria at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in London. 

The spokesperson to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, stated in a statement he released on Saturday, September 17, 2022. 

According to the spokesperson, the Vice President will be among the guests and dignitaries to be received by King Charles III at a reception in Buckingham Palace on Sunday and the state funeral on Monday.

He also stated that on the sideline of the funeral is a scheduled bilateral meeting with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

Part of the statement reads: “Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will be representing Nigeria at a number of events tomorrow and on Monday, during the State funeral for the late Queen Elizabeth ll of the United Kingdom.

Prof. Osinbajo departs Abuja today and will join members of the Royal Family, world leaders – including members of the Commonwealth, Heads of State, Governors-General, Prime Ministers, and foreign royal families – at the ceremonies, including the funeral service scheduled to hold at Westminster Abbey on Monday.”

By Abbas Badmus

The idea of eNaira comes from the ever-expanding developments in digitalization and the need for a secured means of effecting transactions across borders. 

eNaira is a central bank digital currency issued and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). As a compliment to the existing forms of CBN-issued legal tender currency, the eNaira serves as both a store of value and a medium of exchange, offering efficiency in Nigeria’s payment ecosystem.

President Muhammad Buhari launched the eNaira on 25 October 2021, under the slogan: “Same Naira, More Possibilities”.

The introduction of the eNaira by the CBN immediately put Nigeria in the global spotlight as the first African country to launch the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

If fully embraced, there are several benefits for Nigerians and the business community, thereby eradicating many issues surrounding cash transactions.

Some benefits include speedy delivery, safe, simple trading and transactional opportunities for customers and end-users.

More specifically, the benefits to the merchants and business owners include reduced cash handling cost, elimination of failed transactions, instant settlement, increased speed of transactions, improvement in records keeping and elimination of Challenges associated with giving change to customers, amongst others.

Recently, CBN Deputy Governor, Economy Policy, Dr Kingsley Obiora, made it known in the just-concluded Abuja eNaira Merchants Mega Events held at Abuja Chambers of Commerce and industry that there is a reward scheme for merchants and business owners using the eNaira platform.

“I am pleased to inform you that the central bank of Nigeria approved a reward scheme for merchants and other users of the eNaira.

“This reward scheme includes providing merchants with the required scheme includes providing merchants with the required promotional (marketing) materials, subsidizing the current merchant service charge by 50% and activation of a nationwide sensitization which early business adopters of eNaira can leverage on to market its wider adoption “.

It is also important to note that the eNaira platform can now facilitate payments using QR codes, USSD, Wallet ID and eNaira wallet tag. Value-added services on the platform include branch or sub-wallets, employee management, and interoperability with other enterprise applications. Furthermore, these services are provided in a secure environment as the eNaira platform was built using a secure security protocol.

Ample opportunities for increasing business income abound through the adoption of eNaira. For instance, the availability of the eNaira payment option on e-commerce merchant platforms such as Remita is expected to complement the existing digital payment system, translating to about 50% increments in e-commerce transactions at a lower cost.

Going by the innovations and advantages of the eNaira, and the greater understanding that the relaunch is expected to build, it is most likely that the eNaira will, in no distance time, be embraced to enhance financial inclusion further.

Abbas Badmus is with TechDigest Abuja and can be reached via abbasbadamasi946@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

An aggrieved lecturer at the University of Maiduguri has put his personal library for sale as the dispute between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) lingers.

The lecturer, Othman Abubakar, disclosed this in a short note, which The Daily Reality verified, titled, “Goodbye To Education In Nigeria, No Hope”.

The Daily Reality recalls that ASUU has been on strike since February 14, 2022, resulting in the shutdown of public universities nationwide for over seven months.

The union is protesting against alleged infrastructure decay at various institutions and neglect of its members’ welfare.

Abubakar said, “With the destruction of university education in Nigeria today, and the starving of university lecturers by the insensitive APC government, I no longer need these books. 

“Those that still believe that education in Nigeria is important, please come to my office at the address below and buy these books at your own price l am available in the office from 9 am to 5 pm daily, including weekends.

“Access Address: Department of English and literary studies, University of Maiduguri. Sign. Dr Abubakar Othman,” he stated.

Currently, the case between ASUU and FG is in court as the FG dragged the union before the court to put an end to its lingering strike that led to the shutdown of all public universities nationwide.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A Federal High Court in Zamfara State has invalidated the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) primary election that produced Alh. Dauda Lawal as the state gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general election.

Alh. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, former federal lawmaker, who contested against Dare in the primary election, took the case to the court seeking justice, adding that there had been many irregularities in the election.

However, the court, preceded by Justice Aminu, invalidated the election and ordered that fresh primary election must be conducted to ensure justice and fairness to all parties.

Barrister Ibrahim Ali, counsel for the plaintiff, while speaking to journalists shortly after the judgement, said, “The court looked at the merit of the matter and decided the case in favour of the plaintiffs.”

He added, “Our prayers were that the primary elections conducted by a committee led by Adamu Maina Waziri be nullified by the court and order be given by the court for the conduct of a fresh election in line with the PDP’s constitution and guidelines. All our prayers have been granted.

“The judgment was well evaluated because we proved our case beyond reasonable doubts and we are happy with the decision of the court.”