Northern Nigeria

By Sa’id Sa’ad

Earlier this year – when Bello Galadanci’s videos were becoming popular on digital platforms – a colleague posted a video of his skit on his WhatsApp status. From what might be a simple curiosity, I asked him if he knew who the person was – of course, expecting him to at least know a bit – but he replied that he did not know him beyond his not-so-much-funny recent “comedy skits.”

That was weeks after the publication of my recent essay, A Crack on Hadiza Gabon’s Wall: Humanizing Northern Nigeria Storytelling, where I described what the show meant to storytelling in Northern Nigeria and the impact of what I called “hypocritical denial and intentional lack of acknowledgement” from the northern community. As it has always been, I bumped into a tweet where a young person from “northern” Nigeria condemned the entire comedy skits made by Bello Galadanci. If I weren’t from the North, I would have wondered why Northern consumers always find a way to devalue Northern content creators in whatever discipline. But I didn’t, because I understood the game. So. Well. It is nothing to raise a brow at, mainly because, as creatives, criticism as such is often expected, “Thanks for the PR” was the short response Galadanchi gave him.

Even with the recent trooping of young creators into the skit-making industry in Nigeria, majorly due to its financial and digital-popularity lakes tunnelled by TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, one could guess accurately – as most other useful or even useless “developmental” growth – that adoption of content creation as a business by young people in Northern Nigeria, came very late, as well. It is difficult to mention by name – the northern skit creators who began early – and still maintain the same consistency as one would mention Taoma or Aproko Doctor or Mr. Macaroni from the South. Only Galadanchi and a few others still retain their craft consistently.

Many young people in northern Nigeria continue to comment, criticise, or label Bello Galadanchi and his skits in multiple ways.

Aside from the unpopular northern Nigeria population that perceives his skit as the “working-for-the-white” theory (or the painting north black belief), and the many who – due to educational standards and exposure – fail to comprehend the satirical nature of his contents, most of those who do not find him funny do so due to Broda-Shaggying or Sabinufying Galadanchi’s skit.

Unlike most skit makers in Nigeria, whose focus is majorly only on sowing laughter and entertainment into the market and reaping their golds, built on creative juice – Galadanchi’s contents are meant for social and political commentary using humour and satire. Backed by journalism, creative, and educationalist careers, it might seem almost impossible for Galadanchi – even by himself – to create non-questionable or fluid content only meant for laughter because creatives are muscled with the hunger to correct and change using their art. His could be simplified as addressing serious problems without being too serious.

Therefore, this makes it difficult for those Broda-Shaggying and Sabinufying him to comprehend the content as, thus, they expect a consciously endowed full-length comedy. I don’t mean to belittle content created by skit makers whose conscious aim is to create a hundred-percent comedy piece. However, expecting an all-comedy-induced piece from a skit maker whose purpose is challenging social and political ills using humour could be as good as expecting something from nothing.

While writing this essay, I shared on WhatsApp status a short clip from an interview Bello Galadanchi granted CGTN where he sat on stairs with three other Chinese, in a swagger-spirited looks with polished accent and blonde hair. Most GenZ’s (respectfully) responded to have known him only through his comedy and never “expected” him to be this “polished”, so far away from what they expected Dan Bello (his character) to be.

That means most of those who denigrate his content would have been from their “expected lens” through which they measure him to be. As argued in my previous essay above – could this also be what I called “hypocritical denial and intentional lack of acknowledgement” of the northern population for contents and creators coming from the north? Because, of course, what Bello Galandanchi is doing for northern Nigeria-specific social and political issues is what Aproko Doctor is exactly doing for Nigeria’s health sector and health-related issues.

Though satire could emerge in professional, amateur, elitist, and popular forms, those who do not comprehend his satire might also be due to their level of comprehension rather than the perceived educational standard or exposure. However, I believe both play a role here. Of course, satire is meant to use humour and irony to criticise, as in the case of the Nigerian writer Elnathan John with his famous book, Be(com)ing Nigerian. However, because Galadanci focuses on the “North”, he is quickly labelled with the “working-for-the-white theory”.

Perhaps if Elnathan’s book was a digital piece as Galadanci’s – and produced in the same form and language – the same label could have been blanketed for him, too. Sometimes, the theory sounds a lot like a comedy skit as well because even a deported northerner fighting the cause of his people – in any way different from the (usual) northern norms – would be considered brainwashed to work for the whites.

More so, those who do not comprehend the satire in the contents are often blindfolded from seeing the patriotism in these pieces. If not for a deep love for a people, I wonder how one would continue to create these provocative contents that question deep political ills in the region. While also soaking insults from young people in the same region who barely understood the depth of what his craft was uprooting.

However, looking at his pieces of art critically (beyond Broda-Shaggying them), how they are deeply immersed in satire and sheer creativity, one could vividly tell how varying it is from the contents created by other skit makers. If other skit makers called theirs “contents”, a creative could easily describe Galadanchi’s as a “piece of art”. The beauty in the work is so immense that one could smell creative fragrances all over the place.

Imagine if the digital youths in the north focus on – if not creating – promoting creators from the region rather than policing social media in the holy name of the north. Imagine if we all question the system in the individual creative juices deposited in us. Imagine if we learn to place a market value on the creators and contents from the north rather than wasting our time watching these wayward girls crowd-chasing nonsense on TikTok in Hausa and serving them to your screen back-to-back. Imagine if we focus on the problems rather than those who help us understand the problem. Imagine if we don’t call for the heads of those who create alphabets to remind us of where we are.

Galadanchi didn’t just find questioning the ill social and political system for Nigerians in Nigeria. He has lived with the system, experienced the system and carried dozens of scars from the system to wherever the world took him.

If these pieces of art are what come out from creatives whom the ill Nigerian system has wounded, then very soon, the Bello Galadanchi in all of us will prevail.

Sa’id Sa’ad is a Nigerian writer, poet, and playwright from Maiduguri. He won the Peace Panel Short Story Prize 2018 and the NFC Essay Prize 2018. He tweets @saidsaadwrites and can be reached directly via saidsaadabubakar@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Translators, language experts, and advertising practitioners in Northern Nigeria are irritated by shoddy Hausa on billboards, TV and radio stations, with some calling for an end to the practice.

The role of translation is to communicate ideas and messages across the audience. However, as those concerned individuals opined, shoddy translation is doing the opposite.

Beyond the expert communities, poor translation, especially from English to Hausa, is generating outrages in many quarters, especially as native speakers of the Hausa language demand better translation of their language.

A report by The Daily Reality disclosed how the Three Crowns Milk, Taira, and Stanbic IBT, among others, came under attack over poorly translated advertisements from English to Hausa placed on their billboards.

Experts have associated the flagrant flaws of advertising agencies and personnel with unprofessionalism. They said that the practice has grown into a disease which has since been ravaging the translation business in Nigeria.

Authority to blame

There are outrages by the relevant authorities that feel very disappointed by the terrible things in the name translation that continue to unfold these days.

A lecturer at the Department of Nigerian Languages, Bayero University, Kano, Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman, described the situation as unfortunate.

He said the way some people bastardise the translation business, especially English-Hausa translation, despite making a fortune in the business is pathetic.

Dr. Muhammad said, “Some of these people mostly do not bother about such violations but rather the money they are tapping out from the business.

“Even though translation is a profitable business, its knowledge should be considered above the profit. If you don’t have the knowledge, learn it or allow people with the skill to do the business.”

Also, a Kano-based translator, Bello Sagir Imam, decried the menace of quack and unprofessional translation ravaging the translation business today in Nigeria as unfortunate.

Imam, the CEO of English Domain, a translation company, blamed the relevant stakeholders for merely lamenting the menace without taking bold action to address it.

He added that the lack of English-Hausa translation companies in the country exacerbates the menace.

He argued that the loopholes gave space to the quack companies and will continue to bring more and worse translators until the proper measures are taken.

Imam stated, “Failure of the Northern Nigerian relevant stakeholders is an easy and thriving business environment for the quack but well packaged and connected companies mainly based in Lagos and few others in Abuja, but amazingly not in Kano.

“For instance, in the North, with the entire daily complaining razzmatazz, there is no single English-Hausa-English translation company or one where such service is among their services.

“These loopholes birthed the quack companies and will continue to birth more and worse translators until the right measures are executed.”

We need support

Imam further lamented how the lack of support from relevant stakeholders discourages aspiring English-Hausa translators.

He said, “Most stakeholders do not help the aspiring English-Hausa translators despite being Hausa native speakers and linguists, Hausa or English graduates, simply because they don’t have a prior relationship with the helpers.

“For instance, if you are not their student, those in academia will not help you. The journalists will not help you if they don’t know you.

“I feel challenged as a relevant stakeholder to walk the talk, to mitigate the problems and inspire others to wake up from their deep sleep.”

What is the root cause of quack translation?

A communication scholar from the Mass Communication Department, Professor Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi, traced the root of quack translation, shedding light on the impact of a shoddy translation on advertising.

Professor Kurfi said, “If you look at what is happening in advertising industries, you can simply conclude that there is no professionalism – lack of professionalism in the sense that most of the advertising agencies and agents did not undergo practical formal education that will avail them the opportunity to understand what advertising is and what advertising is not, as well as understanding the techniques of advertising in appealing to the public without going into their religion, culture and even norms and practices.

“That is why you see several problems, particularly with billboards and adverts. I remember I did my master’s dissertation on billboards.

“Most of these translators, either from English to Hausa or Hausa to English, are not native speakers. They are generally from Lagos, probably Yoruba by tribe, and they do not really understand the nature of the language of reception – from English to Hausa or from Hausa to English.

“Some of the techniques that you consider in terms of translation they understand, they don’t have knowledge of that.

“Also, you find out that most of these translators are based in Lagos. They are not from Northern Nigeria. Therefore, they don’t understand the language itself.

“And we do not have many advertising agencies here in Kano that will now take cognisance of those traditions and norms. Therefore, it is not surprising to see this kind of problem.

Native speakers must key in the advertisement

Professor Kurfi said that to tame the menace of native speakers, in this sense, typical Hausa/Fulani must key into the advertisement business.

He said, “The only way forward is to allow our people to enter the advertising industry. I don’t know why our people, particularly typical Hausa Fulani, are running away from advertising. Let our people be into advertising.

“Let them understand the techniques and practice of advertising, the procedures, the rules and regulations governing advertising, in the print media, in the broadcast media, even on the online media platforms, as well as billboards and adverts.

“When they understand that, you discover these problems will undoubtedly be minimal. They will be contracted to translate from English to Hausa or From Hausa to English.

“Another way out is to let our people, particularly the graduates of mass communication, establish independent advertising agencies responsible for all this kind of advert placement in the media organisations. 

“But when our people are running away, the advertising agencies or the producers or manufacturers have no option but to contract the service of the people from the southern part of Nigeria – and this is why you see all these kinds of problems happening.”

It’s posing a serious challenge to us – APCON 

The President of the Advertising Practitioners of Northern Nigeria, Sammani Ishaq, lamented the rising number of cases of poor translation.

He said that Advertising Practitioners have been working to end the problem over the years.

Sammani Ishaq said shoddy Hausa translations usually affect the persuasive aspect known for advertising and that consumers patronise the product out of desperation, not because they are being persuaded.

He said, “This is a serious issue we have been trying to address over the years. In doing so, we held many meetings and organised different programs. We even formed a forum we named Advertising Practitioners of Northern Nigeria.

“The issue is beyond imagination because most advertisers are from the southern part of the country and are either Igbo or Yoruba. It was not for ten years that northerners started advertising businesses. And, up till now, the advertising agencies are not numbered to ten.

“And what they mostly do is to hire their friends from southern Kaduna, who do not fully understand the language, let alone translate it correctly, or people who have served or had been in the north for a while.

“For this reason, the translators are not even Hausa and don’t fully understand the language. So, they usually hire people from southern Kaduna or those who have served in the north for translation.

“And, sometimes, even in the north, people mostly hire Kannywood or Nollywood actors and actresses for advertising. These people are unprofessional and lack the basis of advertisement. Hence, people purchase products not because they are persuaded to but only because the product has become necessary for them to buy.

We will deal with unregistered advertising agencies

Sammani also threatened that any unregistered advertising agency caught would be dragged before the court to face the music.

He stated, “And for this reason, APCON provided a law signed by the former president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, before he left office on May 16, 2023. The law stated that any unregistered advertising practitioner caught practising advertising must be dealt with.”

By Usman Muhammad Salihu

In the world of education, some paths are straightforward, while others are winding, challenging, and filled with unexpected detours. My journey towards obtaining an HND in Mass Communication at Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) in Bauchi State, Nigeria, certainly falls into the latter category. It’s a tale of determination, sacrifice, and the unwavering support of family, mentors, and friends.

The story began in early 2020 when a conversation with my model, Abu-Ubaidah Ibrahim Kuna, led to my contemplating furthering my education. During my diploma days, I had already embarked on a professional course, Mass Communication, but some circumstances are forcing me to delve into sociology. Abu-Ubaidah’s advice struck a chord in my heart, prompting me to reconsider my choices.

Yet, life had its complexities. I was now a family man, responsible for providing for my loved ones. Pursuing my passion for Mass Communication while residing in Gombe seemed daunting. The course was unavailable nearby, and sponsorship was scarce. This predicament led me to opt for sociology. As they say, “In the absence of desirability, you make the availability your desirability.”

As fate would have it, the Direct Entry application period had elapsed, and waiting for another year was not a viable option for me. I thought of returning to Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic in Bauchi, but the distance from Gombe presented its challenges. Who would sponsor my education and care for my family during this journey?

With courage and determination, I applied for HND in Mass Communication at ATAP and, to my delight, secured admission. In November 2021, I embarked on a motorcycle journey from Gombe to Bauchi State, joining my fellow students as lectures had already commenced.

As if the journey had become more challenging, I found myself in Stream B, paying registration fees every semester without a sponsor. However, divine intervention came through my elder brother, Jubril Salihu (Baban Hajiya), who provided much-needed support.

Balancing lectures and providing for my family back in Gombe was no easy feat. I travelled back almost every week, seizing every opportunity for sustenance that came my way. Skipping breakfast and even lunch became the norm, but our determination to succeed remained unshaken.

The challenges were numerous, from putting food on the table to completing assignments with limited resources. Still, we pressed on, making our presence known inside and outside the classroom as we joined the school unionism.

Our lecturers, especially Mal. Abdul Ahmad Burra singlehandedly led us to the membership of the pen profession, Mal. Nazir Abba Pali and Mal Abdul Rasheed Bala Tulu were pivotal in our journey. They nurtured us into aspiring journalists, and our articles began appearing in renowned Nigerian dailies and online media outlets. Friends like Muzaffar, Adams, Raheenert, Bello class rep, Jalam, Alpha, Aliyu, Yahya, Ibrahim, Wale, Usaina, Saeedah, Celestina, A’isha, Rinret, Anas, Baba Fema, Baba Damina and many others became our pillars of strength.

I would be remiss not to express my gratitude to my family, especially my parents, brothers and sisters, the heads of department at ATAP, my mentors, and Dr. Saidu Wanzami, who supported us during our educational journey.

In the face of adversity, we persisted. With the unwavering support of our loved ones and mentors, we overcame the obstacles on our path. Our journey to an HND in Mass Communication is a testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and the support of a strong community. As we graduate, we look back with gratitude and forward with hope, ready to embrace the challenges that lie ahead, knowing that with faith and resilience, nothing is impossible.

Usman Muhammad Salihu writes from Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, and can be reached via muhammadu5363@gmail.com.

By Saifullahi Attahir

Our grandparents used to remember with nostalgia how, in the past  50 years, they usually had a high-yield harvest yearly-round in the farms and surprisingly with total abstinence from using fertilisers and other modern additives. The bushes are full of trees of all sorts, vegetative forests with various colourful and nutritious leaves, guavas, mangoes, paw-paw, and dates, to name a  few. A farmer was almost always sure to have a sufficient harvest for the family with little manure from his domestic animal dungeons. They always harvest enough to feed themselves and their families, even more for the neighbourhoods.

Surprisingly, today, with all the powerful tools for mechanical farming, with all the ‘Almighty’ fertiliser, with all the agricultural institutions, with all the army of PhDs in academia, we harvest less and less. For the past two decades, our weather has constantly fluctuated with no certainty of what to crop this year or next. For instance, a  farmer would cut rice this year on clay land and experience drought, so precisely the following year, when he decided to switch to grains ( millet or sorghum), which would perfectly suit the dry land, unexpectedly, there would be a massive flood.

I live in Jigawa State and had first-hand experience with this scenario. Our farmers constantly switch between sesame (‘ridi’), groundnut, millet, and even rice. Places once dry land for sorghum and groundnut are now perfectly turned into rice farming lands. If you are doubting, come to areas around Sara town in Gwaram Local Govt, Jigawa state.

Jigawa state was initially named ‘Jigawa’  because of the large number of dry land primarily available for farming crops requiring less water. How are these vast areas becoming a mix-up, and even some submerged below water? How did we arrive arrived at this juncture? Why do we experience more floods and erosion disasters yearly?

Some of those answers are written on the wall as an effect of climate change caused by man-made activities that we failed to take any heed or measures. Some of those effects result from our ignorance to look into our environments and how we take care of our stomachs. These effects result from continuously perpetuating natural resources to satisfy our insatiable human greed.

Over the past decade, scientists and the media have been constantly alerting the populace on the danger that global temperature changes pose to the living conditions we are currently enjoying. Some of those warnings were already in effect in many parts of the globe. Research has shown how the continuous depletion of the ozone layer by emission from fossil fuel by our engines and industries poses a  great danger to the protection we once enjoyed from the Sun. The direct ultraviolet radiation from the heating Sun is no longer protected by the ozone layer, making it descend directly into our atmosphere. This led to the increased rise of the earth’s temperature to a fraction of a degree. The earth’s temperature has reached almost 2°c ( degree centigrade), with future expectations to reach 3°c.

The rise in earth’s temperature led to the constant melting of polar ice in the global North around Greenland. If you don’t know, these ices served as a pillar to the seas, habitation of billions of aquatic life, and a source of living for humans. If that ice melts, it will continue to kill those animals, shifting the ecological balance to the negative. Not only that, but mass migration of those living around the Poles would lead to overcrowding in other parts of the world, probably Europe or Africa.

Most of the current danger of global warming was caused by the developed Nations in the global North, especially Europe, which for over 200 years possessed engines that constantly polluted the air with carbon. Those countries include the US, UK, Germany, Russia, and China. Ironically, the underdeveloped countries in the global South are at the receiving end of the punishment, where floods, famine, earthquakes, storms, desertification, erosions, and drought constantly threaten them. The global South countries at constant risk of global warming are Pakistan, India, Indonesia, South America, and West and Sub-Saharan Africa.

One of the effects of global warming that people hardly pay attention to are as follows ;

1) Whenever any part of the world experiences a flood, famine, or earthquake, that part automatically becomes uninhabitable, and most of its inhabitants tend to migrate to safer places and greener pastures, especially cities. This would lead to overcrowding of urban areas, the creation of more slums, an increased crime rate, fewer job opportunities, and a reduction in the available land for farming and farmers themselves. These are the natural causes of food insecurity we see daily, the natural causes of the xenophobic attacks we hear daily, and the natural causes of the immigration problem we experience daily.

2) Overgrazing of the land without proper ways of replenishing and the constant encroachment of those specific forests and environments reserved for nomadic livestock in Northern Nigeria have forced the Nomadic Fulani to travel far to Southern Nigeria in search of pasture. This would automatically cause some altercation regarding rights, privacy, and intrusion, which causes the constant farmer-herders conflict escalating and metamorphosing into something else.

3) Many of those Fulani were now barren of their millennia-old source of livelihood (livestock) or were forced to abandon the practice because of the scarcity of grazing fields through encroachment by expanding Government or Private projects ( roads, railways, colleges, companies, hydroelectric dams). Worse, they could not attend schools or learn modern skills and mostly lived deep in the forest, so Government social amenities were scarce or absent. What do you expect from this scenario: aged old frustration accumulating over the years of negligence, ignorance, poverty, despair and envy? So those kinds of young idle minds can become a devil’s workshop if care is not taken. It’s easy to convince them through propaganda to carry weapons, which we now see as a form of banditry, armed robbery, kidnappings, and terrorism.

4) We have been witnessing the constant conversion of places once ecological habitats reserved for forestation and farming various food crops that our lives depend upon. These places are now becoming Universities, companies, barracks, airports, hotels, and rail tracks. These activities lead to less land for farming despite the exponential growth in the world population, hence the less harvest. This is the cause of hunger. Hunger leads to conflict, wars, illness, and debasement of human capital development.

The effect was not only caused by the developed Nations. We, too, have our share of the problem. I’m sure everyone raised in a rural area is aware of the constant deforestation by our people to gather burning sticks, and the worrying part is we cut the trees without planting others in their place. According to research, we need to plant ten trees instead of each one we cut down. But the sad story is that we are not even practising 1 for 1 (i.e. cut down one tree and plant one tree).

Sub-Saharan Africa is constantly threatened by desert encroachment, which would only be averted by planting more trees, especially along our roads and desert belt. People living around Jigawa State are aware of the continuous desertification yearly by metres in previously non-desert environments. This has a human and economic cost.

 Over the past five decades, the world has continually witnessed the gradual extinction and disappearance of many species of plants and animals from the earth’s surface whose research shows they enormously contribute to the stability and maintenance of ecological equilibrium. For instance,  vultures were once abundant over the skies, contributing to the degradation of carcasses that pollute the air, but today, rarely can you spot the vultures.

Hyenas, tigers, elephants, kangaroos, giraffes, swans, and thousands of other sauna and floras in aquatic and terrestrial forms were nowhere to be found. Some of those missing animal species have migrated to other parts of the globe with favourable weather. At the same time, many were wiped out through perpetual game hunting industrial and chemical poisoning. Did we know the catastrophic effect of the disappearance of these species from our planets?

It’s unsurprising that one day, humans too may start migrating to more favourable weather conditions if adverse climatic effects ravage them.

Some of the popularly known places affected daily by climate change include Jakarta, one of the world’s most densely populated cities in Indonesia, with floods destroying homes and lives every year. Hurricane Katrina in the US was a storm and mighty wind that destroyed houses, bridges, and humans. Makoko Slum in Lagos, Nigeria, is a densely populated area above water, inhabited mainly by immigrants searching for job opportunities from the deserted rural part of the country. Auyo in Hadejia Jigawa State, an area stretching many local Governments yearly affected by floods and erosion, causing devastating destruction and loss of human lives. Greenland is part of the globe at the far north pole around Antarctica. Those places are mostly covered with ice, but today, this ice melting rapidly, causing migration of the people around those parts.

The climate change effect is putting the world into a dilemma, with rising sea levels on the one hand and extreme drought and desertification on the other.

Some archaeological exploration has shown that today’s mostly desert Middle Eastern world flourished with vegetation and abundant water, lives, and different aquatic and terrestrial species. It’s only time that would tell whether we are retracing back to that same period conditions.

SOLUTION

Finally, the developed nations should continue diversifying their energy source through electric vehicles, solar stations, biodegradable energy, and hydroelectric power sources to abandon the toxic fossil fuels that pollute the atmosphere with excess greenhouse emission gases ( methane and carbon monoxide).

Also, the global South, including Asian, African, and Middle Eastern countries, should embrace conserving our God-given resources by planting more trees, regulating deforestation, and creating robust public awareness of the importance of Ecological Conservation.

Saifullahi Attahir wrote via saifullahiattahir93@gmail.com.

By Aisha M Auyo

Rider: “In the intricate tapestry of marriage, love is but one thread”.

Marriage is not just the union of people who are genuinely in love with each other. It requires a whole lot of other factors to keep it going. I can confidently tell you a marriage can exist without love if the other factors exist. Our grandparents and generations before them have done it, and the divorce rate was very low compared with ours. Their marital relationship is stronger than ours, which capitalises on love.

Theirs is a relationship built on patience, understanding, selflessness, respect, belief in qadr, devotion, and peace. Not on lust. Not on love. Not on desire. Not on physical look. Not on avarice. It is almost the total opposite of marriage nowadays.

A strong marriage is determined by the sacrifices and struggles a husband and wife go through and their ability to stay strong and be patient with each other. There is no marriage without problems, issues, or tests. Even in the noble house of our Rasool, SAW, they had issues. From small ones that involve petty actions fuelled by jealousy within the wives to bigger problems that involve an accusation of adultery levied against Aisha, RA, also known as the “event of Ifk“, which can be traced to Surah An-Nur.

Couples should try not to give up when undergoing tests, DIVINE TESTS such as poverty, infertility, illness, polygamy, etc. Please understand that I am not saying we should condone HUMAN MADE CHALLENGES such as bad character, SERIAL infidelity (there may be exceptional cases of being victims or moments of weakness which should not be more than once), abuse of any kind, (mental, verbal, physical, or emotional), etc. We should be able to explore the fine line between Allah’s tests and man-made issues.

Allah says in the Qur’an, “We will test you with something of fear, and hunger and loss of wealth, and souls and vegetation. And give glad tidings to those who have patience. Those who, if in any difficulty or trial, or tribulation occurs to them or happens to them, they say: ‘Verily we are from Allah and to Allah we return.’ They are those who will receive prayers from their Lord and Mercy, and it is those who are guided.” Al baqarah.

The missed nuances in Northern Nigerian marriage customs, emphasising materialism over the essential attributes of lasting matrimony, have contributed immensely to the high divorce rate in our community. Parents neglect the core aspects of marriage and pay more attention to the superficial and materialistic aspects. Instead of counselling their kids on how to live with each other, the groom side will be busy making plans on ‘Kayan life‘ and ‘gida na gani na fada’. The bride side will be busy buying expensive furniture and ‘gara’, ‘kada a raina mu‘. The couples will be busy organising ‘Instagrammable’ wedding events that will trend for a week.

At least, the bride’s family does not joke with kayan mata and little Nasiha on ‘Yi, nayi, bari na bari’, ‘A yi haquri’. But on the groom’s side, no one says anything to him regarding how to live his life with the bride.

Then, after all the events, reality sets in. Expectations not met. The pretence energy is exhausted. Before you know it, ‘hide my ID’, parents’ intervention and divorce will happen. In less than five years, the marriage will be dissolved, with two or three innocent kids involved.

Many people would look at the marriages and successes of others and wish they were them, not knowing how much they struggled to get there or the sacrifices they made to succeed in their marriages.

In sum, I have delved into the enduring factors that fortify matrimonial bonds beyond love, drawing wisdom from the timeless legacy of our forebears. The essence of patience, understanding, selflessness, respect, belief in destiny, devotion, and peace is the age-old recipe for marital success. How strong unions are forged through trials and sacrifices. I hope this will guide parents and couples in nurturing resilient marriages by shedding light on the struggles behind seemingly idyllic unions.

May Allah make it easy for all those going through hardships in their marriages and protect us from such calamities, amin.

Always remember that, with divine guidance and patience, weathering marital storms can lead to stronger, more enduring love.

Aisha Musa Auyo is a Doctorate researcher in Educational Psychology. A wife, a mother, a homemaker, caterer, parenting, and relationship coach. She can be reached via aishamuauyo@live.co.uk.

By Zayyad I. Muhammad

Before and during his 2023 presidential campaign in the North, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a household name among the ordinary citizens in the North. Now, President Tinubu’s public relations (PR) image in the north is fast dwindling; the Christian community is still bitter with the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential elections, and the Muslim majority is feeling sidelined in the Tinubu government despite their massive vote for the APC during the 2023 presidential elections.

The Tinubu government has some of the best minds in public relations (PR) and the media space in its media team, but the truth of the matter is that Tinubu’s PR image in the north is dwindling and suffering, so to speak. What went wrong?

First, to be fair to Tinubu, he has allocated some good positions to the North according to its ‘rights’, but it was poorly communicated, and the appointees are in a kind of incommunicado with the North.

Secondly, many people, even outside the north, felt that the southwest had taken most of the ‘lucrative posts’—well, it is normal for any president to bring on board his own economic teams, including the people that he knows too well and has confidence in them to deliver his agenda and his party’s manifestos. Tinubu has the right to appoint anyone he wishes to, but unlucky for him, his predecessor’s actions and inactions will be used to gauge his government’s actions and inactions. President Tinubu couldn’t have jettisoned a little bit of this privilege—the idea of appointing only the people he knows too well in his economic team and close aides—since he succeeded a Buhari government that was highly accused of nepotism.

Thirdly, Tinubu’s government interaction with the north appears limited to the high echelon of society; thus, the people at the bottom of the ladder who were told that the Muslim-Muslim ticket would be ‘their government’ now feel they’re sidelined and were misled.

Fourthly, the Tinubu media and public relations teams are good, but they’re disconnected from the real north; they are not sufficiently aware of the approach and ‘language’ to talk to the north, especially APC’s strongholds. A good example is the recent CBN’s lifting of FOREX restrictions on 43 items. The general belief in the north is that the government has opened the borders for rice, maize, and other farm produce; thus, it is a direct attack on northern farmers and rice mills in the north. Up until now, there is no explicit explanation in a language, and from the ‘faces’ the northern farmers and rice millers will understand and believe.

Lastly, the Tinubu government is missing one point: it basically campaigned in its strongholds in the north on the fulcrum of the Muslim-Muslim ticket; now, its body language is that it has tilted away from the north’s political and economic interests; thus, even the ulama ( the clergies) who  ‘campaigned’ for it, is now not talking on its behalf; in fact, many of them are hammering the government. The Muslim-Muslim ticket is like an albatross to the APC, which the party must carry till and after the 2027 presidential elections; it has to continue to ‘nurture’ it like a nursing baby and also, at the same time, prove to its opponents that there is no harm in it.

What Tinubu should do: his subsequent appointments and policy pronouncements should try to pacify the north, especially the APC’s strongholds. Politics is about reward systems, and Tinubu is a master of reward systems in politics.

Secondly, appointees from the north should be visible and reachable to their communities. Many people in the APC’s strongholds in the north don’t even know some people from their folds are now appointees in the Tinubu government.

Thirdly, as earlier said, the Tinubu PR and Media team is good, but it must still be jack-up with more people from the north who know the ‘language’ and have faces that the north will understand.

Lastly, and most importantly, the Tinubu government should constantly inform the north of its efforts and activities in the areas of security, agriculture, and youth programmes in a way and in a language the north will understand and appreciate.

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja. He can be reached via zaymohd@yahoo.com.

By Muhammad Dauda Muhammad

About two years or so, I was in Jimeta, the capital city of Adamawa State, where I went to visit my family. And, from my observation, the city had witnessed a significant infrastructure improvement and, more significantly, the roads. 

I was amazed to see many areas where new roads were constructed. In the past, I would have never imagined that those places would one day be tarred, but all thanks to the former and the present administrations.

Now, I will state what triggered me to develop this piece. During my visit, I noticed something ill about people’s behaviour towards the new road infrastructure put in place to ease their daily routine, especially in the rainy season. 

Though I am not an engineer by profession, from experience, I know that roads that have already been constructed don’t need any form of substance to stay on them, be it water, oil or anything such. But instead, for people to be more careful and ensure the cleanliness of the roads, they choose to make the drainages built beside the roads for the successful passage of water a place to dump wastes. However, this act congested the drainages, thereby resulting in the stoppage of the water flow, making it spilt all over the roads.

Forget about Adamawa state, which is like a development area compared to states like Lagos and Kano. Kano State is not an exception when it comes to the issue of lack of maintenance of infrastructure. Looking at the ongoing road construction along Gwarzo Road, one will wonder why and how a whole road construction company will block a road for years, all in the name of construction, which is causing more damage to the already constructed road than is good. I am referring to those places they blocked planning to build a new roundabout.

This negligence didn’t stop on properties owned and controlled by the government alone but also in learning institutions like ours. Look at the Ibrahim Gambari Square, built and commissioned a few years ago and the first on our campus. 

Almost all the features set for the beautification of the facility have lost their structure. The fine bulbs that lighten and brighten up the place at night, the concrete chairs that students use to sit and catch a glimpse, the taps that splash water stylishly in the air, and the water flow system that has already been blocked. 

It has not stopped there, but some roads need urgent attention due to eruption, not to mention the grasses that have taken over so many places, greatly threatening the people and the environment.

NB: this piece is not an exposè but a mere candid call to all concerned citizens, both from the public and those in authority, to work collectively in ensuring a transparent and dirt-free society.

Muhammad Dauda Muhammad is a final year student of Mass Communication, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano. He can be reached via muhammaddaudamuhammad@gmail.com.

By Nusaiba Ibrahim Na’abba

Over time, social media platforms have gained unmatched acceptability over the legacy forms of communicating or exchanging messages – newspaper, radio and television. Their rapid rise has also corresponded with the swift increase in the development of social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp – widely embraced by youths in Nigeria.

According to Statista, a known global database organisation, as of 2022, Nigeria has approximately 84 million internet users despite economic hardships that have affected the majority of Nigeria severely throughout the years.

This report projects that there will be a significant rise of 117 million internet users in 2027. “Nigeria is one of the most populous countries worldwide, more internet penetration amounted to over 38 per cent of the population in 2022 and is set to reach 48 per cent in 2027,” read a Statista report.

Already, there are several projections about a massive increase in the population of Internet users as the population increases.

Social media platforms are acknowledged worldwide as important communication forums facilitating wider discussions that cannot necessarily be done offline. Discussions here are indeed quite pervasive as opposed to one-on-one or group discussions. According to Dingli and Tanti (2015), in their study titled ‘Pervasive Social Network’, a pervasive social network is an extension of the traditional social network. The most important aspect borrowed from the traditional social network is the recent intrusion in the field of mobile technology – mobile social networks.

In the past decade, social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram have proven to perform exceptionally well in aspects of e–commerce, changing perspectives of business dealings with a touch of speed and inclusiveness. USAToday (2019), over the past ten years, social media has evolved mainly from keeping in touch with others to flaunting what we have for attention or curating unrecognisable versions of ourselves.

Adding to its purpose of improving personal interactions, social media platforms have enabled youths worldwide to be engaged in businesses by creatively coming up with marketable ideas through unique content creation strategies. Such include online learning, personal life blogging and politics, among many others.

Most businesses use online marketing strategies such as blogger endorsements, advertising on social media sites, and managing user-generated content to build brand awareness among consumers (Wang and Kim, 2017).

People worldwide have embraced the vast opportunities created by social media and have greatly transformed them into gigantic opportunities. In Northern Nigeria, several blogs, including Open Diaries and Northern Hibiscus, have vast followership, raising the bar of social discussions around various topics on relationships, marriage, divorce and digital marketing. From 2016 till date, Northern Hibiscus has over 521,000 followers, while Open Diaries, which also started in 2016, has over 248,000 followers.

According to Rani and Padmalosani (2019), “Social media activism is a form of media activism which brings in a larger audience because of its interactive features towards a great mass. The information that breaks in social media becomes viral in fractions of a second”. More so, “the campaigns and protests-related information on social media can increase the number of supporters. Thus, social media is far superior to traditional media. There are various social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where information can trend in no time”.

Zainab Naseer Ahmad, a social media activist whose role is to influence people on social media, has raised the bar of activism and opened the doors for women to contribute their ideas and suggestions for societal development on social media platforms. From 2019 till date, Ms Ahmad has toiled through the toxic infiltrated space to support the development of beneficial government policies for the larger society in Kano State and beyond.

Gender-based cyber-bullying and trolling

In Nigeria, there is widespread gender-based violence through electronic communication devices, according to Premium Times. Furthermore, “it was noted that technologically facilitated gender-based violence occurs in Nigeria amid a climate of pervasive gender-based violence. The new digital era has given bigotry and misogyny new opportunities to thrive. This is in addition to Nigeria’s different cultural makeup and traditions that have made toxic belief systems that reaffirm patriarchal views that seek to silence women and restrict their liberties in all settings, offline and online, even worse”.

The renowned online newspaper also explains that “Violence against women online is often perpetuated via digital social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. This form of violence, especially suffered by women in the public eye and feminist activists, has a detrimental effect on their rights to freedom of expression, keeping them from actively participating in discourse and silencing their voices”.

The online bullying and trolling women face in the online space is an extension of the existing gender-based violence that engulfs a larger part of Northern Nigeria communities. As a result, it is very easy for users to use condescending statements to women, especially on Facebook, which is a massive community of networks.

As a social media activist, Muhammad Khalifa believes that “most of the female activists are seen as a wayward, and their activities are a departure from the generally accepted norms and values of a typical northern woman”. According to Muhammad, “Every northern Nigeria woman is supposed to have a sense of modesty of abstaining from social discussions that happen online.

Khalifa’s claims corroborate some of the experiences shared by Zainab after she decided to become a social media activist. Her phase of activism began in 2018 when she led the commencement of a movement tagged “free pads for girls” on Facebook. 

The campaign was rebutted by fierce backlash from her community and the online community, who saw the concept as mainly indecent and capable of corroding existing values that a “lady” should have in the North. The campaign was purposely led to ensure the availability and accessibility of sanitary napkins for young women in schools.

With the excessive prices of sanitary pads in supermarkets, Zainab joined forces with other online users to call on the government to take the initiative on the health issues confronting learners.   She said, “My worry was how students in Government-owned secondary schools can have access to proper hygiene with relative ease”.

Paradigm Initiative, an initiative that works to connect underserved young Africans with digital opportunities and ensures the protection of their rights,  condemns online violence against women, sexual harassment online, cyber-stalking, doxing, online trolling, targeted hate speech, and identity theft. Also, Paradigm Initiative reports that “Reports from the Federal and State Ministries of Women Affairs in Nigeria have shown that there has been a 149% rise in reports of gender-based violence from March to April 2020 in 23 out of 36 states in Nigeria in which data is available”.

The experiences narrated by Zainab and other female online social media users indicate that even women of older ages are not exempted from cyberbullying. Ziyaatulhaqq, formerly FatIbolady, who surfaced on Instagram, had a bitter experience with social media trolling and bullying. During an interview with Mahangar Zamani on BBC Hausa, Ziyaatulhagg said, “From 2016 to 2018, the same thing happened in my life: over 20 accounts were opened, and peddling lies about my life. It was pure hell”.

Not only Zainab, Ziyatulhaqq and Aysha, but many women also lament the blackmail, lack of confidence, self-sabotage and body shaming online. This is also another challenge for women activists in cyberspace. The challenge also destroys their ideas for development or a desirable change.

Abba Gwale, an active social media user for ten years in Kano State, said, “There is a general assumption among society that women are not capable of participating in activism and sees any girl involved in such online activities as immoral.”

 “They think women should not engage themselves with issues on social media platforms such as marriage, politics, etc,” said Gwale.  These are the experiences shared by Zainab and other female social media users.

The positive influence of female-led social media activism

With the increase in social media usage and the realisation of business opportunities in tech and digital platforms, there has been a rise in positive contributions by women, which societies at large have felt. The global COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted businesses in Nigeria, especially Kano State, a known hub for commercial activities. It also opened new doors as women creatively leveraged the Internet to start remote businesses.

The popular social media influencer Aisha Falke engaged a large community of women and men who taught different ideas in tech, businesses and several online opportunities on social media. Numerous youths were exposed to the immense online opportunities available, and many benefitted.

Like other social media users, Zainab also climbed the ladder to prominence. Zainab says visibility on social media platforms takes time, effort and consistency. “I’ve been an active social media user for over five years now, but I only used to chat with friends before 2018. It was in 2018 that I developed a passion for social issues and decided to harness the social media platform – Facebook”.

To have a noticeable impact, you’d have to spend appreciable time on a particular platform and consistently nurture your niche. According to Aysha Tofa, the co-founder of ‘Start-up Kano’, a tech hub that incubates youth businesses in Kano State, the hub has mentored over 500 start-ups, and women have proven to be very capable in the online space. “Many businesses are single-handedly run by women who have gained with significant returns,” said Tofa.

Despite cyberbullying, women are gaining prominence in the online space. Zainab Naseer was able to receive about 700 pads that were handed to vulnerable women in Kano State. “This is one of my greatest accomplishments, and I’ll cherish it forever,” she says. In recognition, Khalifa Muhammad, a social media user who has spent over eight years on Facebook, shares that “there are some issues that can only be discussed by women because of cultural and religious norms and ethics. The few women online like Zainab are doing well to educate our communities on that”.

On the part of other women, the likes of Zainab have opened the doors of opportunities and how to overcome greater challenges ahead in cyberspace. Hannatu Suleiman, an active social media activist and an aspiring journalist, has also gathered the courage to post on social issues bedevilling her community in Kano. She says, “Zainab is one person that I look up to in cyberspace. I’m now confident about writing online despite the challenges of bullying and trolling”.

Zainab was strategic during Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s just-concluded term as the Governor of Kano State. Her sanitary pad campaign propelled the government’s decision to distribute sanitary pads to secondary school students for free.  She says, “It was a big achievement to me when I heard that, as it was what I have been advocating for”.

Future Prospects of Social Media and Digital Rights for Women

As technological opportunities continue to gain accolades and acceptance, women are hopeful of embracing their deserved rights online. They would also be acting more responsibly to present other social challenges tormenting the lives of women at local levels.

Before becoming the President of the Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases & Social Vices (YOSPIS), Zainab mobilised youth in Kano State to peacefully protest the killings that surfaced in Northern Nigeria. She gained recognition from her live videos on Facebook. The protest left trails of its effects as she was invited to answer some questions by the Department of State Security (DSS).

Zainab said, “I was softly cautioned to refrain from the protest as it may lead to unwarranted results. This made me desist from the protest”.

Through YOSPIS, Zainab has conducted many online and offline activities, including raising youth awareness of the negative impacts of social vices and election monitoring, among other things. The organisation has been particularly keen on equipping youths with information about their relevance in development.

According to Zainab, “Women can only own their sect in the online space by supporting each other. Women must understand that the online space is a free space that seeks the contribution of all people. There’s also an opportunity to report cases of bullying and trolling like I once did, and action was taken. I had to report to the Kano State Police, which summoned the culprit. He was interrogated and later asked to apologise on the Facebook platform he used after confessing he used my photo with a derogatory statement without my consent on his page”.

She adds, “From that moment, all blackmail, insults and other sorts of cyberbullying against me has drastically reduced. There are several privileges to meeting with influential people which are necessitated by social media platforms among thousands of opportunities”.

According to Mr Abdulhameed Ridwan, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Skyline University Nigeria, a cybercrime act in Nigeria was established to serve as redress for cyberspace crimes such as cyberbullying, cybersecurity, and cyberstalking, among others. When offenders are caught, taken to court, and found, they either pay a fine or spend a substantial time in prison, depending on their crime.

Despite the availability of the law, there is still a low level of awareness on the part of social media users, and other users feel there is a delay in the judicial system, he added. His views corroborate well with that of Zainab, that many social media users in Nigeria are unaware of their rights and the available laws for protecting them.

This work was produced due to a grant from the Africa-China Reporting Project at the Wits Centre for Journalism at the University of the Witwatersrand. The opinions held are of the author(s). Nusaiba can be contacted via nusaibaibrahim66@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Muzzammil Bashir

She is a tall, plump, fair lady from the South. For the sake of privacy, let us call her Joy. She looked at me from head to toe and hissed, saying, “You should by now be in level 100 or 200.” I smiled uncomfortably. She added, “In fact, you’re supposed to be writing JAMB by now.” I asked her why. She replied, “You are too small to be in camp.” I managed to smile again and asked her how old she was. With a sheer, larger-than-life composure fully materialising on her face, she answered, “I’m so-and-so-year-old.” I humbly replied with my age number, and it became clear to us that I was two years older than her. She was full of apologies instantly. And guess what transpired after? We became friends.

It never occurred to me to write about my life on the camp until a day before our passing out when I was lying on my bed reflecting on the experiences I had had on camp. I wanted to write this piece immediately after we were out of camp, but many things took my attention elsewhere. I pray this piece may inspire those yet to enter the camp to open up their minds and embrace the life they are about to find inside the camp, as well as the general public to keep an open mind whenever they find themselves in a strange environment.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a one-year mandatory service that Nigerian graduates under 30 must undergo to teach unity and discipline. I had the opportunity to camp in Kano State in Batch B, Stream I. The camp opened on the 12th of July and closed on the 1st of August. It’s located in the Kusala Dam area of Karaye local government. The camp is bounded by the dam to the west and an army barracks to the north. The east border is where the local communities are settled, and the camp’s main entrance is at the south border. I read and heard a variety of suggestions from people who had camp experience on when I should set my travel to report to the camp on either the first day or on the second or third day, with some even suggesting one week after opening the camp while backing the benefits of their claims.

I weighed the options based on what I wanted to experience and achieve during camp. I chose to schedule my travel to reach camp on the first day. I got to the camp on Wednesday, July 12th, around 11 a.m. The first thing I noticed from the gate where our luggage was being checked before we moved on to the registration process was how the NYSC officials and the security personnel treated the corps members (CM). We were treated cheerfully with dignity and respect. After completing my registration, I moved to my hostel while others were going through the same process I went through. At around 3:45 p.m., the soldiers—instructors—asked us to go and wear our white shorts and T-shirts, the dress we were to spend our 21-day stay on camp wearing except on ceremonial occasions.

Among the first things you will hear from the NYSC officials at camp is that you do not own your time. The camp officials acknowledged it. They are the ones who tell you what to do at what time. You have to abide by it if you want to finish your orientation course in peace; otherwise, you will be decamped or punished depending on the severity of your misconduct. At around 4:05 p.m., they started blowing the bugle, a valveless sound instrument that serves as an alarm system in the military or paramilitary barracks. All the CMs that were able to finish their registration were marched to the parade ground, where we started receiving training on the basics of the match pass from the instructors after the usual welcome pleasantries. We were not released until 6:30 p.m., leaving most of us tired and stressed. After the Maghrib prayer at around 8 p.m., we went to the kitchen to collect our dinner. We were told there were no other activities for that day since it was our first day at camp. We, the Muslims, went to pray the Isha prayer and joined the rest at the mammy market to buy some items and other consumables for some of us who could not cope with the camp food. By 9:00 p.m., most of us had retired to the comfort of our beds to relax our bodies from the weariness of travel and parade activities so that we would have enough sleep and make tomorrow upbeat.

We sometimes hear many things about camp life before we enter camp. One such is that soldiers wake you up from sleep as early as 3:00 a.m. On our first night at the hostel, around 3:00 a.m., most guys were awake, fully kitted out in their whites, awaiting the bugle sound. The guy in my corner tried to wake me up at that time. I refused and told him we still had enough time to sleep because I had already checked it on the orientation guidebook given to us. I managed to cope with the noise and continued my sleep until 4:10 a.m., when I set my alarm before sleeping.

Alas, the sound of the mighty bugle came at around 4:45 a.m. By then, I was fully set to go out. The Muslims went to the mosque to do our Subh prayer, and the Christians went to the parade ground to observe their morning prayers. We joined them on the floor for morning meditation. The camp officials and instructors were there. Man O’War was there too. The camp PRO is in charge of moderating most of the events on base. She is a lady of average height, chubby, and black in complexion. She came to the front, took the mic, and greeted us, and we greeted her back. She then introduced the staffers, gave some instructions that would guide our peaceful stay on camp, and told us the schedule of activities for that day. She taught us the NYSC anthem and the national prayer (second stanza).

The first two to three days on camp are the most stressful for most coppers. We were subjected to only physical exercises and rehearsals for the swearing-in ceremony for those three days. The ceremony was scheduled to take place on Friday. So we started rehearsing on Wednesday afternoon of our first day of arrival. We were stressed out doing drills on the parade ground for most of the second day; even on the ceremony day, we did a final rehearsal in the morning before we were allowed to go and dressed up in our khaki trousers, crested vest, and jungle boots. The ceremony started at around 1100 hours after the arrival of the deputy governor of Kano State. After all the pleasantries and salutary parade went off, we were sworn in by the representative of the chief judge of Kano State.

From then on, the deputy governor gave his speech in English and Hausa and declared the orientation exercise open. We were then allowed to move around, socialise, and take pictures for memorabilia after the deputy governor was escorted back to his motorcade by the quarter guards and the NYSC officials. While on the parade ground during the ceremony, the sky started to go cloudy, giving all signs to start raining; we were forewarned that we were not allowed to move anywhere if it began to rain whenever we were on the parade ground, and more in particular during the ceremony in the presence of the special guest. Fortunately, in the first place, the rain started dropping lightly and stopped abruptly within a few minutes.

One of the core missions of the NYSC is to foster unity among Nigerian youths. This is achieved at camp through social activities and competitions between the different platoons; this brings harmony, gives a sense of belonging to the CM, and keeps their stay at camp from being boring. On this note, the NYSC orientation exercise, as some of us thought, is not entirely about drills during the three weeks. There are a lot of activities that are organised for the CM. Among them are sensitisation lecture series from various government and non-governmental organisations, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development (SAED) training, sports activities, cultural carnivals, social nights (where competition from drama to cultural and afro dances is observed), and cooking competitions, among others. After our swearing, the real camp life started, and we began to enjoy our stay there, with every day becoming increasingly impressive. Most camp friendships and love relationships form during this period and some even end in marriage. I made many friends, notably from the south and most from the north. From my short stay at camp, I cannot quantify the experience I gained, mainly from the coppers and some from the camp officials and non-camp officials (many market people). I had difficulty with the instructors’ (soldiers) language of instruction during the drills. They mostly give instructions in Pidgin English, and most of us from the North don’t understand it. I supposed they would use English, not vernacular, as a language of instruction since we are all graduates and should be treated as such.

One thing in common that most of my mentors have been advising me on is to seek leadership positions wherever I find myself. This will give me ample opportunities to gain leadership experience, build networking opportunities, and know how things are going in their grand scheme. This conviction led me to seek leadership positions and volunteer activities during my stay at camp. Everything in camp, from the level of the officials to the nonofficials and copper strata, is designed to have leadership roles. CM are each assigned to 10 different platoons by a computer algorithm. I found myself in Platoon 4. Each platoon is expected to have leaders who will coordinate its activities.

Leaders are mostly chosen through election or consensus by platoon members under the supervision of a platoon officer—an NYSC official. Hence, I had the opportunity to contest for the role of platoon leader. Two of us challenged: me and my colleague, Whinny. He was elected. Since we were both males who contested, an offer was thrown to the ladies for the position of deputy. Hence, I volunteered to take on the position of platoon secretary. Again, almost all the social activities have representatives from each platoon, mainly two people from each platoon. From social reps to sports reps, lecture reps, OBS (orientation broadcasting service) reps, parade commanders and their sub-guard commanders, and man o’ war, among others. These representative positions are primarily based on volunteerism and some on proficiency.

Upon all the rep’s volunteers during the process of selection, it never occurred to me to volunteer for anyone but lecture reps. I did that based on gut feelings; I instantly felt the urge to volunteer when it was announced. We were 20 lecture reps in number, two from each platoon. NYSC officials head the committee. Our main role is to come early in the morning, arrange the hall while morning meditation is going on at the parade ground, and help coordinate lecture activities. Also, six of us volunteered to take on the role of repertoires—the role of taking down key points of the lectures while they’re going on, typing them, and sharing them in our respective platoon WhatsApp groups for the sake of CM that were not around or not able to listen to the lectures attentively. This proved to be one of the two most demanding roles I had. It requires me to give my absolute attention to the lectures going on and, at the same time, take down important points. It deprives me of the informal opportunity to take a 2-3 minute nap that CM usually enjoy by cunningly dropping their facecap a little down to cover their eyes and escape being noticed by the officials during the lecture time. But the experience I had was worth the sacrifices. I met one of the most amazing people on camp on the committee. There is one of my Facebook friends, Abdoull Toro, whom I had never met face-to-face until in that committee. Surprisingly, we did not recognise each other until several days after we met in the committee during a normal chat we used to have while carrying out our assignment.

The other role that was so demanding was when I took on the position of Governor of Financial Inclusion Ambassadors with Chinecherem as my deputy, a very calm, intelligent young lady. This was during a 6-day training of financial inclusion ambassadors under the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in collaboration with NYSC and other sister federal agencies. The training aim is to train us with adequate knowledge to raise awareness of the knowledge and skills needed to manage individual, household, and business finances effectively, to build confidence in using financial products and services, and to strengthen participation in the formal financial sector in the community we are serving. This will serve as our CDS (community development service) during our service year, one of the four cardinal programs of NYSC; others include camp orientation, serving at the place of primary assignment, and winding up or passing out.

This training was one of the most insightful moments of my stay at camp. I found myself amid ambassadors who are majority holders of degrees in accounting, banking and finance, economics, and business administration, with me, a holder of a human anatomy degree, as their leader. The training session was mainly interactive and lively, to the point that time used to escape our notice. I met great people there who taught me many things about financial literacy and inclusion, especially our training instructor from the ministry, Mrs. Ruth Hussein, who was very accommodating and compassionate to us.

Even though holding a leadership position necessitates responsibilities, it usually comes with sacrifices. Among the camp activities I dearly missed were my drills. Members of our lecture committee do not usually attend morning meditations and parades. This left me only free to participate in afternoon parades when sports and rehearsals for parade competitions started. I was in first place among the competing parade CM. Then, out of the blue, financial inclusion training came, making me weigh my options. I chose financial inclusion based on personal convictions and other reasons. This caused me to be dropped from the parade group of my platoon because of my absenteeism. The six days of the training were the most stressful of my stay at camp. I will be in the hall from 5 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. in the morning for hall arrangements and morning lectures.

Then, I will return to the hall after breakfast from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. for another lecture series while doing the repertoire work. By 2:30 pm, after taking my launch, I will move to the training class to be there before anyone else as a leader to arrange the class and provide everything that we may require for its smooth running. We will not leave there until 5:30 p.m. when I will have a chance to go and watch football and volleyball marches. Between the periods of Magrib and Isha prayers, that is where I mostly used to have time for chats with my roommates and other friends. Immediately after Isha’s prayer, I will move to the hall and locate a place, mainly in the front row, for social nights. I slept most days from around 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.; this enabled me to compensate for the siesta I was supposed to have in the afternoon and relieve my stress during the day.

While navigating the hilly valley camp life, trying to carry out all the responsibilities on my shoulders, as a human being with a desire for knowledge and life ambition, I have to make sure I create time for extracurricular activities that keep me spiritually active and intellectually creative. Under normal circumstances, even when I was in school, when it was time for semester exams, what I normally did first thing in the morning after Fajr prayer was my recitation of the glorious Qur’an before embarking on any other activity.

Camp life comes with different scenarios, and I don’t have the liberty to own my time for the time being. Despite that, I found time to recite 1-2 hizb daily throughout my camp stay. This enlightened my heart and gave me a sense of connection with my Creator. Even though all these were going on, as an avid reader of books, spending 1 or 2 days without reading makes me feel like a part of my body is missing, which I must find and place back to feel complete. I managed to read one book in camp—the book that we were reading at The Literati Book Club that month. This at least gave me a sense that I’m still moving on the right path towards my life purpose.

Apart from the experience I gained from the leadership positions I held and the volunteerism in which I engaged myself, I was given favours from the officials I interacted with and some from friends and colleagues during my stay at camp. Since before my graduation from the university, I have had the ambition to serve in Kano due to its ample opportunities, particularly in the commerce sector. My ambition later changed to Lagos, which I dropped for some reasons. Our call-up letter was not uploaded to the portal until a day before the commencement of camp in the afternoon.

I was so happy when I saw I was posted to Kano State, the state I desired. I had nothing better to do than thank the almighty God. Under normal circumstances, CM seeks to relocate to their desired state for health issues, marriage, or personal reasons. Some CMs follow the lawful means to get approval for their relocation if they meet the criteria. While some follow unlawful means, resulting in many of them falling prey to scammers. My engagement with officials gave me the privilege to relocate wherever I wanted. But what I wish to do is Kano. I was privileged to choose where I should be posted for my primary assignment. I did not have anywhere in mind. My response was always anywhere that is pretty good.

My 21-day stay at the NYSC orientation camp is momentous, with bundles of experience, knowledge, and networks I will continue to cherish.

Muhammad Muzzammil Bashir wrote via mbashir199@yahoo.com.

By Tijjani Ahmad, FCA

Our lives are often shaped by the people we meet along the way, and for me, one of those people has been a dear friend whose journey I’ve witnessed since our junior secondary school days. Dr MI Aminu’s life is a testament to the power of determination, hard work, and the pursuit of excellence, leading to his remarkable success as an academic and career professional.

Our paths first crossed in junior secondary school, where we shared the challenges and triumphs of those formative years. From there, we ventured into senior secondary school, navigating the complexities of education and personal growth side by side. But our educational journey was far from over. After completing our senior secondary education, we took a significant step in our academic paths by attending the College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies (CAS), Kano, for IJMB A-level. During these pivotal years, we solidified our friendship and embarked on a shared journey of intellectual growth.

It was after our time at CAS that our paths diverged. Dr Aminu pursued his dreams at Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS), where he chose to study Business Administration, driven by his passion for business and entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, I ventured to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, to pursue a degree in accounting, charting my unique course.

While our locations and fields of study differed, our friendship remained steadfast. We supported each other from afar, exchanging stories of our academic pursuits and experiences. It was evident that a shared desire for knowledge and personal growth drove both of us. After completing his studies, Dr. Aminu entered the corporate world, working tirelessly in the banking sector for four years. During this time, his dedication to knowledge and personal growth never wavered.

The academic world beckoned at this stage, and he answered its call. He left his banking career to pursue an academic path, starting with Kano State Polytechnic. This transition reflected his commitment to knowledge and desire to inspire the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. His academic journey reached a pinnacle when he set his sights on a PhD in Entrepreneurship. This pursuit took him to Malaysia, where he immersed himself in research and scholarship, guided by the erudite Prof. Rosli Mahmood, one of the foremost professors in the field of management and entrepreneurship in Asia. Under Prof. Mahmood’s mentorship, Dr Aminu honed his expertise in the area he was so passionate about.

Upon earning his PhD, Dr Aminu returned and found his way to one of the prestigious universities in Nigeria, ABU, Zaria, where he was welcomed as a faculty member. His dedication to research and scholarship is evident in his publication of over twenty articles in reputable journals, leaving an indelible mark on entrepreneurship, as reflected in the impressive 160 citations garnered by his works.

Beyond his scholarly achievements, Dr Aminu’s commitment to education shines brightly through his mentorship of over 20 MSc and PhD students. With a generous spirit and fervour for guiding the next generation, he imparts the values of perseverance and academic excellence. Dr Aminu’s unwavering commitment to research and his nurturing of future academics epitomises his lifelong dedication to knowledge and personal growth, serving as an inspiring testament to the transformative influence of education and mentorship.

But the story doesn’t end there. Dr. Aminu recently achieved another milestone in his academic career – he was promoted to the coveted position of Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at ABU, Zaria. This promotion is a testament to his years of dedication to academia, rigorous research, and his commitment to entrepreneurship. It is not just a title but a recognition of his contributions to the academic community and his impact on countless students over the years.

Dr MI Aminu’s remarkable journey reminds us that the pursuit of excellence and the fulfilment of one’s dreams are endeavours that require unwavering dedication and the courage to navigate diverse paths. His story underscores the profound impact of mentors and the importance of nurturing the next generation of leaders. It teaches us that regardless of the challenges we face or the twists and turns in our journey, with resilience and a steadfast commitment to our aspirations, we, too, can achieve greatness. His life is an enduring testament to the boundless possibilities that await those who embrace lifelong learning, pursue their passions, and inspire others.

Today, Dr. Aminu stands as a beacon of inspiration to all who have known him. His journey from our school days to his current position as an Associate Professor at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, is a testament to his unwavering commitment to education, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. May his story continue to inspire us all as we pursue our paths to success.

Tijjani Ahmad wrote from Kano via ahmatee123@gmail.com.