Northern Nigeria

By Adam Mustapha, PhD

Floods are natural disasters that occur globally, destroying lives and property, especially in developing countries like ours. As a natural disaster, it is caused by climate changes and human activities which distort the balance of environment, hosts and pathogens. Factors such as high sea level rise, urbanization, destruction of river banks, and deforestation increase the risk of flood disasters.

Flood results in the disturbance of the epidemiological triangle; environment, host and infectious agent, and as such, it could result in the emergence of new agents or re-emergence of infectious agents that previously existed. Therefore, the potential outbreak of infectious diseases is a matter of great concern, and urgent intervention is needed to break the chains of transmission.

Flood is known to increase the global burden of various infectious diseases, mortality, social and economic disruptions and displacement of people, which can result in both physical and psychological trauma. Of great concern is how flood causes the outbreaks of infectious diseases, as germs can easily be transported and contaminate drinking water sources, which will provide a conducive environment for the completion of the vector life cycle.

Like other developing countries, flooding has become an annual event in Nigeria, and many towns and cities are vulnerable and susceptible to it. This year, the Nigerian meteorological agency (NiMet) warned some states that they were at high risk of flooding in its yearly prediction of rainfall. Therefore, it was unsurprising that flooding hit many such states, states like Jigawa and Yobe have significantly been hit. In contrast, others such as Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Kogi, Niger, Delta, Rivers, Zamfara, Taraba, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, some parts of Ekiti, Edo and FCT are affected from moderately to low levels.

Flooding can cause waterborne diseases such as cholera, non-specific diarrhoea, typhoid and viral diarrhoea caused by Rotavirus. These diseases are known to peak after flooding as the pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites can be transported. In addition, the crowded nature of displacement camps can potentially result in and aggravate the outbreak of respiratory diseases.

The crowded nature of displacement camps can potentially result in the outbreak of respiratory diseases of different etiological agents. Wastewater is a breeding ground and carrier of infectious diseases. For instance, wastewater has the potential of spreading viruses, as they are known to be good-chance takers of a flood, which take days after flooding to meet their incubation cycle. Viral diarrheal diseases, such as hepatitis A and E, vector-borne viral diseases such as Yellow fever, and many others are also some diseases that could potentially spread after the flood.

The genome of some viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, are known to be detected in community wastewater and this call for concern as it can be disseminated during a flood. Another agent to worry about due to flood is Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). As water level and temperature rise, such a situation could fuel the growth of the agent. Environmental contribution to the development of infectious diseases is a significant public health concern that should not be ignored. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic-resistant genes are quickly disseminated in environmental wastewater, which could be further transported into the water system, which calls for concern.

Furthermore, the vector-borne disease can occur as a result of a flood because the development cycles of vectors are provided. For instance, mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and West-Nile fever tend to increase after floods. Rodent-borne diseases also expand during flooding because the flood increases contact between rodents and humans, resulting in outbreaks of such diseases. Common rodent-borne infectious agents due to flooding include Leptospirosis, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome etc.

Health interventions

 First, public health measures are essential in preventing infectious diseases due to floods. Therefore, preventive measures should be taken before, during and after the flooding.

Second, the provision of crucial intervention. The critical intervention is an active early warning system that can alert governments to prepare for possible outbreaks and send signals for evacuation of people at risk.

Third, the activation of rapid emergency response is also a necessity. This includes the provision of basic materials and health care services.

Fourth, after the flood, the activation of an effective surveillance method is mandatory for the early detection of an outbreak.

The key intervention is active early warning systems which can alert governments to prepare for possible outbreaks and send signals for evacuation of people at risk. At this stage, all stakeholders and the public must act on time. However, compliance is low due to a lack of an alert system or people refusing to abide by the warning system. Furthermore, risk assessment is needed to ensure that no basic amenities are disrupted due to floods.

Moreover, there is a need for vector control after the flood to break the chains of transmission. There is a need for collaboration among all public health stakeholders. Public enlightenment and outreaches are equally essential intervention measures.

Finally, provisions of clean water, sanitation and hygiene after the flooding to prevent infectious disease outbreaks are also very significant.

Adam Mustapha, PhD, is a clinical and medical microbiologist. He wrote from the Department of Microbiology, University of Maiduguri, via adadmustapha@unimaid.edu.ng.

By Aliyu A. Ammani

Those following happenings in social media could not have missed the debates and controversies generated by the rise in tribal identity consciousness among the Hausa in Nigeria. Identity among the Hausa has been suppressed by the mischievous use of the tag “Bamaguje”, masked by “Hausa-Fulani” and “Arewa” labels, and tacitly put into question over the years. Many people see in this increasing consciousness a threat to the coexistence between the Hausa and the Fulani, two tribes living together for centuries in Hausaland.

A series of conspiracy theories are churned to explain the genesis of this resurgence on social media, most of which sound somewhat ridiculous. The conspiracy theorists appeared not to see the wood for the trees. There are two primary reasons behind the resurgence of interest in Hausa identity in Nigeria today.

First, the Bororo Fulani banditry in mainstream Hausaland on populations that are essentially Hausa, and its attendant destruction of lives and properties, maiming, looting, raping of women, kidnapping for ransom etc. Thousands of towns and villages across Hausaland have been sacked. Communities of free law-abiding citizens are forced back to the dark age of slavery; abled-bodied men are attacked and abducted, sometimes right inside mosques on Fridays. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes are always willing to tell the world they are Fulani, fighting for Fulani against the Hausa. The reader can hear from the Horse’s Mouth in the following audio-visual documentaries available on YouTube: (i) BBC Africa Eye Documentary “The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara”, (ii) Trust TV’s “Nigeria’s Banditry ‘The Inside Story” and. (iii) video coverage of Dr Ahmad Gumi’s meeting with Zamfara Bandits at Shinkafi.

Second, and most importantly, the attitude of city-dwelling Fulani, including some notable traditional and religious leaders in Hausaland, in the face of Bororo banditry. Instead of publicly dissociating themselves from the atrocities or publicly declaring that terrorists like Bello Turji, Dogo Gide and Ado Aleru do not represent the Fulani, they seem more comfortable fabricating excuses for the bandits in tongue-in-cheek statements.

The leaders say, “their cattle were rustled”, “traditional cattle routes were blocked by new farmlands and settlements”, “the Fulani are not in it alone, there are other tribes including the Hausa aiding and supporting them”, and “the governments neglect the Fulani, …” etc. Not a single traditional ruler in mainstream Hausaland came out to publicly take an impartial stand, as did the emir of Muri. Even Miyetti Allah, the Fulani association that is always quick to cry blue murder whenever the interest of the Bororo appeared threatened, appeared to lose its voice. Thus, projecting an impression that while Bororo Fulani are busy terrorising and destroying Hausa populations and settlements, city Fulani are busy manufacturing and propagating excuses and justifications for the atrocities.

Can one sincerely justify banditry or rebellion by Fulani in Hausaland, a land that is practically a Fulani territory? The most important traditional rulers in Hausaland are Fulani. The key political figures and public officials in Hausaland are Fulani. The most notable Islamic clerics and religious leaders are Fulani. Even in Hausa settlements outside Hausaland, the heads of the communities, known as “Sarakunan Hausawa” (singl. Sarkin Hausawa) majority are Fulani. Therefore, the Fulani should be the last to rebel in Hausaland!

The Hausa, hitherto feeling that he has ‘his back covered’ by the Fulani, feels betrayed. With the scales falling off his eyes, he began to see the writing on the wall: “You are on your own”. This ignites the process that sparked the chain of reactions that we now see on social media as the resurgence of interest in Hausa identity, what others see as the dissociation of Hausawa from the Fulani.

There is indeed the tendency that a reawakening of identity consciousness among the Hausa is capable of igniting an equal spark in Fulani identity among the almost “hausanised” Fulani in Hausaland. This could lead to an upsurge in identity politics among both groups, leading to extremism where elements from both tribes could begin to see and interpret processes and events on a “we versus them’ basis. Traces of such extremism are already visible. However, the possibility of such a tendency should not be reason enough to deny the Hausa of their rights to tribal identity, association and aspirations for the simple reason that other Nigerian tribes have been enjoying such rights without posing any threat to their coexistence with other tribes in Nigeria.

The upsurge in Hausa identity revival has started and cannot be stifled or halted. The genie is already out of the bottle. The question that begs an answer is, “which way forward”? The way forward is not in the identification and clamping down on the persons or group managing pro-Hausa identity revival social media handles as is being suggested by some Islamic clerics across Northern Nigeria. This is more likely to compound rather than solve the problem.

The solution is for the ‘organised Fulani front’ to confront and respectfully address the fears of the Hausa people (of a conspiracy to annihilate them). They should also give them their assurance and publicly dissociate the Fulani from the activities of terrorists like Bello Turji & Co, and commence the process of rebuilding mutual trust and respect between the Hausa and Fulani.

Aliyu A. Ammani wrote via aaammani@yahoo.co.uk fromU/Shanu, Kaduna, Nigeria.

By Ishaka Mohammed

A 37-year-old man from Kogi State, Yusuf Shuaib, has launched a social media platform to bridge the gap between Nigerians and owners of social media companies.

The platform, named Ayema Social, was completed in June 2022, but the application was officially launched in September.

Yusuf holds a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies from Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU) (formerly Kogi State University), Anyigba, Kogi State. He started his technology journey during his service year in Kano in 2009 when he enrolled in an information technology diploma.

In a chat with The Daily Reality, Yusuf revealed that he wanted to do something to change the popular belief that Islamic studies graduates can only become teachers or lecturers. However, his interest in becoming a developer had barely sparked off until after observing the role of social media in the 2015 general elections. 

Concerning the number of users so far, Yusuf said Ayema Social had recorded over 260 users within its two weeks of launch. “It was made public earlier this month [September] after being subjected to a series of tests for over two months, and our target is a minimum of a million users by December, God willing,” he said.

He also revealed that the application had been endorsed by some dignitaries, including the member representing Ankpa/Olamaboro/Omala Federal Constituency, Honourable Abdullahi Ibrahim (Halims); the executive director of special projects at Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, Mr Tijjani Baba; and a senior officer of the Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain Ishaka Yakubu.

The founder, however, disclosed that only Android phones support the application version at the moment as he is still sourcing money to work towards making it accessible to users of Apple phones and iPads.

Regarding the security of users, Yusuf told The Daily Reality that the platform, which is named after his mother, Ayema, is bound by extant law global standards for data security and confidentiality, adding that the company is also in technical support partnerships with both Rayjoh Global Resources and Logical Address Limited.

Ayema Social shares many features with Facebook, and users can opt for either the website www.ayema.ng or its Android application version available on Google Play Store.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Zamfara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the Federal High Court decision that nullified the state gubernatorial primary election, which produced Alh. Dauda Lawal as its flag bearer in the forthcoming general election.

The Daily Reality reported Friday that the court, preceded by Justice Aminu, has invalidated the PDP’s primary election and ordered that a fresh primary election must be conducted to ensure just and fairness.

Alh. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, a 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, reacting in a statement by the state it secretary, Faruk Ahmad, the party said we “wish to acknowledge the Federal High Court Gusau Judgement which ruled that, the Primary election conducted by our noble party is null and ordered for fresh primaries.

“We in the PDP are known to be law-abiding and grassroots politicians who respect and believe in the supremacy of law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that of our party as well as the guidelines enshrined to guide us in the party affairs.

“As defendant in suit failed by some of our aggrieved members concerning the Governorship primary election which produced Dr Dauda Lawal as the flag bearer of the PDP in Zamfara State, we received the court’s decision in good faith, and a team of our lawyers are studying the judgment with a view to coming up with the next line of action within the ambit of the law.

“The PDP in Zamfara state did well in conducting the primary election in a well manner for fairness and justice, but the Federal High Court, Gusau, after intense debates, ruled against our party and other defendants in the suit.

“Meanwhile, we remain committed and determined to reclaim Zamfara State and bring it back to life and make it work again for the betterment of our people who are now living under abject tension, restlessness, fairness, hunger and other atrocities. We shall (Insha Allah) cross these hurdles and ensure the solid unity of our members.

“Our decision as regards the judgment will be made available after our lawyers conclude the study of the judgment and present to us their recommendations which the PDP leadership will decide on.

“We are therefore calling on our members to be calm and remind resolute in ensuring the success of the PDP in Zamfara State and county in General. We employ you to continue giving support and cooperation to party leaders at all levels,” the statement added.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A rival battle broke out between the late Abubakar Shekau’s Boko Haram faction and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants.

The Thursday incident also led to the killing of notorious commander Kundu and several other fighters at Dikwa and Bama local government areas of Borno State.

Reports disclosed that Kundu and his team members were on a robbery mission when ISWAP stormed them on six motorcycles, conveying three fighters on each, carrying deadly machine guns.

A security analyst and a counter-insurgency in Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama, confirmed the fight.

He said, “A heavy fight ensued between the terrorists resulting to dozens of casualties on the side of the Boko Haram terrorists, while few ISWAP terrorists were wounded.

“The Boko Haram terrorists took to their heels, leaving their motorcycles to the ISWAP terrorists.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Federal Government of Nigeria, today Thursday, has said that the family of Kaduna-Abuja train victims should be at ease as the arrest of Tukur Mamu will not halt the efforts to rescue those in captivity.

The Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingiyadi, disclosed this in Abuja after the NSC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chambers.

The Daily Reality reported how more than 60 passengers were abducted when terrorists attacked the train conveying them from Abuja to Kaduna. However, today marks exactly 186 days after their abduction and 23 of the victims are still in captivity while others, on the hand, who regained their freedom, were said to have allegedly paid N100 million as ransom.

The Daily Reality also reported that the bandits negotiator was first arrested in Egypt on the orders of the federal government of Nigeria on Wednesday, September 7, 2022.

He was later brought back to Nigeria where he was, again, arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Our reporters learned that the train victims have not communicated with their families since Mamu’s arrest.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Department of State Services, DSS, said its preliminary investigation has established that the Desert Herald publisher, Tukur Mamu, sponsors terrorism. 

This was made known by the DSS through its lawyer, Ahmed Magaji, in an affidavit supporting a motion before the Federal High Court, FHC, in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to the DSS, Mamu was on his way to a meeting with foreign terrorists when he was arrested by Interpol last week. They also disclosed that he is a logistics manager of both local and foreign terror organizations. 

The presiding Justice, Evelyn Maha, has granted the motion sought to detain Mamu for 60 days in order to allow unhindered investigation.

The Daily Reality had reported that Mamu was arrested in Cairo while on his way to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alongside his wives.

By Khalid Imam

The Northern Nigerian Writers’ Summit (NNWS) elects new Executive officers to pilot its affairs for a two year term.

The election held at Katsina State Secretariat Conference Hall on 11st September, 2022 was conducted by a Four Man Electoral Committee under the able leadership of Professor Idris Amali, the DVC Admin., Federal University, Lafia. Professor Albishak, MON and Professor Yusuf Adamu served as Members with Zahradeen Ibrahim Kalla, former Treasurer of NNWS serving as the Secretary. At the end of the Congress, members of NNWS in attendance voted in new officials.

Those elected and their portfolios included Dr. Bashir Abu Sabe as the new Chairman, Isyaku Bala Ibrahim as Vice Chairman, Khalid Imam as the General Secretary, while Isma’ila Bala is to serve as the Ass. Gen. Sec..

Other included the Financial Secretary, Dr. Shamsudeen Bello, Treasurer, Abubakar Zukogi, PRO North Central
Tim Cuttings, PRO North West, Dr. Murtala Uba Mohammed, PRO North East, Legal Adviser
Ogbe Benson Aduojo Esq., Auditor Fatima Bello and an Ex-Officio, Auwal Gata

Soon after taking oath of office, swiftly administered by the reelected Legal Adviser, the reelected Chairman, Dr. Bashir Abu Sabe delivered a brief acceptance speech in which he thanked call members for their votes of confidence and giving him new mandate. He also appealed to all new Executives to put all hands on deck for them to reinvigorate the association. He concluded by calling on all members and other stakeholders to support him to provide the desired leadership the association needs to attain greater hight.

The election coming on the second day of the Two Day Conference and the first Arewa Literary Awards the NNWS organized. Thereafter what followed immediately was the illuminating papers presentation by carefully selected literary scholars and some writers from different regions of the North with papers presented in Fulfulde, Hausa, Nupe and Tiv indigenous languages.Prior to that, the Keynote Address was presented by Professor Saleh Abdu, former DVC, Federal University, Kashere after the conference was declared officially openned by His Excellency, Right Honourable Aminu Bello Masari who was ably represented by Honorable Abdulkarim Sirika, the Commissioner of Information, Culture and Home Affairs.

The unveiling of “Tulu: A Multilingual Anthology of Northern Nigerian New Writings” was the hallmark of events held on the opening day of the Two Day Conference on Northern Nigerian Indigenous Literatures and Languages themed: ‘ Indigenous Literatures and Languages as Vehicle for Taming Insecurity in Northern Nigeria”.

A powerful delegation of NNWS led by Professor Idris Amali were warming received by His Excellency, the Right Honourable Aminu Bello Masari, the Governor of Katsina State at his residence.

On Day Two, participants toured some fascinating historic sites in Katsina and the Daura Emir’s Palace.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Kebbi State Government has donated N100 million to the state Hisbah Committee to strengthen its activities of promoting moral values and tackling social ills.

The donation was made known by the state governor, Atiku Bagudu, at a fund raising event to mark twenty years anniversary of the committee on Sunday.

The Daily Reality reporters gathered that the committee, whose doggedness was commended by all, was hoping to raise N120 million for its service.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) acknowledged the performance of the committee.

The minister made a donation of N5 million to the Hisbah committee while the state APC gubernatorial candidate, Dr Nasir Idris, donated N500,000.

Many people who have commended Kebbi State Government believed that this gesture is worth emulating to strengthen the activity of the Hisbah in other states.

By Nura Jibo

There is no point wasting time on Nigerian leaders and their style of leadership.

Since its independence, Nigeria has been embroiled in a series of leadership experimentation. And the reality of its situation is that it cannot develop! I argued this position nineteen (19) years ago in a full-page opinion column in Daily Trust stable of 19 November 2003, page 6. I highlighted the dual mandate of Lord Lugard extensively.

Nigeria falls squarely under a plural society with several groups of population sharply divided along religious, ethnic and cultural formations. The sharp divide between the North and South qualifies the country as a plural community with lots of ethnic, tribal, religious and cultural conflicts.

Unlike the pluralistic United States, which was or/and is able to embrace a cultural semblance, Nigerian people are yet to even start appreciating the essence of togetherness. Its people’s behaviour (s) is not significantly different from dual societies such as Belgium and Rwanda, for example. Under these dual societies, each group accounts for about eighty-five per cent ( 85%) of cultural independence.

Now contrast my assertion with other countries of the world that have this duality in operation. Belgium, for example, is a classical example with its significant population from France and another group of Flemish identities. But today, the GDP value of Belgium accounts for more than 0.45% of the world economy.

Sweden, on the other hand, constitutes more of a singular society with ethnic swedes population of up to 80.3%. The rest are Syrians 1.9%, Iraqis 1.4%, Finnish 1.4% and others 15%.

Now contrast this with Senegal, which has a near-perfect singular society with a predominantly Muslim population that accounts for 94% that two Christian Presidents ruled for two decades. And yet the Senegales lived peacefully under those Christian Presidents.

Nonetheless, Sweden, because of its large singular population with the same cultural, tribal and ethnic semblance, has been enjoying peace for over 500 years!

Why Senegal did not enjoy this kind of Swedish peace is a subject for another day.

Now coming back to Nigeria as a plural society, it cannot develop like the United States because of its multifaceted traditional beliefs and cultural barriers brought about by the colonial demarcations and global mapping.

One wonders why the colonialists drew their countries’ maps so perfectly that it favours them from all angles.

Indeed, Gérardus Mercator did not favour Africa and all African nations like Nigeria when he came up with his conformal cylindrical map projection that he and his groups originally created to display accurate compass bearings for sea travel. In the end, they added additional features to this projection in form of local shapes by defining them as “accurate” and “correct”. The irony is they demarcated Europe so perfectly at a finite scale by drawing Nigeria and all African countries at an infinitesimal scale in 1569.

That is why Nigerians, even though are pluralistic under Mercator’s cylindrical mapping, the diverse population do not share common identities and cultural semblance like the Swedes.

People like me that consider Geography as the mother of history will continue to question the division or/and the dichotomous drawing of the African continent, which did not in any way and spot favours its people to grow and develop.

Therefore, it is not out of place or context to say or/and conclude that Nigeria and the African continent cannot develop as it is because the African States can’t take advantage of their multiethnic, multicultural and multireligious Mercator “gifts”.

Instead, they will continue revolving leadership that is corrupt and very dangerous for national and international development.

And, of course, there is the need for me to explore the ambivalent nature and relationship(s) between what is wrong with Nigerian and African leaders, their leadership styles and the African condition by tracing these to the fundamentals.

In the end, we may conclude that it is better for Nigerians and Africans to move out of Nigeria and Africa and settle somewhere in Europe and the Americas because the conditions there are more favourable and Mercatoristic than living in the African continent that is deliberately mapped out not to grow and excel by the colonial masters. I will, in the end, take a tour to Rwanda and Senegal to sit with the former African Union president, His Excellency Paul Kagame and its current Chairperson, His Excellency President Macky Sall of Senegal.

But before I do that, I hope to write formal open letters to President Kagame and President Sall on the way, I think the African continent and its people must follow to call or agitate for a united African Security Council. This will be distinct from the United Nations Security Council. It is when we have this, in my view, that we can call for an emergency meeting with European Union and redraw the map of Africa in an African style. Only then can we start championing the cause of Africanity, and its revolutionary proposal, and the triumph of facts for its underdevelopment will begin to emerge through the ages.

But as it is, the message to all Africans, including Nigerians, is: Never care to suffer about elections or having a better Nigeria or Africa. Because the duo are not meant to grow.

Indeed, listening to former and current Nigerian leaders and their African counterparts’ leadership “gospels” will never change anything. Rather it will inflict more pain and quandary on Nigerians and Africans, multivalent French, American, British and European marketers, negotiators and their marketability of African continents’ wars and resources.

Nura is a Research Analyst for the Director of Whitney Plantation in Louisiana, United States.