The Nation Newspaper

Category: Friday

  • Some notes on emergency rule in Rivers State

    Some notes on emergency rule in Rivers State

    Those who foolishly sought power by riding on the back of a Tiger, will end up inside it” … John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States of America

    In my view, His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Similayi Fubara, made a strategic mistake when he triggered a situation that culminated in the political logjam. I am saying this because, whether we like it or not, Governor Fubara is a political godson of former Governor and current Honorable Minister of Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria (FCT), Barrister Nynesom Wike. We should also recall that in the build-up to the 20203 elections, Governor Fubara who was then the Accountant General of Rivers State, as an appointee of Governor Wike, was playing the “cat and mouse” game with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), whereby he was being investigated for some allegations of financial crimes; and from available information in the media, the then Governor Wike was giving Fubara political cover. Ironically, how the relationship between the godson and his godfather melted down is a function of how Governor Fubara was not able to apply emotional intelligence and political strategy to manage his boss and political godfather for the long game.

     Being a man who appointed him as the Accountant General of River State from the position and having worked with him for over 4 years, those years as one of his key allies and right-hand men, Governor Fubara should have understood the personality type and temperament of his boss. The fact that the then Governor Wike, in 2023, ensured the emergence of Mr. Fubara as the PDP Gubernatorial candidate for Rivers State against all odds, should have also been a food for thought for Governor Fubara. This is notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Wike was also supported into Government by someone else. But that should not be the reason why Governor Fubara should have played the same template that Governor Wike played. There is a Hausa proverb that says, “Where someone goes to dance and he is given money, if another person goes to dance in the same place, he will be beaten up”. In other words, “different strokes for different folks”. Therefore, Governor Fubara should have been more circumspect of his understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of his boss as well as the threat that his political godfather could pose to his tenure as Governor, and as such, he could have mapped out a better political survival strategy ab initio.

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    Now, I am not excusing Governor Wike for lack of patience or lack of introspection. But in my own humble view, the heap of the responsibility of patience and wisdom is more on Governor Fubara than Governor Wike. Indeed, for the cheerleaders of Governor Fubara, they did not help Governor Fubara from a strategic perspective to recognize that much as he is in a hurry to wean himself off his political godfather and mentor, and be independent; detaching himself from his political godfather should have been done strategically with a long-term vision in mind. After all Governor Fubara would have been naïve or reckless (I say this with all due respect) to have assumed that such political patronage was coming to him freely at no cost (whether he remained loyal to Minister Wike or not). By cost, I am not basically talking about financial cost, but including social and political implications. 

    Therefore, the decision of Governor Fubara to take up his former boss should have been made with a sense of history and a sense of reality. Governor Fubara knows that even in other climes, not in Nigeria, it is certainly a Herculean task for one to detach himself/ herself from his political godfather/ mentor, especially when the political father is responsible for his ascension into office in the way and manner that it mostly happens in Nigeria. Otherwise, the best play would have been for Governor Fubara to have gone to seek the Governorship on his own, get a nomination of the PDP or other political parties, and fund his campaign and work to win his election. For example, how President William Ruto was able to detach himself from President Uhuru Kenyatta to stand on his own, build a political movement, and win elections against the odds of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his power of incumbency in 2022.

     Furthermore, from a logical perspective, he who goes for equity should go with clean hands. It was not strategic for Governor Fubara to have immediately taken his boss head-on less than 2 months after he succeeded his boss, Minister Wike. Knowing the kind of person Governor Wike is – a dogged, determined, unforgiving, highly resourceful, and strategic man- the question is, was Governor Fubara suddenly realizing who Governor Wike is after he accepted and benefited from all the opportunities given to him by Governor Wike? How come Governor Fubara could not work with or manage Governor Wike even if it is one more year or 1 term for him to gather his senses of reasoning, logic and direction for him to be able to reposition himself, even if he wants to upstage his boss – which in my opinion is going to be a tall order.  Clearly, Governor Fubara fell into the trappings of his ego and what I call the allure of “political cheerleaders” who hide under the disguise of fighting for the betterment of River State (while using Governor Fubara as a Cannon Fodder for their individual and collective fights against Minister Wike) and pushed him into the pit of fight with his political godfather and now we have a political cul-de-sac in Rivers State.

     It would have been more politically expedient for Governor Fubara to have played the long game. I can give instances of case studies as follows: the former Governor of Kano State, and current national Chairman of APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and his hitherto political leader, former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso. Dr. Ganduje didn’t start fighting his former boss. He took his time and mapped out his strategy, the inevitable fall-out that ensured. That way, Dr. Ganduje is able to survive his two terms in office and extend his political relevance to the national level. We also have the case of the first executive Governor of Kano State (from 1979 to 1983), late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, and his then political godfather, late Mallam Aminu Kano. When late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi realized that there is no way he could upstage his political godfather in Kano  State and within the political party of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) at that time, towards the end of his first tenure, build up to the 1983, he decided at to resign from the PRP and decamped to Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NPP) and contest the elections for his second term (not at the beginning) as Governor of kano state which he failed albeit he was able to safe face to have more better political survival (having created the “Santsi” movement even within the PRP). That was a neater clean cut out than what Governor Fubara is doing. Indeed, even late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi ended that political stage of his political career with political scars. In the case of the former Governor of Oyo State, Dr. Rasheed Ladoja versus his hitherto political leader, late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu; Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja took a little bit more time before he reacted against late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu. The rest is history because indeed at the end of that saga, even though Alhaji Rashed Ladoja was impeached and the Supreme Court returned him, he could not get a second term, and since then he has never returned to political reckoning at the state and national level in the past 18 years. My point is, Fubara should have been more circumspect in managing his boss over and beyond the cheerleaders who were hitherto even against him during the build-up for his gubernatorial campaign in Rivers State, where some of the people claimed that he didn’t even win the election, that the election was rigged in his favor. And then suddenly some of them have come to his side, nudging him and kneading him, and now they cannot help him.

     In this write-up, my objective is not to be politically correct, but to be practical in the circumstance and for us to look at how we get to where we are today with a view to understanding the political dynamics and the potential outcomes of taking such positions.

     So, going forward, political actors should think deeply when they are offered opportunities to aspire for public or political office so as to decide whether they are ready to go for the long run or if they want to test their political sagacity to go on their own without the so-called political godfathers.  Otherwise, by taking the mouthwatering offer of political office by playing rodeo on the back of a tiger, thinking that you can outsmart the tiger, will be at your own peril!

     My hope is that in the end, this political logjam will be in the overall interest of the people of River State, and it will be a lesson to all of us. Because in the end, no matter how badly they fight, politicians always ultimately settle somehow, somewhere, someday.

  • Leadership problem: Islamic solution

    Leadership problem: Islamic solution

    Preamble

    Today’s title in this column is not originally a coinage of ‘THE MESSAGE’. It is rather the theme of a public Ramadan lecture organised by MUSTAPHA AKANBI FOUNDATION (MAF) in Ilorin to which yours sincerely was invited as guest lecturer on August 29, 2010.

    The name Mustapha Akanbi cannot be strange to any contemporary educated Nigerian. It is a household name in Nigeria and beyond especially for those who are familiar with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other miscellaneous offences Commission (ICPC). The first Chairman of that Commission is Justice Mustapha Akanbi, an erstwhile President of the Federal Appeal Court of Nigeria.

    The Foundation

    Established in September 2006 shortly after the founder voluntarily resigned as the Chairman of ICPC despite the overwhelming pressure on him to continue, MAF is a non-governmental and non-partisan organisation dedicated to the uplift of mankind, to the enthronement of justice, equity and fair play as well as the promotion of the quintessential virtues of honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability in all human activities.

    The Foundation is committed to being in the vanguard of revolutionary changes aimed at reforming and transforming our society from being a body of self-serving individuals to a nation that places high premium on selfless service for the common good of all. The Foundation therefore, has, as its focus, the building and sustenance of a great nation founded on sound ethical values and good governance capable of holding its own in the comity of nations. It is in line with its focus that the Foundation chose the theme above and invited yours sincerely as the guest lecturer. At the occasion, I alluded briefly to the significance of Ramadan in the life of an average Muslim.

    About Ramadan

    Ramadan is no doubt the busiest month of the year for any genuine Muslim in any part of the world. It is the month in which paradise is liberally thrown open to those who are seeking to gain entry into it. It is mankind’s month of reunion with the Almighty Allah through repentance, remorse, reformation and new resolutions. In Nigeria, this sacred month wears a unique garment which even the blind can perceive with his or her inner eyes.

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    In Ramadan, every minute is meaningfully busy. Every moment is heavily pregnant and every soul is consciously cautious just as every reasoning faculty is spiritually engaged. There is no dull moment. With the introduction of Ramadan public lecture as distinct from the usual exposition of the Qur’an (Tafsir) in Lagos, Nigeria, about 40 years ago, the Nigerian Muslim Ummah introduced a useful innovation into the modern Muslim world to the benefit of humanity at large.

    With Ramadan lectures which invariably come up at weekends in the month, an opportunity was created for multitudes of Muslims to assemble at one point or another to be meaningfully engaged and learn through those lectures certain facts about Islam which could hardly be learnt from other sources.

    History of Ramadan Lecture

    The idea of Ramadan lecture arose in 1986 from a disappointment experienced with a pseudo Muslim who held an important position at a National Television Authority (NTA) station in Lagos but used such a position to suppress Islam. The man bluntly rejected a Cheque paid to his station for the sponsorship of Night air preaching which had been introduced the previous year due to unavailability of air space for Muslim preaching in the days.

    He called such sponsorship meant to educate Muslim multitudes during their Sahur in the nights of the sacred month an act of fanaticism. He also referred to his predecessor in office who initiated the idea as a fanatic. I knew this detail because I personally took the Cheque in question to him, which was issued by Bashorun MKO Abiola, and his brutish vituperation was poured directly on me.

    It was out of this unbelievably shocking experience that three gentlemen: the late Alhaji Saka Fagbo, then a Director at NTA Channel 10 in Lagos, Alhaji Abdul Majeed Shofola, the late Alhaji Abdul Kabir Ayomaya a staff of NTA and yours sincerely then a correspondent in the now defunct ‘CONCORD’ newspaper put heads together and resolved to introduce what globally came to be called ‘RAMADAN LECTURE’.

    Bashorun Abiola’s Involvement

    The idea was sold to the late Bashorun MKO Abiola who gladly sponsored the very first lecture and pledged to continue its sponsorship in subsequent years as long as he lived. And he conscientiously fulfilled that promise until he was incarcerated by the Sani Abacha regime for claiming his legitimately given mandate in 1995. The very first Ramadan Lecture was delivered by the late Alhaji Abdus-Salam Olatunde, then a National Hajj Commissioner in Lagos. Today, this noble innovation is no longer a Nigerian Affair. It is universal. Alhamdu Lillah! We pray the Almighty Allah to repose the soul of all those who were instrumental to the introduction of Ramadan Lecture and are no more today in eternal bliss. Amin.

    The lecture

    As a preamble, I told my audience that thinking of leadership in terms of those who are privileged to govern the country alone can never solve the problem of bad leadership in Nigeria. Leadership does not start from the top. It is rather a matter of good home management and excellent upbringing of children. Leadership is like a pyramid which has a base and an apex. Whoever wants to assess leadership in a society must start from the base rather than the apex. It will be unreasonable to sight a major fault at the roof of a house when the foundation of the same house is evidently faulty. Generally, children learn from their parents’ actions more than from the latter’s words.

    Any parent who starts the upbringing of his or her children with lavish celebration of birthday without teaching such children the act of money making early in life has initiated them into the world of reckless spending spree. The tendency for such children when they grow up is to look for money from any source including pilfering and stealing. What will be virtuous to such children is to get money to spend. It will never matter to them how they come about such money. And that is the root of corruption in a society like Nigeria where parents assist their children in cheating in the examination or in getting admitted into higher institutions with fraudulent pre-requisites.

    Leadership in Islam

    In Islam, leadership is so sacrosanct that the Prophet never relented in warning all leaders and aspirants to leadership about the delicate nature of ruling the people. In his farewell sermon, he reminded the Muslim Ummah that leadership is a great responsibility entrusted to an individual by the society as sanctioned by the Almighty Allah. The Prophet also admonished the people on their responsibility to both the state and leadership quoting Qur’an 4, Verse 59 thus:

    “Oh you, who believe, Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (of Allah) and those charged with authority among you. If you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you do believe in Allah and the last day. That is best and most suitable for final determination”

    However, he did not stop there. He went further to explain that obedience to those charged with authority is conditioned by their own obedience to God in their deeds as well as the rule of law that governs them. In one of his statements, he said there is no obedience or loyalty to any human being, ruler or otherwise, who is not himself, obedient to God and the rule of law. He concluded that: “Whoever entrusts a man to a public office, where, in his society, there is a better man than this trustee, has betrayed the trust of God and His Messenger as well as the people of that society”.

    The Prophet’s Exemplary Leadership

    The exemplary leadership of the Prophet and his great teachings were scrupulously followed by the Caliphs who succeeded him in office.

     When, shortly after the Prophet’s demise, Abubakr was elected as the first Caliph, his primary objective was to continue the pious administration which the Prophet left behind. He took the mantle of leadership with which he was saddled as a responsibility to Allah.

    In his acceptance speech as new Head of State, he addressed the people as follows: “Oh people behold me charged with the cares of government. Yet, I am not the best of you. In carrying out this great responsibility, I need your advice and assistance. If you find me doing well, please support me. If I make mistake, counsel me.

    To tell the truth to a person commissioned to rule is faithful allegiance. So long I obey God and act according to law, obey me. But if I neglect the law of God and His Prophet, I have no more right to your obedience. The strong among you shall have no right over the weak on the basis of his strength. Neither shall there be any room for sycophancy, nepotism or undue favouritism. Authority, power and sovereignty belong to God in whose hand is dominion over all things….”

    From the foregoing, and contrary to what is happening today, especially in Nigeria, it is clear that leadership is a privilege rather than anybody’s right. It is a public trust which should not be betrayed under any circumstance. It is a responsibility to be carried out, not just with human face but with human heart as well. It is a humane and not sadistic public duty. It is a covenant between God and rulers on the one hand and rulers and the ruled on the other. It is a measure of conscience, piety and discipline. No one who is bereft of these traits should be entrusted with leadership.

    Other Caliphs after Abubakr followed suit and lived ascetic lives despite their access to unlimited state resources. Ali bn Abi-Talib, in particular, did not limit those qualities to himself. He extended them to his appointed Governors.

    While appointing Malik bn Ashtar as the Governor of Egypt he gave him certain instructions in writing and admonished him to follow those instructions to the letter in his governance in that country. Please read those instructions soon in this column and compare them with what obtains in Nigeria especially when new rulers are taking the so-called oath of office.

  • PBAT@73: A leader of bold, audacious and tenacious reforms

    PBAT@73: A leader of bold, audacious and tenacious reforms

    The world stood still on Monday, May 29, 2023, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) made the now-famous “Subsidy is gone” declaration at Eagle Square, Abuja, in his first address to the nation upon his inauguration as the 16th President of Nigeria, the biggest black nation on earth.

    This declaration not only caught everyone by surprise, but observers, analysts, and commentators were also stunned and wondered how much courage the President had mustered before uttering those three words. “Did the President know what he had just said?” many asked.

    But today, we can all testify to the stability and growth within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. In other words, the average Nigerian enjoyed a festive period without queues at fuel stations across the country in December 2023, and this trend continues. Nigeria has already bid farewell to “Egypt,” symbolizing its emergence from a period of hardship.

    Leadership is neither a title nor an office; it is an act of responsibility, a burden borne by those courageous enough to chart a new course for their people. In President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria has found a leader whose governance philosophy is built on the foundations of resilience, reform, and renewal. Since assuming office, he has made the difficult decisions others feared to confront, prioritizing long-term stability over short-term populism. The measure of a leader is not in comfort but in adversity. He took office at a time of economic turbulence, structural inefficiencies, and social discontent. Yet, rather than retreat, he advanced—ushering in policies that, while bold and sometimes uncomfortable, are shaping a Nigeria that is stronger, more stable, and primed for sustainable growth.

    This is not just the passing of another year in the life of a statesman; it is a moment to reflect on the breadth of his reforms, the depth of his vision, and the courage with which he has navigated one of the most challenging periods in our nation’s history. Upon assuming office, President Tinubu faced economic challenges, including policy inconsistencies, unsustainable debt, and a distorted forex market. His administration swiftly addressed these issues. Today, one of his boldest moves was removing fuel subsidy to save trillions of naira for infrastructure, health, social safety nets and education just to mention a few. He also rallied the Central Bank of Nigeria to unify the exchange rate, restoring investor confidence by clearing $5 billion in forex obligations. Government revenue has doubled to over N9 trillion, while debt servicing costs dropped from 97% to 68%.

    In the oil and gas sector, production rose to 1.61 million barrels per day, and the Port Harcourt Refinery resumed operations. His Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative has cut transport costs by 60%. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) deals worth over $500 million are boosting job creation.

    His administration prioritizes education and youth empowerment, launching the Student Loan Scheme with N45.6 billion already processed and N50 billion allocated. Programs like Skill Up Artisans (SUPA), Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), and National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) are equipping youths with employable skills.

    His governance reforms also include financial autonomy for local governments, a 300% salary increase for judges, and a minimum wage hike from N30,000 to N70,000. His leadership fosters efficiency, innovation, and impactful governance that are shaping and strengthening Nigeria’s progress.

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    For setting up a team comprising young people, technocrats and experts who have shown competence across their fields, the president’s vision was clear: governance must work for the people, and every institution must function with efficiency, integrity, and accountability. This guiding principle has empowered all appointees to drive historic reforms in various Ministries, Department and Agencies.

    For instance, the Ministry of Interior has transformed border security with a state-of-the-art Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC) commissioned to serve as the technological nerve centre with sophisticated  facilities such as the 8.3 petabyte Tier-4  Data Centre, the ECOWAS Biometric Card Production Centre, Visa Approval Centre, the Command and Control Centre and the deployment of the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) which has revolutionized border management. Today, through the support of Mr President, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) can now pre-profile travellers before they arrive into the country.

    While this facility is a game-changer in the use of data-driven approach and technology to beef-up our border management, the solution also integrates global security databases into our immigration systems.

    The introduction of e-gates at our international airports has streamlined immigration processes, while centralized passport application process  and a contactless renewal system have made travel documentation seamless. Even more is that it saves the government billions of naira annually as well as gives Nigerians comfort without compromising national security. 

    For the first time, Nigeria has been enrolled in ICAO’s global security system including the PKD/PKI (Public Key Directory and Public Key Infrastructure), a system that is instrumental to enhancing passport acceptability in compliance with global standards. This was done after the service had cleared its backlog of passport applications over of 200, 000 within three weeks. 

    With a new visa policy set to be activated, Nigeria is opening up its space for tourists, investors and foreigners. This is the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr President in action, creating a conducive business environment for all without jeopardizing national security.

    Nigeria has also expanded electronic border surveillance, now covering 60% of Nigeria’s 4,047km border space following the deployment of technological solutions. Over 30 operational vehicles have been added to the fleet of vehicles dedicated to the surveillance and patrol of our borders, ensuring better territorial integrity.

    Reforms in the Nigerian Correctional Service have seen biometric registration of all inmates, aiding security efforts. Within few months of the Tinubu government, over 4000 inmates held in custody for their inability to pay petty fines were released via a collaboration with the private sector to raise about N600m to this end. This singular act decongested the already overcrowded correctional facilities by 5%. This also saved the government over a billion naira that could have been appropriated to feeding these inmates.

    As of today, the government has approved and commenced the implementation of a 50% upward review of the feeding allowance of inmates across correctional centres in the country. Beyond feeding allowance, the government has also swiftly swing into action in ensuring inmates are given the best of care with the renovation currently ongoing in the correctional facilities across the country. Kuje Correctional Centre and at least 10 other have worn a new look. 

    The government has also approved the relocation of 29 correctional centres already encroached by urbanization across the country. For instance, the Agodi Correctional centre in Ibadan, Oyo State is situated right inside a market while the Ikoyi Correctional centre shares a fence with the Polo club. Not only is this against international practices and protocols, it is also a violation of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act (2019) which provides for a 100m buffer between a correctional facility and the next building. 

    In making the correctional centre a place of correctional, reformation, transformation and reintegration rather than a place of incarceration, deformation, and condemnation, the government has trained thousands of inmates in vocational skills to reduce the rate of recidivism.

     Today, inmates can now dream again and can fulfil their dreams of acquiring degrees even up to PHD level with a lot of them now enrolled in different courses in the National Open University.

    Furthermore, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been empowered to fulfil its core mandate of protecting critical national assets and infrastructure.

    The corps has swiftly moved to address critical issues such as oil bunkering, pipeline vandalization, protection of power and telecommunications facilities across the country. In the last few months, it has destroyed over one thousand illegal refineries and over 200 illegal oil dumps.

    The NSCDC has secured over 345 convictions, with 187 cases in court, while new operational vehicles, gunboats, and 10,000 trained agro-rangers now safeguard farms and the Mine Marshals now keep mining sites safe.

    The Fire Service has undergone a comprehensive rebranding, featuring world-class infrastructure designed to significantly reduce fire-related incidents nationwide. With the support of the President, 15 Rapid Response Vehicles and six heavy-duty fire trucks have been procured to enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, extensive renovations are underway at the National Fire Academy, with the goal of remodelling the institution to meet international standards and hub of capacity building for the west Africa sub region

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) only within few weeks last year cleared a backlog of over two million National Identification Number modification requests. This aligns with ongoing efforts to enhance identity management services in the country.

    The commission currently boasts of over 120 million enrolment in the national digital database. Also, in line with its commitment to streamlining the National Identity Management Commission’s database, the ministry has uncovered about 6,000 individuals from foreign countries who prior to this administration have illegally obtained National Identity Numbers (NIN). Furthermore, through collaboration with 257 institutions, a total of 332,715 students have been successfully registered for loans, with over 18,000 students already receiving payments under the student loan initiative.

    With the new Expatriate Administration System by the Ministry of Interior, the government is better poised to securing the country as well as supporting economic recovery plan by ensuring that all Expatriates working within the shores of Nigeria are documented in the database of the Nigeria Immigration Service.

    We cannot thank the President enough. He has used his good office to turn challenges to opportunities for growth and development. All inherited promotion backlogs for paramilitary officers have been cleared with over 50,000 paramilitary officers across agencies under the Ministry of Interior  promoted within eighteen months. Since its establishment in 1986, the Civil Defence Correctional Fire and Immigration Services Board had never commenced and completed promotion exercise in a calendar year. As we speak, the 2025 promotion exercise has started and is scheduled to be completed in the next few months.

    In strengthening the Board, the government has approved the expansion of its establishment structure to create vacancies and career path and growth.

    These acts of Mr President brought an end to career stagnation. Needless to talk about the approval and payment of peculiar and rent allowances for paramilitary officers to keep their morale high.

    Recently, the government approved the establishment of the National Paramilitary Academy which is a degree-awarding institution, like the Nigerian Defence Academy, that will train young persons. Young Nigerians will be admitted through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and undergo a rigorous four- to five-year training program. Upon graduation, they will receive certification and be deployed to manage paramilitary operations nationwide efficiently.

    Today, through the foresight of Mr President, we have moved from talks to action, a stage where policies don’t end on papers but are translated to actions —going on to become the foundation of a more secure, efficient, and accountable Nigeria.

    Beyond the achievements of our ministry, the impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda is evident across various sectors, driven by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strategic interventions and leadership.

    One of the most significant infrastructure projects in Africa  is the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a 700-kilometer expressway designed to improve connectivity and economic activity across nine states. Construction of the first phase, spanning 47.47 kilometres from Lagos, commenced in March 2024 and is set for completion by May 2025.

    The ongoing reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Motorway, the completion of the Second Niger Bridge, and the expansion of the rail network further reflect the government’s commitment to infrastructure, facilitating trade, reducing travel time, and creating employment opportunities.

    The ambitious 1,068 kilometres Sokoto – Badagry super highway project  which first phase will be completed in 2027, and traversing nine states along that corridor, speaks to the commitment of the government to the connectivity of one end of Nigeria to another end for economic prosperity. In the process, about 63 dams would be built to guarantee the enhancement of Nigeria’s agricultural potentials, as well as help to generation of power. These are legacy projects that would outlive the president himself.

    Today, Nigeria has also secured billions in investment commitments from international partners, including India and the Netherlands, and successfully issued a Eurobond, demonstrating strong investor confidence.

    The launch of the Nigerian Minerals Resource Decision Support software, a digital platform designed to facilitate investment in the sector, and the establishment of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Corporation  with the approval of a 50% equity stake for the private sector, 25% for Nigerians, and 25% for the Federal Government, will significantly transform the mining sector and lay the foundation for its sustainable development.

    Strategic diplomatic efforts have further strengthened Nigeria’s economic prospects. Renewed cooperation with Brazil has led to large-scale investments in agriculture and industry. This has facilitated the launch of the Green Imperative Agricultural Technology Initiative that is designed to advance food security and mechanized farming.

    In the fight against corruption and national asset recovery, the government has facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in forfeited assets from the United States, reinforcing its commitment to transparency and accountability.

    The administration has also made notable progress in healthcare by improving access, infrastructure, and service delivery. The first-ever Sector-Wide Joint Annual Health Review enabled strategic planning. Free caesarean sections were introduced to reduce maternal and infant mortality. The launch of the Nigeria Climate Change and Health Vulnerability Assessment Report addressed climate-related health risks.

    The approval of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), demonstrate this administration’s resolve to enhance Nigeria’s health infrastructure. 

    So also the approval of employment of 774 National Health Fellows, this is a pivotal initiative led by the Federal Ministry of Health to foster sustained improvements within Nigeria’s healthcare system.

    The Federal Government approval of 80% subsidy on kidney dialysis services, thereby cutting the price from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000 at eleven federal hospitals nationwide, is a testament that this administration is committed in its bid to alleviate the financial burden of kidney disease treatment on Nigerians.

    Health data systems were strengthened, 53,000 health workers were retrained, and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund was expanded to cover 10 million Nigerians, with 2.4 million enrolling in the national health insurance scheme.

    In the Federal Capital Territory, major infrastructure projects have improved connectivity, benefiting urban and rural communities. Schools have been rehabilitated to create a better learning environment.

    The establishment of the Mandate Secretariat for Youth Development and other governance reforms has enhanced service delivery. Rural infrastructure improvements have also spurred economic growth.

    Agriculture has attracted over $20 billion in investments, including $14 billion from India and $250 million from the Netherlands. Additional commitments have been made for lithium development in Nasarawa State and partnerships with Germany.

    The aviation sector has undergone significant transformation, enhancing Nigeria’s compliance with the Cape Town Convention and strengthening its creditworthiness and safety standards. These reforms have positioned Nigeria as a key hub for aircraft maintenance in Africa through a partnership with Boeing. Upgrades to airport infrastructure  have enhanced efficiency. The finalization of Bilateral Air Service Agreements has boosted connectivity, increasing opportunities for tourism and trade.

    The four tax reform bills currently before the national assembly, including the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill underscores the government’s desire for a responsible fiscal federalism.

    These bills, no doubt will overhaul tax administration and revenue generation in Nigeria, as many of the provisions contained in them are landmark in nature.

    Similar to this are the regional bodies being established especially with the President assenting to the South-west Development Commission Bill and the South-south Development Commission Bill, South East Development Commission Bill, North West Development Commission Bill, the North Central Development Commission Bil, leaving no geopolitical zone without its region body. This will become a mechanism to trickle down development and dividends of democracy to the grassroots.

    The government has recorded success in the area of security with a drastic decline in some of the security threats and challenged that faced us a could of years ago. 

    The government has secured the release of more than 4,600 hostages, neutralized over 9,000 terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, and arrested more than 7,000 others.

    Large quantities of assorted weapons and ammunition have also been recovered and some of the rescued individuals had spent as much as three years in captivity and had long given up hope of freedom till the government came on board, through the rapid responses to rescue operations, of  school children to the release of students abducted from the Federal University of Gusau, and the recent rescue of Kogi students will go down in history as defining moments of this government.

    These achievements reflect a clear vision for national development, economic growth, and stronger international partnerships, laying a foundation for long-term progress.

    Across the various sectors, these are accomplishments that speak to bold decision-making and reform, encouraging a forward-thinking approach to governance. Through this, public servants have been inspired to embrace innovation and pursue impactful change.

    Mr President has diverted focus on results over rhetorics and has created an environment where governance is centered on delivering tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians.

    This is defined by principle rather than political expediency. The President does not shy away from difficult decisions but instead leads necessary conversations that drive transformation.

    This administration is restoring faith in governance, institutions, and the nation’s future. Bold reforms have not only stabilized the economy but have also rekindled hope among Nigerians, fostering a belief in a future where hard work is rewarded, governance is accountable, and opportunities are available to all.

    From government offices to markets, from classrooms to factories, there is a renewed sense that the country is on the right path. Economic recovery is underway, social safety nets are expanding, and young Nigerians can now envision a future where their government actively works for their success. This is the essence of the Renewed Hope Agenda—building a Nigeria where governance is effective, democracy is strengthened, and every citizen has the opportunity to thrive.

    It is a consensus that a presidential, Bold, Audacious and Tenacious (PBAT leadership) is  not just one that takes the people to where they want to be but where they ought to be. To say we are on our way to the promised land may not be out of place at this critical juncture of our nation’s history because we can all agree that we are not where we used to be.

    The days of uncertainty are fading, replaced by the steady march toward progress. The economy is rebounding as we continue to build investors confidence, social safety nets are expanding, and young Nigerians can now dream bigger, knowing their government is working for them.

  • Opposition leaders should stop wishing away Tinubu

    Opposition leaders should stop wishing away Tinubu

    As we approach the midterm of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure in office, some very important and notable opposition political parties and leaders have started attempting to put their parties in order as they prepare for alignments, build-up to the 2027 Presidential elections. This is a natural tendency during the midterm of any administration globally. Consciously or subconsciously, the crucial players have started positioning, posturing, and strategizing. So, you can say that the organic political movement towards 2027 has begun. How the movement will evolve and make the requisite impact, i.e. upstaging the incumbent, whether it is the President or the State Governors, is what remains to be seen. In my view, the opposition parties are mostly currently in tatters, due largely to the lack of internal democracy, which is basically destroying the structures of the parties. It is also true the APC has its own internal crisis (particularly at some State levels). But suffice it to say that the APC is on “high grounds” due to the power of incumbency, So, the APC is so far able to manage its crisis better.

     However, when I sit with a strategic thinking cap for the opposition, they are on “low grounds”, if you are looking at a war games scenario. Therefore, the opposition parties at this point in time should be united, consolidated, and more importantly, to demonstrate to Nigerians that they are the credible and veritable alternative. Indeed, if opposition parties have internal crises, they are unable to resolve them. Indeed, if you have presidential candidates who cannot be able to apply political sagacity and political dexterity to unify their parties. Indeed, if they cannot apply political strategy to hedge against the incursion of the ruling party, whether subliminally or directly, covertly or overtly, then what I will ask myself is, do they really have the capacity to effectively and successfully manage a diverse and highly polarized Country like Nigeria with the inherent political, social and economic challenges? Just like we have witnessed time and time again, some politicians say they can bring us all the goodies of democracy and good governance, but when they take over power, the delivery of what they promise becomes a problem. So, what I am concerned about for the opposition is that you have, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the person of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – a tested opposition political figure who has become a President. Like him, or hate him, you cannot wish President Tinubu away. He is a political colossus, and he currently has the instruments of office. Therefore, the opposition politicians should stop wishing away President Tinubu. It is by strategy, hard work, consistency, perseverance, and discipline that they can become formidable; just like President Tinubu did during his hay days as a fiery, consistent, and effective opposition figure in the political history of Nigeria. How the other political colossuses and gladiators in Nigeria are able to learn from the past and strategize, re-organize, coordinate, and consolidate themselves and their political parties, such that they can give Nigerians a veritable alternative is crucial to their success. After all, in the last 25 years, almost every leading politician has been into one incumbent political party or another opposition political party. Hence, the question is, what is the ideology? What are the principles? And what are the actual interests? Are they for Nigeria or for personal interests?

     Recently, there have been a lot of movements in the Social Democratic Party (SDP), with the likes of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State leading the defection movements. Assuming a coalition does materialize, because according to the calculations of some people, the SDP appears to be a cohesive party at the moment. If you ask me, I don’t know how cohesive the SDP is, because it is early days yet, especially given that the SDP is a legacy Party. I wonder if the SDP will rise from its ashes like a phoenix and become a formidable political party. That remains to be seen, as the party has not had major impacts in the 25 years of the 4th Republic, especially during presidential contests. As it is, it seems as if some of the key political gladiators that are moving into SDP presumably have presidential aspirations, including the former presidential candidate of the SDP in the 2023 Presidential elections, i.e. Barrister Adewole Adebayo. He is still very much the party, and he has recently re-iterated his intention to contest to be the President of Nigeria in 2027. Having said that, in my opinion, the reason for the coalition or alliance may be the reason why the coalition will fail. Because the inordinate ambition of some key political leaders in Nigeria may thwart the substance of the opposition parties and figures from achieving their objectives.

     By the way, as a Nigerian and as a northerner, I am saying that in the interest of fairness, equity, and justice, if we don’t want to turn this country into a joke, we should align with the principles of power shift, i.e. let us allow the Southern part of Nigeria to hold on to the presidency of this country for the remaining four years after 2027. That is the way that will demonstrate seriousness for the unity, equity, and justice of the forward-thinking movement of Nigeria. The point is, we must start making those sure-footed movements in a direction, as a country. Now, coming back to the coalition, in my own opinion, I am already isolating the northern political leaders, and I am saying this with all profound respect to them, without demeaning their fundamental rights to aspire to any office in Nigeria. For instance, to say, as the elder statesmen they will practice what they preach, and allow the South to have a four-year run. Post-2027 while they prepare for 2031.

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     What I believe is that all political leaders in Nigeria do not have to be the President of the Country before we can add critical values. What is important is to identify the right people with the right credentials, competencies, capacities, and credibility to efficiently, effectively, and successfully lead this country in the right way; whether Muslim or Christian or whatever because indeed each one of us is adding value to the progress of Nigeria. When it comes to coalition, they need to identify common denominator issues and deal with them. Otherwise, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will have what they call in football a “work over” (easy win) in the 2027 Presidential elections. This is because the same scenario that played out in 2023 will play out. Already we are hearing snippets that the National Secretary of the SDP is already voicing out concerns that possibly some power brokers are already trying to take his position of National Secretary in the party. Now, if that is the case, the cracks are already forming around this fragile pot before it is heated up enough to accommodate the very hot and fluid contestations it will have to contain.

     We are already in the midterm, and I was expecting re-alignments by the opposition parties that are happening now to have started earlier, so as to apply the pressures for critical reforms to happen to our electoral and judicial processes and systems, which are amongst the critical success factors for the opposition parties, for the incumbent, and for all Nigerians. All of the body movements and emotions flying high will amount to nothing if we do not have a process that will be transparent and will have the credibility to get accepted by the people of Nigeria and the international community. Consequently, it is not just about opposition leaders and parties labeling the APC as this and that. It is a national culture that needs to be dealt with. As I said earlier if opposition parties are not able to put their houses in order, doing something as simple as adhering to their political parties’ constitutions and having internal democracies; then they will not inspire confidence that some of the opposition political parties will be able to evolve and bring the changes.  As I always said, Nigerian politicians are the same actors in different costumes! Unless we change that mindset, they will continue to sell us the dummies. After all, some politicians who campaigned and told us just two years ago, that President Tinubu is the Messiah, are now telling tongue in cheek, telling us that he is a failure.

     Building up to 2027, improvements in political, electoral, and judicial processes are crucial because they will be the precursor for the improvements in the quality of the recruitment processes in Nigeria.

     In conclusion, Nigerians should recognize that the politicians alone will not bring the change that we want. It is we, the citizens who will wake up and take our individual and collective destinies in our hands and decide how we want to shape our Country. This is because all the politicians eat from the same pot, sit on the same boards, inter-marry, and in the end shake hands and hug each other no matter what. That should be food for thought.

  • How muslims write will

    How muslims write will

    Preamble

    One of the obligatory Islamic duties which most Muslims take for granted is the writing of will. For every Muslim adult, male or female, writing a will is not a matter of choice. It is statutorily obligatory. But not many Muslims know this.

    The general thinking is that writing a will is only for old people who are close to death or those who are very rich. This does not only contradict the concept of Islam about death, it also contravenes the principle laid down in Islam about will writing. No one knows when death will come. An octogenarian may continue to live while a man or woman of twenties or thirties may die. The healthy may die while the sick lives.

    The circumstances of life in this age of technology which cause death are very unpredictable. Thus, death may come to anybody at any time.

    One of the advantages of Tafsir in the sacred month of Ramadan is to disseminate knowledge especially on sensitive but fundamental issues often over-sighted by most Muslims. Writing a will is one of such issues. Will in Islam is called wasiyyah. It is a very significant means of providing a flexible instrument of transferring estate or a fraction of it to those who not heirs.

    Wassiyyah basically means a bequest of assets and debts to others after one’s death. It depicts the differences between gift given out personally and one’s behave. Unlike hibah which means a gift in one’s life time, wasiyyah is a gift delivered to the beneficiary after the death of the giver.

    In Islam, writing a will is not about bequeathal of wealth per se. It is rather more about the explanation of certain things in the life of the will writer which were not known to his or her family members, relatives and close associates. For instance, if the concerned will writer did not pay Zakah when he was able to pay it, or he was indebted but did not disclose it to his relatives or if something is entrusted to him in confidence or even if he made a promise to someone without the knowledge of his relatives, it is incumbent upon him to include such matters in his will. This is to clear any possible ambiguity or doubt about his relationship with other people while alive.

    Writing of will by Muslims is ordained by the Almighty Allah in Q.2:180 thus:

    “It is decreed that when death approaches, those of you that leave wealth shall bequeath it equitably to parents and kindred. This is a duty incumbent upon the righteous. He that alters that (the will) after hearing it shall be accountable for his crime. Allah is all-Hearing, all-knowing.”

     Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was also reported by Bukhari and Muslim as saying that “Any Muslim who has something to bequest should not pass two nights without writing his will”. And Ibn Majah also reported a narration from Jabir quoting the Prophet as saying those who die leaving will behind died in the path truth and righteousness and they shall receive the forgiveness of Allah” 

    Ordinarily, in Islam, a Muslim has no right to share his property among his off springs or relatives by his own whim. The Islamic way of bequeathing inheritance has been divinely spelt out clearly in the Qur’an. And that is a different topic entirely not to be lumped with the issue of writing will.

    Who should write a will and how?

     If a will must be written according to Islamic prescription then the writer of such a will must be a Muslim. He must have attained the age of maturity. He must be sane. He must use an understandable language and clearly identify himself in his will. He must also append his signature and date to every page of such will. There must be witnesses to the writing of the will and those witnesses must also identify themselves clearly and duly sign the space left for them in the will.

    But if the will is to be orally recorded, the voice of the will recorder must be very audible with understandable language. The executors as well as the trustees of the will must be clearly named and if necessary, described to avoid any confusion that may arise from similarity of names. In the case writing, four original copies must be produced. And one each must be given to the four appointed executors. No one of the executors must know another and no photocopy should be produced for any reason. This is to prevent any possible leakage or connivance that may lead to betrayal of trust. Every appointed executor must be an acknowledged trustworthy person of integrity.

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    Contents of the will

     An Islamic will should contain the following facts as a matter of necessity:

    •Listing the all assets

    •Listing all liabilities including debts, unpaid Zakah, promises made but not yet fulfilled, entrusted property, illegal acquisition in the possession of the bequether. 

    •Listing the wives, the children and other legitimate beneficiaries including the parents and siblings. All these must be clearly spelt out without mentioning the amount or share due to each beneficiary. 

    •Listing of special bequest and testamentary transfer  and endowment as well as the names of the beneficiaries. All these must be clearly spelt out.

    •Appointing a guardian or trustee for minor children until such children attain maturity

    •Specific sections of the will may be addressed to the wife/wives and children

    •The will must be updated from time to time and each latest copy must be given to the trustees and the old ones withdrawn for destruction.

    •The executors must not know the trustees. And the trustees must not take part in the execution of the will. Their duty is to ensure that the executors comply with the letters of the will.

    Outside the will

     Some facts not to be included in the inheritance aspect of the will of a Muslim are as follows:

    A non-Muslim child of a Muslim will-maker or an illegitimate child or a murderer (one who kills his parent) should not be included in the list of those to inherit because they are not qualified to inherit a Muslim parent under Islamic law. If, however, the will maker feels strongly about giving his non-Muslim child something from his estate, this may be contained in the aspect concerning testamentary transfer. Ditto the non-Muslim wife and illegitimate child. But the total aggregate of what a Muslim can will out to those not qualified for inheritance should not exceed one third of the entire estate after the deduction of debts.

    The idea of one third came about from a conversation between Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Sa’d bn Abi Waqqas. The latter had sought the Prophet’s permission to bequest his entire estate to certain people and groups. The Prophet said ‘NO’. He, (Waqqas), then said what of half? And the Prophet said ‘NO’. Then he said what of half? The Prophet at that stage reluctantly gave a go ahead indicating that even the one third was too much concluding that “it is better to leave your heirs rich than poor”. Thus, the final approval became a Prophetic tradition which Muslim must abide by. This means that one third is the maximum a Muslim can bequest to anybody in his will outside the inheritance bracket. 

    Islam does not allow Muslims to write bequest or make will for those who are legitimately eligible as heirs. Therefore, anybody who is qualified to inherit cannot be included in the will for any gift.

    The copies of the will may be given to banks or any other corporate institutions like courts for safe keeping without the knowledge of the beneficiaries. But there must be witnesses to the keeping of such document in bank or court. A Muslim must not wait until death approaches before he writes his will. Neither should he wait until he becomes rich before doing same. Writing a will for a Muslim must begin as soon as he marries. And what is applicable to men in this case is equally applicable to women.

  • Who owns the Schools ? 2

    Who owns the Schools ? 2

    By Kadijat Braimah

    “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we (should) fail to protest (against injustice).”  By Elie Wiesel

    Preamble

    This is one of the very rare occasions when this column, ‘The Message’, is compelled to serialize an article. The last time that such occurred was a decade ago.  That this article is being serialized now is a child of necessity. Ordinarily, professional Journalists who know their onions often strive to avoid serialization of articles except if it becomes a necessity like on this occasion. Generally, serialization of articles which often enables good readers to distinguish between professional journalists and mere writers has the tendency of leaving a sour taste in the mouth. 

    However, the seriousness of this article and the referential importance of its contents are the factors that necessitate its inevitable serialization. Surely, some serious-minded readers of this column who are intellectually inclined will appreciate the assertion here especially when the implications of the Appeal court on that case vis a vis the provisions of Nigerian constitution is taken into consideration. The delicate case of Hijab wearing by female pupils in public schools, whether in Lagos State or elsewhere, cannot be separated from the big but unnecessary question of who owns Nigerian public schools in the 21st century.

    Problem of Diversity  

    One good thing about life generally is the ability of the phenomenon called environment to conveniently accommodate the positive angle of life along with the negative angle despite their seeming incompatibility. This means that diversity may not be an oddity after all. It may serve a more purposeful end than humanly perceived. Perhaps that is why the Almighty Allah created all living things in twins of males and females as well as in couples of colours and hues. Yet, despite their natural differences they manage to cohabit without any visible rancour.

    Of all the creatures on earth, only human beings believe and emphasize the problem of incompatibility. At least we know that on a single farm land, all sorts of plants ranging from sugarcane to bitter leaf trees grow and cohabit without any visible rancour. And in the ecosystem, (forests or oceans) both the herbivours and carnivours coexist without threatening their habitats. It is only among human beings that the well fed rejoice in preventing the hungry ones from feeding even on remnants. With regard to this manifest situation, what is true of human beings in temporal life is equally true of them in spiritual life. Otherwise, how can some people who are claiming to be of faith insist on preventing others from covering their heads according to the tenets of their faith in a co-financed commonwealth affair when those of others do not prevent the half-naked ones from walking about in nudity despite the natural eyesore that the latter constitutes?     

    Genesis of Schools Takeover

    According to Dr. Amiel M. Fagbulu (quoted copiously in the first leg of this article last Friday), “the take-over of schools has not been reported upon sufficiently for most people to understand the nefariousness and Machiavellian dimensions attached to it. To start with, it meant loss of income to some proprietors who were actually milking the people while pretending that they were magnanimously making sacrifices for them. Next is the falsehood that the governments did not pay compensation to proprietors. Another was that it was the federal government’s decree that made takeover final and legal. Last but not the least is that by retaining their names government had conceded that take-over was just in name alone. There are other false assumptions that will be dealt with as they are made”.

    Fagbulu continues thus: “the takeover of schools was a final act of dissociation of former proprietors from ownership of their schools. The schools no longer belong to them. To talk of Muslim or Christian schools that are run with public funds is absolute nonsense. Any school that is run with public money is a public school. All others are private institutions at whatever level and by whatever name”.

    The Question of Compensation

    Also as a continuation of his expert treatise on education in Nigeria, Fagbulu further elucidated on the question of compensation for proprietors of old missionary and privately owned schools in Nigeria as follows: “the question of compensation was raised by the proprietors of most of the Christian- and Muslim-based schools. In the West (of Nigeria), the only bodies I clearly remember as handing over schools voluntarily and with no conditions attached were the Seventh Day Adventist group and Adeola Odutola who owned a fairly good secondary school at Ijebu-Ode. The noisiest ones were sole proprietors who individually owned schools. The discussions were preliminary and informal exchanges to advise both sides before the final decision was taken. The government of the Western State was glad to oblige but what silenced the demand were the conditions put to the proprietors based on government’s sense of fairness to the taxpayers whose funds had been utilised”. They were as follows:

    •“Proprietors would calculate their investment on all structures in the school including the land (x) which by the education laws of the time must be registered in perpetuity in the name of the school (at least in the West)

    •Proprietors would compute the total amount they had incurred in running the school from inception to date of takeover (y)

    •Proprietors would compile a list of the value of all gifts and donations the school had received (p)

    •Government would compile the value of all grants (general and special) that it had paid to the school up to the time of takeover (q). 

    •Compensation to proprietors would be C = [(x + y) – (p + q)]”

    Fagbulu’s personal comment

    When the discerning proprietors among them did the Arithmetic and found out that they would be seriously indebted to government at the end of the exercise, they blinked and went silent. A funny footnote to the exercise was the demand of one or two proprietors who wanted to be paid for their ‘brand’ name. Government had no use for their names anyway and when they eventually lost, they pleaded with government to kindly retain those names, a demand which was graciously granted”.

    His further comments

    “Heritage has at least two dimensions. Your child can only make claims to what belongs to you. That is one form of heritage. The other like UNESCO’s heritage, relates to values. The pleasure derived from listening to Sunny Ade’s music or reading Achebe’s books are golden gems they have bequeathed to the world. Achebe collects his royalty forever, which means that it is a heritage of his children. We who acclaim and cherish the books are not beneficiaries of the pecuniary offerings. Similarly UNESCO helps preserve those monuments in Egypt say, but it is the Egyptian government and people that own the monuments. The government, when it took over schools took over the land, the structures on them, and the responsibility to continue to run schools. Those who are capitalising on Heritage can be assured that it is their’s to cherish and share with the world. They are free to do so”.

    Analytical deduction

    In his analytical deduction on the unwarranted controversy over the ownership of public schools in Nigeria, then Octogenarian education expert revealed an eye witness account as follows: “A few students imported the Dancing Club from the Higher College, Yaba to the University College, Ibadan.

    We started the Bug and later others started the original Cult that was not malevolent. They are part of the history of that institution. The good things keep going from generation to generation and those who cherish them regard them as part of things to be retained forever. Heritage in the sense people are talking about it will survive on its own if the generations want them. There is no law that new influences cannot add their own quota before they pass away. There is nothing stopping those being locked out today from leaving their imprints that will be cherished behind”.

    He continued: “The form for the annual census of schools provides for three categories of ‘girls only’, ‘boys only’ and mixed schools. It is the responsibility of government to determine which of its public schools will be designated in any of the three categories. As a part of the process of development if it becomes necessary to alter the gender status of any school especially from a mixed to a single gender and vice-versa, it may be necessary to do some juggling of names. For instance a St. Agnes Girls’ School cannot become mixed and still retain its name. However it could become St. Agnes High School or something equally appropriate without much loss of identity. While the use of adjectives like Junior, Senior, Middle, High, and Primary are helpful indicators of level, those of gender like boy’s, girl’s, and mixed are pointless tautologies as names go. A St. Agnes should have no trouble ministering to both girls and boys, or doing whatever saints are supposed to do for both genders”.

    Elderly Advice

    “Government should not exert any serious effort to take on the trivial exercise of changing the names of schools for the mere fun of it. There must however be rhyme and rhythm in naming schools. Changing the name of an institution will always generate some heat. University of Ife alumni protested to the heavens but UNIFE is today OAU and the heavens have not fallen. It should be possible to reconcile all views with no ulterior motives through dialogue”.

    False Claim

    According to Pa Fagbulu, “the claim that the federal government enforced the takeover is false. Those who are old enough will remember that the exercise was not uniformly executed across the country. The Catholics put up a very tenacious resistance in the East and that slowed implementation. Some states only half-heartedly carried it out simply because Education has always been on the concurrent list and no central government could successfully enforce such a complex maneuver at a swoop even under the military. Decrees merely backed the intention of governments and the people who had spoken through Asabia”.

    He went further thus: “One lingering and unfortunate consequence of the takeover of schools is the undeniable fact that standards of education have fallen over the years since the takeover. It is in no way a direct consequence of the proposal but one of implementation by government. In fact the takeover was to be a new beginning whereby the following would take place in the spirit of Adefarasin and Asabia (recommendations): “

    1.         All existing and new schools would be registered: that implied that the basic minimum requirements for providing good education would be provided in all schools irrespective of who was the proprietor. That would satisfy the demand of the NUT that all educational institutions should provide equal facilities for the children to learn and the teachers to teach.

    2.         All schools would be bound by the same rules and treated equally when being assessed in respect of management, number and quality of staffing, and other areas that deal with the evaluation of the outcome of learning. I had the unpleasant duty of writing to the government of the Western State to give notice of closure in respect of the famous Government College, Ibadan of which I was by law the stand-in proprietor on behalf of the government, due to poor accommodation and general neglect. That decadence as it developed had shown that governments could default in providing fully for their schools and that any measure to avoid that unfortunate situation must be a corner-stone of any changes.

    3.         All schools would have properly constituted Boards of Governor to oversee the management of the schools as outlined in law. That body would be independent and good enough to get governments to act appropriately in funding schools”.

    Naked Truth

    “At the primary school level in particular, the Local Education Authorities have been greatly handicapped to the extent that it is difficult to believe that they exist at all. The (naked) truth is that governments have increasingly been unable to fund education adequately and though the rates might have been perhaps slower, the rot would have set in anyway if even schools had not been taken over”.

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    Undiluted Fact

     Commenting on the recent hullaballoo over Hijab and ownership of schools in Osun State, the Message observed as follows: “It is regrettable that a respected body like CAN can display so much ignorance in respect of education in Nigeria. To start with, the State of Osun like the rest of Nigeria cannot discriminate in the provision of educational facilities on the basis of gender or religion. Secondly CAN is operating from a false premise that some schools are Christian schools. All public schools belong to all the people irrespective of their religious beliefs”.

    “If we Christians want to have schools over which we will have full control the constitution provides for that. Finally the history of the take-over of schools credited to Gowon is also false. The take-over of schools was a direct consequence of the Asabia Commission and I was the originator of the idea with my colleagues who served after me as advisers to that body”.

    Reason for the Brouhaha

    “A main reason for that action was that the proprietors who received grants from government and fleeced parents through high fees made education very expensive. In spite of not investing their own money in education they failed to pay teachers on time if at all; they tyrannized teachers; they even went as far as not promoting teachers on merit especially if those teachers belonged to other denominations. CAN should please do its research and acknowledge that Adefarasin emancipated teachers and Asabia, its sub-committee recommended the procedures for achieving that end, If CAN needs being educated on this issue, I will oblige. In the meantime it should stop spreading falsehood.  Aregbesola may or may not be guilty of wanting to Islamize Osun; that is not my concern here. Accusing him of using education is however not true.”

    Conclusion

    Concluding, Dr. Fagbulu said: “it should be reiterated that public schools belong to the people and that government as the representative of the people has the responsibility to determine the future of education and the direction and shape schools take. There is no problem of education that cannot be solved through dialogue if those involved are sincere and have no hidden agenda. And for the sake of our children let us take interest in education and make constructive inputs. Government should take the lead and we should walk and work with it all the way”.

    Notice: Dr. Amiel M. Fagbulu is still alive and he can be reached through the following email address: amiel.fagbulu@ymail.com

    For futher details, and confirmation of the above quoted facts, see Vanguard of Thursday, October 17, 2013

  • As AU plans AI deployment for peace, development

    As AU plans AI deployment for peace, development

    As the African Union (AU) commissioned its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy around July last year (2024), and with the setup of an AU Advisory Group on AI by the AU Peace and Security Council also in June last year, it appears Africa is yet again playing catch-up. But, as the saying goes, “it’s better late than never”. The Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy for Africa is properly crafted and implemented, and it will catalyze the transformation of Africa in the short to midterm and the achievement of the Africa Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Some of the key focus areas for the delivery of this project include entrenchment of democratic values, principles, and practices in politics; achievement of a capable institutional framework for leadership to be in place; achievement of peace, security, and stability for Africa, and more.

     How ready is Africa?

    To understand where we are in the global paradigm of AI, recall that about 3 months ago (in January 2025), when President Donald Trump was sworn in, within 24 hours, President Trump had secured over 500 billion US Dollars for AI infrastructure development in the United States of America. two days ago, during the biggest annual legislative strategy session for China, chaired by President Xi Jinping, to craft the 2025 strategy, the meeting deliberated extensively on AI and big data as one of the key policy directions. This will be China’s 15th five-year strategic blueprint (you can imagine how far they have come on AI). India has already done its own AI strategy since around 2018. So, this is where forward-thinking Countries are in terms of the conceptualization of the AI strategy, implementation, and impacts relative to where we are in Africa.

     The Continental AI strategy for Africa has a 5 years implementation plan. But suffice it to say that some of the critical priority areas that must be addressed before the AI strategy can work include critical infrastructure, the political structures across the continent, and the political will of African leaders. The rhetorical question is, “Do we have the political structures and the governance framework that will enable achievement of those strategic visions and objectives at a time when fragmentation is the order of the day across the world?”.  Specifically, in the case of Africa, there are conflicts across the Sahel, in Eastern Africa, specifically in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan, and South Sudan. We are witnessing the fragmentation of ECOWAS with the latest development in Guinea-Bissau, where President Umaru Sissoco Embalo, is threatening to pull out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). There has to be a unified approach to the AI strategy. It should be aligned to individual and continental aspirations or initiatives. Consequently, we have a lot of work to do in Africa. More importantly, it is how the leaders of the countries of Africa will ultimately harness AI to deliver good governance to the over 1.2 billion citizens of the continent, whereas we have issues of getting leaders of most Countries to practice real democracy or apply a good governance framework to the betterment of their citizens. Over 60 years or less since independence, the majority of African Countries are still grappling with the provision of basic amenities like clean drinking water, steady electricity, education, security, free, fair, and credible elections, etc. Therefore, while the AI Strategy is a welcome development, it is important for us to note that the foundations and building blocks of our Countries and Continent are fundamental to the success of the Continental AI Strategy.

     There is a governance and regulatory framework in place for the execution of the AI strategy. How the respective countries key their strategy into the overarching continental strategy is the first step in the right direction. And how they are able to address the concerns of ethics and regulation of AI, especially when we already have the critical infrastructural deficit, and data integrity is very important. This is because the crucial data that will be used to populate the framework of AI are actually data that Africa mostly relies on the West or the Far East to give us, to leverage. Generating our own homegrown crucial and credible data that is very important; because in Africa, we put more “face value” on our data rather than looking at our realities and using the real critical data, and that is where and why we mostly lean on the data that are coming from countries or continents that may not like the data to be in line with our current realities for their own strategic objectives.

     Interestingly, Nigeria already has a national artificial intelligence strategy that was formulated by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and domiciled in one of its Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) – the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR). South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, and some other Countries in Africa have crafted or are crafting their AI strategies and policies. 2025 to 2026 is the timeline for all the Countries in Africa to craft their AI strategy as part of “phase-1” of the implementation plan of the Africa continental AI strategy.

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     Critical infrastructure Deficit must be addressed

    AI has come to stay. However, while we are plugging into AI, is energy/ electricity supply available, steady, or sustainable in the majority of African Countries? Critical Infrastructure deficit is a reality. Therefore, do all Countries in Africa have a national development strategy that has links or interlinks with these critical pillars for success? Infrastructure, in terms of energy, intermodal transportation, and even the bedrock of data for telecommunications (which are linked to energy as well), is fundamental. Thus, the dependencies and interdependencies are crucial to achieving the strategic national and continental AI objectives.

     Furthermore, Countries must achieve “policy coherence” in their public sector for them to achieve these seemingly disparate but relational sectors like technology, energy, digital economy, logistics and supply chains, etc. That being said, we need to face that reality and prepare for it because if we don’t prepare for the impacts of AI (positives and negatives), the negative consequences will be more devastating if we allow AI to evolve without Africa catching up fast.

     Human Capital Development

    Serious investments in human capital development, especially the youth who are the ones actually driving the tech and private sectors in China and the US. The youth of Africa are the ones who will scale new heights and push the boundaries of new frontiers.

    Public Service Culture and Political Will

    A point to note is that AI will not change our political system or corporate culture as African countries or Africa as a continent. It is our intentions that will drive the change that will bring peace and development, which technology and AI will enable. This is because the AI, robots, and technology are programmed to do exactly what we want them to do.

    Accordingly, the leaders of Africa should recognise that they have a role to play. Because AI is virtual reality. We need the human beings who are leading these countries to do the right things before we can safely, efficiently, and effectively deploy AI. With regard to how AI can be harnessed to achieve regional or continental security and peace, it is very important for us to understand that the technology is moving fast in terms of reconnaissance and surveillance, remote sensing, etc. Therefore, countries must build the capacities, competencies, and willpower to be proactive against risks and threats like terrorists so that they can be able to successfully react to risks and threats. Otherwise, AI will be just a buzzword in Africa. 

     Meanwhile, we should not lose sight of where we are in terms of our realities. For example, we are faced with heightening insecurity and conflicts across the continent. How have we leveraged the existing technologies to proactively quell potential crises or risks rather than allowing them to happen? As it is today, most national databases of countries across Africa are not up to par or synchronized across the board and effectively utilized for national security and development. This is worrisome considering the fact that the criminals, terrorists, and enemies are fully and effectively deploying technology in terms of communication, drones, deep fake AI, etc. Indeed, they are moving in tandem with the evolution of technology, and this makes them more formidable, as African countries are lagging behind. The risks and threats in Africa are escalating beyond any other region in the world.

    There must be Peace for Development to happen

    There must be peace before growth and development can happen. There must be stability in terms of the socio-economic well-being of our citizens across the countries in the continent for us to achieve the AI vision and objectives. Look at what is happening in Sudan, South Sudan, and DRC, for example, or in other parts of Africa. Even where there are no wars or battles, the socioeconomic headwinds in those countries MUST be addressed as part of the respective national and continental AI strategies because they are consequential to the achievement of the AI vision.

     Ethics and Regulation.

    The ethical and regulation issues of AI is a global concern. Nonetheless, with the ongoing international efforts to address the issues ethical and regulatory issues, I hope that it will be addressed on the continental and global platforms.

  • Who owns the Schools?

    Who owns the Schools?

    Preamble

    Experiences of life keep informing us of what people and institutions really are against what they are presumed to be. It is quite unfortunate that Africans, especially Nigerians, whose livelihood still depends heavily on the imitation of the misconduct of European colonialists, without considering the implications of such imitation, are the ones proclaiming civilization in Nigeria’s contemporary times. The Yoruba elite of the South West of Nigeria are particularly guilty of this cultural bastardization.  They are the ones who believe that the ability to speak and write the colonial language called English is what constitutes civilization. With the foreign languages permanently on their tongues, they have bartered their African brains for European brains.

    Unlike the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria and the Hausa people of the North, the Yoruba elite have become a serious embarrassment to their cultural pedigree through the relegation of their linguistic heritage. To them, the legacy of their ancestral lineage is a primordial shame not worth to be called a modern heritage. Thus, in their homes as well as in their public and private discussions, the language of communication is invariably English. And whoever is incapable of speaking Queen’s English or writing Shakespearean prose is considered primitive and unfit to live in cities and towns.

    It is, culturally, a laughable orientation attributable only to a tribe of black people who prefer to substitute their naturally endowed culture for that of the wild white people and thereby getting lost in the wilderness of cultural confusion. How can such people who are deeply engrossed in colonial mentality believe in the cultural emancipation of others? Today’s article is not meant for discussing the details of this fundamental aberration that chains a people to the apron of perpetual colonialism. Another day in the near future will do.

    Reactions to Appeal Court Ruling in Lagos    

    Reactions of various colours and hues have been trailing on the ruling of the Appeal court in Lagos State in respect of a litigation over Hijab wearing in public schools by Muslim female pupils in that State. But every reaction seems to be an exhibition of antecedent and level of civility on the part of those who have been reacting to it. The ruling was not the first to be pronounced by a Nigerian court of competent jurisdiction concerning Hijab wearing in public schools. It was preceded by a High Court ruling in the same State some years ago and we can still vividly remember the reactions that trailed it.

    When a Lagos High Court ruling that prompted an appeal by the litigants in Hijab case was pronounced in 2013, there were various reactions which have not lost on us. The affected Muslims, at that time, who got the wrong side of the judgment, did not bring fanaticism into it. They did not take the law into their hands by threatening fire and brimstone. Rather, they simply exhibited civility and adherence to the rule of law by appealing to a higher court. That is civilization in all its ramifications.

    Precedent   

    The unnecessary controversy over the right of wearing Hijab in public schools by Muslim female pupils in those schools is not peculiar to Lagos State. A similar court pronouncement was made in an Osun State High Court not long ago and we know the reactions that trailed it. So we cannot be alarmed by any inflammatory reaction to the court ruling from any quarter since we are familiar with its trend as far as such quarters are concerned. The original aim of writing on this topic today is neither to celebrate any victory nor to vilify any recalcitrance. But to congratulate the Lagos State Muslims on their civilized behaviour throughout the period of the case and to further encourage them to stick to the upholding of the rule of law in all circumstances including one of unwarranted provocation.

    Meanwhile, the outcome of that case has thrown open a fundamental question which had for long remained tacit. Who owns the public schools in Nigeria generally and in Lagos State in particular? This question becomes germane not because of last week’s ruling that was more about freedom of religion and dressing but because of the future of our children who may have cause to ask questions and may want to get the relevant and appropriate answers. The fundamental question of ‘who owns the schools’ deserves a fundamental answer that may become a reference point for our children in future. Luckily, yours sincerely needed not labouring much before answering that question. A foremost Nigerian educationist of Yoruba extraction (from Ilesa in Osun State) who incidentally happens to be a Christian has provided the right answer in his (unpublished) professorial book entitled  ‘DEFINING THE FUTURE OF NIGERIAN EDUCATION’ which he wrote about November 2012. In chapter 2 of that book, Pa Fagbulu traced thoroughly the history of schools take-over in Nigeria. The chapter was titled ‘THE OWNERSHIP OF SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA’.

    Excerpt rom the Book

    An excerpt from the book may be of useful reference to any intellectually   endowed Nigerian who may be in need of such a reference now or in future. It goes thus: 

    “Certain events in recent days make it imperative to clarify the issue of who owns schools in Nigeria. This search is complicated by the antecedents that define the history and development of Western education in the country. It is useful therefore to open the search with a brief digression into the history of that type of education with the view of gaining an understanding of the forces that shaped their development from their inception till today.

    It is pedestrian to repeat that Western-type education was an import of European missionaries and that the environment in which they propagated their type of education was entirely their personal or collective business, that is until government started meddling in the missionaries’ affairs. That movement started in England where some mainly rich do-gooders felt greatly concerned about the appalling conditions in which children of the poor worked and lived. Coupled with that was the horrendous imagery of the inhuman trade in slaves that filtered to these Christian countries to disturb the serenity of their conscience and awaken the humane elements in them that drove some to seek redemption in Christian deeds that included stopping the slave trade and making legal provisions to assist missionary schools at home and abroad. It must be acknowledged that saving the souls of those poor children was a professed and serious reason of those do-gooders who were so damn serious about that fixation that derived from the fervor of their religion.

    Historical Background

    Education in England was not planned. Ordinances and education codes that were enacted as when needed were the main sources for policy formulation over a period of about 130 years from about 1820 to the time of Nigerian self-government. Some years after they were established and applied in England. These bills, codes and ordinances found their way to the colonies where the colonial governments were obliged to adopt and apply them.

    Concerned and interested missionary and other groups took the initiative to establish schools and government’s concern was that the purpose for which they were established should be fulfilled. This development implied that sufficient assistance needed to be given to the schools to ensure that they survive to fulfill their dual role of harboring those freed from slavery along the West Coast and providing skills that would serve more the needs of the missionaries than the provision of life skills for those who were lured to go to, and who stayed long enough at school. The children in these institutions provided the fodder for missionaries to use in order to benefit from the fiscal intervention of governments in the form of badly needed grants”.

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    Source of Funds in Public Schools

    “Whichever face one puts on it, the bottom line was that governments became the major sources of funds without which the missionaries would have to go begging at home or abroad. They never adopted the option of closing schools; they persevered and made do with whatever they had. Under those conditions ‘schools’ could sink to any depth of badness. It was to obviate that possibility that governments at home and in the colonies accepted responsibility for ensuring that what was offered to the children especially of the poor in England and the converted in Africa would at least be of some benefit to them. That was how government got dragged into the business of assisting schools.

    The promise of grants-in-aid ensured that schools had reliable sources of funding if they attained defined standards.  So the giving of grants was a crucial factor in the rate at which new schools were opened and old ones expanded or improved qualitatively. The fact that schools did desperate things to get listed for grants speaks the obvious that grants have always been the lifeline of almost all missionary schools.

    We are lucky that the whole grants-in-aid saga is properly documented in the Phillipson Report. However, since that document is not widely available to the generality of people I have taken the liberty to use some segment of my writings (Chapter 2 of my unpublished book DEFINING THE FUTURE OF NIGERIAN EDUCATION, November, 2012) here.

    The Grants-in-aid Report

    “This brief highlight is about the financial assistance that government gave to schools across West Africa as an instrument for improving the quality of instruction being offered to the children in those areas. 

    The first purely Nigerian Education Ordinance was enacted in 1887. The Board of Education that assumed prominence at this time was empowered to use certain criteria to give grants to different levels from infant, through primary and secondary, to industrial schools. The Board even had the discretion to offer the sum of £10 to poor students to further their education at the secondary level. This and most of what follows come from the Phillipson Report,

    Phillipson Report

    As early as 1890 the familiar problems arising from the use of untrained ‘teachers’ in schools had become pronounced and problematic. Not only did demand outstrip supply, but many areas that also wanted schools could not be serviced. The consequence was that government had to step in to fill some gaps by establishing its own schools in areas where missionary influence was negligible. By so doing those schools became ‘models’ for the fund-strapped mission schools to copy.  (The Education Code of 1908)

    There were therefore generically three types of schools; the government, the mission, and the assisted schools.  Although the so-called government schools were government ‘owned’, the reality was that the local chiefs and Native Courts as appropriate were responsible for the buildings and their maintenance.  In fact, the recurrent cost for which government was supposedly responsible was covered in part by public funds.

    The 1916 Regulation abolished the ‘payment-by-result’ procedure of making grants to schools. That was replaced with a better one that took cognizance of the overall efficiency of schools. The immediate effect of this change was a rapid increase in the number of assisted schools. The carefully spelt-out conditions included visit(s) from inspectors. This in turn led to the increased and improved capability of the Department of Education to monitor the appalling and dubious quality of schools in the regions that the Governor-General had commented upon

    Important Information

    What is of importance in this narrative is that from as long ago as 1887 public fund had gone into the running costs of assisted schools. Second, government had actually transferred some of its own schools to the missions in the mid-fifties of the 19th century as contained at p.24 of that very authoritative report. This information has been ignored or denied by the missions when government had cause to reverse this trend more than 80 years later when the grant-in-aid system was being grossly exploited and abused mainly by private proprietors.

    After a thorough review of the grants-in-aid system which included one of the best documented and most authoritative writings on education for the period 1842 to 1946, Phillipson made his landmark and well received recommendations under the following heads (pp.93-98):

    1.         Division of the grants-in-aid vote

    2.         A national teaching profession

    3.         Separation scheme for non-Government certificated teachers

    4.         Staff and organization of the Education Department in relation to the new grant-in-aid proposals

    5.         Procedure in connection with the report: implementation.

    Documentation

     He (Phillipson) then went out specifically to make the following recommendations (p.99):

    1.         i.   That, in suitable areas and as an experiment, Native Administrations should be encouraged to introduce local education or school rates. (Paragraph 41 (b)).

    2.         ii.  That the Native Authority Ordinance, 1934, be amended so as to allow of local education or school rates being applied to the support of approved Voluntary Agency schools (Paragraph 41 (b)).

    3.         iii. That grants in aid of the recurrent recognized expenses of schools and teacher training institutions under regulations 1 to 32 and 34 of the grant-in-aid regulation be classified as Nigerian expenditure and that grant-in-aid of capital and “special purposes” expenditure under regulation 33 should be classified as regional expenditure. (Paragraph 41(f)).

    4.         iv.  That, subject to further consideration in connection with the first allocations of revenue to the Regions due to take place in July next, the special vote ( E150,000 in the 1948-49) Estimates) for Northern Educational Development should also be classified as Nigerian expenditure.

    5.         v.  That the provision in the Nigerian Estimates for grants in aid of recurrent recognized expenses of schools and teacher training institutions should constitute a division of the Nigeria Estimate under Head 32-Education, the arrangement being as proposed in Paragraph 48.

    6.         vi.  That the question of establishing national scales for certificated teachers, whether employed by the government, Native Administrations, Local Authorities or approved Voluntary Agencies, should be considered by the Director of Education in consultation with the authorities concerned.(paragraph 49)

    7.         vii. That the general procedure after the publication of this report should be as outlined in Paragraph 52

    8.         viii.   That for the better administration of the scheme proposed, the Senior Service establishment of the Education Department should be strengthened, particularly at the Provincial level. (Paragraph 51)

    9.         ix.  That the method of payment of grants in aid of primary schools should be as outlined in paragraph 45 (n) and that action should be concerted accordingly between the Education Department and the Accountant-General’s Department as part of the work preparatory to bringing the regulations into effect on 1st January,1949.

    10.       x. That the Government should definitely accept liability for the retiring benefit of non-Government teachers under the proposed superannuation scheme. (Paragraph 50)  

    “The most relevant part of the Phillipson Report for the 1960s was that the question of establishing national scales for certificated teachers, whether employed by the government, Native Administrations, Local Authorities or approved Voluntary Agencies, should be considered by the Director of Education in consultation with the authorities concerned. (Paragraph 49)

    Further details on the ownership of schools will be published in this column soon in sha’Allah.

  • As some governors stop schooling during Ramadan

    As some governors stop schooling during Ramadan

    I am dismayed at how the governors of four northern States in northern Nigeria, namely Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Bauchi, have yet again closed down nursery, primary, and secondary schools in their States during the fasting period of the holy month of Ramadan. The schools are closed at a time when the quality of education in northern Nigeria has been nose-diving for decades. At a time when the rate of out-of-school children in northern Nigeria is the highest in Nigeria and in West Africa. For instance, the recent Multidimensional Poverty Index given by the National Bureau for Statistics puts Bauchi State at 54% of children lacking access to education, with Kebbi State next at 45%, Katsina has 38%, and Kano trails at 35%.

     I am shocked that some of the governors, in their wisdom, believe that it is good for the children to stay out of school for the entire month of Ramadan as a valuable addition to the States they govern. It is important to note that the youths are the greatest assets of any society.

     What does Islam say about the closure of schools during Ramadan?

    Indeed, the first Surah that was revealed to prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH) in the Holy Qur’an is the 96th Chapter of the Holy Qur’an (Surah Al-Alaq) Where Almighty Allah Said to Prophet Muhammad PBUH “IQRA’A” meaning “READ or LEARN”. It is also instructive to note that the Holy Qur’an was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad PBUH, during the holy month of Ramadan. And if we are standing on the platform of Islam, then the reason for the closure of the school is not justifiable.

     May I remind those State Governors of the teachings of the leader of Islam, prophet Muhammad PBUH, whose educational model was more focused on youths of the society. During his days in Mecca before he performed Hijrah to Medina, especially after his Hijra and settling down in the city of Madina; majority of the people that drove the propagation. Of Islam (Da’awah), were the youths, who were highly educated in the school of the prophet Muhammad PBUH. Indeed, most of the companions/ followers of the prophet Muhammad PBUH became the knowledge reservoirs, teachers, leaders of thought, custodians/ librarians of Qur’an, Hadith, Islamic history, and Islamic jurisprudence, were young. Indeed, most of those companions/ followers of the prophet Muhammad PBUH, including women like his wives and others, acquired Islamic and other forms of education during their tender young , including during the month of Ramadan.

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     Therefore, there is no Islamic injunction in the Quran or in the Hadith that states that children should not go to school during Ramadan. Certainly, in Islam, children have to attain the age of puberty/maturity before they formally start fasting. So, if the concern is that the children will undergo a lot of stress during the month of fasting, about 90% (if we consider overage pupils) of the in Nursery and Primary schools’ pupils are not of fasting age. In fact, in the Islamic education system, pupils and students don’t go on holidays during Ramadan. Therefore, formal and informal Islamic schools (for example, Almajiri/ tsangaya schools) remain open during Ramadan except for the Eid-el-Fitri holidays. It is also strange and very worrisome to me as a Muslim and a northern Nigerian, that we are closing schools in some states in the north during the entire month of Ramadan, when indeed Islamic countries, or countries that run Islamic system of government, for example, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, etc. do not close their schools during Ramadan period. So, the question I ask is, what is the rationale behind closing schools for the entire month of Ramadan in those states? What value are we going to derive from closing our schools and keeping our children idle for a period of 30 days or more at a time when the minds and the brains of the children are open and ready to continue learning?

     Is it strategic or rational to close schools during Ramadan?

    At a time when we are trying to take more children (male and female), out of the streets and their homes and into the school system in the north, some governors are sending the pupils and students, home for a month. So, when you send back the child of a parents/guadians who would rather allow his child stay at home; as a Governor, what are you communicating to your people? You are actually inadvertently telling them that not going to school is a better option for that parent. Those children will be idle for a period of one month, doing nothing but playing or, in some cases, engaged in child labor. Hence, I wonder about the rationale behind keeping those schools closed. I would have loved to hear the reasoning that will align with my thoughts as a Muslim and as a northerner who believes that we are still lagging behind across all developmental indices in Nigeria. We are playing catch-up in terms of education, youth empowerment, and all other socioeconomic performance indices in this Country. And yet, we are closing schools for an entire month. Let us not forget, by the way, that during the course of the year, we have about 10 periods of public holidays in Nigeria; from Eid Kabir, Eid Fitri, Eid-el-Maulud, Christmas, Easter, New Year, Independence Day, Democracy Day, Workers Day, Children’s Day, etc. Of course, on some days that we have crises, we also shut down the national and/ or state economies.

     Accordingly, I urge those governors to have a rethink because as it is, we are fast losing ground, and catching up is becoming very difficult on a slippery pathway of socioeconomic headwinds. It makes no sense to me that children will be kept out of school in northern Nigeria, whereas their mates in other States across Nigeria are going to school, and attending extra classes/lessons. Those children will definitely lag behind. They seat for the same examinations, i.e. WAEC, NECO, JAMB, etc with other students from other States across Nigeria and in some cases even competing with other students across West Africa. How do we expect these children to catch up and keep up? And when the school resumes, the pupils and students will have to undergo crash programs (under pressure) as if it is their fault. I am amazed that some of our State Governors are taking this route at this crucial moment in the evolution of our society in northern Nigeria. Interestingly, just three days ago, the Federal Ministry of Education announced the approval of 11 new private Universities in Nigeria by President Bola Ahmad Tinubu. If you go through the list of the newly approved private universities, none of them will be located or situated in Northern Nigeria, except for the one that will be located in Abuja, which is owned by a southern Nigerian. The question is, are we not looking at our actions that speak of our vision and our strategy?

      Meanwhile, some northern states already have progressive, and forward-thinking plans for education and youth empowerment. Those models should be the models we should consider and improve upon rather than what I consider a retrogressive initiative of closing down schools for an entire month. If the consideration is socio-economic, the rhetorical question is, how much is the total money that will be spent in public schools for one month, feeding children during the holy month? Is it not worth it?

     Therefore, I urge those northern governors in those states where the school closure initiative is ongoing to have a rethink. I remember that around 1982 to 1983, during the tenure of the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, the former governor of Kano State, Kano State received the UNESCO Award for Literacy in Nigeria. Oh, my goodness. Oh! How the mighty have fallen. I remember while growing up in Kano State as a student representing Rumfa College, Kano, as the President of the Debating and Literary Society, and as the Chief Speaker of the school while also representing Kano State at the national level; engaging schools from across Nigeria, competing successfully in Literary and Debating competitions, as a proud northerner, as a proud Kano boy. Oh! How the mighty have fallen! Now we have gone so backward that we will spend an entire month without our children going to school. I also remember with nostalgia, the days of first Governor of Kano State, late Alhaji Audu Bako, and even before then, when the likes of Mallam Aminu, together with Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Dan Masanin Kano Late Bello Maitama Sule, and Alhaji Aminu Dantata came together around 1967 to see how they could consolidate the educational system of Kano State by setting up the Kano State Community Commercial College, Goron Dutse, which later became Aminu Community Commercial College Kano State. The closure of schools during Ramadan will negate such noble and strategic education strategies and initiatives.

    I, therefore, urge the state governors concerned to reverse the decision of closing our schools at this important time of the year in the interest of our children, youth, and our future.

  • A Guest of integrity

    A Guest of integrity

    Preamble

    Guests, everywhere in the world, are of different types. Some are of honour and treated with integrity because of their acknowledged robe of dignity. Some are bereft of honour but merely tolerated for their nuisance value. Each time we talk of guests, people invariably think only of humans in the erroneous belief that no other creature could be qualified for that title. What such people don’t seem to know is that humans are just a fraction of Allah’s creatures. There are millions of other creatures not often noticed by man. One of such creatures is the environment of which season is a part.

    Phenomenal Creature

    The phenomenal creature called season comes in different forms with different intensity and at different times of the year.

    Seasons are like the tides of an ocean. They roll out spirally in quick succession and reshape the world’s environment from time to time as they come in multiples of months. No one measures a season in the absence of months as there can be no seasons without months.

    Seasonal Visitor

    In a few days’ time, a unique guest will arrive in the world with the grandeur of integrity. Its arrival will be the divine catalyst with which the long awaited human respite for the currently prevailing global machinations will be ushered in.

    Europeans have so much respect for seasons that whenever they have an important guest they call him an ‘August visitor’. The month of August is the peak of summer season and the most comfortable month of hospitality for the Caucasian race of Europe hence the term.

    In Islam, the most venerable guest is the month of Ramadan. Its visiting time is not restricted to any particular season. Its arrival in the world may coincide with that of any season. That sacred month is therefore the guest of all seasons.

    With Ramadan as a guest, not only the Muslims but the entire humanity is consciously or unconsciously engaged in hospitable activities. Those who cannot fast in it do take advantage of its presence to sell or buy some relevant needs and wants. Thus, there can be no indifference to the awful presence of Ramadan in any part of the world.

    I recall the vivid description given this sacred month in ‘THE MESSAGE’   column some time ago which is still as relevant now as it was then. It went thus:

    “Once every year, something creeps into the world like the early morning light. It moves kaleidoscopically into an arena where the centre becomes its stool. It lifts its veil and beams a special focus on the world with an arresting attention in the days. It envelops the nights in a shroud of covenant linking the dream of man with its fulfillment”.

    Its journey

    “No one except Allah knows Ramadan’s port of embarkation. No human being knows its destination. All we know of it is that of a guest that is so vividly present in our world and yet so physically invisible. RAMADAN is the name by which it is divinely christened. Its coming is often heralded by a retinue of envoys. The months of ‘Rajab’ and ‘Sha’ban’ are the immediate escorts that alert mankind of its imminent arrival. Like the sun in the midst of stars, Ramadan ascends the throne in full regalia and all other months, (lunar and solar) quickly take their bow.

    Call it the king where other months are chiefs and you will be dead right. Call it the doctor in a world of sick people and you will not be wrong. Call it the compass in the wilderness of straying humanity and you would have spoken the truth. Call it the reformer of human soul; the sterilizer of human spirit as well as the purifier of human body and you will not be disputed. In its entourage are equally invisible ministers such as piety, knowledge, truth, justice and peace, all of which usher it into the world with splendor”.

    Connotation of Its Name

    Deriving its name from a natural healing phenomenon, this ninth lunar month called Ramadan is truly baking in effect.

    The word:  Ramadan is derived from the Arabic word ramd (meaning baking). The name had been in existence before the advent of Islamic calendar. It was coined from a baking summer that immediately followed a freezing winter. Ever since, Ramadan’s mission has been to firm up all loose ends in the life of man. And it does that with a touch of perfection”.

    Its mission

    In Ramadan, the entire month of 30 or 29 days is spent by Muslim believers in fasting from dawn to dusk. Such fasting is not about abstinence from foods and drinks alone. It is also about self-restraint from all sinful acts and self-equipment with a reign of impeccable discipline.  More importantly, it is about repackaging of one’s destiny through a new but sincere resolution.

    Fasting during this sacred month is believed to figuratively burn away all sins. It was in this glorious month that the revelation of the divinely reformative Book of guidance called the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) first began.

    In the sacred month of Ramadan, all gates of paradise, according to the Prophet, are open while those of hell are closed. The first ten days in it are blessings galore for those of the Muslim Ummah who need blessings and seek for them. The next ten days personify forgiveness for those who realize the gravity of their sinful acts, repent on them and resolve never to return to such acts again. Thus, Ramadan is far, far beyond a month. It is really a season that serves as a template for other seasons.

    Its anchor leg

    The last ten days in that sacred month are like a spiritual inoculation meant to liberate genuinely faithful Muslims from any satanic ailment that can lead to doom.  Whoever is liberated with that inoculation automatically becomes like a new born baby arriving in a new world with a ‘tabula rasa’ (clean slate).

    The Night of Power

    It is in these last ten days of Ramadan that a particular night called Laylatul Qadr in which the secret of human destiny is encapsulated. The night is otherwise known as the ‘Night of power’. Meeting that night consciously and spiritually is like securing the key to one’s own apartment in Paradise. The proviso, however, is that one needs to remain awake throughout those nights to be fortunate to meet the D night.

    Allah did not disclose even to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), which particular night of the sacred month of Ramadan is called Laylatul Qadr. But by asking the Muslims to look for it in the odd nights of the last ten days, the Prophet has helped the rightly guided Muslim Ummah tremendously. However, who can be so sure of the odd nights when the issue of sighting the crescent before starting Ramadan often remains controversial?

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    Also, during the last ten days of Ramadan, some willing Muslims, in accordance with the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), do go for Umrah in Makkah or take to I’tikaf (spiritual seclusion) locally, to reaffirm their total submission to Allah. Following this is a session of charity made compulsory for all Muslims irrespective of age, gender and status, to give to the poor and the needy. This is called Zakatul Fitr or Sadaqatul Fitr.

     It is given in the very early morning of Ramadan Festival Day or the night before it to enable the poor and the needy celebrate the festival with the Ummah in a festive mood.

    Anti-climax

    The first day of the month of Shawwal immediately after Ramadan which is traditionally spent in great celebrations with rejoice and observed as ‘Fast-Breaking Festival’ (Eidul Fitr) by Muslims is the anti-climax of Ramadan month.

    Where else can one find a guest like Ramadan? Where else can one meet a guest that hosts his supposed hosts and heals mankind of ignorance and physical diseases? It was probably more to Ramadan than to man that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) referred when he said: “whoever believes in Allah and the ‘Last Day’ should venerate his guest” That guest is Ramadan. That is why Muslims often say in this unique month: ‘RAMADAN KARIM’ which means ‘Venerable Ramadan’.

    Preparation

    To start or end fasting in Ramadan, sighting of the crescent is just symbolic. The indices of recognizing when to start or end the month are naturally vivid to those who care.

    Ramadan is not preceded by two glorious lunar months of Rajab and Sha’ban for fun. The number of days in those two months is to enable any serious Muslim know the time of the arrival of Ramadan and prepare for it. No lunar month exceeds 30 days and none is less than 29 days.

    Crescent or no crescent, it is very possible and easy to know when to start Ramadan every year without waiting to be prompted. The confusion often created by the sighting of the crescent is therefore avoidable. If Rajab is 30 or 29 days, no one looks for the crescent before starting Sha’ban. As soon as Rajab ends, Sha’ban starts with little or no controversy at all.

    Dynamism

    Islam is a dynamic religion and nothing should be rigid about the sighting of the crescent before starting Ramadan. Sighting the crescent is not the only condition for commencing fasting in the great month. After all, the new crescent is not necessarily visible to all eyes at any given time in any locality. That is why a few Muslims who may be privileged to sight it are implored to invite some others to witness it and then inform the recognized authorities who will in turn, announce the arrival of Ramadan to the Muslim community in the locality or region.

    Besides Faith (Iman) and Hajj (which are the first and last pillars of Islam), nothing else in the sacred religion is really globally uniform in practical terms with regards to timing. The variation in the geography of the earth has legitimized the variation of time in the observance of Salat, Sawm and Zakat. The over 2.1 billion Muslims in the world today cannot commence Ramadan fasting on the same day or the same hour. Iman is global because it resides permanently in the hearts of the believers irrespective of their localities. Hajj is equally global because it is performed in only one place at a particular time.

    Geographical factor

    Where a gap of about nine to eleven hours exists between one part of the world and another, talking of global uniformity in starting or ending Ramadan can only border on sheer ignorance. For instance it is impossible for the Australian Muslims living in Australia and their South American brethren residing in Brazil or Argentina to start Ramadan on the same day. Even within Nigeria, all Muslims can start Ramadan on the same day, only if they have equal access to information. And even with that, it is not possible for them all to start or end daily fasting at the same time of the day. That is why the announcement or publication of Ramadan timing according to the various localities is necessary.

    Universality of Ramadan

    That Ramadan fasting is prescribed as a universal obligation for all Muslims in a particular month is deliberate. Allah who did the prescription is not oblivious of the geographical variations in the world. Neither is He unaware of the possible invisibility of a new crescent to most eyes. The design is to allow for the reverberation of the effect of Ramadan across the world. And time variation in observance of Salat or celebration of festivals is not peculiar to Islam. Even in Christianity, neither Easter nor Christmas is globally celebrated in one day. And, there is no media noise about it.

    What is global about Ramadan fasting is the month and not the time. Dawn and dusk vary from locality to locality. It is therefore possible for the Muslims in one part of the world to be breaking their daily fast at a time when their brethren in another part of the world are commencing theirs. Thus, the genuineness or otherwise of Ramadan fasting is not to be judged by man. That is why Allah is reported by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as saying in a sacred Hadith (Hadith-ul-Qudsi) that: “Fasting is Mine and I am the One to grant rewards on it.”

    Welcome to the coast of Ramadan. This sacred ‘ship’ must not leave the coast without you on board. Ramadan is like an institution of learning. A good Muslim must not just pass through it he must also allow it to pass through him. Who knows when the last time to witness the month will be?

    RAMADAN KARIM!