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 Politics › The Table is Incomplete Without Them by idreesjigo(op): 11:00am On Oct 11 |
The Table is Incomplete Without Them: Why Nigeria Cannot Make Policy Without Its Youth Nigeria is the youngest country you will ever manage. Over 70% of its 220 million people are under 35. The median age is 17.2 years. Yet the average age of a policymaker making decisions about education, jobs, data, and the future is over 55. We have built a country where young people are discussed, but rarely discussed with. That is not just an injustice. It is a policy failure, and Nigeria is paying for it. 1. Youth are Not the Future. They are the Present Majority. For decades, we used the slogan "youth are leaders of tomorrow." Tomorrow has arrived. In Kaduna, Abuja, Kano, and Lagos, it is young people who are: - Building the real estate market we just celebrated at KRES 2026 - Powering the tech ecosystem that brings in more FX than crude oil sales in some quarters - Deciding elections with 76% of newly registered voters in 2023 You cannot make policy for a majority you do not include. Any housing policy that doesn't understand how a 27-year-old wants to pay rent via monthly installments is dead on arrival. Any education policy designed without students who learn on YouTube is obsolete. Including youth is not charity. It is demographic accuracy. 2. They Understand Problems Government Data Cannot See Policy in Nigeria fails because it is based on outdated assumptions. A ministry in Abuja thinks unemployment is about lack of jobs. A 24-year-old in Tudun Wada, Kaduna knows unemployment is about a lack of skills that connect to jobs, limited transport to interviews, and employers who ask for 5 years' experience for entry-level roles. Youth bring lived intelligence: - They know why young girls don't go to PHCs to collect family planning - They know why a farmer's son won't farm even though he has land - They know why a boy joins a gang instead of an apprenticeship This is intelligence you cannot get from a consultant's report. When Malaria Consortium wants to reach children, they don't send directors; they send young Community Distributors who speak the language and know the shortcuts. Policymaking needs the same logic. 3. Inclusion is a Security Strategy Nigeria's biggest security threat is not banditry. It is exclusion. A young person who has no voice in the local government budget, no access to the state procurement system, no seat on the housing board, but watches contracts awarded to his father's friends every year - that young person becomes vulnerable to extremism, not because he is radical, but because he is rational. He concludes the system is not for him. Countries that included youth in policymaking early - Rwanda with its YouthConnekt, Kenya with its Youth Enterprise Fund, Ghana with its Youth Parliament - saw a direct drop in youth restiveness. Nigeria's #EndSARS was not a protest against police alone. It was a protest against policy without participation. When you give a young person a pen to write policy, you take away his reason to pick up a placard. 4. What Meaningful Inclusion Actually Looks Like It is not inviting 2 youth to clap at a summit. It is: a) From Consultation to Co-Creation: Don't invite youth to validate what you have already written. Invite them to write the first draft. The Kaduna Real Estate Summit tried this by bringing online realtors and digital marketers to the same table as NIESV and government. That is the model. b) Institutionalize Seats, Not Invitations: Every state housing board, health board, procurement council, and education trust fund should have 30% statutory seats for youth under 35, elected by youth structures, not appointed by governors. c) Pay Them for Their Expertise: Stop calling youth engagement volunteering. If you pay a 60-year-old professor to review policy, pay the 28-year-old data analyst who built the dashboard to track it. d) From Abuja to Ward Level: Real policy that affects youth happens in LGAs - in the cost of shop permits, in the allocation of market stalls, in the approval of a football pitch. Youth inclusion must start at the ward council. Conclusion: Nigeria Will Be What Its Youth Decide You cannot build a smart city with an analog council. Nigeria's youth are not asking for power to be handed to them. They are asking for the table to be expanded so they can bring their own chairs. The significance of youth in policymaking is not that they are energetic. It is that they are inevitable. They are the users, the taxpayers, the builders, and the ones who will live with the consequences 30 years after the current policymakers have retired. A policy made without them will be resisted by them. A policy made with them will be protected by them. If Nigeria wants policies that last, it must let its majority write them. |
| Properties › KADUNA REAL ESTATE SUMMIT 2026 by idreesjigo(op): 5:06pm On Oct 10 |
KADUNA REAL ESTATE SUMMIT 2026: Kaduna Wants to Stop Selling Land and Start Building Homes The Kaduna Real Estate Summit 2026 was held yesterday, October 8, at the Muhammad Buhari Hall, Galaxy Mall, Kaduna, and it sent a different message than the usual land-selling conference. For once, it wasn't about who has the biggest estate in Kangimi or Millennium City. The theme was "Unlocking Kaduna Real Estate Potential," and convener Awwal Salisu set the tone from his welcome address: Kaduna doesn't need more investors who buy 100 plots and disappear. It needs practical housing for people who actually live and work in Kaduna. Salisu, who organized the summit through his firm BUDANZA Real Estate Consult as a private sector-driven platform, said the industry must answer a simple but uncomfortable question: How does a family in Kaduna whose savings cannot meet a deposit enter the market when cheaper houses are 25km from their workplace and school? 3 Things That Actually Happened at the Summit 1. Affordable Housing Was The Center, Not The Slogan Salisu pushed for alternative models, accessible mortgage financing, housing cooperatives, structured instalment payments, and rent-to-own arrangements, instead of the usual outright payment for land. The goal, he said, is to expand homeownership for low- and middle-income earners. 2. Government and Professionals Asked For Transparency The Special Guest of Honour, Bature Ali Muhammad of NIESV (Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers), called for stronger public-private partnerships and said the market will only attract real investment if there is transparency, professionalism, and respect for institutions. Voice of Nigeria's coverage of the summit also summarized the consensus: improved access to housing finance and better infrastructure are non-negotiable if Kaduna wants to close its housing deficit. 3. It Was Not Just Talk - It Was Networking and Exhibition Unlike government summits, KRES 2026 was designed as a private sector marketplace: developer exhibitions, panel sessions on The Market, Policy, and Industry, and high-value networking for developers, investors, consultants, and digital marketers. d4ec What This Means For Kaduna Kaduna has been Nigeria's dumping ground for speculative layouts. The summit tried to shift the conversation from "buy 10 plots" to: - Can we verify title before we market? - Can we build what a civil servant on Grade Level 8 can actually buy? - Can we create a secondary market where people can resell without losing 40%? If the resolutions from Galaxy Mall are followed - mortgage access, real infrastructure before allocation, and a single verifiable registry - Kaduna will move from being a land speculation market about Kaduna to being a real housing market for Kaduna. The summit is over. The market will now test if the talk was real. The Kaduna Real Estate Summit 2026 was convened by BUDANZA Real Estate Consult. For partnerships: kres2026@budanza.com.ng |
| Romance › On Commitment by idreesjigo(op): 4:46pm On Oct 10 |
I think commitment is a scarier concept than love. Love is scary too, but so is commitment. They work hand in hand, yet people hardly talk about commitment. Love is the driver. It drives you to the station of commitment, drops you there with your luggage, your hopes, your promises, and leaves you to figure out the rest. You know love brought you there. But now that it has left, can you learn to survive the days without it? Can you still stay when love is no longer loud enough to tell you why you should? Because what happens when the person you chose becomes an entirely different person? I understand seasons. I understand that people change, that life changes, that we must learn the weather of every new season and adapt. That is the normal course of life. But what if a season becomes permanent? What if the winter stays? What if the conditions become too harsh for you to keep adapting? And what if commitment is exactly that; the willingness to keep learning the language of of a season you never asked to live in? Maybe that is why commitment frightens me more than love. Love asks, “Do you want this person?” Commitment asks, “Can you keep choosing this person when they are no longer the person you first chose?” And I think that question is scarier than love itself. 1 Like |
| Culture › The Abuja Ajebos by idreesjigo(op): 9:26pm On Oct 07 |
The Abuja Ajebos In Lagos, they hustle. In Abuja, they arrive A different breed of young Nigerians grew up without hearing the sound of generators struggling. They grew up hearing the quiet hum of an inverter that never trips, the soft close of a Prado door, and the polite "welcome home, small oga" from a house help who's known them since they were in Pampers. We call them the Abuja Ajebos. You know them when you see them. Their Morning Starts at 11am School is either Baze University, Nile, Veritas, or a UK university; they attend mostly on Zoom, but physically during winter for Instagram. They wake up not to an alarm, but to sunlight slipping through blackout curtains in a 5-bedroom duplex in Guzape, Asokoro, or Wuye. Breakfast is not akara. It's "I want something light," which means croissants from Cafe de Vie, iced vanilla latte, avocado toast, and a protein shake they won't finish. Their gym is not a gym. It's a private session at iFitness or Bodyline Maitama with a personal trainer who also doubles as their content photographer. The Uniform The male Ajebo: Dior slides even when he's going to wash his car. An LV crossbody bag that is definitely real; Dad brought it from Dubai. Fresh haircut every 4 days at a barber in Wuse 2 who charges 15k. He says "bro, I'm broke" while filling a full tank of fuel in a Benz C300 he calls his "small car." The female Ajebo: Lace front laid by a vendor who lives in her DMs. Nails done at Medlyn Nails. Lashes, BBL consultation saved on her private Instagram. She owns 12 shades of lip gloss and a Chanel tote that carries nothing but a lip gloss, a power bank, and a car key. She doesn't enter keke. She doesn't know the price of keke. Work? What is Work? They all have the same bio: "Entrepreneur | Realtor | Forex Trader | CEO @ Something that hasn't sold anything yet." Their office is A-Class Park, Central Park, The Booze, or a corner table at Amala Sky. Real work is being done by their fathers in the National Assembly, Ministry, or that construction company that has been doing the same road since 2017. But don't get it wrong; they are not lazy. They are networking. Every day is a meeting about a meeting about a land in Epe or Kaba District that "will double in 6 months." The Weekend Cycle Thursday: Soft life Thursday at Hustle & Bustle with a table that costs your rent. Friday: Jummah in a white kaftan that costs 180k, then a wedding in Nasarawa that turns into an after-party in Maitama. Saturday: Another wedding. Ashoebi sewn by a designer who only works by referral. Spraying mint new notes like confetti. Their spray is filmed in slow motion. Sunday: Brunch at The Harvest or Karambezi, with captions like "Grateful heart" while sipping a 25k cocktail. Their pain is different. "Fuel finished," "My driver didn't come," "NEPA took light, but my inverter is making noise," "Daddy said I should manage the old GLE till December." But here's the thing about Abuja Ajebos: for all the banter, they are incredibly soft. Polite to a fault. They will say "thank you" and "sorry" even when they are wrong. Many of them pray; many of them still ask their mother for permission at 27; many of them secretly want to prove they can make it without daddy's name. Under the Dior slides and the rented Rolex is still Nigerian youth, just raised on a softer pillow. And whether we like to judge them or we low-key want to be them, they are part of what makes Abuja, Abuja. |
| Poems For Review › Tales Of A Baker by idreesjigo(op): 6:43am On Sep 05 |
Tales Of A Baker How does it taste? You ask me how it tastes? When even my neighbours could tell from the scent of the slow bake- the way the vanilla hit its notes the moment it entered the heat as the temperature slowly coaxed the fragrance from within. So I think you should already feel it in your mouth. Saidai kash! An ce labari daga bakin mai ita ya fi dadin ji. That is why I decided to tell you exactly how it tasted- Domin na fayyace maka, ko tsammanin da kuke yi akan yadda zai kasance ya zo da yadda zahiri take. Wato… da na sa shi a baki na, ko? Wayyo Allah. Wai, wai, wai!!! In ji makaho. Idan da ace ni makauniya ce, na tabbata abin da na ji da ya iya warkar min da gani na. Domin ko zan so in ga launin wannan abu mai tsabar laushi, mai kama da pillow😂 A daidai lokacin da ya fara sauka a harshena Ya narke nan take. The fluffiness so soft, so light, like biting into a little cloud. Then the rich warmth of the vanilla extract met the creamy taste of milk perfectly, each one complementing the other without trying to overpower it. And then came the sugar- just the right amount to make anyone wonder how something so simple could have been calculated so perfectly. Not too sweet, Not too plain. Just enough. And just like that, I tasted what could only be described as; the perfect balance in a single slice. |
| Nairaland General › ..,hmmmmmmmmm by idreesjigo(op): 12:20pm On Aug 31*. Modified: 4:51am On Oct 12 |
......,...............hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm |
| Literature › Fatima Bala: Storytelling as Reclamation, Healing, and Truth by idreesjigo(op): 2:59pm On Aug 19*. Modified: 11:39pm On Aug 19 |
Fatima Bala: Storytelling as Reclamation, Healing, and Truth If you’ve read Nigerian fiction in the last few years, you’ve likely felt Fatima Bala’s voice before you knew her name. It’s that voice that doesn’t whisper around difficult things. It sits with you in the motor park, in the matrimonial bedroom, on the rooftop in Abuja, and says: let’s talk about what we don’t talk about. Fatima Bala is a lecturer, poet, and writer born in Kaduna, and now lives between Nigeria and Canada with her husband, children, and a pet fish named Fishy. She’s also the author readers describe as writing “about complicated people making questionable decisions under the watchful eye of culture, family, memory, and occasionally, aunties”. That description isn’t a joke. It’s her thesis. Her Life: Roots, Study, and the In-Between Fatima’s path is wonderfully layered. She studied Tourism, Business Management, and international women’s rights at Algonquin College, Vancouver Island University, and Stanford. She’s also a lecturer, which explains the clarity and care with which she builds characters: she teaches, she listens, and she interrogates. She calls herself a believer in storytelling as cultural reclamation. Born and raised with the richness of Northern Nigerian heritage, she writes from the “spaces in-between” — between Nigeria and Canada, between tradition and modernity, between silence and speech. Outside of writing, she loves photography, traveling, board games like Scythe and King of Tokyo, and overthinking fictional characters. It’s that curiosity that makes her fiction feel so lived-in. The Works: Honest, Sharp, and Deeply Human Fatima doesn’t write to comfort. She writes to reveal. And she does it with humor, tenderness, and a scalpel. 1. Broken: Not a Halal Love Story This is the book that made many readers sit up. Described as “an exquisite, elegantly written love story immersed in a wealth of culture and pulsating with intensity” and “a beautiful, heart-wrenching tale of love and loss”, it became a national bestseller. It’s not a simple romance. It’s about faith, desire, family expectations, and the cost of choosing yourself in a community that watches closely. The starred reviews from The Los Angeles Tribune, London Post, and New York Weekly speak to how the story traveled far beyond Nigeria because its questions are universal: What happens when love and duty collide? 2. Hafsatu Bebi Her second major work continues her focus on Northern Nigerian women navigating complex social themes. Like Broken, it’s known for emotionally sharp fiction set against “the textured realities of Northern Nigeria”. Fatima uses everyday details to show how power, gossip, and care move through homes and communities. 3. The Lies We Tell Her newest collection, published by Masobe Books, is already being called fierce and dazzling. “Some lies protect us. Some lies destroy us. Most lies do both.” The stories move from the dye pits of Zaria to rooftops in Abuja. Spirits walk beside pharmacists and politicians. Grandmothers whisper to unseen things. What ties it together is Fatima’s interest in “the secret architecture of Hausa women’s lives” — the bargains made in silence, the truths swallowed, the love weaponised across generations. It’s not just fiction. As one profile put it: “Her stories aren’t just fiction—they are mirrors, sometimes cracked, sometimes whole, always deeply human”. She also wrote an earlier Afro-futuristic speculative fiction work she hopes to complete as a sequel, showing she’s not confined to realism. She’s interested in all the ways we imagine ourselves out of difficult places. Why Her Work Matters Three things make Fatima Bala’s writing constructive and necessary: 1. Representation with depth She advocates for “proper representation of relatable characters”. Her women aren’t symbols. They are pharmacists, students, wives, ghosts, girls becoming women. They make mistakes. They pray. They lie to survive. 2. Interrogating silence Her work directly “interrogates identity, tradition, and silence within Northern society”. She writes about what’s often left out of the conversation: the emotional cost of cultural expectations, the politics of the home, the ways memory shapes us. 3. Emotional intelligence Readers keep coming back because she’s unflinching but not cruel. She builds “altars of honesty”. Even when characters make questionable decisions, you understand why. The Takeaway Fatima Bala isn’t writing to give easy answers. She’s writing to make space. Space for Northern Nigerian women to be complicated. Space for love stories that aren’t halal or haram, but human. Space for lies, grief, faith, and board games to exist in the same life. She lives between two countries, teaches, writes, and still finds time to play games and buy more books than her shelves can hold. That balance — of seriousness and play, of critique and love for her culture — is what makes her work resonate. If you haven’t read her yet, start with Broken, then move to Hafsatu Bebi, and watch for The Lies We Tell. Read her for the prose. Stay for the reckoning. She’s reminding us that stories can be mirrors. And sometimes, we need to see ourselves clearly before we can change.
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| Career › Twins. Two Dreams. One Opportunity by idreesjigo(op): 12:03pm On Aug 15 |
Twins. Two Dreams. One Opportunity If you met them in a hallway, chances are, you’d look twice. Hussaini and Hassan Malami are identical twins. One wears glasses. The other is slightly taller. But looking closer, I noticed something else. Hussaini is the quieter one. Hassan happily does most of the talking. Members of the NNPC Tigers Class of 2026, their story challenges a persistent misconception about NNPC’s recruitment process. Joining NNPC had always been Hussaini’s dream. When applications opened, he applied immediately and urged his twin to do the same. Hassan wasn’t interested. He held back, wrongly assuming that NNPC only hired one person per family and did not want to ruin his brother’s lifelong dream. His dream was the Nigerian Air Force and service to Nigeria. He already had a job in banking and didn’t see himself in corporate life. Besides, three older siblings, including a lawyer, an engineer and a business administrator, had all applied unsuccessfully to NNPC over the years. Their father is a retiree, but if there had ever been an "in", their siblings’ experience proved otherwise. Hassan wasn’t expecting a different outcome and only applied after his brother’s persistent encouragement, nearing the deadline. They took a computer-based test on the same day in different cities. Hussaini in Sokoto and Hassan in Kaduna. Like every other successful candidate, after a rigorous process that included interviews, they received employment letters on the same day. “I opened the email after midnight and wanted to wake everybody up to tell them,” Hussaini laughed. Hassan first saw the news on the family WhatsApp group when he woke up. That’s when the pressure hit him. “I was now nervous about the possibility of not being successful once Hussaini shared his news.” They both got in. Park that. Hussaini is currently with NNPC Exploration & Production Limited (NNPC E&P Limited), while Hassan works at NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), where he has discovered an entirely new side of Nigeria’s energy industry. “I didn’t know there was a whole business dedicated to transporting gas,” Hassan said. “Now I’ve seen how gas powers plants and manufacturing companies...Hearing that gas is the future is one thing. Seeing how it is happening is another.” Ironically, the brother who never wanted a corporate career now sees his job at NNPC as a form of national service. He still hopes to explore military service before he reaches the age limit in 2030, but today he is exactly where he wants to be. For Hussaini, the experience has strengthened a lifelong dream. He also hopes to give back to his university as a guest lecturer. “When I was in university, I only had one lecturer with field experience,” he said. “I want to share practical experience with students someday.” Asked which NNPC culture transformation pillar best reflects their mindset, Hussaini says Enterprise First, because “giving your best to the company is giving your best to the country.” Hassan tilts towards Execution Excellence. “I’m a civil engineer...I like seeing things come to life from concept to completion.” Any advice to young Nigerians trying to get into NNPC? They echoed the same message: “Ignore the rumours. You don’t need to know anybody at NNPC. Apply. Take the test and earn your place.” At first, one notices what makes them identical. Dig a little deeper and discover what makes them different. Likewise, sometimes the stories we assume we know deserve a second look. By Adaobi Oniwinde Senior Communications Advisor NNPC Limited #HumansOfNNPC #FutureReadyNNPC #EnergyForToday #EnergyForTomorrow
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| Islam › Sounds of the AZAN (Call To Prayer) by idreesjigo(op): 12:11am On Jul 22*. Modified: 5:04pm On Aug 14 |
Sounds of the AZAN (Call To Prayer) Waking up to the sweet sounds of the azan, my heartbeat escalates Escalating so seemingly seriously to this “call to success” A call with a melodic pleasure A treasure you can never measure Even with a lecture Making the heart feel like she is having a leisure So peaceful, relieving it from all pressure A sound so melodic in nature There is something in the manner the melody immediately makes my heart so majestic The echoing sounds tame my ego to zero Zero and zilch, giving me the zeal to respond to this call Sticks and stones may break my bones, but this call makes me whole. whole and holy, giving me sakinah every second season after season augmenting my reasoning second to millisecond without second-guessing the response Respond with no abscond; I repeatedly respond responsively Sieving all weaknesses seemingly making the heart shed her most shining rays without any sconce TikTok TikTok ticking every box in this book of time |
| Politics › DEFEND DEMOCRACY by idreesjigo(op): 9:55am On Jul 17 |
DEFEND DEMOCRACY By Asia Ahmad El-Rufai ‘For 150 days, Nasir El-Rufai Has Been Detained. Nigeria’s Partners Must Speak Up’ I write today not as a politician, lawyer, or diplomat, but as a wife, a mother, and a Nigerian woman, asking that the country my husband served for so many years remember its own conscience. On the 150th day of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s detention, I ask readers outside Nigeria to pause over what that number means. One hundred and fifty days is not a legal phrase. It is five months of missed meals, missed prayers, missed proper mourning for his deceased mother, missed family conversations, interrupted medical care, and moments we can never recover. My husband is no stranger to controversy or public scrutiny. He has spent more than two decades in public life - as head of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and governor of Kaduna State. He has been praised, criticised, loved, and opposed. That is democracy. But what is happening to him today is not democracy, and it is not accountability. It is punishment before trial. Arrest Without Warning And Dignity For 150 days, our home has existed under a cloud that does not lift. There was the attempted airport interception, when security officials seized his passport without a warrant and assaulted his aide in public view. There was the sudden invitation, his voluntary appearance before the authorities, and the promise of bail that existed on paper but not in freedom. There was the night he was moved between locations without warning and without the dignity of allowing his family to know where he was being taken. I still remember the helplessness of hearing that he had fallen gravely ill in custody, bleeding from his nose and mouth, while those responsible for his welfare were reluctant to provide the care any person deserves. I remember the anxiety of trying to get his medication to him and wondering whether officials would accept it. These are not abstract violations. They are the moments that chip away at a family’s resolve and hope. Behind every headline about “charges” and “investigations”, a family is waiting, praying and trying not to imagine the worst. Justice Cannot Be Selective Let me be clear: I do not ask that my husband be placed above the law. No public official should be immune from scrutiny. If the state believes it has evidence, let it be presented before an impartial court, openly and fairly. But justice cannot be selective. It cannot be pursued through overlapping charges, repeated detention, impossible bail conditions, and public humiliation designed to persuade the nation of guilt before a judge has heard the case. Recent public commentary has warned that Nigeria (among other African countries) is drifting from accountability into lawfare - the use of legal processes, judicial procedures, and state institutions as political weapons. The concern is not whether former officials may be investigated; they can and should be. The concern is whether the law is being applied neutrally or deployed against those who have fallen out of political favour. My husband’s case has become a test of that distinction. His political rupture with President Bola Tinubu’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and his refusal to surrender his independent voice should not make him a target for indefinite punishment or detention disguised as prosecution. The legal architecture surrounding him is bewildering even to trained observers: multiple charges in different courts, overlapping allegations, shifting statutory theories and duplicated claims arising from the same alleged events. If one application for bail is made and the conditions are met, another accusation can be filed the next day. If one judge must consider freedom, another process can be used to delay it. This is how judicial procedure becomes premeditated punishment. This is how we have arrived at 150 days of unjust detention. Diplomatic And Development Partners: Do Not Look Away Importantly, this inhumane treatment is not limited to my husband. Joel Adoga, a former public servant and the breadwinner of his family, has endured prolonged detention, including a month in solitary confinement, with his wife and children left to carry the emotional and economic burden. Jimi Lawal, facing multiple and overlapping legal proceedings, has reportedly suffered serious health deterioration while in custody, including dramatic weight loss and the need for specialised medical treatment. And let’s not forget the 7 July arrest and detention of Professor Abubakar Bello, Mallam’s personal physician, with similar impossible bail conditions. These men are beloved family members and Nigerian citizens. These men are not case files. Their families are not collateral damage to be ignored in the pursuit of a political vendetta. This is why I am appealing to Nigeria’s diplomatic and development partners: do not look away. Those who invest in Nigeria’s democracy, security cooperation, anti-corruption institutions, health systems and development programmes have a legitimate interest in whether those institutions respect due process and human dignity. A country cannot receive international support while using ostensibly democratic institutions to annihilate opposition political voices. I ask foreign missions, multilateral organisations, human rights groups and democracy advocates to monitor this case closely; insist on transparent proceedings before competent and impartial courts; demand humane detention conditions and timely medical access; and make it clear that anti-corruption enforcement must never become a cover for political payback. In a world of realpolitik, silence may be convenient. But to families living inside that silence, it feels like abandonment. Places Of Justice Or Theatres Of Intimidation? To President Tinubu, I say this with respect and sorrow: history is rarely kind to leaders who allow power to wound the innocent to silence the inconvenient. A strong government does not fear a strong critic. If my husband is credibly accused, let him face the accusations with access to his legal team, his doctors, and his family. Let the evidence speak in court, not through orchestrated leaks of falsehood. Nigeria’s friends must understand that this case is larger than Nasir El-Rufai. It is about whether a citizen can fall out with power and still be protected by law. It is about whether courts will be places of justice or theatres of intimidation. And for Western governments that rightly speak of democracy and human rights, it is about whether those words will still matter when Nigeria approaches elections in 2027, and the temptation to use state power against political opponents grows stronger. I do not ask the world to decide my husband’s innocence. I ask only that it stand for the principles Nigeria and its constitution have promised to uphold. Fairness, due process, humane treatment, judicial independence, and equal protection before the law are not partisan demands. They are the bare conditions of any democratic society. My husband’s life and liberty are precious to me, but so too is the soul of our country. If Nigeria can treat an accomplished public servant in this manner, what hope is there for the ordinary citizen without a recognisable name or platform? That is the question I ask Nigeria’s development partners to hold close as elections draw near: make due process, judicial independence and protection from politically motivated prosecution central to every conversation with Nigerian authorities. Raise this case publicly and privately. Send observers to attend court. Insist on timely, independent medical access. Link democracy assistance to respect for basic democratic norms. In short, stand with Nigeria by standing for justice and transparency. Stand with our democracy by insisting that power be restrained by law. Stand with our family, not because we seek privilege, but because we seek the simple standard of fairness. ~ Asia Mohammad Ahmad El-Rufai Lawyer, and the wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. 16th July 2026 © The Africa Report 2026, all rights reserved. |
| Science/Technology › Most Recent Findings About Left-handedness by idreesjigo(op): 10:57pm On Jul 04 |
Most recent research findings about left-handedness 1. Brain structure + genetics - Genes linked to left-handedness: A large UK Biobank study of ∼400,000 people, including 38,332 left-handers, identified 4 genetic regions associated with left-handedness. Three of them relate to proteins involved in brain development, specifically microtubules that form the cell "scaffolding". - Brain wiring: Those same genetic differences were tied to differences in white matter tracts that connect language-related regions of the brain. So left-handedness may trace back to early brain development, not just later practice. - Debunked theory: The long-held idea that left-handers have a larger corpus callosum to explain language processing was not supported. A 2026 Bangor + Oslo University study found no evidence that left-handers as a group have increased corpus callosum volume. Researchers now think functional communication between hemispheres matters more than structure. 2. Brain function and cognition - Functional connections: A 2025 eNeuro study analyzing 1,100+ people found that left-handedness is associated with widespread differences in brain connectivity across the whole brain. Strong links showed up in motor networks and the limbic network, which relates to emotions. - Executive function: A 2026 study using the Trail Making Test found that left-handed young adults made more sequencing errors on switching tasks compared to right-handers. Researchers suggest this may be due to stimulus-response incompatibility, biomechanics, and attention bias in right-hand-oriented environments. - Language + inhibition: "Atypical" left-handers who use the right hemisphere for language may use the left hemisphere more for inhibition/control. This could matter for studying brain plasticity and rehab after injury. 3. Skill and motor control - It's about practice, not just dominance: A June 2026 UCLA experiment found that dominant vs non-dominant arms performed the same on simple reaching. The gap only appeared with tools requiring precision. When people wrote with their elbows, the dominant-hand advantage disappeared. Takeaway: handedness advantage comes from practice, which could help stroke rehab. 4. Mental health + neurodiversity - Neurodivergence link: A 2025 meta-analysis found that autism, ADHD, and dyslexia are linked to higher rates of left-handedness compared to the general population. - Child mental health: Data from 7,951 UK kids found that non-right-handed children had slightly elevated hyperactivity/inattention symptoms. But the effect was very small and disappeared for left-handed kids only when mixed-handed kids were excluded. Researchers concluded that left-handedness alone does not confer a mental health risk. - No depression/anxiety link: A recent review and meta-analysis of 35,000+ people disconfirmed an association between non-right-handedness and higher depression. 5. Other interesting bits - Not just humans: 2025 review found left/right "pawedness" exists in 72% of 172 animal species studied. - Creativity myth: The popular idea that left-handers are inherently more creative may be an urban myth. - Brain-computer interfaces: EEG studies suggest left-handers show different activation patterns, which could help improve BCI design that has mostly focused on right-handers. The Takeaways Recent work is moving away from "left brain vs right brain" simplifications. The 2025-2026 studies point to: 1. Genetic + early development factors* involving brain structure 2. Functional connectivity differences rather than just size differences 3. Environmental adaptation plays a huge role in skill differences |
| Events › If Birthdays Don't Resonate With You... by idreesjigo(op): 7:12am On Jun 27 |
If Birthdays Don't Resonate with You... If you’re not a “birthday person” — you don’t celebrate your own, maybe skip celebrating others’ — but still want to make up for it, here’s how to handle it without faking who you are: 1. If it’s YOUR birthday, you don’t celebrate. You don’t owe anyone a party. But people who care about you still want to show they care. Compensate by: - Choosing a different ritual: Instead of a birthday, do a yearly “life check-in” dinner with 2-3 people: no cake, no singing, just good conversation and food. - Giving back instead: Donate, volunteer, or pay for someone’s lunch on your birthday. Turn the day into something meaningful. - Communicating it: Tell close friends or family, “I’m awkward with birthdays, but let’s do brunch next month instead.” This sets expectations and still gives them access to you. You’re compensating for connection, not candles. 2. If it’s OTHER PEOPLE’S birthdays, you don’t celebrate. Some people genuinely forget or feel cringey about birthday hype. To avoid seeming uncaring: - Be the “random day” person: Skip the birthday, but later send them food, a funny meme, or “saw this and thought of you” gifts three weeks afterward. This makes you memorable for consistency, not dates. - Celebrate achievements over age: Congratulate them on promotions, projects, or when they survive Lagos traffic. People remember that more than “HBD”. - Do one thing well: If you hate group chats and cakes, call them for five minutes on their birthday. One sincere “you’re solid, bro” beats twenty dry WhatsApp texts. 3. The mindset reframe. Not celebrating birthdays doesn’t make you a bad friend or partner. It just means your love language isn’t “calendar events.” Compensate by being present on the other 364 days — show up when they’re sick, hype their wins, check in randomly. Quick script for when people complain: “I’m terrible at birthdays, but I’ll never miss your real-life moments. Let’s do dinner next week — my treat.” |
| Science/Technology › The State Of Robotics In Africa by idreesjigo(op): 7:33pm On Jun 16 |
The State of Robotics in Africa The premier gathering of researchers, innovators, policymakers, and industry leaders defining the future of robotics and AI in Africa. https://afrob.org/summit/
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| Science/Technology › Lefthandedness by idreesjigo(op): 10:39am On Jun 06*. Modified: 11:03am On Jun 06 |
For centuries, left-handedness was viewed with suspicion. The vocabulary of various languages still bears the scars of this bias: in Latin, sinister means both "left" and "unlucky," while the English left comes from an Old English word meaning "weak." Today, we know better. Left-handed people make up roughly 10% of the global population. But what is truly fascinating isn’t just how they use their hands; it is how they use their brains. The psychology of the left-handed brain reveals a neurodevelopmental landscape that is highly adaptable, less compartmentalized, and uniquely wired for cognitive flexibility. Beyond the "Right Brain" Myth Pop psychology loves simple dichotomies, often relying on traditional diagrams of brain hemispheres to label the left brain as analytical and the right brain as creative. Following this logic, people assume that because the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body, left-handers must be purely "right-brained" creative types. The actual neuroscience is far more complex and interesting. The defining characteristic of the left-handed brain isn't a simple swap from left to right; it is hemispheric lateralization or rather, the lack of it. Lateralization is the brain's tendency to delegate specific tasks, like language or spatial processing, to one hemisphere over the other. Right-handed individuals are highly lateralized. Approximately 95% of right-handers process language almost exclusively in the left hemisphere of the brain. Left-handers, however, break the mold: 70% still process language in the left hemisphere 15% process language entirely in the right hemisphere 15% display bilateral symmetry, meaning they distribute language processing across both hemispheres simultaneously The Cognitive Edge of Bilateral Wiring This tendency toward bilateral processing gives left-handers a unique cognitive profile. Because their brains are less strictly compartmentalized, data travels back and forth between the left and right hemispheres at a rapid pace. 1. Enhanced "Interhemispheric" Communication The bridge connecting the two halves of the brain is a thick bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum. Neuroimaging studies have shown that left-handed and ambidextrous individuals often have a significantly larger corpus callosum than strict right-handers. This robust physical connection acts like a high-speed fiber-optic cable. Because information flows faster between the hemispheres, left-handers often excel at processing multiple, fast-moving streams of data. This is why lefties are frequently overrepresented in sports that require split-second spatial tracking and reaction times, such as tennis, fencing, and baseball. 2. Divergent Thinking and Problem Solving Psychologists categorize creativity into two main types: convergent thinking (finding a single, correct answer to a standard question) and divergent thinking (generating multiple, unique solutions to an open-ended problem). Because the left-handed brain can effortlessly pull memories, linguistic concepts, and spatial imagery from both hemispheres at once, left-handers often show a distinct advantage in divergent thinking. They are wired to see connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, a trait central to creative problem-solving and artistic innovation. The Psychological Trade-offs While the interconnected nature of the left-handed brain offers clear advantages, it also introduces unique psychological nuances and vulnerabilities. | Cognitive Trait | Left-Handed Expression | Psychological Impact | | Language Recovery | Higher resilience after stroke or brain injury due to distributed language centers | Faster rehabilitation and structural adaptation. | | Spatial Awareness| Superior mental rotation of objects and navigation| Strong performance in architecture, chess, and mathematics. | | Emotional Processing | More balanced activation between hemispheres during emotional stress | Slower processing of sudden negative stimuli, occasionally linked to higher anxiety. | Because emotions are also lateralized with the left hemisphere typically handling positive, approach-oriented emotions and the right handling negative, avoidance-oriented emotions the balanced wiring of left-handers can alter how they process mood. Some psychological studies indicate that left-handers may experience a slight delay when categorizing emotional cues, making them marginally more prone to bouts of frustration when navigating highly stressful environments designed for right-handed orientation. --- An Adaptable Mind in a Right-Handed World Ultimately, the psychology of the left-handed brain is a masterclass in neural plasticity—the brain's ability to adapt and rewire itself. Every day, a left-handed person steps into a world where scissors, school desks, subway turnstiles, and computer mice are engineered against their natural inclinations. This constant, low-level friction forces the left-handed brain to remain highly adaptable. They cannot rely on mindless muscle memory as easily as right-handers do; they must consciously problem-solve physical interactions daily. The 10% of humanity that identifies as left-handed does not just possess a different dominant hand. They possess a brain layout that favors connectivity over compartmentalization, flexibility over rigidity, and a built-in cognitive resilience born from navigating a world built for everyone else.
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| Romance › The Mental Health Cost Of Halfhearted Love by idreesjigo(op): 7:51pm On May 24 |
The Mental Health Cost of Halfhearted Love Why ambiguity hurts more than clarity Halfhearted love isn’t just disappointing. It’s a specific relational dynamic where one person’s investment is inconsistent, ambiguous, or withdrawn. Psychologists call this “perceived partner ambivalence” or “relational uncertainty,” and research shows it has measurable effects on mental health. 1. It creates chronic uncertainty, which drives anxiety Your brain treats unclear social signals as a threat. When you can’t predict if your partner is “in” or “out,” you stay in a state of vigilance. Studies on relational uncertainty find it’s directly linked to higher anxiety and stress. As psychologist Kate Sweeny explains, worry becomes harmful when it’s “overwhelming, long-lasting, or out-of-sync with our ability to prevent bad things from happening”. Halfhearted love keeps you there indefinitely. You ruminate, replay conversations, and scan for signs of rejection. That rumination impairs your ability to regulate emotions and maintain positive feelings. 2. It weakens self-worth through intermittent reinforcement Psychologists call this pattern “intermittent reinforcement” - rewards given unpredictably. It’s the same mechanism that makes slot machines (or gambling in general) addictive. In relationships, occasional affection after periods of withdrawal creates a cycle of hope and despair. Researcher Kerry Cohen describes it as “the most binding of all reinforcements” for love addicts. You start blaming yourself for the inconsistency and over-accommodating to earn approval. Over time, you tie your value to their unpredictable attention. 3. It’s linked to higher depression, anxiety, and stress A latent profile analysis comparing relationship types found that people in “ambivalent relationships” reported significantly higher levels of depressive and stress symptoms than those in affectionate relationships. More broadly, relationship discord is one of the strongest social-environmental triggers for psychopathology. Susan South, author of “A romantic partner model of mental health,” argues that dissatisfaction in romantic relationships is “hiding in plain sight” as a risk factor for psychological disorders. 4. It disrupts attachment and emotion regulation Attachment theory helps explain why this hurts. People with anxious attachment already fear abandonment and become hypervigilant to shifts in a partner’s behavior. Halfhearted love activates that system constantly. Jeffry Simpson and W. Steven Rholes notes that insecure attachment orientations create distinct patterns of emotion regulation under stress. When the relationship itself is the source of stress, you lose the buffer that secure relationships usually provide. Instead, you experience emotional suppression and somatic symptoms like sleep disruption and fatigue. 5. It keeps you stuck Esther Perel points out that people often tolerate “deadness” in relationships because they’re trying to beat back a feeling of aliveness they can’t access alone. Halfhearted love gives just enough aliveness to stay, but not enough to feel secure. The result is what researchers call “ambivalence” - simultaneously experiencing both positive and negative feelings, which increases rumination and fluctuating behaviors. You spend time thinking about the relationship’s problems and how to fix them, but also engage in destructive behavior, such as withdrawing or criticizing. --- The bottom line High-quality relationships are associated with lower depressive symptoms. Halfhearted love gives you the stress of a relationship without the protective benefits. As Perel puts it, the unknown can be met with either curiosity or anxiety. When the unknown comes from your partner’s inconsistency, anxiety usually wins. |
| Politics › Goodluck Jonathan And The Almajiri Education Revolution Nigeria Still Remembers by idreesjigo(op): 6:18pm On May 21 |
GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND THE ALMAJIRI EDUCATION REVOLUTION NIGERIA STILL REMEMBERS "In my early days in school, I had no shoes, no school bags... I walked miles and crossed rivers to school every day, but I never despaired." -Goodluck Jonathan There was a time in Nigeria when leadership looked beyond politics and focused on the future of forgotten children. Under the administration of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the Almajiri education initiative became one of the boldest educational interventions ever introduced in Northern Nigeria. For decades, millions of Almajiri children roamed the streets without access to proper education, shelter, healthcare, or opportunities. While many leaders only talked about the problem, the Jonathan administration took practical steps by establishing modern Almajiri schools across different states in the North. These schools were not ordinary structures. They were designed to combine Islamic education with Western education, giving children the opportunity to learn Qur’anic teachings alongside science, mathematics, English, vocational skills, and civic education. It was a vision aimed at empowering a generation instead of abandoning them to poverty and street life. The initiative was not just about classrooms. It was about restoring dignity, hope, and humanity to children who had been neglected for years. Hostels, feeding systems, learning facilities, and trained teachers were introduced to ensure that the children could learn in a safe and conducive environment. Goodluck Jonathan understood that insecurity, poverty, and unemployment cannot be solved without education. He believed that every Nigerian child, regardless of background or region, deserves the right to quality education and a better future. Sadly, many of these noble initiatives were abandoned after his administration left office. Today, Nigerians can clearly see the difference between leadership driven by national development and politics driven by empty promises. The Almajiri education programme remains one of the strongest symbols of inclusive leadership in Nigeria’s history. It proved that when the government genuinely cares, lives can be transformed and communities can be rebuilt through education. As Nigeria searches for direction again, many citizens continue to remember the Jonathan years as a period when government policies focused on unity, inclusion, infrastructure, education, and human development. History will always remember Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as a leader who tried to give hope to the forgotten children of Northern Nigeria and invested in education as a tool for national peace, stability, and progress. |
| Politics › Hadiza Bala Usman In The Service Of History by idreesjigo(op): 5:04pm On May 21 |
Hadiza Bala Usman in the Service of History In the architecture of power, not every consequential figure commands the spotlight or dominates public discourse. Some shape governments not through noise or populist visibility, but through systems, discipline, metrics, and an uncompromising commitment to institutional performance. Within the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, few individuals embody this model more profoundly than Hadiza Bala Usman. To understand Hadiza Bala Usman is to understand a rare breed of Nigerian public servant, one forged not merely in politics, but in activism, bureaucracy, reform, and the often brutal realities of power. Her current role as Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit places her at the nerve centre of one of the most ambitious governance experiments in modern Nigerian history: translating campaign promises into measurable governance outcomes. Her appointment to the Tinubu administration in June 2023 was the strategic placement of an operator at the heart of the Renewed Hope governance architecture. Born in Zaria, Kaduna State, Hadiza Bala Usman emerged from a family deeply rooted in intellectual tradition, ideological discipline, and national consciousness. She is the daughter of Professor Yusuf Bala Usman, one of Nigeria’s most respected historians, scholars, and political thinkers. Growing up in such an environment meant that governance, justice, statecraft, accountability, and national development were not abstract concepts but part of everyday intellectual engagement. This background would profoundly shape her worldview and her approach to public service. She studied Business Administration at Ahmadu Bello University before pursuing postgraduate studies in Development Studies at the University of Leeds. This academic combination of management and development policy would later become evident in her governance style, practical, evidence-driven, and unapologetically reform-oriented. Unlike many who enter public office through traditional political structures, Hadiza’s early rise was facilitated by advocacy, civic engagement, and accountability movements. She became nationally recognised as one of the prominent voices in the Bring Back Our Girls movement, a campaign that emerged after the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014. Her activism during that period projected her as a fearless voice willing to challenge authority and demand accountability from the Nigerian state. That phase of her life was not merely about public advocacy; it was her apprenticeship in confronting systems of power and understanding how institutions function or fail to do so. Her transition from activism into executive governance began in 2015 when Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai appointed her as Chief of Staff in Kaduna State. This appointment marked a significant turning point in her career, introducing her to the complexities of subnational governance. In Kaduna, she became immersed in the realities of budget implementation, policy execution, managing political coalitions, navigating bureaucratic resistance, and implementing administrative reform. Those who worked closely with her during this period often described her as intensely focused, direct in communication, and deeply committed to execution rather than political theatrics. It was during these years that she developed her signature philosophy of governance: if performance cannot be measured, it cannot be defended. In 2016, her career took a dramatic national turn when the late President Muhammadu Buhari appointed her Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority. This appointment was historic, controversial, and politically significant. The Nigerian ports are not merely logistics centres; they are among the country’s most critical economic arteries, deeply intertwined with customs operations, trade revenue, political influence, and entrenched patronage systems. Her arrival at the NPA immediately signalled a new era of institutional assertiveness. During her tenure, she pursued internal restructuring, contract reviews, financial accountability measures, revenue optimisation, and administrative reforms that challenged longstanding interests. To her supporters, she was a reformer determined to modernise one of Nigeria’s most strategic institutions. To her critics, she was disruptive and uncompromising. Yet even her critics rarely questioned her courage or capacity for institutional intervention. Her suspension in 2021 amid administrative and political disputes only deepened her public image as someone willing to confront powerful interests, even at personal or political cost. This image would later find expression in her memoir, Stepping on Toes, a title that perfectly captured both her style and her public reputation. When President Tinubu brought Hadiza Bala Usman into his administration in 2023, many political observers immediately recognised that this was more than a reward for campaign loyalty. It was a strategic governance decision. Tinubu had inherited one of the most economically and politically challenging periods in Nigeria’s modern history, marked by subsidy removal, exchange rate liberalisation, inflationary pressures, public debt burdens, institutional inefficiencies, and rising public expectations. For such an administration, political rhetoric alone would not deliver results. Tinubu needed individuals capable of transforming policy declarations into measurable institutional outcomes. Hadiza had already demonstrated organisational competence during the 2023 elections through her role as Deputy Director-General, Administration, on the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council. Her transition into the presidency was therefore a natural progression for someone who had already proven her ability to manage complex structures under pressure. As Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman now oversees what may be one of the most strategically important governance institutions within the Tinubu administration. Her office is the delivery engine of the presidency, monitoring ministerial performance, tracking presidential mandates, coordinating inter-agency implementation, and ensuring that ministries, departments, and agencies align with the Renewed Hope agenda. This is not a ceremonial office. It is the operational war room of the presidency. Her responsibilities mirror those of the delivery units pioneered in advanced governance systems, such as in the United Kingdom under Tony Blair and in Malaysia’s public-sector reform programs. At its core, her role asks one simple but politically explosive question: can government institutions actually deliver what the President promised the people? Her value to President Tinubu extends far beyond policy coordination. She represents institutional discipline in a political environment where accountability has often been inconsistent. Through her office, ministries are compelled to align with measurable benchmarks, timelines, and strategic priorities. She ensures continuity in policy implementation, reducing the risk of fragmentation across government institutions. She provides the President with execution-level intelligence that goes beyond political briefings, enabling him to assess not just policy announcements but actual delivery performance. Her presence also introduces a culture of bureaucratic urgency, compelling public institutions to perform under scrutiny. Perhaps most importantly, she provides technocratic legitimacy to politically difficult reforms, ensuring that policy decisions are backed by measurable governance outcomes. Those who have worked with Hadiza often describe her leadership style as direct, disciplined, emotionally detached in execution, resistant to patronage politics, and comfortable with institutional confrontation. Such a style naturally creates both admirers and adversaries. Yet in systems where bureaucratic inertia is often the norm, personalities like hers often become indispensable. She does not appear to be driven by applause or public-relations optics. Her focus remains on systems, numbers, targets, and institutional results. Reflecting on her trajectory and growing influence in public service, Prince Ade Omole, a prominent Diaspora Nigerian, political strategist, and international affairs advocate, described her as “one of the most intellectually grounded and execution-driven public servants of her generation. In an era where many seek office for relevance, Hadiza seeks responsibility for results. She represents the kind of disciplined leadership Nigeria must not only celebrate, but strategically preserve.” At this stage of her life and career, Hadiza Bala Usman appears to be entering what may be the most strategically influential phase of her public service journey. Presently, she has built a profile spanning activism, state governance, federal administration, institutional reform, and presidential policy coordination. Her future possibilities are expansive. She possesses the stature, strategic depth, and institutional experience to serve at the highest levels of national leadership as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff to the President, or as a cabinet minister overseeing critical portfolios such as economic planning or infrastructure. Given her evolving trajectory, political acumen, and growing national influence, it is equally conceivable that, in the near future, she could emerge as a formidable electoral force, capable of contesting the office of Vice President or even President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Her combination of policy experience, political visibility, reform credentials, and operational discipline makes her one of the most formidable governance actors of her generation. Ultimately, Hadiza Bala Usman represents something increasingly rare in Nigerian public life, a fusion of activist conviction, political strategy, administrative courage, and technocratic execution. To President Tinubu, she is far more than an adviser. She is a governance authority par excellence. As the success of the Renewed Hope agenda continues to be debated in the years ahead, public attention may remain focused on ministers, governors, and headline politicians. But inside the machinery of government, where performance dashboards shape policy decisions and delivery metrics determine political credibility, history may well record that one of the most decisive actors in the Tinubu presidency was not always the loudest voice in the room, but often the one holding the scorecard. Hon. Tosin Olayinka, LL.B (Hons), B.L, LLM (London) Programme Director, Renewed Hope Global WhatsApp: +44 7480 805585. ©️ Renewed Hope Global #RenewedHope #RenewedHopeIsHere |
| Poems For Review › Since Being Broke Is A Sin by idreesjigo(op): 9:21pm On May 19 |
Since Being Broke is a Sin They say, “Since being broke is a sin,” And I hear it echo in Samaru market, Where traders call out in Yoruba and Hausa, Counting naira notes faster than their prayers. But O Allah, You are Ar-Razzaq, The Provider who does not sleep. Your rizq does not fall only on the rich In Lekki penthouses or Abuja mansions. So I rise before Fajr in Kano’s cold, Make wudu with water that feels like ice, And whisper: “Yaa Fattah, open my doors.” For striving is worship, and sabr is armor. I hustle the halal way— Saying “Bismillah” before every transaction. If wealth comes, I will give zakat, Feed the almajiri by the mosque wall, And remember it was never mine. If it delays, I will not sell my deed for cash, Nor trade tawakkul for theft in the night. For a sin is disobedience, not an empty pocket. And a man is not poor if his dua is rich. O Allah, make me rich in shukr, And if you will, rich in halal wealth too. So that I can build, give, and stand tall Not for pride, but for Ummah and land. |
| Family › The Prognosis Of A Problem Child by idreesjigo(op): 9:05pm On May 18 |
The Prognosis of a Problem Child "Dumb niggas like me never prosper Prognosis of a problem child......" -Kendrick Lamar A child labeled “problem child” in the ghettos of Lagos, Port Harcourt, or Kaduna rarely starts out that way. The label is usually applied after years of coping mechanisms that look like defiance but function as survival. Understanding what’s under that label matters, because the prognosis changes dramatically when you treat the cause instead of just the behavior. 1. The weight of trauma in the ghetto environment Children growing up in densely populated, low-income neighborhoods in Nigeria face a concentration of stressors that compound over time: - Chronic insecurity: Exposure to armed robbery and police raids becomes normalized. A child who hears gunshots at night and sees neighbors displaced is operating in a constant state of hypervigilance. - Economic instability: Irregular income, food insecurity, and overcrowded housing mean basic needs aren’t guaranteed. For a 10-year-old, that translates to missed meals, missed school, and early entry into street hawking or petty trade to help the family. - Broken institutional trust: When schools are under-resourced, teachers absent, and police seen as part of the problem, children learn that formal systems don’t protect them. The street becomes the only structure that responds quickly. - Intergenerational trauma: Many parents in these communities carry their own unprocessed trauma from past crises, ethnic conflicts, or displacement. That shapes parenting under stress, often toward harsh discipline or emotional withdrawal. The result isn’t “bad character.” It’s a nervous system and worldview shaped by unpredictability. Behaviors like aggression, truancy, and distrust are adaptive responses to an environment where softness can get you hurt. 2. How this trajectory leads to gang violence Gangs don’t recruit in a vacuum. They fill a gap that trauma leaves behind: 1. Belonging and identity: A gang offers immediate status, a name, and people who “have your back.” For a child who feels invisible at home and in school, that’s powerful. 2. Protection and power: When the state feels absent, a group that can retaliate becomes attractive. Carrying a weapon or having backing reduces the feeling of vulnerability. 3. Economic pathway: Gang activity often provides cash faster than legal routes available to someone with no connections and limited education. In areas with 30-40% youth unemployment, that differential matters. 4. Normalization: When older brothers, neighbors, and peers are in gangs, the threshold for joining drops. It stops being deviant and becomes the local rite of passage. The “problem child” becomes the “problem youth” not because they chose violence first, but because violence became the most reliable tool they were shown for getting safety, respect, and income. 3. Government and community solutions that address the root Punitive crackdowns alone haven’t shifted the curve in Nigeria. Where progress happens, it’s when interventions target the trauma and the gaps it creates. Key approaches working in parts of Nigeria and similar contexts: A. Trauma-informed schools and community centers - Training teachers in low-cost areas to recognize trauma responses instead of labeling them as insubordination. - School feeding programs and safe spaces that make school a place of stability, not another source of stress. Lagos State’s EkoExcel and similar NGO-run centers show this model reduces dropout rates. - After-school programs in sports, music, and tech that give structure and adult mentorship between 3pm-7pm, the highest risk window. B. Early economic off-ramps - Skills acquisition tied directly to local demand: carpentry, welding, solar installation, tailoring, digital gigs. The N-Power and NYIF programs have had mixed results, but the ones with local apprenticeship components keep more youth engaged. - Micro-grant systems for 18-25 year-olds with a mentorship requirement, not just cash handouts. C. Community policing and restorative justice - Police units trained to separate cult leaders from recruited youth, focusing prosecution on organizers and diversion for first-time minors. - Community mediation panels involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, and youth reps to handle low-level conflicts before they escalate to gang retaliation. This is active in parts of Rivers and Ogun states. D. Mental health and family support - Embedding basic psychosocial support in primary health centers, using trained community health workers to run group sessions for parents and teens. - Reducing stigma around counseling by framing it as “stress management” and delivering it in churches, mosques, and youth centers, not only hospitals. 4. The prognosis when you intervene early The term “problem child” implies a fixed outcome. Data from Nigeria and elsewhere says it isn’t. When a child with high trauma exposure gets 2-3 stable adults, consistent meals, and a skill pathway before age 16, the likelihood of gang involvement drops sharply. The shift happens when the child stops seeing violence as the only currency that buys safety and respect. That doesn’t require massive national programs. It requires local structures that are present, predictable, and willing to see the child before they see the behavior. The prognosis is not set by the ghetto. It’s set by whether the system meets the child with a response that’s faster and more consistent than the street. |
| Career › From Quill And Rule To AI And Models by idreesjigo(op): 7:31pm On May 13*. Modified: 7:50pm On May 13 |
From Quill and Rule to AI and Models: How Quantity Surveying’s Victorian Roots Are Being Rewired for the 21st Century In 1868, a quantity surveyor in London would sit at a wooden desk with architectural drawings spread out, a steel scale rule, a log table, and a stack of paper. With a pencil and magnifying glass, he’d “take off” quantities line by line, multiplying, adding, and checking for days. That process, the traditional method of measurement, was formalized in the Victorian era and became the backbone of fair tendering for 150 years. Today, that same desk is a 32-inch monitor running a BIM model, AI takeoff tools, and real-time cost databases. The tools changed, but the purpose hasn’t: measure accurately, price fairly, and control cost. What _has_ changed is the partnership between the human brain and technology. And comparing the Victorian brain at work to the modern QS brain reveals something deeper about how humans evolve with their tools. 1. The Victorian Method: Craftsmanship Through Repetition The traditional method of measurement relied on three things: Manual takeoff: Scaling drawings by hand, measuring every brick, meter of pipe, and hour of labor. Standard methods: SMM and later SMM7 gave rules so everyone measured the same way. Mental calculation: Log tables, slide rules, and mental arithmetic were daily practice. This demanded immense focus, memory for rules, and accuracy under pressure. A mistake on page 47 could cascade into a £10,000 error on a contract. The Victorian QS was a human calculator and a human database. It worked. It created trust. But it was slow, linear, and exhausting. The brain’s job was to be a processor. 2. The Revolution: What Emerging Tech Has Changed Four technologies are rewriting the process: Building Information Modeling (BIM): The building exists as a 3D digital model. Quantities are extracted directly from the model, not measured from 2D drawings. What took 3 weeks now takes 3 hours. AI-powered takeoff: Machine learning models recognize elements in PDFs and scans. Upload a drawing, and the AI identifies doors, windows, and concrete volumes automatically. The QS reviews and validates, not counts. Cloud cost databases: Live material and labor rates update in real time. No more dusty price books from 6 months ago. Automation and scripting: Python, Dynamo, and APIs link design changes directly to cost impact. Change a wall thickness in the model, and the cost report updates instantly. The process shifted from generating data to interrogating data. The brain is no longer the calculator. It’s the decision-maker. 3. Victorian Brain vs. Modern QS Brain: Not Smarter, Just Wired Differently This isn’t about IQ. A Victorian QS in 1880 had the same cognitive capacity as you do today. The difference is in cognitive offloading and skill emphasis. The Victorian brain was trained to be a precision instrument for repetition. The modern brain is trained to be a system thinker and a translator between data, design, and money. 4. Why This Is Constructive, Not Destructive People worry that automation replaces the QS. It doesn’t. It replaces the drudgery so the QS can do higher-value work. 1. Better decisions, faster: Real-time cost feedback during design means we stop discovering budget overruns 2 weeks before tender. Clients save money and trust increases. 2. Fewer disputes: Transparent, auditable digital takeoffs reduce arguments over quantities. The focus shifts to risk and constructability. 3. New roles: QSs now lead cost data analytics, digital twins, and carbon cost modeling. The profession is expanding, not shrinking. 4. Human judgment still wins: AI can measure a beam. It can’t tell you that the contractor who priced it last time will add 15% risk premium because of site access issues. That’s still human. 5. The Constructive Path Forward The Victorian era gave us standardization and professionalism. The 2020s are giving us speed and insight. To make it work: - Learn the tech, but don’t forget the fundamentals: If you don’t understand how a wall is built, you won’t spot when the AI miscounted it. - Be the auditor, not the avoider: Use AI, but always ask “does this make sense on site?” - Sell advice, not pages: Clients pay for risk insight and cost strategy, not for 200 pages of measured quantities. Conclusion The Victorian QS and the modern QS are doing the same job: turning design into money and money into built reality. The Victorian brain was a calculator. The modern brain is a strategist, with AI as its co-pilot. The method changed. The ethics of fairness, accuracy, and stewardship of client money didn’t. That’s why this revolution is constructive. We’re not replacing the human brain. We’re finally letting it do what it does best: think. |
| Politics › Our Politics Of Self-sabotage by idreesjigo(op): 4:59pm On May 13 |
Our Politics of Self-Sabotage By Gimba Kakanda The three-way de-marketing campaigns and cyber warfare among supporters of the three major opposition figures suggest that whatever allegations are levelled against the governing party for undermining the emergence of a robust opposition pale beside the opposition’s own apparent commitment to destroying itself. Even with my allegiance to the party in power, I would be less than honest if I claimed not to desire a strong opposition capable of holding our democracy to account. Democracy itself requires a system of checks and balances, and it is not always practical to rely solely on the three arms of government to provide this restraint. They may, at times, be aligned in interest, especially the executive and legislative branches. This is why the vigilance of citizens and the strength of opposition parties remain among the clearest measures of a democracy. Citizens possess the moral authority to question power, while opposition parties possess the constitutional path to replace a government. For those of us in advisory roles within government, a strong opposition also makes it easier to offer sober counsel to those in key administrative positions, because one can point to clear political evidence that X, Y, and Z constitute credible threats. But where X, Y, and Z are not only estranged and fighting among themselves, and where their supporters are more invested in tearing one another apart than presenting a coherent alternative, that persuasive leverage is lost. The opposition ceases to function as a warning signal and becomes, instead, a performance of avoidable self-sabotage. As it stands today, even if we choose to flatter ourselves with denial, the opposition and its loudest online supporters appear to lack the logistical coherence and political foresight required to mount a disciplined challenge to the government. This is often what unrestrained ambition produces. Greed is not a strategy. The same lesson applies, in a different but equally sobering way, to the northern political class within government today. Too many have pursued narrow self-interest at the expense of building a principled bloc capable of standing together when it matters. This is not an indictment of anyone, but a painful observation about the cost of political atomisation. It is truly sad to see how much collective influence can be diminished when personal calculations are allowed to outrun shared purpose. Power, like opportunity, may take you as far as the river, but it cannot force wisdom upon you. Once there, it is your choice either to drink with gratitude and preserve the water for others, or to muddy it with greed, poison it with short-sightedness, and render it undrinkable for everyone, including your own thirsty self. |
| Politics › Re: Governor Yusuf Resolves Kano Central Senatorial Dispute As Shekarau Emerges by idreesjigo(op): 1:31pm On May 11*. Modified: 7:36pm On May 11 |
I see your point, but kwankwaso is a force to be reckoned with without teaming up Amotolongbo: |
| Politics › Re: Governor Yusuf Resolves Kano Central Senatorial Dispute As Shekarau Emerges by idreesjigo(op): 1:29pm On May 11 |
I see your point Amotolongbo: |
| Politics › Governor Yusuf Resolves Kano Central Senatorial Dispute As Shekarau Emerges by idreesjigo(op): 9:12am On May 11 |
Governor Yusuf Resolves Kano Central Senatorial Dispute As Shekarau Emerges Consensus Candidate Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf has successfully resolved the lingering dispute surrounding the Kano Central Senatorial ticket paving the way for Ibrahim Shekarau to emerge as the consensus candidate. This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Sunday. The breakthrough it explains followed a high-level reconciliation meeting convened by Governor Yusuf in Abuja, where all aspirants and major stakeholders agreed to close ranks in the interest of unity, progress, and the political future of Kano State. Following the Governor’s intervention, eight aspirants voluntarily withdrew their ambitions and threw their weight behind Senator Shekarau as the consensus flagbearer for Kano Central under the platform of the APC. Kano Central, regarded as Nigeria’s largest senatorial district, comprises 15 local government areas with a population estimated at over 10 million people, making the consensus arrangement a major political milestone with far-reaching implications for the state and the nation’s democratic process. Governor Yusuf commended the aspirants for placing the collective interest of the people above personal ambition. He described their decision as a bold demonstration of maturity, sacrifice, and commitment to strengthening democratic values. The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to continue promoting dialogue, inclusion, and consensus-building as vital tools for political stability and sustainable development. Usman Bala noted that all eight aspirants unanimously agreed to the Governor’s peace initiative, describing it as a wise and timely intervention that helped unite all contending interests toward a common goal. In his response, Senator Shekarau lauded the effort of the Governor for facilitating lasting peace among the aspirants. He also expressed profound appreciation to the contenders for agreeing to throw their support behind him and all other APC candidates in the best interest of the party ahead of the 2027 elections. 2 Likes |
| Politics › Malami Sneezes And Kebbi State Government Catches A Cold by idreesjigo(op): 9:12pm On May 10 |
MALAMI SNEEZES AND KEBBI STATE GOVERNMENT CATCHES A COLD Birnin Kebbi – May 10, 2026 Yesterday, the Kebbi State Government issued a 1,500-word statement in response to my formal declaration of intent to contest the 2027 governorship election under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The statement contained ad hominem attacks, unsubstantiated allegations, and a list of unverified achievements. Notably, it failed to refute any of the figures I cited. The government’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity did not contest the following facts: - 67.6% of children aged 6–15 out of school, according to national and international reports. - Net school attendance rate of just 38%, among the lowest in Nigeria. - Over 88% of children living in multidimensional poverty, lacking access to education, clean water, nutrition, and healthcare, according to UNICEF data. - 608 severely malnourished child deaths between January and September 2025, according to the Kebbi State Nutrition Office. - 81.5% malaria prevalence among children under five and 71% of pregnant women in rural areas without antenatal care. - Persistent insecurity, including bandit attacks and kidnappings between 2021 and 2025 that claimed numerous lives, including the abduction of the Deputy Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly. In its response, the government accused me and the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of mismanagement. However, the Buhari administration maintained fuel subsidies, electricity subsidies, a managed Naira exchange rate, and kept inflation in check—policy choices that protected citizens from severe economic shocks. Over One Trillion Naira, Zero Excuses The Kebbi State Government has received substantial resources over the past three years. Federal allocations increased significantly following subsidy removal, with monthly FAAC disbursements rising from N760 billion in 2023 to over N3 trillion subsequently. Kebbi State, including statutory allocations, local government funds, internally generated revenue (IGR), loans, and grants, has received in excess of One Trillion Naira during this period. The 2025 budget alone projects N235.2 billion from statutory allocations and N25.9 billion from IGR. A 2025 SaharaReporters review indicated that between January and September 2025, the state generated only fourteen billion naira in IGR. Despite these resources, there is no visible transformation in school enrolment, healthcare for malnutrition cases, or security of farmlands. I remain focused on the real issues. My declaration on May 9, 2026, centres on restoring security, rebuilding public education, strengthening healthcare delivery, reviving agriculture, creating opportunities for young people, and restoring dignity to governance. I have no personal agenda beyond service, accountability, and sustainable development. The people of Kebbi State — farmers who have abandoned their lands, mothers who have lost children to malnutrition, and youth without jobs — will ultimately judge the government’s performance. A performing administration would highlight results rather than issue lengthy attacks on an aspirant. The era of empty propaganda and ineffective leadership must end. We will rebuild Kebbi into a safer, stronger, and more prosperous state for all. There will be no retreat and no surrender in the collective struggle to rescue our state. Signed: Mohammed Bello Doka Special Assistant on Media to Abubakar Malami, SAN ADC Governorship Aspirant, Kebbi State May 10, 2026 |
| Politics › MALAMI SECURES GOVERNORSHIP NOMINATION FORM by idreesjigo(op): 11:21pm On May 09 |
MALAMI SECURES ADC GOVERNORSHIP NOMINATION FORM, DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY ON MISGOVERNANCE IN KEBBI Birnin Kebbi – May 9, 2026 I have formally secured the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship nomination form for the 2027 Kebbi State governorship election because I can no longer remain silent while our state sinks deeper into insecurity, poverty, educational collapse, and economic hardship. Today, Kebbi State faces one of the worst humanitarian and governance crises in Nigeria. The facts are alarming and undeniable: Over 67 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 15 are out of school, while the school attendance rate in our state remains among the lowest in the country. More than 88 percent of children in Kebbi live in multidimensional poverty, while hundreds of severely malnourished children reportedly died within the space of nine months in 2025 alone. Our healthcare system is in a terrible condition. Maternal mortality remains among the highest in Nigeria, malaria continues to devastate children under five, and thousands of pregnant women in rural communities have no access to proper antenatal care. Insecurity has overwhelmed many parts of the state. Communities are under constant attacks from bandits, innocent citizens are being kidnapped for ransom, farmers are abandoning their lands, and businesses are collapsing under fear and uncertainty. At a time when our people are struggling to survive, priorities have been tragically misplaced while critical sectors continue to deteriorate. This is not the Kebbi we deserve. This is not the future our children deserve. I am therefore declaring a State of Emergency on Misgovernance in Kebbi State. My mission is clear: to restore security, rebuild public education, strengthen healthcare delivery, revive agriculture, create opportunities for young people, and return dignity to governance. I am entering this race with a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to the people of Kebbi State. I have no personal agenda other than service, accountability, and sustainable development. The era of empty propaganda and ineffective leadership must come to an end. Together, we will rebuild Kebbi into a safer, stronger, and more prosperous state for all. There will be no retreat and no surrender in the collective struggle to rescue our state. Signed: Abubakar Malami SAN ADC Governorship Aspirant, Kebbi State |
| Poems For Review › Hold Up..... by idreesjigo(op): 10:03pm On May 09 |
Hold Up Hold up. Caught up in my feelings. Hold up before you try to kill the meaning in the way I’m speaking. Hold up before you try to edit me like I’m the draft you didn’t authorize. I speak like I’ve been here before. Like my soul’s got a memory and my mouth’s just the door. Like my words are old scars that still open when I speak raw. I don’t recite. I remember. I don’t perform. I surrender. See, society feels like we need to label things, call it something. But the truth is, not everything needs an identity. So no more validation. Simply elevation. They want me to fold. To bend. To break. To be controlled. “Conform,” they say, low and cold. “Be safe. Be tame. Be old.” As if “human” means you shrink until you can’t even think. As if “human” means a costume you borrowed and not a body you bleed in. I won’t think small I won’t shrink at all. I won’t fall for the lie that being quiet is being wise. What kind of human asks you to hide just so they can feel right inside? What kind of human calls it growth when you swallow your pride and choke on the lie? What kind of human asks you to disappear so they can feel comfortable in your presence? What kind of human calls it maturity when you bury yourself alive and call the grave “growth”? I’ve watched people fold themselves thin until they fit in where they don’t belong. I’ve watched them grin while the truth bleeds within. I’ve watched them dance while their spirit is gone. I’ve watched them swallow their own voice until their throats learned to digest lies and call the acid “wisdom.” They call that calm. They call that strong. I call that wrong. That’s not living. That’s erasure. It’s a slow-motion suicide with a suit, a handshake, and a 9-to-5. I won’t be wrong I won’t play along. I won’t sing their song. I remember being seven. Asking “why” like it was heaven. Truth came out like a weapon hot, loud, unending. No filter. No pretending. Only slicing through, and asking questions. Then the world taught me to mute. Taught me to smooth. Taught me to suit. Taught me that “difficult” is what they call you when you refuse to be used. Taught me that “why” is inconvenient. Taught me that “too much” is what they say when they can’t hold your flame. Well, go ahead. Hold this flame. I won’t drift from myself for a seat at your table. I won’t tame my wild to be more agreeable. I won’t dim my light so you can feel stable. I’d rather be the storm you can’t label than the calm you can control. I’d rather be the question that won’t settle than the answer that leaves you cold. I am not here to be easy.... I am not here to be breezy.... I am not here to be pleasing.... I am here to be real I am here to be raw I am here to be felt So call me too much. Call me rough. Call me the cut you can’t scuff. Call me the risk you can’t bluff. Hold up Hold up in your truth. Hold up even if the room feels proof that something’s shifting in the roof. Let it shift. Let it break. Let it shake. Because something real is better than fake. Something raw is better than staged. Something unapologetic is better than caged. This is me Uncut. Unchained. Unafraid. I’m not here to be digestible. I’m not here to be made in your image. I’m not here to be paid in your pity. I’m not here to be played by your system. Take me whole. Or don’t take me at all. But don’t ask me to be less so you can feel more comfortable. Don’t ask me to be less so you can be more. Don’t ask me to be less, so you can stand tall. Just don’t ask a person to be less to make you feel alive. |
| Politics › A Journey Of Unity And Progress: Seeking A Second Term As Your Senator by idreesjigo(op): 7:36pm On May 09*. Modified: 8:56pm On May 09 |
A JOURNEY OF UNITY AND PROGRESS: SEEKING A SECOND TERM AS YOUR SENATOR My dear people of Southern Kaduna, esteemed traditional rulers, respected religious leaders, our vibrant youth, resilient women and all stakeholders of our beloved senatorial district, a very good afternoon to you all. I stand before you today not only as your Senator, but as a servant entrusted with your hopes, your struggles, and our shared future. I do so with deep gratitude and a profound sense of responsibility for the mandate you freely gave me on the 27th of February 2023, and for the oath I took on the 13th of June 2023 to serve you with sincerity, dedication, and measurable results. Today is a defining moment, a day of accountability, a time to reflect on how far we have come together, and an opportunity to renew our collective purpose. It is also a day on which I formally declare my intention to continue serving you, and to inaugurate our campaign council for the journey ahead. So, I ask you, are you ready to move forward with me? Our elders say that a tree does not make a forest, and that those who walk together go farther than those who walk alone. This has never been just my journey, it has always been our journey. From Kachia to Zangon Kataf, Jema’a to Kaura, Sanga to Kagarko, Kauru to Jaba, we have endured difficult seasons together. We have witnessed insecurity, felt the weight of economic hardship, and faced moments of uncertainty. Yet, you did not break. You remained steadfast, united, and hopeful. For your resilience, courage, and unwavering support, I say thank you. LEGISLATIVE IMPACT AND EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION My dear people, leadership is most meaningful when it gives voice to those unheard, and delivers results where they matter most. That is why I have carried your concerns with seriousness, commitment, and determination, ensuring that Kaduna South Senatorial District is not ignored, but heard, respected, and represented at the national level. Through focused legislative engagement in the Senate and strategic collaboration across all levels of government, we have laid a strong foundation for the transformation of our zone. Today, we have secured a Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, with a College of Medicine in Manchok, a transformational investment that will attract students, academic staff, businesses, and renewed economic activity to Kachia, Manchok, Jaba, Kagoro, Zonkwa, and beyond. We also secured a Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan. A hospital that is a catalyst for jobs, improved healthcare delivery, and economic growth across Jema’a, Kaura, Zangon Kataf, Kagarko, and Jaba. We introduced the Sickle Cell Disorder Research and Therapy Centres Bill, a bold and forward-looking initiative aimed at establishing a national framework for managing sickle cell disease, easing the burden on families, and expanding medical opportunities for our people. I am proud to say that this initiative is the first of its kind not only in Nigeria, but across the African continent. We remain hopeful that Mr. President will assent to the bill once it is transmitted by the National Assembly. When diphtheria struck our communities, we acted. When ginger blight devastated farms and plunged thousands of farmers into hardship, we raised motions on the floor of the Senate. Today, over ₦1.6 billion in Federal Government intervention has reached affected farmers. And whenever our people faced injustice, we stood up, spoke out, and defended their dignity by presenting petitions on the floor of the Senate on their behalf. Representation must be active, responsive, and rooted in the realities of the people. That principle has guided every step of this journey. SECURITY AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE Security is non-negotiable. Since assuming office, we have worked quietly but decisively by supporting security operations and advocating for the establishment of Forward Operating Bases in Kauru, Kachia, and other vulnerable areas. Today, we are beginning to witness tangible improvements. We have installed over 1,000 solar streetlights across communities and institutions in Kafanchan, Gidan Waya, and Manchok. I am confident many of you have already seen, or are beginning to see, the positive difference these interventions are making in your communities. In addition, we secured provisions in the 2026 budget for more solar streetlights, electric transformers, and road projects aimed at improving connectivity and strengthening security response across the district. We have also renovated the rural hospital in Fadan Ninzo, constructed a modern science laboratory in Fadan Kamantan, and delivered more than 30 boreholes, including solar-powered systems with mini water treatment plants , to communities and institutions across the senatorial district. ECONOMIC IMPACT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT My dear people, development must reach the grassroots, and today, we are making that happen. The university in Kachia is already reshaping the local economy, while the Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan will do even more once it becomes fully operational. I am pleased to report that Governor Uba Sani not only completed the transfer of the Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa General Hospital to the Federal Government, but is also working tirelessly to ensure the immediate take-off of the medical centre. We are building a future in which our youths can earn through digital skills, our farmers can produce more, our markets can thrive longer, and our people can prosper with dignity. To this end, we have trained over 100 youths in ICT and vocational skills, established ICT centres in Kafanchan and Zonkwa, supported more than 2,000 farmers, distributed over 5,000 bags of fertiliser, and expanded agricultural productivity across the district. EDUCATION AND HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT We have continued to invest in our people because human capital remains the greatest asset of any society. Over 800 students have received scholarships and educational support; hundreds of examination fees have been paid, 174 persons living with disabilities have received assistance, more than 100 youths have been trained in practical skills and thousands of women have been empowered economically. Because when you empower people, you secure the future. EMPLOYMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES We have facilitated employment opportunities in federal agencies, supported recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force, and secured strategic appointments for our people, creating stable incomes, restoring hope, and strengthening families across Southern Kaduna. EXPECT MORE Through these collective efforts, over ₦10 billion has flowed into Southern Kaduna. This is not rhetoric; it is real and measurable impact. And we are not stopping here. Through sustained engagement and strategic partnerships, we have attracted over ₦7.2 billion in new projects captured in the 2026 budget, alongside another ₦10 billion partnership with an international health-based NGO. This partnership will provide medical equipment and consumables to 10 secondary healthcare facilities across Kagarko, Kachia, Zangon Kataf, Jema’a, and Sanga. Some of the projects captured in the 2026 budget include classroom construction at our new university and in secondary schools across Sanga, Jema’a, Zangon Kataf, and Kauru, ICT centres in Kafanchan and Damakasuwa; and a 700-seater ICT Training and CBT Centre in Zonkwa valued at over ₦900 million. Other projects include the construction of the Jankasa Main Market; surface grading of the 6km Gora–Ribang and Gauji–Bougyam rural roads in Kauru and Jaba LGAs; the construction of a rural feeder road linking Aboro–Sabon Gida–Dogon Daji in Sanga, and the construction of hostels and an internal service road at the College of Education, Gidan Waya. Additional projects include the Kagitina–Geshere Road in Kauru LGA, as well as improvements to Takau Primary School and the Ungwan Yanshyi Bypass Road in Jema’a LGA. The list is extensive, and the work continues. For more details, copies of the 2026 budget are available, and our office remains open to all constituents seeking further information. DECLARATION My dear people, I have come before you today not only to give an account of stewardship, but also to ask for your continued trust and support. I do not promise perfection, but I make this solemn promise, I will continue to work for you, listen to you, and fight for your interests. I will continue to pursue development, defend our people, and deliver results that improve lives. Therefore, with humility, gratitude, and a deep sense of duty, I formally declare my intention to seek a second term as your Senator representing Kaduna South Senatorial District. CONCLUSION This address would not be complete without acknowledging the tremendous support of our hardworking and inclusive Governor, His Excellency Senator Uba Sani, CON, and our compassionate and visionary President, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Without their leadership, partnership, and commitment to working with me and other leaders from our zone to reverse years of stagnation in our development trajectory, many of these achievements would not have been possible. I therefore invite all of you to join me in appreciating Governor Uba Sani and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly for the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Sciences and the Federal Medical Centre in our zone. I also appeal to you to stand firmly with us in our collective resolve to deliver Southern Kaduna to the APC at all levels in 2027. Anything short of this would not reflect the values of gratitude, loyalty, and unity for which our people are known. Together, we have come this far, and together, we shall go even farther. The future of Southern Kaduna is bright. Let us move forward united in purpose, steadfast in hope, and determined to build a stronger and more prosperous future for generations to come. May God bless Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Barr. Sunday Marshall Katung Senator, Kaduna South Senatorial District. |
| Culture › The Great Fire Of London by idreesjigo(op): 7:45pm On May 05 |
| Islam › NAHCON Launches Navigational Dital Platform "Hajj Companion App" by idreesjigo(op): 9:39am On May 05 |
NAHCON Launches Navigational Dital Platform "Hajj Companion App" To Support Nigerian Pilgrims The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has introduced a new digital platform, the Haj Companion App, aims at enhancing the overall pilgrimage experience for Nigerian pilgrims in and outside the holy land. According to the Commission, the application serves as an all-in-one guide, providing critical support services designed to ensure a safe, seamless, and spiritually fulfilling Hajj. Pilgrims are encouraged to download the app by scanning the designated QR code provided in official communication materials. The Haj Companion App integrates several user-focused features, induding a GPS navigation system to help pilgrims easily locate their tents and key holy sites across Makkah, Mina, and Madinah. It also offers a comprehensive Hajj guide available in multiple Nigerian languagesHausa, Yoruba, and lgbo-ensuring accessibility for a broad spectrum of users. In addition, the platform indludes a 24/7 call centre to provide real-time assistance, as well as a built-in complaint system that enables pilgrims to report issues or emergencies directly from their mobile devices. These features are part of NAHCON's broader commitment to improving service delivery and responsiveness during the pilgimage. The Commission urged all intending pilgrims to download and actively use the app, emphasizing its role in promoting safety, coordination, and convenience throughout the Haj period. NAHCON further called on stakeholders and the general public to disseminate information about the application widely, as preparations intensify for a smooth and successful Haj exercise. |
