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Opinion

The Roadblocks That Influence The Fate Of Nigerian Child

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Abba Muhammad Tawfiq

 

Abba Muhammad Taufiq

In a wider perspective, the anguish that afflicts the flock of young Nigerian boys and girls taking their course of academia right from the kindergartens to senior secondary schools and bearing towards the direction of varsities is not exclusively Jamb. Jamb on one hand flares up the furnace while other external Exams including WAEC, NECO and in some institutions Post Jamb on the other hand constrict the nerves to spark more troubles thus shutting their right of entry into the Universities and hamper the accomplishment of their desired goals.

The appalling tragedy and tribulations of external Exams may betide even the best of us, this an indisputable reality. Now and then, we have avouched a chain of events in our own respective classes, schools, and environment where industrious students that are very sound in the brainbox line being ensnared in the misery of either JAMB or WAEC/NECO, and this doesn’t make them bad in whichsoever way.

It is essential at this juncture to bring those factors that blunt our academic rigour into consideration.

Firstly, We can’t deny the facts that JAMB, WAEC and other external exams are no match to our terminal schools exams in terms of their knottiness and vagueness. By steeringthe wheels of our journey back to yesterday, I can say we were once being entangled by the uncertainties of whether we could be able to make our ways through universities by passing those exams. What is truly lacked is not really firmness of determination and purpose from within us but the frailty of if not all most of our teachers to meet their constitutional responsibilities in conveying all the de rigueur and requisites in preparing students for external examination.

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Secondly, we may not be passing fair by unleashing our displeasure and academic turmoil on the inability of our poor teachers in expanding the academic performances. To some certain degree, our teachers render the best of them in making the best out of their students. However, students being unduly engrossed in thoughtless and reckless activities including but not exclusive to Internet and Social media avidity, squandering most of the time on unethical movies that only buttresses moral bankruptcy are also proclivious for either a pyrrhic victory or deadly failure.

Thirdly, the detrimental concern given to our education by our courageous leaders in whose midst are mostly people that had savoured its fullest glee is perturbing and worth weeping for. Antiquity has truly narrated to us the tales of how intelligent Nigerian elites and most of its brave leaders were educated free of scot. Interestingly, this is the profit that elevates them to the apogee of their current public statures and political power but unfortunately the end result that requited our current educational system with poor infrastructures, poor academic facilities to promote a well conducive learning atmosphere, meager amount that is not sufficient enough to purchase a bag of rice in our todays Nigeria to motivate and cater for our teachers not to talk of other needs. With these, no nation can ever have a standardized educational body with the backbone of giving or rather preparing its children with sound knowledge to confront whatsoever examination.

Last but not the least, I will wish to scratch the parental share in this. Definitely I know this may be a bitter pill to swallow but it behoves parents to know that excessive love can be as damaging as the lack of it. It is a no criminal offence buying mobile phones for our children but it must be ensured that the phones are being used in the best ways. Owing to the functional physiological and anatomical changes in the transition of one to adulthood at precisely the “adolescence” is characterized by series scenarios. Children at this stage are so vulnerable to moral insecurities and dangers that the need of external forces to control everything they do becomes mandatory. As such, a strong regulatory body at our homes or schools shall always be there to ensure that children do not transgress the positive values of phones. One more question to close this column, do our parents today try to inquire about what we study in the day time at schools and ask us burn our candles in the dead of the night by reading more?

I will love to extend my exhortations to those who did not attain the required Jamb grade that delay is never a denial and failure is not fatal. Pick and dust yourself off. Remain objective by keeping your hopes alive, aiming higher and dreaming even bigger for it takes courage and determination to reach the new dawn. For those that succeeded, may God in His infinite mercy deliver you all from the shackles and unclear tricks of WAEC, NECO and Post Jamb.
May Allah brighten your Path. Amen

–Abba Muhammad Tawfiq.

Medical Rehabilitation student University Of Maiduguri.

Writes From Yola

Opinion

Izala Sect: Crisis of Leadership, Accusations of Shiism Meddle in Polarising Its Members, History Repeats Itself

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By Yakubu Nasiru Khalid

Formally, the Izala sect was formed in 1978, created to eradicate innovation (bid’a) within the Islamic doctrine. It has a modern structure and leadership both at the state and national levels. Therefore, the leadership of the Izala has come with a well-structured and hierarchical bureau and the feeling that they are different from who they see as the “Conservative Islamic Group.”

The structure comprises three arms: the Council of Ulama, the Administrative Council, and The First Aid Group. Each of the councils has its own head and followers to achieve designed goals. Even with this structure, the sect experienced crises at both levels, which polarised its leadership.

The reasons attached to the polarisation of Izala at the national level later descended to many states where the organization has a large following. The reasons were multifaceted, from jurisprudence, political, financial, and external meddling to sundry issues.

Initially, there was a problem regarding the leadership of the organization, especially the question of who was the supreme leader of the organization between the Administrative Council and the chairman of the Ulama Council. At the time, the head of the Administrative Council was Alhaji Musa Muhammad Maigandu, from Kaduna, and Sheikh Ismail Idris was the chairman of the Ulama Council, Jos faction recognized Ismail Idris.

The Jos faction rejected Maigandu for not being a scholar but a businessman, arguing that an Islamic organization should be led by a scholar, not a businessman. This added more fire to the crisis.

Furthermore, the Kaduna faction was very critical of some views and fatwas of Ismail Idris, especially those that dealt with the issue of bid’a. According to Ismail Idris, the followers of Izala would not pray behind an Imam who’s not a member of Izala, they would also not marry from the family of a person who inclined to Sufism and would not eat the meat of an animal slaughtered by a follower of the Sufi group.

The Kaduna faction was outrightly against these views and opposed them. Another vital factor that played a role in the split of the Izala group was the accusations and counter-accusations of financial management. Ismail Idris was accused of organizing in the Arab countries, and he was further accused of personalizing vehicles donated to the Izala sect.

In addition, Ben Amara argued that the eruption of the Gulf War in the 1990s between the USA and Iraq was another important factor in the polarisation of the Izala. The Jos faction supported the American invasion of Iraq because of the Saudi Arabian interest, while Kaduna supported Iraq. The Jos faction called Kaduna “Saddamawa” meaning (supporters of Saddam) while Kaduna called Jos “Bushawa” meaning (supporters of American interest).

The leadership of the Jos faction blamed Shia for the internal crisis of Izala and accused some Ulama of being secret agents of Shiism who were working toward dismantling the group.

yakubunasirukhalid@gmail.com

 

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Opinion

Gov. Yusuf’s executive order extending retirement age for HoS, Kano Assembly Clerk, and others unconstitutional

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Sani Usman-DanAbdullo, a Director of Admin and General Services at the Kano State Agency for the Control of Aids, KSACA, has written to the state assembly, seeking its intervention in the
Executive Order issued by Governor Abba Yusuf.

Mr DanAbdullo, in a petition dated January 6 and addressed to Speaker of the Assembly, Jibrin Ismail Falgore, recalled that the governor had in January 2025 issued Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, extending the service period of some civil servants.

According to him, the governor extended the service year of the Head of Service, Assembly Clerk, some judicial officers, Permanent Secretaries and a host of other staff in the state health sector for 2 years after they were due for retirement as of December 2024.

The lawyer also recalled that the state assembly had enacted a law fixing the retirement of staff at 60 years of age or 35 years of service, depending on whichever comes first.

Mr DanAbdullo, therefore, asserted that the governor’s executive order was unconstitutional, “since the House has already made laws which the order seeks to alter”.

He noted that that executive order is not meant to alter, amend, modify or expand the law made by the legislature.

“This act, is, therefore, a clear violation of the principles of rule of law and separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution being not only a clear attempt to usurp the legislative powers of this Honourable House, but to contradict the existing laws already enacted by it in exercise of its powers as such,” the petition added.

While dismissing a claim that the governor issued the order in the spirit of the Doctrine of Necessity, Mr DanAbdullo said there was no justification for extending the service years of the affected retired officers since there are many competent hands with adequate qualifications to be appointed.

“And as for the staff in the health sector, they can be retained on contract arrangement in line with the existing service law of Kano State,” the petition added.

Mr DanAbdullo, therefore, warned that the provisions of the Constitution must not be subordinated to any other law, and must not be subjected to the indignity of deletion of any section or part thereof.

“In view of the foregoing, I urge this esteemed House to employ all legal mechanism at its disposal to overrule the Governor’s decision in the act complained of, which is capable of setting a very dangerous precedent that will ruin the entire public service system of our dear State, if allowed.

“TAKE NOTICE Sir, this act of indiscriminate issuance of executive order, if allowed, will cause the entire Kano State the following catastrophic effects,”

The State Assembly failed to attend to the petition even if it means dismissing it for fear of the governor, if the petition is not attended to we will have no option but to go to court”. He added

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Opinion

The Movement (Tafiyar Matasa) and the Very Big Questions to Answer

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Comr. Habu Hassan Abdullahi

Comr. Habu Hassan Abdullahi

Yes, I am not some sort of social critic who would unfairly denigrate someone’s achievement for personal gain or political interest that I do not have. Thus, this is pre-eminently the right time to speak the truth to the members of my generation in Nigeria whether they care to accept it or not. But remember the truth is always truth and can stand alone.

No doubt that not everyone is happy with how leadership is running in this country, with the exception of those at the corridor of power. But this is not enough to be a raison d’etre to handle our dear nation to the hands of inexperienced youths. Forgive my pen for the use of “inexperienced”. Just because most of them have never been to real leadership. Of course, I am myself opposed to the exclusionary habit of the present politicians, they’ve relegated youths to the mantle of power but we have to cautiously control our faculty of thinking to avoid getting entangled in a lust for power.

I was very happy when I heard the idea of “The Movement” known as “Tafiyar Matasa” in the Hausa language. And of course, the genesis of the movement was attributed to the unavoidable “EndBadGovernance” protest of 1st August, 2024. The movement began immediately after the protest, in fact, it is one of the noticeable outcomes of the protest due to the unity it brought. The idea of the movement was preached and promoted by some prominent northern activists and social media influencers to serve as a last resort to the youths in their effort to bring good governance. No one can deny the fact this is a laudable effort. But the very big question supposed to be asked here is: youthfulness is the only parameter and yardstick to measure the caliber of a good leader? If yes, why Yahaya Bello (Former Governor of Kogi) and Abdurrasheeed Bawa (former EFCC Boss) were arraigned for looting the public treasury! The point I want to make here is, being young or old will not be a determining factor for an individual to be a good leader. We can have corrupt leaders within any range of age.

Another important issue to take into cognizance is the failure of some youths to comprehend the logic and existing distinction between being a good activist and being a good leader. Leadership is quite different from activism, therefore, a good activist may not necessarily be a good leader. It is common knowledge that the conveners of this important movement lack practical leadership acumen and organizational skills that are fundamental for successful leadership. Okay, should we handle our future to the trial and error leaders? We have to exercise extraordinary care when it comes to leadership.

Yet another problem faced by this movement is financial constraints. To be sincere and frank, the quantum resources required to run a great national political movement like this oversizes the pockets of the conveners. Another organic question to ask here is: where the movement conveners can solicit humongous financial resources? From the politicians they are castigating? If yes, this is performative contradiction!

Finally, I would like to remind my fellow youths that new breed, as the late Yusuf Maitama said, cannot solve the Nigerian problem. There must be mutual cooperation and understanding between the new breed and old breed. We must work together with them to acquire all necessary experience, knowledge, and practical leadership skills.

Written by
Comr. Habu Hassan Abdullahi
From Bayero University, Kano
Department of Education
Contact via 07065941454 or habu92hassan@gmail.com

 

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