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My First Encounter with Nasiru Gawuna, the Humble Deputy Governor

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5 years ago

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By Sabo Abdullahi Guri

Penultimate, October 1979, the month we reported to Government Secondary School, Gwaram, which was the beginning of our journey of a lifetime in search of Western education after completion of our respective primary seven certificates.

On arrival at the school, I headed to the staff room for the necessary documentation.

2023 : We ‘ll clear APC Government and its atrocities in Jigawa – PDP

While waiting for the duty master to receive us, a Peugeot saloon arrived and parked in front of the staff room. The driver and an elderly person together with a new student came out from the car, and I heard one of the teachers telling his colleague that another student has reported. I saw a fair complexioned, slim, calm and composed young man within my age bracket alighting from the car.

After the necessary documentation, the duty master asked me to wait for the lanky student who arrived in the Peugeot to finish so that both of us can be escorted to our respective hostels. Thereafter, both of us carried our boxes and headed to the dormitory area.

On our way, I asked him his name and where he came from. He replied that his name is Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna from Kano City, I equally introduced myself and where I came from

That was the day I met Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna in 1979 and it was the beginning of our relationship. Since then, we have maintained this relationship and contact through mutual respect as classmates and friends.

At the dormitory, we were allocated our respective hostels. Nasiru Gawuna was taken to House Seven and I was sent to House Ten, but we were allocated the same class; that was Form One D.

I was appointed the class monitor while Nasiru Yusuf was appointed assistant monitor, and we served as liaison between the staff, school authority and our colleagues in the class.

I remembered with nostalgia that first day, as we also met in class during evening prep, which was observed after every Asr prayers during week days.

When we closed, he asked me to join him and see his hostel. I can vividly recall that when we arrived, he opened his locker and offered me biscuits and a sachet powdered beverage drink known as Treetop. I instantly rejected and thanked him for the gesture, but insisted that I must take.

After staying for some few minutes, he escorted me to our hostel, and on our way, he said he initially got admission at Kawaji Secondary School but his parents insisted that he will go to boarding school and luckily his admission to GSS Gwaram came before reporting to the Kawaji Secondary School.

Gwaram Secondary School was newly established at that time, and our set was the first to be admitted after the school’s relocation to its permanent site in Gwaram, though there were other senior students who transited at both Kauzare and Sumaila.

At that time, incessant cases of bullying and seniority by senior students forced a number of our classmates to transfer to other schools because they cannot withstand the maltreatment, but we stood our ground and endured the hardship.

Boarding school life during our days was memorable, eventful and historic. It was also a great opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds. As new school and pioneer students that did not pass through the transit system, we were also opportune that the population of our sets numerically was the highest at that time with students from almost all the nooks and crannies of the old Kano State, and others from Kaduna, Bauchi, Benue, Plateau and some South Western States.

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At that time, classes were not over crowded, as the average number of students per class was between 30 and 35. There were also adequate teaching and learning materials.

Apart from academic activities, students were fully engaged in extra curriculum activities. After school hours, the sporting arena was a beehive of activities after school hours. Even the dormitory side had table tennis facilities within the balcony, while weekends were slated for members of social club, drama society, and many more recreational activities.

With his football and table tennis skills, Gawuna was also an active member of the Boys Scout brigade, and he was subsequently appointed the Scout Troop Commander.

His passion for Scout and ingenuity in commanding Scout parade made us think he might either join the military or police after leaving school. Gawuna mastered the art of rolling scout stick while leading parade and students cheered him up during Scout events at the school.

He encouraged most of us to participate in Boys Scout, he taught parade to both old and new members as a tall and lanky person he was also extremely good in jogging.

In terms of academic performance, he was among the best five students, competing favourably for first or second position in examinations.

Not only that, he was also an active member of the Muslim Students Society. I can vividly remember that Gawuna was among the few of our classmates who initiated the present Gwaram Girls Unity Secondary School mosque which started as prayer area and eventually became the school mosque.

His simplicity made him command the respect of all among our classmates and other senior students. For that reason, he was nicknamed as brothy, meaning a friend and brother to all.

His name traversed Gwaram to Dawakin Kudu Science Secondary School where he completed his secondary school in 1984.

One other quality of Dr Gawuna was his sharp and good memory of almost everything he came across. He can remember names, faces, and events no matter how long it takes. Our 2020 GOSA 84 reunion meeting in Kano was a good example. He remembered everyone’s name.

During our last Old Boys meeting, which he personally hosted, he interfaced with old friends freely without the routine of his aides as a deputy governor.

Although Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna was in Gwaram Secondary School for only two and a half years before proceeding to Science Secondary School Dawakin Kudu, he always identifies with the school and old class mates from Gwaram Secondary School which was his stating point in secondary school life.

Some of our old classmates that passed the Science School Examination includes Hafiz Muhammad who is now the Special Adviser on Agriculture to the Executive Governor of Kano State Office of the Deputy Governor. They are best of friends and brothers from Gwaram and they went to Dawakin Kudu together and also proceeded to UDUS together. They are like twin brothers.

The rest are Pharmacist Bala Garba Gwaram of FMC Birnin Kudu; Salmanu Isyaku Kiru; Suleiman Talle Galamu Katanga, presently a Deputy Commissioner of Police to mention but a few who are all are presently professionals in their own rights.

Our colleagues who sat for and passed the Science Secondary School Examination to both Dawakin Kudu and Dawakin Tofa left a great vacuum at that time. Almost everyone of us felt their exit from Gwaram because we started together after leaving our respective primary schools. We experienced school life together, we became so intimate and now they have been moved to a new environment away from their old friends.

For Nasiru Gawuna, even at Dawakin Kudu Science, he was exceptional. We understand he was made a Deputy House Captain, a responsibility that was for only senior students. It was like record breaking to see a junior student holding such a responsibility.

Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as a Deputy Governor can best be described as a bridge builder with uncommon character and discipline.

He is a generous, honest and trustworthy person who can be entrusted with a higher public responsibility, as a loyal deputy governor.

Gawuna is also a reliable, dependable and straight forward individual with wealth of experience in public administration, economics and diplomacy. Indeed, he is a kind of material needed in our present day political arrangement

The recent wedding fatiha of his daughter again proved to many people that indeed Nasiru is a bridge builder. Dignitaries from different parts of the country and beyond were in attendance. Politicians from different political backgrounds were also there to rejoice with him for attaining such a big stride in life. To see the marriage of your biological daughter is a great opportunity for every parent, and indeed Dr Nasiriu Yusuf Gawuna is a making a difference

Sabo Abdullahi Guri Writes from Dutse, Jigawa State

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Opinion

Rabe Darma’s First 100 Days: Laying the Foundation for Nigeria’s Housing Renaissance

Published

4 days ago

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August 5, 2026

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By Ahmad Danyaro
Housing is more than bricks and mortar. It is about dignity, economic opportunity, social stability, and national development. Countries that have transformed their housing sectors have not merely built homes; they have built systems that make homeownership accessible, urban development sustainable, and investments attractive. Nigeria has long struggled to achieve these ideals, but the first 100 days of Engr. Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma as Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development have offered encouraging signs that a new era may be unfolding.
Since assuming office on 27 April , Dr. Darma has approached Nigeria’s housing challenge with a clear understanding that lasting solutions require more than commissioning housing estates. Rather, they demand comprehensive reforms that address the structural barriers responsible for decades of inadequate housing delivery. His administration has focused on land administration, investment promotion, institutional coordination, industry regulation, and social inclusion—areas that form the bedrock of a sustainable housing sector.
One of the defining initiatives of his first 100 days is the proposed nationwide Social Housing Programme, designed to extend affordable housing to all 774 Local Government Areas of the federation. The programme represents one of the most ambitious efforts to decentralise housing delivery in Nigeria’s history. If effectively implemented, it has the potential not only to reduce the country’s huge housing deficit but also to stimulate local economies through construction activities, job creation, and infrastructure development.
Equally significant is the programme’s emphasis on social inclusion. By prioritising women, children, victims of insecurity, internally displaced persons, and communities affected by natural disasters, the Minister has demonstrated that housing policy must also serve as social policy. In a nation grappling with displacement caused by insecurity and climate-related disasters, such an approach reflects both compassion and strategic thinking.
Within his first 100 days, Dr. Darma has also underscored the indispensable role of private-sector participation in addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit. Recognising that government resources alone cannot meet the nation’s housing needs, he has actively engaged international investors and development partners. His discussions with Japan’s CHODAI Company Limited and other prospective partners signal Nigeria’s renewed commitment to attracting global expertise, innovative technology, and long-term financing into the housing and infrastructure sectors.
Across the world, successful housing programmes are anchored on strong Public-Private Partnerships. By assuring investors that Nigeria remains open for business and committed to creating an enabling environment, the Minister is laying the groundwork for increased investment capable of accelerating housing delivery and modern urban development.
Perhaps the most transformative aspect of his reform agenda is the renewed focus on land administration.
For decades, access to land has remained one of the greatest obstacles to affordable housing in Nigeria. Lengthy registration processes, insecure titles, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and ownership disputes have discouraged investment while placing homeownership beyond the reach of many citizens. Dr. Darma’s commitment to the Nigerian Land Titling, Registration and Documentation Programme (NLTRDP) represents a bold effort to tackle these long-standing challenges.
The proposed digitalisation of land records, deployment of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), electronic documentation, and the establishment of a more efficient land administration framework promise to improve transparency, shorten processing timelines, and restore confidence in land ownership. These reforms may not generate the excitement of housing commissioning ceremonies, but they are precisely the institutional changes capable of transforming the sector over the long term.
The Minister has also demonstrated commendable resolve in addressing the persistent challenge of building collapses through stronger regulation of Nigeria’s built environment. His insistence on ending quackery, enforcing professional standards, and strengthening regulatory oversight reflects a commitment to safeguarding lives and restoring confidence in the construction industry.
By advocating a coordinated regulatory framework involving all professional bodies and stakeholders, Dr. Darma is reinforcing the principle that sustainable development must be underpinned by professionalism, accountability, and strict compliance with building standards.
Institutional efficiency has equally featured prominently in his first 100 days. Through engagements with Federal Controllers of Housing across the federation, the Minister has emphasized improved project monitoring, stronger inter-agency coordination, and enhanced accountability in project execution. These administrative reforms may receive less public attention, but they are essential to translating policy into measurable outcomes.
Naturally, the true test of any administration lies not in policy announcements but in implementation. Nigerians have witnessed ambitious programmes in the past that faltered due to inadequate funding, bureaucratic delays, weak political will, or inconsistent execution. The reforms initiated during these first 100 days must therefore be sustained through transparency, measurable targets, stakeholder collaboration, and rigorous monitoring.Even so, the direction being charted deserves recognition.
For perhaps the first time in many years, national conversations on housing are moving beyond the mere construction of houses towards broader institutional reforms encompassing land governance, digital transformation, investment attraction, professional regulation, and inclusive urban development. This holistic approach aligns more closely with global best practices and recognises housing as both a social necessity and a catalyst for economic growth.
Housing remains one of the strongest multipliers in any economy. It drives manufacturing, construction, transportation, financial services, and numerous small businesses while generating employment across multiple sectors. A vibrant housing industry strengthens communities, improves living standards, and contributes significantly to national development.
In his first 100 days, Engr. Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma has outlined an ambitious roadmap for the sector. His priorities are becoming increasingly clear, and his early interventions suggest a willingness to confront some of the most difficult structural challenges that have hindered Nigeria’s housing development for decades.
The journey ahead will undoubtedly be demanding. Expectations remain high, resources are limited, and implementation will ultimately determine the success of these reforms. However, if the momentum generated during these first 100 days is sustained with consistency, professionalism, and accountability, Nigeria’s housing sector could be on the threshold of a genuine transformation.
For millions of Nigerians who still dream of owning a decent and affordable home, that is a vision worth supportingand one that deserves every opportunity to succeed.
Danyaro is a Media and Public Affairs Analysts based in Abuja.

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Opinion

WARAKA: The Story of Kano Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)

Published

6 days ago

on

August 3, 2026

By

 

A Story by Nurse Ekwem Chinwendu Blessing (BNSC, RPHN, RM, RN)

I was out on my routine duty at Murtala Specialist Hospital for my ambulance service when I decided to take a walk to a centre I had heard about from Sir Muhammad Sunusi Specialist Hospital Accident and Emergency Unit. The centre is called WARAKA–SARC — ‘Waraka’ meaning ‘healing’ in the English language. It is housed in the same building with the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), a beautiful block within Murtala Specialist Hospital. The centre comprises three offices and two toilets. Inside, the offices are adorned with colourful posters of alphabets, numbers, GBV survivors support, pathway for initial care after sexual assaults and domestic animals and pets, creating a quiet and therapeutic atmosphere. The staff are warm and friendly.

The centre was sponsored by non-governmental organisation’s (NGOs) and championed by four ministries in the state: the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the State Police Force. Unfortunately, the NGOs have since pulled out. WARAKA–SARC attends to cases of sexual assault and gender-based violence for both males and females. I was informed that between 7 and 12 September 2015, training was conducted for doctors, nurses, and counsellors on the management of such cases. Due to the high rate of reported incidents, the NGOs and the four aforementioned ministries pushed for the official opening of the centre.

During my visit, I met several members of staff: a nurse nearing retirement, counsellors, a receptionist, and a volunteer who also serves as the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer. She conducts serological tests such as pregnancy test (serum), HIV, HBsAg, HCV, and VDRL. I had expected to see a doctor trained to assist with forensic examinations, but none was present. I was told that doctors had indeed been trained to provide evidence-based care to clients; however, due to the high demand for medical personnel, they were redeployed to other hospitals and units. Due to that, When a client presents — whether as a case of domestic violence or assault — they are referred to the Gynaecology Emergency Unit, the Gynaecology Ward, the Accident and Emergency Unit, or the Paediatric Unit, depending on the client’s age and the nature of the assault. Following examination, the client returns to WARAKA–SARC for further management, including counselling and serology. On average, the centre sees about fifty clients per week.

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Notwithstanding these challenges, this is the only functioning centre in the state that attends to cases of sexual assault and gender-based violence. I noted that all services rendered to clients are free of charge, and the centre also provides continuous follow-up care.

Based on my observation, WARAKA–SARC is a sensitive and vital centre. I therefore suggest the following measures to improve the care and services provided to clients:

· The deployment of medical personnel — including doctors, nurses, and counselling psychologists — to the centre.

· The four ministries should consistently include the centre in their annual budgets.

· Continuous engagement of staff through training, rural outreach programmes, community sensitisation, and the provision of incentives.

· NGOs should resume and sustain their collaboration with the centre.

· Proper referral pathways for clients to the centre must be established and maintained.

· The Ministry of Justice should make it mandatory for all cases of sexual assault and gender-based violence to pass through WARAKA–SARC before trial. This will enhance the centre’s visibility among individuals and communities.

· Additional centres should be established in strategic local government areas to bring services closer to rural communities far from Kano town, thereby improving access and utilisation.

· Community enlightenment on the importance of the centre and the need to seek help freely when necessary.

· Religious and community leaders should partner with the centre to promote peace and encourage community members to utilise its services.

 

Speak out, get help — end the cycle of violence.

WARAKA SARC: Your path to healing and justice.

Stop GBV. Support survivors. Strengthen justice.

WARAKA SARC: Restoring dignity, rebuilding lives.

Supporting survivors with care, dignity, and compassion.

WARAKA SARC — A Safe Space for Healing.

 

WARAKA–SARC HOTLINES

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Opinion

How Kano Digitized Land Turns N50m to N750m Monthly

Published

6 days ago

on

August 3, 2026

By

 

– Abba Ka Cika Gwarzo…

By Abba Anwar

Land administration, safety and security of land documents are dancing gorgeously to the gallery, as the administration of His Excellency, Executive Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf digitalized and institutionalized land administration and ownership in the last three years.

Study tour to Kano Geographic Information System (KANGIS), by states like Abia, Kaduna, Jigawa, Adamawa, among others is a clear testimony that Kano is making headway with excellent innovations in land administration and management. Analog to digital development.

Before now, KANGIS was a small unit /department under the state Ministry of Land and Physical Planning. But when Governor Yusuf came on board, the agency turned into full-fledged and autonomous agency with the establishment Law. Normal legislative procedures were followed. And now an independent agency. This makes seamless operations possible. With clear mandate and global taste.

Billions of Naira injected in overhauling and modernizing the agency, were recovered within six months of becoming an autonomous agency. With full Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure which turned the face of the agency via digital and GIS infrastructures, pave the way for that.

Employing GIS enterprise, that is modernizing land administration, beginning from land application to the level of acquiring Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) has now become a seamless operation. Where slow operation fades away.

For Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) the agency was generating a maximum of Fifty Million Naira (N50m) monthly. With the new Law in place and dedicated leadership, from His Excellency down to the Director General of the agency, Dr Dalhatu Aliyu Sani, and dedicated staff, KANGIS can now boost of generating a maximum of up to Seven Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N750m) monthly.

Racketeering of land documents by touts and weak minded internal elements, has significantly minimized. A system has now been in place for a land applicant to monitor the movement and progress of his or her application from the comfort of one’s room.

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There is an improved manpower, who are always undergoing training and retraining. To cope with the global best practice. With this and the digitalization of the agency, corruption is being reduced to minimal level in the administration and management of land. So also laziness from the part of the staff, unproductive posture, double allocation and insecured process for land ownership are all shelved aside.

Under the wisdom of His Excellency, the Governor, the agency, KANGIS, works hand in hand with the state ministry for land and physical planning. Unlike in some other states, where such agencies wall out ministries of land. Not only maintaining the two institutions, in Kano, both the agency and the ministry work harmoniously in rancour-free atmosphere.

Though land ministry is the mother ministry, but rivalry between them is significantly at the lowest level. It may interest one to know that all payments of the ministry are paid through KANGIS.

The Director General of KANGIS Dr Sani is a renown scholar of geographic information system of global repute, who was invited by Governor Yusuf from far away Turkey, to come and serve his state. Without hesitation, Dr Sani responded positively to His Excellency’s request. Here he is, Dr Sani brought many strategies and innovations to KANGIS. The political will of the Governor helps much in this development. That has eluded the agency since its creation in 2012.

Understanding the genuine political will and commitment of the Governor towards the spirit development of the agency, the good working relationship between all the political appointees and staff of the agency and the mother ministry, is strengthening day in day out. They all understand what team work is to the development of the state.

Ranging from the Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Abudujjabar Muhammad Umar, Adviser to the Governor on Land Matters, Hadiza Gadanya, Director General of KANGIS, Dr Dalhatu Aliyu Sani, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Land Matters, Alhaji Ahmad down to the Senior Special Reporter Nanu Kankarofi, all believe and understand what team work is and what Governor Yusuf wants in reshaping land administration, control and ownership in the state. Kudos to them all.

Another important picture of Governor’s genuine love for a new Kano is his non-interference in KANGIS’s operations and technical decisions. Being an autonomous with competent hand as the Director General, Governor Yusuf believes he puts a square peg in a square hole. At KANGIS and the mother ministry, modernization with global touch is quite visible. It was this visibility, I guessed, that prompted other states to come to Kano and start shopping for ingenious land administration.

I can still remember vividly clear, when the immediate past Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Ahmad Dangiwa visited KANGIS sometime back, he informed the DG that when he returned back to Abuja, he would inform President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to kindly urge other states of the federation to come to Kano and visit KANGIS for them to replicate Kano model of land administration. I don’t know if that really happened.

With the full operation and commitment of KANGIS and Land Ministry, Kano Master Plan of over 30 years is now being undusted and ready to be revisited word by word. This is possible as a result of Governor Yusuf’s political will and commitment.

Anwar writes from Kano
Monday, 3rd August, 2026

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