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Opinion

Re-No Research in Nigerian Universities: A Rejoinder to Professor Maqari

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Babayo Sule

 

By Babayo Sule (PhD)

To start with, I respect Professor Ibrahim Maqari much and if u are keenly following his submissions he is being considered fair and honest in most of his engagements. Besides, he has the constitutional power to express his views and narrate his experience of his academic journey. We all know that no Nigerian system is working properly as it should. But to his this particular view, I have a contrary one with some fundamental issues raised as follows.

If research is not undertaken in Nigerian universities, does he agree that he became a Professor without doing any meaningful research?

Research is carried out in Nigerian universities now more than any period in Nigerian history. The emergence of TETfund scholarship training to young academics provides the opportunity for Nigerian scholars to attend world class universities, exposed to rigours of modern scientific research and advanced research techniques which they are now applying at home. The quality of journals and publishers that the Nigerian scholars are now penetrating is unprecedented. To confirm this, just make a simple Google search on subject of interest and see wonders.

Nigerian scholars are now accessing international grants more than ever and these grants are research driven and research oriented. In just Gombe State here between FUK and GSU, I can list more than 50 scholars with international grants running in thousands of dollars for research. What if u exapand and search all Nigerian tertiary institutions? Amazing!

Young Nigerian scholars are now publishing in Q1 journals and other Clavarite Analytics ISI/Scopus indexed journals which are universally testified to publish only ground breaking research and not any copy and paste or literature review or theoretical postulations. In some universities like UNN, u will never become a Professor until you published in this class of journals and publishers.

He may be talking of himself, his likes and his experiences and this regard, he is right. Then, u may ask him how he became a Professor. Surprisingly, I checked his profile in the internet but I was utterly shocked and confused to discover his total absence in all global academia forum or any SINGLE visible academic contribution. He is not present in Google Scholar, Research gate, Academia.edu, Semantic Scholar, Mendeley, talk less of Scopus ID and ORCID. Only his Facebook page and tafsirs are visible as a Professor. In contemporary academic world even in the neighbourhood of African countries, he will never ever be a Professor forever without a presence in these global academic forum. In essence, countries like Malaysia, Taiwan, India and even South Africa will never promote an academic that is not publishing in Scopus and other Clavarite Analytics ISI indexed journals and articles.

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Additionally, how can he expect a genuine research from the Nigerian academics who are not catered adequately. Just in 2021, the US Government awarded Harvard University a grant of $500 million, a university now privately run to undertake research. In Nigeria, what is the government providing for research? A TETfund IBR research grant of N800000 for academics to carry a ground breaking research. Laughable! Isn’t it? Even decent salaries to the academics is now a taboo. Yet, with this condition, check world first class reputable journals and publishers such as Springer, Sage, Palgrave Macmillan, Routledge, Zed Books, Rowman and Littlefield, etc etc and see how Nigerian academics are publishing there frequently. Are all these not evidence of research? Do these publishers published a joke or low quality research?

Besides, all of us, i repeat, all are products of Nigerian universities and academics, we are working in various fields of human endeavour and you can testify to the role of academics in training our younger ones in research. Graduates of Nigerian universities despite the poor condition of learning and instructions always excel in world class universities in the US, Europe and Asia why?

Perhaps, Prof was regurgitating his past experience during his analog days in Nigerian universities that he had not been frequenting during his working days. No one, may be, cares to enlighten the Prof that we are now in digital age where various softwares introduced such as Turnitin, ithenticate and other amti-plagiariam softwares compelled Nigerian universities’ academics to embark on research with originality, contribution and practical policy implications. This is confirmed in Nigeria’s recent Scimago ranking where Nigerian academics emerged 3rd after South Africa and Egypt in Africa amidst a wretched and miserable working conditions. In other words, Prof is obsolete to know that the era of copy/cut and paste is now a history for aspiring academics globally.

More reasonably, Prof might have been understood if he limits his unguarded utterances and advertisement of out-of-touch reality to himself and his likes. Of course, I agree with him, some Nigerian academics are truant, unproductive, inconsequential and can only work if they are closely supervised and compelled with threats of dismissal to work. Otherwise, they may easily bastardise the so-called academic freedom, stationed themselves stationary in places like Abuja and operate from there. These few deviants should not be considered as the yardstick of measuring the productivity of the Nigerian academics.

In essence, what is bemusing with the submission by Prof is what exactly is he trying to achieve? Blackmail his colleagues? Denigrate them? Diminish the sympathy they enjoy from the public for their father’s land sacrifice? Buy sympathy and support to the government that prove to be notorious in reneging against all promises or what? Nigerian academics, for Prof’s consent, are highly respected globally.

The likes of Maqari could not even mentor the younger ones academically since he believed they don’t know research. Well, he is a missing gap in what the Nigerian academic community wasted for unproductive venture. This is my little take.

Opinion

Nasir El-rufai: The Strategic Politician in Recent Times

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By Abubakar Sadiq Dauda

Malam, as he is fondly called, is a very brilliant politician with alot of success stories. He is a genius per excellence when it comes to politics. He sets his main priorities and cares less about other sub priorities that may not yield to any serious positive impact. That simple act of setting his main target and work tirelessly to ensure that he delivers on the mandate makes him an outstanding politician.

In 2013, he was the brain behind the formation of APC. He committed his entire time and energy to bring Tinubu, Buhari and Atiku into thesame fold. The goal then was to defeat the ruling party, PDP.

Initially, he refused to compromise on his main target by not seeking for any elective position, which he knows may affect the chances of achieving his main priority. As fate will swing into his favour, former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was the major contender in the opposition as it was then, requested that El-rufai must contest for Kaduna governorship position in 2015. The rest is now history.

Fast-forward to 2023, El-rufai showed his zealousness and potentials by going for the bigger ‘fish’ again. His main objective was to make sure Tinubu (who hail from the South) succeeds Buhari, and APC should continue to take charge of the affairs of Kaduna state. He chose not to vie for any office in other for him to commit his time, effort and resources to achieve his main objective. The rest as they say is now history.

Again, today being the 10th of March, 2025, a well known discourse (judging by strategic meetings held recently) was finalized, formalized and brought into the public sphere by thesame figure, Nasir El-Rufai. The theme which is well known in many quarters is to make sure that the Government of the day at both national and at state level (emphasis on Kaduna) lost the election that will graciously take place in 2027.

Malam is fully committed to attain thesame success he recorded particularly in 2015 and 2023. In other for Malam to be successful, he will remain steadfast, focused and committed in achieving his main objective (judging by his past precedence).

Unlike many politicians and political actors, Malam believes in personal sacrifices to ensure that he gets the job done. He is able to outline is main priorities and commit all he has to attain the greater success he aspire, not minding whose ox is gored.

His fearlessness, foresight, brilliance, hard-work has overtime proves beyond doubt that he is indeed a strategic politician who should not be taken in for a ride.

Sadiq is a political analyst, writes from Kano and can be reached via sadiqdauda55@gmail.com

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Opinion

Ganduje Decorates Barau, Political General

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From Abba Anwar

Thrilled by the consistent effort of the Deputy Senate President, Barau I Jibrin, CFR, in making the All Progressives Congress (APC) waxing stronger across Nigeria, the National Chairman of APC, His Excellency (Dr) Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, decorates the DSP with a title of Political General.

As the hall of the event to receive members of the Coalition of Atiku Abubakar Support Groups, from 19 Northern states, into the fold of the ruling APC, roared with standing ovation, the National Chairman continued, “Distinguished Barau I. Jibrin’s capacity is beyond his constituency, Kano North or Kano State.”

Silencing all hues and cries about Barau’s role in accepting members of other parties at the local level, Ganduje reminded that, “Initially people thought Distinguished Barau I. Jibrin, representing Kano North Senatorial District, is only working in Kano for receiving members of other political parties to APC in Kano.

But you can see that, he is going beyond that. He is liberating those people especially those committed to democracy, convincing them to join APC, not only from Kano or from North, but from other parts of the country.”

He commended that,” Senator Barau is a real political General.”

To further show his inner most appreciation of the Deputy Senate President’s effort in strengthening the party from many fronts, Ganduje concurred that,”… after the Fasting period all members of this Coalition will be gathered in Abuja under the leadership of Distinguished Senator Barau Jibrin, so that we invite Mr President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Vice President, Senate President and Right Honorable Speaker, House of Representatives, to formally receive all your members.

In order to register the death and the collapse of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria. Not only in the Northern part of the country.”

The National Chairman of APC was at the event with all members of the National Working Committee of the party. What this indicates is, how important and relevant is Barau’s effort in molding party structures and brilliant engagement in the nation’s political experiment.

Recent cemented relationship between Ganduje and Barau signals many things for the party and individuals. Alignment and realignment, among other political strategies, are a condition that scares APC opponents, real and perceived, in Kano, North and the country as a whole.

The way I see it, is this, as Barau started with local push, in accepting local politicians, entertainers and political novices, in some circumstances, his recent engagement with Coalition of Atiku Support Groups, speaks volume in understanding how deep he has gone in the national scheme of things of the ruling APC. He is more or less, becoming a pillar. Particularly with the endorsement of the National Chairman.

What Barau is up to, is subject to many interpretations. Depending on the side of the prism one is standing. But one fundamental item in his activities is this, that, he is making the party to be more visible, more vibrant, more relevant and stronger in multi-faceted manifestations. Left to me, I can say Barau is not too much concerned about local politics.

On his part, DSP appreciated that, since Ganduje became the National Chairman of APC, “… since he came in we did not lose any election. The party is waxing stronger day in day out. He has shown that he is capable. So we are proud of you Mr Chairman Sir.”

Adding that, “We thank you for making Kano state proud we thank you for making North West proud. And we thank you for making Nigeria proud. His Excellency Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, proves to all that he is a detribalised national leader.”

Anwar, was Chief Press Secretary to the former Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, and can be reached at fatimanbaba1@gmail.com

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Opinion

Barau’s Kano Project : Kwankwasiyya, Kannywood, TikTok Deserters

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By Abba Anwar

Whether or not those joining All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano state, through Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin CFR, are doing that with genuine mind and valid reason, the fact remains, that, political opposition and politicking are becoming lively day in day out, in the state.

The recent hues and cries shaping party cross carpeting, with particular reference to the DSP’s engagement with Kwankwasiyya followers, Kannywood elements and some identified TikTokers is on increase in the state. Both freedom of expression and freedom of choice at play.

Believe it or not, one cannot separate Barau and APC in this political engagement. Those changing party membership under Barau, are changing to APC ultimately, not to Barau. Because the institution is the party, APC, not Barau.

It is clear to all that, Barau is positioning himself against 2027 Kano Project. That in itself isn’t a political sin. If his target is Kano, as a political space, his feats achieved within a specified period of time, go beyond Kano. Not to talk of his primary constituency, Kano North Senatorial District.

Let me say this, before now, I faulted Barau’s strategy for welcoming political opponents, Kwankwasiyya followers especially. Arguing that, what was the wisdom behind welcoming someone today, who could reverse back to where he exited, in few days time

I later realized that, as some Kwankwasiyya elements use Barau as an entry point, it was revealed openly to the Deputy Senate President, that, some of those coming to APC through him, were planted as moles for the opposition. With this, he pays back to them, using “repentant elements,” as paid agents within the opposition circle.

Reason for one-touch strategy, as I blamed him the other time. (laughter).

So it is now not very clear whether those making u-turn after taking “oath” before Barau, are genuinely going back to where they started, Kwankwasiyya, in this context. The same thing applies to Kannywood elements, artistes and TikTokers.

But what interests onlookers most, is his indifferent behavior about all the hues and cries. Which, to me, it appears like he is acting a particular script by accepting opposition elements into APC. Whose script and from where? Such questions remain unanswered.

I am envisaging that some big shots are making their wave to Barau, as an entry point. This time around, it is not the issue of Kannywood actors /actress, or artistes or other similar individuals. People of greater substance and relevance by all political standard. Ours is to wait and see.

But let me assure my readers that, when that situation comes its natural way, more storm will overwhelm APC opponents in Kano, and elsewhere by extension. So who is calling the shot?

Some people argue that, among all those with positions from Kano state, either elected or appointed, with the exception of the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje CON, – who, by constitutional provision, cannot vie for Kano governorship position again – Barau stands better chance.

As an addendum also, you cannot compare Barau with the current governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, in terms of productivity, creative mind, political experience, exposure, charisma, intellectual sagacity, public presentation, public relations, domineering posture, independent mind and action, enhanced interpretation of political engagement and unwavering loyalty and support to party ideals and manifesto.

Without fear of mincing words, I can say, Barau can make a good governor than the current governor of our dear state, Yusuf. I am just being scientific. Just compare their achievements so far in the state. Though, Barau coming from the legislative arm, but his interventions, real interventions, to the lives of ordinary Kano man, are unmatched. Compared to that of the governor. Yes the governor.

But the way I see it, is this, if achievements are the yardstick for measuring one’s political chances, to me, Barau’s relevance goes beyond Kano, or merely his primary constituency, Kano North. I stand to be corrected. If one’s achieved feats are indices, I bet my position.

To me, if Kwankwasiyya’s cross carpeting, through the entry point, Barau, is reversible, as some of them provided that explanation, by their action, there is nothing extraordinary when Kannywood people alongside TikTokers, follow suit.

Take it or leave it, Barau’s visibility in Kano political space, is something not to be taken for granted. The ploy upon ploy smuggle into the threshold of political engagement in the state, are enough reasons to explain to you that, Barau is not a political dummy. Neither an inexperienced political flagship. Someone with the highest position in the National Assembly, from North West,with the exception of Kaduna, that produces Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Anwar, was Chief Press Secretary to the former Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje CON and can be reached at fatimanbaba1@gmail.com

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