By Abba Anwar

I chose to caption this piece “2027 Loyalty Reloaded…” bearing in mind what His Excellency Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf said, to show his absolute confidence in his Deputy His Excellency Murtala Sule Garo, as governance pays back for loyalty.

It was at the instance of all federal political appointees meeting with the governor at Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, when the Governor bluntly announced to the faces and hearing of all that, “I have no regrets for choosing Garo as my Deputy in the last few months, and he has proven to be the right choice so far. I want to confirm to you that I have every confidence in him.”

This puts a halt to all speculations before picking HE Garo as Deputy Governor that, his loyalty could be divided when appointed as the Deputy Governor after the resignation of the former Governor, His Excellency Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.

To zip the mouth and bad intention of some politicians and to let everyone who cares to listen that, in less than four months, Governor Yusuf believes in HE Garo’s total and absolute loyalty, he picks him again to become his running mate come 2027.

He disclosed this during the meeting as disclosed by Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa Director General Media and Publicity, in a press release issued, that “Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has officially announced the nomination of his Deputy, His Excellency Murtala Sule Galadima Garo, as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election.”

The release discloses that, “He expressed satisfaction with the working relationship between them, noting that Garo had demonstrated competence, dedication, and a strong sense of responsibility in the discharge of his duties.” I now understand the main reason and wisdom behind Governor’s bold decision in sending his Deputy as his representative, in major events. Within and outside Kano.

If not because of this trust and confidence the Governor has in his Deputy he wouldn’t have sent the Deputy to stand for him, during the visit of the high-powered delegation from European Union Ambassadors, USA Independence Day held in US Embassy Abuja and the just concluded Northern Governors Security Summit, among many other equally important events. Only loyalty, from Deputy’s side and confidence from Governor’s side, give this golden opportunity.

Part of the testimony given by the Governor for his choice in HE Garo, as running mate for 2027 is for his “… outstanding loyalty, commitment, and unwavering passion for the development of Kano State since assuming office as Deputy Governor,” speaks volumes about Deputy’s place in both the heart of his principal, the Governor and the art of governance in the state. By now HE Garo understands most significantly and clearly that, loyalty pays. What pays the most, is trust in Allah’s overall decisions, as says repeatedly by the Deputy. All those close to him know what I’m saying exactly.

The release reiterated that, the Governor has all the backing and goodwill support for the Deputy, indicating the nadir of the confidence of the Governor in his Deputy. As the release reads, “The Governor also passed a vote of confidence on the Deputy Governor, describing him as a dependable partner whose contributions have strengthened the administration’s drive to deliver meaningful development across Kano State.”

As a responsible leader who cares about the the unity, strength and the survival of the party beyond election periods, he urged, “… party leaders, political appointees, and supporters to remain united and committed as the administration continues to consolidate on its achievements while preparing for the 2027 general elections.”

By whatever standard and measurement, the union between Governor Yusuf and his Deputy, Garo, started on sound footing with the full support, cooperation and honest engagement of the Governor. While the Deputy is paying back with true loyalty embedded with good substance.

This features stronger administration and focused leadership. The way HE Garo responds to party demands and governance, with the consent of his principal, the Governor, it becomes clearer that, it will be a finer, healthier and merrier 2027 and beyond.

Anwar writes from Kano
Tuesday, 14th July, 2026

Anas Yushau Yusuf

Journalists and media practitioners have been equipped with practical skills in the use of Earth Observation technologies to improve climate change and environmental reporting during a capacity-building workshop organised by Bayero University Kano (BUK) in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Future Earth.

The one-day workshop, titled “Achieving Transformative Flood Risk Management in Informal African Cities Using Demystified Earth Observation,” was held at Bayero University Kano. It brought together journalists from various media organisations to explore how satellite imagery, geospatial data and Earth Observation platforms can support evidence-based reporting on environmental and climate-related issues.

In his welcome address, the Project Lead, Prof. Aliyu Salisu Barau, said the training was designed to empower journalists with practical tools that would improve the quality, accuracy and credibility of environmental reporting.

“As the climate change crisis continues to unfold across our societies, the public depends on accurate, timely and evidence-based reporting,” he said.

According to him, participants would gain hands-on experience with Earth Observation platforms that can help journalists verify environmental claims, strengthen investigative reporting and communicate complex climate issues more effectively.

Prof. Barau noted that environmental challenges such as flooding, drought, land degradation and rapid urbanisation require reporting that is supported by scientific evidence rather than assumptions.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) of Bayero University Kano, Prof. Amina Mustapha, described climate change as one of the most pressing development challenges confronting Northern Nigeria and the wider Sahel region.

She urged journalists to pay greater attention to environmental stories that directly affect communities, including desertification, the shrinking Lake Chad, food insecurity, climate-induced displacement and the implementation of initiatives such as the Great Green Wall.

Prof. Mustapha stressed that the media has a critical role in informing the public, influencing policy discussions and promoting accountability through accurate and well-researched environmental reporting.

Delivering her remarks virtually, Freya Muir, Research Coordinator at the European Space Agency and Future Earth, highlighted the importance of Earth Observation data in supporting climate monitoring, disaster preparedness and sustainable environmental management.

She explained that satellite-generated data provides reliable information that can help governments, researchers, humanitarian organisations and journalists better understand environmental changes and communicate risks before disasters occur.

The workshop featured technical sessions on the fundamentals of Earth Observation, accessing satellite data for evidence-based reporting, visual storytelling using geospatial information, investigative environmental journalism, and the application of Earth Observation tools for early warning communication and climate risk reporting.

Participants also took part in a hands-on practical session where they were introduced to digital Earth Observation platforms and guided through the process of accessing and interpreting satellite data for story development.

The training forms part of an ongoing collaborative project aimed at strengthening flood risk management in informal African cities by making Earth Observation technologies more accessible to researchers, policymakers and the media.

For many participants, the workshop demonstrated that modern journalism increasingly requires the ability to interpret scientific data alongside traditional reporting methods. By combining satellite imagery with field reporting, journalists can produce more accurate, compelling and impactful stories that contribute to public awareness and informed decision-making on climate and environmental issues.

The workshop ends with a renewed call for stronger collaboration between scientists, academic institutions and the media to ensure environmental reporting is rooted in credible evidence and serves the public interest.

Journalists, filmmakers, researchers and development communication experts have called for a fundamental shift in how development is documented in Africa, urging media practitioners and development actors to move beyond reporting project implementation and focus on the tangible impact interventions have on people’s lives.

The call was made during The ISDI Founding Conversation, convened by the Impact Storytelling for Development Initiative (ISDI) in Kano under the theme: “Documenting What Changed: The Future of Evidence-Based Impact Storytelling in Africa.”

The invitation-only gathering officially introduced ISDI, an independent development communication and impact storytelling institution dedicated to documenting sustainable development through evidence-based journalism, documentary filmmaking, photography, research and strategic communication.

In his opening address, Founder and Executive Director of ISDI, Ibrahim Ayyuba Isah, said the institution was established to bridge the gap between development interventions and the human stories that demonstrate their real impact.

“Every development intervention has two stories. The first is the story of implementation. The second is the story of impact. While implementation tells us what was done, impact storytelling asks a more important question: What changed? ISDI exists to document that second story through evidence, community voices and ethical storytelling.”

Participants agreed that while governments, development agencies and civil society organizations invest significant resources in development programmes, many of the stories that demonstrate how those interventions transform lives remain untold.

Dr. Musa Sufi, Chief Executive Officer of SIDES Media, described ISDI as a timely initiative capable of expanding conversations around development.

“It is inspiring to see an initiative like this coming from Kano. ISDI has given us another opportunity to make an impact. It provides more people with the opportunity to join the conversation and contribute to meaningful change.”

Speaking on the role of solutions journalism, Musbahu El-Hamza, Solutions Journalist and Host of Fitila Podcast, said development communication must go beyond celebrating successes.

“Development stories do not only focus on what works; they should also examine what does not work and why. If someone tries to implement a solution and the intervention fails, who tells that story and explains why it did not work? That is equally important.”

The Head of News, Cool FM/Wazobia FM and Arewa Radio, Abdurrahman Isah, challenged journalists to move beyond urban centres in search of stories that truly matter.

“Building a school alone is not development. We can only call it development when it touches lives and improves the quality of life of the people living in those communities. That is the story journalism should be telling.”

He also stressed the importance of persistence in reporting, noting that meaningful change often comes through sustained follow-up journalism rather than one-off coverage.

For Nafisa Murtala Ahmed, Development Journalist and Head of Programmes at Express Radio, development storytelling begins with communities telling their own stories.

“We are not telling our own development stories or celebrating our community achievements. Development starts with you. When you develop yourself, you can then contribute to the development of your community.”

She added that journalists must move beyond reporting events to telling stories that connect with people’s lived experiences.

The Founder of KDC Foundation, Khalifa Dankadai, described impact storytelling as an important tool for strengthening accountability and sustainability in development.

“Impact storytelling ensures that we do not merely report implementation but critically examine what changed, what the situation was before the intervention and how it has improved since then. It helps hold donors, implementers and communities accountable while protecting the gains of development.”

Other contributors, including Dr. Najib Usman, Hannatu Suleiman, Hauwa Mustapha, Hayatuddeen Muhammad, Furera Isiaka and Umar Gombe, emphasized the importance of community engagement, inclusion, collaboration, research, follow-up reporting and evidence-based documentation in strengthening sustainable development across Africa.

The conversation concluded with a shared commitment to promote collaboration among journalists, researchers, filmmakers, development practitioners and communication professionals in documenting measurable change and amplifying community voices.

Looking ahead, ISDI announced plans to expand its work beyond storytelling through strategic partnerships, research, public dialogue and the establishment of the ISDI Academy, which will build the capacity of young people, women, content creators, photographers, filmmakers and journalists in evidence-based impact storytelling and documentary production.

About ISDI

The Impact Storytelling for Development Initiative (ISDI) is an independent development communication and impact storytelling institution dedicated to documenting sustainable development through evidence-based journalism, documentary filmmaking, photography, research, strategic communication and capacity building.

Guided by the question “What changed?”, ISDI works to amplify community voices, preserve development knowledge and strengthen accountability by documenting the measurable impact of development interventions across Africa.

Website: www.isdiafrica.org