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Professor Gausu Ahmad: As Editor-Scholar Takes a Deserved Bow…

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2 years ago

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Professor Gausu Ahmad

 

By Aliyu Abubakar

As a youth corps member in 2005, I was torn between two promising job prospects. One was the potential of getting hired to teach as a Graduate Assistant in the Mass Communications Department of Bayero University Kano, and two, the opportunity of plunging deep into the pool of journalism practice. While my dream has always been to be a journalist and hopefully reach the pinnacle of the noble pen-pushing profession, I was, sincerely speaking, more attracted to, and more passionate about staying back on campus to impart knowledge and also grow into an academic.

So, a few days after rounding off the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme at Local Government Secondary School, Ohiana, in Okene, Kogi State, I returned to Kano. Prior to my return, Malam Gausu Ahmad, the then Head of Department (HOD) at Mass Communications Department, BUK had written a letter on my behalf to the NYSC, requesting for my redeployment to BUK, so I could, in his very courteous words, “help with some workload in the Department.” He basically wanted me to start learning the ropes of lecturing. Sadly, the request fell on deaf ears!

I was however fixated on that big dream of landing a lecturing job, even when all pleas to get me redeployed to Kano returned negative. Having tried without success, Malam Gausu stepped in and acted like a true father and mentor that he has always been to us. He consoled and convinced me to stay back in Kogi, assuring that if the lecturing job was meant for me, I would definitely return and pick up the appointment. Therefore, in the spirit of accepting my fate, I deliberately opted for a teaching job at my place of primary assignment, despite the opportunity of practicing journalism at NTA or even Confluence FM, all in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital. However, instead of going to the Federal College of Education, Okene or the young Kogi State University at Ayangba, I ended up at a local council secondary school in Okene.

All along my one year stay at Kogi, Malam Gausu was tracking my progress, assuring me that once I am done with the national service, things will work out. Shortly after rounding off the NYSC in February 2006, I went back to BUK to demonstrate my availability for the GA appointment at the Mass Communications Department. Co-incidentally, it happened that one fateful day, the Late Musa Umar Kazaure, Daily Trust’s then Kano Bureau Chief, came visiting at the department, principally to see his old friend, Malam Gausu Ahmad. One of the items on the plate then was Daily Trust’s traditional offer of automatic job placements to Mass Communications graduates, who were privileged to have “emerged top of their class.”

Malam Gausu immediately summoned me to his Office where I met the Late Musa Kazaure. After all the salutations, the HOD said: “Daily Trust Kano Bureau Chief is here. They want you in Abuja on Monday for an automatic job offer. What do you think of it? Are you interested?”, he asked. He then sent off the Late Kazaure and came back to me. Before I even responded, he interjected: “But what do we do with the Graduate Assistant job that you applied for, which, though could take some time to be finalised, could also materialise?” he quizzed, now appearing concerned. I didn’t hesitate in my response. “HOD Sir, I love journalism, but lecturing is all I want to do Sir,” I said.

It was obvious Malam Gausu was not convinced with my answer. Therefore, he further inquired if I wanted an honest advice or I was just keen on hearing what would make me happy. He then said: “Young man, go and learn the trade. We can always invite you once the University’s Appointments & Promotions Committee (A&PC) has scheduled a date for the possible ratification of your Departmental Graduate Assistant Interview,” the HOD explained. Justifying further, he said by the time I am back from Daily Trust, the invaluable experience gained would have brightened my chances as added advantage for the GA job.

That advice by Malam Gausu, though discomforting at that time, turned out to be apt and crucial. Just like he suggested, I went to Daily Trust and learnt the little I learnt from journalism practice. Though I did not end up in the academia, like both of us badly wanted, Malam Gausu was instrumental in my decision to head to Daily Trust for some requisite experience. Fortunately, it is one counsel I always thank God I accepted, as it has opened up new vistas in my personal and work lives. Everyone who knows me knows how I relish talking about my early development at Daily Trust and how it has helped to shape my career as a Public Relations practitioner later in life. It was all down to Malam’ Gausu’s counsel.

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Malam Gausu is not just about counselling or mentorship. Back in the days at BUK, he was, and arguably still, the father of print journalism in Mass Communications Department. Once you go into his lectures, you could tell that he was super proud and passionate about the journalism profession, especially the print aspect. His Newspaper Production, Features Writing and Critical Issues in Mass Communications classes were full of delight for students. Alongside the Late Abubakar Jika and Malam Haruna Ismail, they have helped nurtured a crop of budding campus journalists who fell in love with the art of writing. The trio demystified the intricacies and complexities of getting published in leading national newspapers and magazines. Despite the emerging threat of new media, some of us are still in love with print journalism, all because of people like Malam Gausu.

In the 2002/03 academic session, the 400 Level Mass Communications class was dichotomised based on the Print and Broadcast specialisations. While the Broadcast Class took five over six (5/6) of the entire class, the Print Class (which I belonged to) was left with about 15-18 students, just about one over six (1/6) of the entire class population. During his first appearance in the class for the Newspaper Production (MAC 4235) lecture, Malam was visibly elated. This is because he was going to have fewer students to attend to, and, in his words, “to sufficiently analyse, debate, challenge, discuss and dissect newspapers and how they get to the news stands.”

Malam Gausu obviously wanted our print class sessions to be a replica of the newsrooms he experienced at the New Nigerian in Kaduna or Concord Newspapers in Lagos. If he is not picking holes in some wayward, sensational headline casting, he is lamenting about why a particular issue, as topical as it was then, would be buried deep into the latter pages of a newspaper. Also, if he is not highlighting a story angle for someone to write something on, he is helping us book an interview with some of the newsmakers on the campus. The point here is Malam Gausu understand the nuances and politics of print journalism in and out. He has practiced it, he has taught it to students and he has embodied all the good virtues exemplified by the noble profession. Indeed, we have been very lucky to have benefited from his fountain of knowledge.

Malam Gausu is a man of faith, indeed a very spiritual person. When he took over as HOD, the Department was ‘bedevilled’ by some, often times man-made misfortunes, ranging from poor compilation of results to other administrative bottlenecks. Within that “period of plague”, Malam Gausu invited some Alarammomi (people who have committed the Holy Qur’an by heart) from within the Department. They met and repeatedly recited the Holy book, invoking the Almighty Allah to salvage the situation. This of course was complimented by his workaholic efforts to bring about positive change and redeem the Department’s image within the then Faculty of Arts & Islamic Studies (FAIS).

In 2002, I had the rare honour and privilege of participating in an Inter-Faculty Musabaqa (Quranic Memorisation Competition), organised by the then Munir Dahiru-led Student Union Government (SUG) of BUK. When I was announced as the winner of the 10 Hizb category and the news got to Malam Gausu, he celebrated as if I had won the International Qur’anic Contest for Nigeria in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He called me to his office, held the Certificate and prayed on it. He also promised to inform the then Dean of FAIS (Dr. Mukhtar Abdulkadir? I can’t remember) about the “remarkable success.” When Ibrahim Siraj Adhama, a student of the Department, (now a PhD and a Lecturer at the Department), mesmerized the whole world in 2002 to clinch the year’s International Qur’anic Contest in Saudi Arabia, Malam Gausu quietly led the celebrations. His support was also pivotal in ensuring that the Alaramma graduated well within the required time schedule. Malam doesn’t hide his love for Ahlul Qur’an.

Though highly principled, Malam Gausu is also very humble and unassuming. He is jovial and loves cracking jokes too. As MACOSA President in 2003, I appointed well over ten Special Advisers. Malam Gausu, who was to sign on their “certificates of meritorious service” felt the list of our appointees was too long. So, he called me into his Office and queried. “Why do you have to appoint plenty advisers, Mr. President?” I admitted that for some of them, they merit it, while for others, it was purely for reasons of inclusion and for some, it was to bring the opposition much closer. I also said that the appointments had no extra cost on MACOSA’s finances. Malam Gausu suddenly gave me a stern look, and said, “You sounded like General IBB, who would appoint everyone perceived as his critic into his Government! Good luck to you as you neutralise them all.” We all burst into laughter, and then Malam took his time to sign all the certificates.

Malam Gausu transfered his services to the academia in the early years of the new millennium, bringing about his vast journalism experience into the ivory towers. As beneficiaries of such experience, we could tell that Malam Gausu (now leaving as Professor Gausu) has paid his dues. I hear people talk of Professors Umaru Pate and Abdalla Uba Adamu as pioneers behind the unbundling of Mass Communications from one huge Department into a full-fledged Faculty of Communications. That is not contestable. But as he takes his well-deserved leave after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years, even the two erudite Professors would attest to the legendary role played by the Zaria-born Professor Gausu Ahmad in laying the foundation which perfectly blended the town and gown together towards the emergence of a new community of communications scholars at the BUK.

Congratulations Prof! Allah Ya Sanya albarka. Allah Ya sa a gama lafiya.

Aliyu Abubakar lives in Abuja.

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Opinion

Kano’s War On Drugs: How Barr. Muhyi’s Taskforce Is Changing The Game

Published

2 days ago

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November 2, 2026

By

Muhuyi Magaji

 

By Muhammad Abubakar Suleiman

When Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf declared a public health emergency on drug abuse on July 22, 2026, and inaugurated the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, many in Kano saw it as another committee. Three months later, the committee led by Barrister Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado is dominating security headlines in the state.

The Taskforce was constituted as a multi-agency platform bringing together NDLEA, Police, DSS, Consumer Protection Council, Pharmaceutical Society, Ministry of Health, Anti-Daba Unit and other stakeholders. Dr. Ibrahim Garba Muhammad serves as Secretary.

From Raids to Results: Over 400 Arrests

According to briefings by the Chairman, within the first two months the Taskforce arrested more than 380 suspects and secured over 230 convictions. By September 29, when Barr. Muhyi spoke at the Kano Network of NGOs (KANET) Monthly Lecture at Nasarawa GRA, the figure had risen to over 400 arrests.

Presenting its scorecard to the State Executive Council in late September, the Taskforce reported a 35% reduction in drug-related crimes in the last three months, attributing it to intensified enforcement, seizures and over 500 convictions as of October 22.

Operations have focused on identified hotspots: Race Course, Filin Idi, Filin Mahaha, Tashar Rami, Kawo, Tashar Rimi, Jakara, Madigawa, Yalwa, Sanka, Kul Kul, Dogon Nama and Kukar Bulukiya.

Recoveries include Cannabis Sativa, Tramadol, Diazepam, Pentazocine, Pregabalin, Exol-5 and a Methamphetamine-based designer drug. In one case, 870,000 capsules of Pregabalin were seized from a pharmaceutical company over suspected diversion. Local weapons – knives, daggers, cutlasses and clubs – used by gangs were also recovered.

The Taskforce also recorded high-profile arrests. On August 18, it announced the arrest of a former Chairman of Rogo Local Government for allegedly selling and administering fentanyl injections to youths, after a victim who spent over N2 million on injections identified him.

Latest: Gang Sponsor Tracked to Port Harcourt

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In its most recent operation, the Taskforce announced on October 30 the arrest of a 27-year-old suspected gang violence sponsor, Ishaq Lawan Ibrahim, popularly known as Malam Keya, from Yalwa in Dala LGA.

According to the committee, Malam Keya was allegedly financing violent clashes by rival Daba gangs in Dala that claimed lives. He fled to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, after crackdown intensified, but was tracked and arrested in an operation led by Head of Operations, CSP Bashir Gwadabe, and brought back to Kano. He is now in police custody pending prosecution.

Chairman Muhyi said the arrest outside Kano shows the Taskforce will pursue suspects beyond state boundaries.

Beyond Enforcement: Children, Rehabilitation and Technology

The committee says its mandate is not just enforcement. It reported rescuing 43 underage children allegedly exposed to intoxicants and convicting two dealers – Kabiru Isa and Usman Hamisu – for the offence. About 125 persons were referred to the Kano Reformatory Institute in Kiru for rehabilitation. With Kiru overstretched, government has provided an additional facility in Tofa.

The Taskforce has set an ambitious target of taking 10,000 youths off the streets for rehabilitation, skills acquisition and reintegration.

On August 21, Barr. Muhyi inaugurated nine sub-committees to professionalize the fight: Finance; Media and Publicity; Advocacy and Sensitisation; Licences, Inventory and Verification; Compliance, Inspection and Electronic Tracking; Monitoring and Implementation; Intelligence; Reformative and Traditional Council; and Anti-Drug Coordination.

Tech Turn: AI, 24-Hour Line and NDLEA Support

In the last two weeks, the Taskforce unveiled a new approach. On October 22, Barr. Muhyi, on behalf of Governor Yusuf, donated operational equipment to the NDLEA Kano Strategic Command led by Commander Dahiru Yahaya Lawan, to boost operations.

He also disclosed that Kano is deploying Artificial Intelligence for surveillance and tracking of suspected dealers, and equipping a rapid-response centre with ICT and a 24-hour toll-free line where residents can report and get response within 30 minutes.

At KANET lecture themed “Kano Drugs Crisis: Challenges, the Way Forward and the Role of the Community,” Muhyi stressed community intelligence and called for more rehabilitation to decongest remand homes.

No Sacred Cows

From day one, Barr. Muhyi has maintained a hard line on political interference. “No politician can pressure me to free drug suspects. The only person who can stop me is the Governor, and I know he will never interfere,” he told journalists on July 28.

That stance, coupled with intelligence-led raids, has earned the Taskforce both praise and scrutiny.

The Bigger Picture

Kano Police data cited by the Taskforce indicates about 70% of major crimes in 2025 were linked to drug abuse. The Executive Order outlawing Daba gangs provides a minimum of five years imprisonment under Section 97A of the Kano Penal Code.

Whether the Taskforce can sustain momentum will depend on three tests: securing the drug supply chain from pharmaceutical diversion, expanding rehabilitation beyond Kiru, and maintaining inter-agency cooperation without becoming a parallel enforcement body.

For now, in the markets of Filin Idi and the streets of Dala, residents say the presence of the committee is being felt.

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Opinion

The Reward For Hardwork Is More Work: A Rejoinder To Dr Garba Ubale Danbatta

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2 days ago

on

November 2, 2026

By

 

 

 

By Nworisa Michael

The redeployment of Hon. Comr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya PhD from the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has attracted several reactions. While professional and civic organisations have congratulated him and acknowledged his contributions, Dr Garba Ubale Danbatta, a supposedly veteran journalist, has chosen to use the development to question his performance and professional conduct in his former ministry.

Dr Danbatta is entitled to his opinion. Nobody should be above criticism, especially in public office. However, when criticism is presented as a professional assessment, it should be supported by facts, not merely personal convictions or years of experience.

Before concluding that journalism suffered under Waiya, perhaps we should examine some of the developments recorded during his tenure.

Eight contributions worth considering:

• Grassroots information: Strengthened engagement with Information Officers across Kano’s 44 local government areas and eight zonal offices.

• Capacity building: Supported training programmes for local government Information Officers, alongside interactive engagements with editors and news managers.

• Media policy: Facilitated the inauguration of an 18-member committee to develop a media and information policy framework for Kano State.

• Digital transformation: Established a Digital Multimedia Department to modernise government communication, improve digital engagement and address misinformation.

• Peacebuilding: Advanced the Safe Corridor Project, an initiative focused on rehabilitation, skills development and reintegration of reformed youths.

• Media engagement: Engaged media practitioners, online publishers and political programme presenters on responsible public communication and professional conduct.

• Institutional development: Pursued interventions aimed at strengthening state-owned media institutions and improving the capacity of personnel within the information machinery.

• National recognition: Received the Crisis Communicator of the Year award at the 2026 National Spokespersons Awards in Abuja.

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These developments do not mean that Waiya’s tenure was without shortcomings. They simply demonstrate that there is more to his record than the sweeping conclusion offered by his critic.

There is also something interesting about the public reactions to his redeployment. The Kano State Forum of Information Officers, Northern Youths Assembly and International Peace and Secure Society are among the organisations that have publicly acknowledged his contributions and congratulated him on his new assignment. Their statements may not settle every debate about his tenure, but they show that his work was not viewed negatively by everyone who interacted with his ministry.

Now, to Dr Danbatta’s presentation of his professional experience.

I found it rather curious that a commentary intended to assess another public officer’s performance devoted three of its concluding paragraphs to the author’s own professional journey, positions held and years of experience. One could almost finish reading the piece knowing more about the author’s resume than the evidence behind his criticism of Waiya.

Same individual who has been unable to ensure good working relationship with his staffs at Pyramid Radio Kano where is currently serves as its manager, a station that constantly runs out of diesel and goes off the air, perhaps even he isn’t proud of this hence he left it out from the list of his workplaces listed.

With due respect, professional experience is valuable, but it should strengthen an argument, not become the argument itself. A good product sells itself. A journalist’s professional standing should be reflected in the quality, fairness and depth of their analysis. Thirty years in the profession deserves recognition, but it does not automatically make every opinion conclusive.

If the intention was to assess Waiya’s stewardship, then the more important questions should have been: What did he inherit? What did he change? Which initiatives did he introduce? What measurable outcomes were achieved? And where did he fall short? Those are the questions that give criticism substance.

We can be safe to say that Waiya’s redeployment was a direct reward for his performance in the former ministry. The Governor has publicly explained the cabinet adjustments as part of efforts to strengthen institutions and improve service delivery. What is evident, however, is that Waiya has been entrusted with another important responsibility, and his record in the former ministry remains open to public examination.

The Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs is not beyond criticism, and neither is Dr. Waiya. But fairness requires that we acknowledge the work done alongside the shortcomings alleged.

Frankly the most fitting way to understand this new assignment is captured in the title of this piece: the reward for hard work is more work. His previous assignment is now part of his public record; his new ministry presents another opportunity to serve.

Congratulations, Hon. Comr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya. The expectations continue.

Nworisa Michael is a
Writer, Public Affairs Commentator and writes from nworisamichael1917@gmail.com
1st Nov. 2026

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Opinion

My Achievements At Kano State Ministry of Environment — By Dr. Dahir M. Hashim

Published

4 days ago

on

October 31, 2026

By

 

Looking back on my time at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, one change I value most is how the public came to see the sector itself. Environmental protection became a stronger part of conversations about our health, neighbourhoods, livelihoods, and Kano’s future. People increasingly joined the work, supported our programmes, and held us accountable.

For that, I thank the people of my dear state.

This journey began for me on 6 January 2025, when His Excellency, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Executive Governor of Kano State, entrusted me with the responsibility of leading the Ministry.

The challenges were clear. Facilities had deteriorated, policies needed updating, enforcement was weak, and frontline workers were owed outstanding payments. Yet His Excellency saw what the Ministry could become and gave us the support to begin rebuilding it.

Our government-owned nurseries tell part of that story. Eight facilities that had become non-functional were fully rehabilitated, restoring our capacity to produce seedlings locally. Building on the administration’s three-million-tree planting programme in 2024, the programme grew to five million in 2025 and ten million in 2026, with all seedlings raised in government-owned nurseries. Behind those numbers was the recovery of public facilities that could continue serving Kano for years to come.

The same determination guided the restoration of the Kano State Pollution Control Laboratory. We renovated, equipped, and recommissioned it, giving the State the scientific capacity to test, monitor pollution, and support enforcement. We operationalised the Environmental Pollution Control Law and developed the Environmental Pollution and Waste Control Regulations to give that work a stronger legal foundation.

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At REMASAB, reforms improved the coordination of waste collection, evacuation, and disposal. Waste management became more organised and responsive, with operations supporting the evacuation of approximately one million metric tonnes of waste. The Dorayi Compost Plant was also brought back into operation, restoring the capacity to turn organic waste into useful compost and creating opportunities for investment.

Across flood-prone communities, we undertook drainage construction, clearance and erosion control. The stormwater harvesting intervention in Toranke and work on the Kano State Drainage Master Plan formed part of our effort to move towards better protection and long-term planning.

We also restored four public parks, with more underway. Spaces that had suffered neglect were given new management arrangements and a clear responsibility for maintenance. Families now have more welcoming places to spend time together, while the parks’ combined annual revenue increased from around ₦5 million to ₦90 million.

Alongside these projects, we rebuilt the policy foundations of the sector. We developed the Kano State Climate Change Policy, its implementation plan and results framework; advanced the Climate Change Bill; and reviewed the Forestry Law after more than five decades. We also developed the Climate Finance Reform Action and Implementation Plan and the Green Bond Framework to prepare Kano for environmental and climate investment.

Kano’s third-place finish in the just-concluded 2026 Climate Governance Performance Ranking, and the opportunity to present our work at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, gave us reasons to be thankful. They also reminded us how far consistent support and collective effort could take the state.

None of this work could have continued without the people delivering it every day. With His Excellency’s backing, we cleared nine months of salary arrears for 2,369 verified street sweepers and doubled their stipends, re-engaged inspectors and forest guards, and doubled the stipends of 875 sanitation vanguards. I remain grateful for their service.

Today, as His Excellency separates the ministries and appoints a new Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, my strongest feeling is gratitude.

To His Excellency, thank you for trusting me with this responsibility, listening to our proposals and supporting the decisions needed to carry them through.

To our staff and agencies, community leaders, development partners, civil society organisations, young volunteers, businesses and residents: thank you for standing with us. Your participation, patience and constructive criticism helped us improve. These achievements belong to everyone who contributed.

I congratulate the incoming Honourable Commissioner and offer my full cooperation to sustain the work we began together.

Serving the people of Kano State in this capacity has been a privilege. Thank you for the trust and support.

Dr. Dahir M. Hashim, Honourable Commissioner
Ministry of Water Resources, Kano State, writes from Kano.

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