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RE : The Decoration Of Ganduje As A Peace Ambassador: Unmasking A Legacy Of Divisiveness And Manipulation

Published

4 weeks ago

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By Abba Anwar

First and foremost I used my real name to write my most recent article, captioned “Ganduje Repeats History : Takes Peace to Kano.”

Though it is not a sin for someone to use pen name and authors a particular piece. But in many instances, such happens because of many factors, among them are, the real author is either a coward or a serial liar or an envelope of many blunders. Whose faculty of thinking is either blocked or disappears in smoke. Or for mischievous reasons.

One so-called Gwadabe Abdullahi from Sanka quarters did a rejoinder of my piece on Ganduje, captioned “The Decoration of Ganduje As A Peace Ambassador : Unmasking A Legacy of Divisiveness And Manipulation.”

What “fascinates” me about the piece is the sequencing and the flow of blunders, missteps and ignorant disposition of his understanding of my article.

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My reader please read me and enjoy reading.

In his 15-paragraph waste of ink and inaccurate presentation of what he calls “fact” nowhere, I repeat, nowhere, was he able to take my presented arguments that exist scientifically, one after the other and debunk them with superior arguments or manipulative tendencies. Nowhere!

Some of my examples of why the former Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje CON, MY BOSS, is an Ambassador of Peace and an Icon of Community Policing are touchable, some are seeable and some are feelable.

One can touch the building and the equipments of the Bompai-housed security control room, provided by Ganduje administration, for detecting and following people’s movements in Kano. Dormitories built by Ganduje in all Kano exist points and the screen set in his office, where he monitored what was happening in Kano, were all touchables.

Turning Falgore forest into Military Training ground, is seeable. Because one could see the in and out of those military personnel with their hardwares. So also Security Summit across our five Emirates, was seeable. Because you could see the convergence of traditional leaders and other stakeholders coming together working towards enhancing security system in the state.

The two days grand reconciliation meeting between Igbo leaders across all the 19 Northern states and Northern Youth Groups, was seeable. You could see elements from both sides.

What was feelable was the enhancement and strengthening of security system in the state. You could feel peace and tranquility while in Kano then. Ganduje Gandun Aiki! Let me stop here and face the inaccurate understanding of my piece by Mr Sanka.

His first paragraph says, and I quote,
“In response to Abba Anwar’s piece, “Ganduje Repeats History, Takes Peace to Kano,” the author, an erstwhile Press Secretary to Ganduje, he portrayed his Principal, a former governor, Abdullahi Ganduje as a peace ambassador is a deeply misleading narrative crafted to cover the truth of his divisive and manipulative actions. It is bewildering that anyone would attempt to depict Ganduje as a beacon of peace, given his long-standing history of fostering division and political manipulation.”

I begin to wonder when political manipulation has become a sin in politics. And from this paragraph to the last paragraph I did not see a single line of accusation against my Boss, that can be proven scientifically without contemplation. Almost all are merely based on false accusation and rumor.

His sentiment goes like this, “The people of Kano are no strangers to the numerous actions Governor Ganduje undertook during his eight-year tenure that directly contradict the principles of peaceful coexistence. His tactics of sowing discord spanned across various sectors of the state.”

Just understand what he said very we please, that what Ganduje did in eight – year tenure”… contradicts the principles of peaceful coexistence.” I ask Oga Sanka, how can reconciliation of Igbo leaders and Northern Youth groups becomes contradictory to principles of peace?

How can turning Falgore forest to military training ground to tame banditry, robbery and cattle rustling becomes contradictory to peace? How can promoting harmonious working relationship between our security agencies becomes contradictory to peace? etc etc

As the writer, Sanka runs away from facing my piece on issue – based analysis, as I presented them, he derails this way, as he says, “Consider Ganduje’s treatment of religious leaders. This is the same Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje who created a parallel Council of Ulama for his own selfish political ambitions. In Fagge, he constructed a new mosque just meters away from the Friday mosque at Dandalin Fagge and built yet another within the Kantin Kwari market—both actions designed to instigate conflict between respected scholars like Sheikh Aminu Daurawa and Bakari Mika’il. A leader who truly seeks peace would never employ such tactics to create division.

Throughout the tenure of Baba Ganduje, there wasn’t any official Council of Ulama different form the one controlled by Shaykh Ibrahim Khalil. I stand to be corrected, but definitely with facts not rumor or idiosyncratic postulation of one’s selfishness and sentiment.

When did building of a Mosque become a sin? Haba Sanka wane irin son zuciya ne wannan? What kind of upside-down disposition is this? And who told him that Ganduje wanted to pitch Daurawa against Bakari or vice versa? People of his nature always work with lies, rumors and self – created stories.

From all indication, next time in Kano when wives of the people like Sanka have miscarriage, he will say, Ganduje at fault. When I saw the caption of the write-up, I thought he is a modern man, who works with facts and emerging arguments. Though it appears trashy, but it can still be useful as a reference point.

Again in the relief aspect he posed that, “Additionally, his deliberate efforts to create factions within religious groups such as:Tijjaniyya, Qadiriyya, and Izala movements against one another further expose his agenda of discord rather than unity.”

Though the writer fails woefully to tell us undefeating arguments as his reason for saying this. The way I know it during Ganduje is this, whenever there was anything concerning religion, he organised meetings upon meetings with all Clerics from all sects of Islam to deliberate on it before government takea any decision.

A typical example was during COVID-19, before the suspension of Friday prayers he engaged all scholars with health experts. That was why when the decision was taken nobody resisted. In fact, it was those scholars who were deeply engaged in awareness creation campaign.

Without thinking of the Day of Judgment, Sanka said, “It is difficult to paint the picture of Ganduje as a peace ambassador because of the fact that he unilaterally established a new Emirate in a region where no such institution had previously existed. This was not a signal of peace, but a calculated move to further fragment the people for his personal and political gain.”

Hahahaha did he say” unilaterally? Haba Malam! Unilaterally? Please go and check the correct history of Kano Emirate and other Emirates existed before Kano Emirates. Please go and read more about this, then come back and educate me.

The writer posits that, “Moreover, when Ganduje used his powers as governor to depose Emir Sanusi II, the impact was felt far beyond the corridors of power. Now, his attempts to destabilize the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi by backing the forceful return of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero speak volumes about his true intentions.”

Let me laugh lightly hhh. Go and check in whose hand does the power of deposing Emir exists? Alhamdulillah he said Ganduje used his power to depose Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. If I may ask, where is the power of the current governor? Can’t he also use power to depose Aminu Ado Bayero? Or is Sanka confessing that the current governor lacks the needed power? So what is he saying? Does he also mean Ganduje outside power is more powerful than the current governor in Kano affairs? Please don’t belittle a serving governor Malam Sanka.

I consider taking the author on some of the arguments as mere waste of time. While he lacks clear understanding of them, his presentation of them is half – baked. Places like this, “Ganduje’s internal party politics further exposes his divisive nature. His actions prior to the 2023 governorship election caused significant rifts within the APC, damaging relationships between prominent party members such as Senator Barau Jibrin, Murtala Sule Garu, and H.E. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna… ”

Have this one sentence kawai, at a point in time Garo was Barau’s Campaign Director General and the same Garo was Gawuna’s running mate for guber race. So where is the rift?

When he said,” Additionally, his alleged manipulation of lecturers and student protests at the Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil, exemplifies his willingness to use public resources to divide rather than unite,” I now clearly understand his relationship with the issue. Period.

The writer said,” At the national level, Ganduje’s alleged role in blocking the North-Central region from securing the position of National Party Chairman reflects his disregard for fairness and unity. Is this the behaviour of a so-called ambassador of peace?

My friend please go and understand how national politics is being played. The writer and his likes, only understand local politics Alaji. Kifayen rijiya kawai.

Part of Ganduje’s “sins” according to the author is where he said, “His renaming of state institutions provides further evidence of his divisive mindset. The renaming of Northwest University, originally established by his predecessor to erase its historical context, along with the renaming of cities such as Kwankwasiyya City, Amana City, and Bandirawo, is a clear attempt to erase history in favor of his narrow political agenda. These are not the actions of a leader committed to peace.”

Northwest University was renamed Yusuf Maitama Sule University. While Kwankwasiyya City was renamed Shaikh Khalifa Isyaka Rabi’u, Amana City renamed Shaykh Nasiru Kabara City and Bandirawo City renamed Shaykh Ja’afar Mahmoud Adam City. Mr Sanka, Mr Sanka, Mr Sanka, I called the name three times, is he saying these gentlemen of blessed memory do not deserve to be immortalized? Is Sanka really in his… hmm?

I understand the true direction of the writer when he lamented that, “The injustice surrounding the inconclusive 2019 gubernatorial election results, Ganduje’s handling of the situation in Gama is yet another example of how his political manoeuvring has caused nothing but turmoil and grief for the people of Kano.”

Though I am from Bakinruwa quarters in Dala local government, but an important link with Gama makes Gama my second Quarters (Unguwa). I know a lot about that development. So I advise him to go and revisit what he said on 2019 inconclusive election. And it’s aftermath. I won’t go further.

“Finally, Ganduje’s record on security deserves scrutiny,” I agree with him hundred and one percent (101%). Had it been you did the scrutiny objectively, you wouldn’t have come this way.

Sanka amplified, “In conclusion, Abba Anwar’s attempt to glorify Ganduje as a champion of peace is a flagrant misrepresentation of reality. The facts are clear, Ganduje used his position to divide, manipulate, and conquer the people of Kano, leaving behind a legacy of political instability rather than peace.” Bari in dariya dan kadan hahahahaha.

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
Monday 7th April, 2025

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Opinion

After My Parents, Then Prof. Nelson Aluya A Tribute to a Mentor Who Changed a Life

Published

2 days ago

on

April 29, 2025

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By Zubair A. Zubair

 

When Dr. Veronica, then a lecturer at the University of San Francisco, “adopted” me as her son in early 2020, I never imagined that a simple WhatsApp introduction would alter the trajectory of my life. Nestled in a group chat named “Nigerians in Diaspora,” I soaked up every opportunity she shared, scholarships, networking events, webinars. One afternoon in 2020, she tagged the president of the Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee (NAPAC USA), Prof. Nelson Aluya, in a post about an upcoming virtual panel. Without hesitation, I sent him a direct message expressing my eagerness to join the discussion.

At the time, Prof. Aluya was an Associate Professor of Medicine at Rutgers Medical School in New Jersey. His response was swift and generous: “Welcome aboard, Zubair. I look forward to seeing you there.” Little did I know that his simple act of inclusion would mark the beginning of a mentorship unlike any other. In that moment, I realized there was a connection. I had first encountered his name, and his eloquent voice, on NTA News in February 2018, when he spoke passionately about diabetes awareness. His clarity and compassion had captivated me then; now, I was on the verge of being guided by him.

A Promise to Mentor

During our first call in 2020, I nervously explained that I was a university student back home in Kano. Prof. Aluya listened intently, then made me a promise: “I will mentor you to become the leader Nigeria needs, confident, compassionate, and competent.” He introduced me to Aliyu Sulaiman, another aspiring youth leader, and together we launched a new WhatsApp group in early February 2021 called “Wake Up Africa.” Our shared mission was ambitious: to bridge divides between Africans on the continent, Africans in the diaspora, and people of African descent worldwide.

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Trials, Tribulations, and Unwavering Support.
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Life’s challenges tested our resolve almost immediately. In March 2021, I lost my phone unexpectedly and was unable to rejoin the group for eight months. Just as I managed to reconnect in November, fate intervened again: during my “Use of English” exam, I misplaced my replacement phone. Forced offline once more, I spent two months unable to participate. Yet every time I resurfaced, Prof. Aluya reached out with the same warmth: “Zubair, we miss your voice. How can I help?” His unwavering support reminded me that mentorship transcends geography and setbacks.

From Virtual Chats to In-Person Impact
In January 2022, Prof. Aluya sponsored Aliyu, Shamsudden, and me to attend a Pan-African youth forum in Abuja. Walking into that conference hall, I felt the weight of possibility settle on my shoulders. Surrounded by young change-makers, I realized how vital our “Wake Up Africa” vision could be. Buoyed by this experience, Prof. Aluya challenged us to formalize our efforts. Thus, in February 2022, Youth Together Work Together (YTWT) was born a youth-led organization dedicated to community action across Nigeria.

Three Signature Projects
Under Prof. Aluya’s guidance and financial backing, YTWT executed three flagship initiatives over the next eighteen months:
1. Religious Tolerance Seminar (Kaduna, July 2022): Bringing together Muslim and Christian youth to foster dialogue and mutual respect.
2. Market Cleanup (Kano, August 2022): Mobilizing students, activists, journalists and traders to restore the city’s bustling markets, highlighting civic pride.
3. Youth Against Drug Abuse Campaign (Abuja, May 2024): Conducting workshops in schools, markets and community centers to educate peers on substance-abuse prevention.

Each project bore Prof. Aluya’s fingerprints: from strategy sessions over Zoom to on-the-ground coordination and resource mobilization.

Beyond Events: Lifelong Lessons
Prof. Aluya’s investment in me extended far beyond sponsoring trips. He guided me through public-speaking workshops, critiqued my writing, and introduced me to networks of professionals across healthcare, technology, and public policy. In July 2023, he arranged for me to attend a cybersecurity seminar in Jos; in April 2024, an IT conference in Ibadan; and this March, the ‘Come Talk Africa’ in Abuja. At each event, he reminded me: “Zubair, your voice matters. Use it well.”

His mentorship taught me resilience in the face of failure, humility in success, and generosity without expectation. When I doubted my talents, he reaffirmed them. When I feared I wasn’t enough, he declared that I already was.

A Mentor’s Legacy

Mentors come and go, but rare is the one who reshapes your understanding of service, leadership, and compassion. Prof. Aluya did more than fund projects, he believed in my potential when others did not see it. He challenged me to think bigger, serve better, and lead with my heart. Without ever asking for thanks, he gave of himself freely: his time, his wisdom, and his unwavering belief in Nigeria’s youth.

Conclusion

My parents gave me life and love. After them, Prof. Nelson Aluya gave me purpose and direction. As I prepare to graduate and embark on my own journey of service, I carry his lessons with me: to uplift others, to persevere through adversity, and to lead with integrity. This tribute, published today, is but a small token of my gratitude, and a reminder that some of the greatest gifts we receive are the people who see our potential before we see it ourselves.

“A mentor is not always the one who stands at your side, it is the one who reaches out to lift you higher.”
– Prof. Nelson Aluya

By Zubair A. Zubair
Kano, Nigeria

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Opinion

Can the Trump Trade Policies Affect the African Economy?

Published

3 days ago

on

April 29, 2025

By

Dr Muttaqa Yushau

 

 

 

By MuttaqaYusha’u

myushau@gmail.com.

 

Since his re-election as President of the United States, Donald Trump has vowed to raise trade tariffs, particularly on Chinese imports. However, his protectionist trade agenda extends beyond China, affecting several countries, including those in Africa, even though Africa trades relatively less with the U.S. compared to other regions of the world.Trump’s trade policies are rooted in protectionism — an approach aimed at shielding American products from foreign competition. By doing so, the administration seeks to boost domestic employment, increase production, and promote shared prosperity for Americans.

However, the impact of these policies will vary across countries, depending on the extent of their reliance on the American market. The key question is: Can Trump’s trade policies significantly affect the African economy?According to the United States Census Bureau, Africa accounts for approximately 1.5% of total U.S. trade — a relatively small share. In 2023, African exports to the U.S. were valued at around $32 billion, with key sectors including crude oil, textiles and apparel, agricultural products, automobiles, and precious metals. Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), many African countries have enjoyed duty-free access to the U.S. market, especially for textiles and agricultural goods.For instance, Lesotho, a small country in southern Africa, is highly dependent on textile exports to the U.S.

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The textile industry in Lesotho employs around 12,000 workers, representing 42% of the total formal employment in the manufacturing sector. Similarly, South Africa exports automobiles, agricultural products, and minerals to the U.S., with the auto industry alone contributing significantly to employment and foreign exchange earnings. A 10% tariff on African exports would likely slow down these sectors, reduce export earnings, and contribute to rising unemployment. Many companies would be forced to lay off workers, deepening social and economic challenges.Moreover, tariffs would make African goods less competitive in the U.S. market, potentially eroding the gains made under trade agreements like AGOA. For example, textile exports from Africa under AGOA account for about $1.3 billion annually, providing jobs to tens of thousands of workers, particularly in countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Lesotho. The imposition of tariffs on AGOA-eligible goods would undermine the core objectives of the agreement, which aims to promote economic growth through trade. It would also discourage investment in sectors that had been built around preferential access to the U.S. market, ultimately threatening job creation and industrialization efforts across the continent.One key lesson from these developments is the urgent need for Africa to deepen intra-African trade as a strategy for economic resilience. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in 2021, provides a major opportunity for African countries to integrate their economies and trade more among themselves. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), AfCFTA has the potential to boost intra-African trade by 52% by 2025, creating a larger market for African producers and reducing dependency on external markets.Recently, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, stressed that the new U.S. tariffs, especially those affecting sectors like textiles in Lesotho, offer a wake-up call. She emphasized that African countries must seize this opportunity to strengthen their own markets, foster regional value chains, and build resilience against external shocks.In conclusion, while Africa’s direct exposure to Trump’s trade policies may seem limited, the localized impacts on sectors like textiles, agriculture, and automobiles could be significant. These changes reinforce the importance of regional economic integration and the need for African countries to diversify their trading partners and domestic markets. Africa must act swiftly to turn challenges into opportunities and chart a more self-reliant and sustainable economic future.

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Opinion

Mukhtar Adamu Abubakar: Tribute To Tanko Dan Takarda, By Adnan Mukhtar

Published

1 week ago

on

April 25, 2025

By

 

Even though he is my father, I knew many things about him from his friends, family, and some elders of the Tudun-Wada community.

My father, a fine attorney Mukhtar Adamu Abubakar died some 32 years ago as a result of a ghastly motor accident that occurred on April 18th, 1993 on Bauchi to Kano Road as reported by the Triumph Newspaper of 27th April 1993.

We lost him when I was just 6 months old, I was not opportune to meet with him and learn from this brilliant gentleman.

Alhaji Me Tebur, a relative of Alhaji Lawan Na Yaya and Alhaji Sulaiman Yahya would tell an elder brother, another family friend Mujitafa Lawan Muhammad that Tanko Dan Takarda ne “Tanko is a learned person”.

I have written a series of tributes to my father since 2011, the last time I penned a tribute was in 2023 titled: 30 Years Without Mukhtari Professor

My father bears different nicknames, he was called by his friend Professor, and community members referred to him as Tanko because he is a younger brother to two women Late Maryam Adamu (Ladi) and Binta Adamu (Zaria). It’s the tradition of the Hausa people to refer to someone with two immediate senior sisters as Tanko and that’s how my father and mentor got the name having been born and raised in a predominantly Hausa Community.

He was called Comrade because he was a student leader, Speaker of the Students Representative Assembly of Ahmadu Bello University in 1979, and Secretary General of the Students Union Government in 1980.

It’s not a coincidence that I was also the Deputy Speaker of the Students Representatives Assembly of Northwest University, Kano, and also the Secretary General of the Students Council. It’s a thing of joy that I followed the footsteps of my role model even though I didn’t read law.

Tanko Dan Takarda is a regular reader of newspapers, he was a contributor at the then Sunday Triumph Literary Digest and an anchor of a radio program at Kano State Radio Corporation as I was told by a fine writer and journalist Mallam Kabiru Muhammad Gwagwanzo who was once an Editor of the Triumph newspapers.

As I delved into the story of my father, I realized that he left a good name for his family and was one of the most loved personalities by his friends, family, and community members.

My father was a man of many parts. He worked briefly in the bank, was a freelance journalist, a successful lawyer, and also a writer. This can be seen through his love for books and contributions to the national dailies. My mother always remembers his column ‘Literary Corner’ in the then Sunday Triumph.

We inherited a large number of books from our father, many of which were autographed by the authors, including the renowned novelist and author Chukwuemeka Ike, who was a contemporary of Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, etc., the late Dan Iyan Zazzau Nuhu Muhammad Bayero, and the Liberation of Nigeria, which was autographed by the late Yusuf Bala Usman.

My father was a Pupil Counsel in the Kano State Ministry of Justice a senior Magistrate Grade I and II in the Kano State Judiciary before he was appointed company secretary/legal adviser of the Nigerian Hotels Limited in Lagos.

My father died two days after he was appointed Solicitor General of Kano State by then-governor Alhaji Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya. As reported by The Triumph of Thursday 27th April 1993:

“New Solicitor General Dies

Alhaji Mukhtar Abubakar whose appointment as Solicitor General of Kano State was announced last Friday has died in a private clinic last Sunday.

He died from fatal wounds he sustained in a ghastly motor accident on April 18th, 1993 on Bauchi to Kano Road.

Aged 34, the deceased had his primary education at Tudun Wada Nassarawa LGA before attending Government Secondary School Lautai Gumel from 1972-1976. He graduated with an LLB Hons Degree from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1982 and was called to the Bar in 1983.

The Late Mukhtar started his career as a State Counsel with the State Ministry of Justice, Kano, and had attended various courses at the University of Lagos and the Nigerian Institute of Legal Studies.

In 1987, he joined the lower bench of the judicial department in Kano state as a senior magistrate and rose to the position of chief Magistrate.

In November 1991, he went over to Nigerian Hotels Limited as the Company Secretary, a position he held until the announcement of his recent appointment.

Meanwhile, the governors of Kano and Jigawa States Alhaji Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and Barrister Ali Saadu Birnin Kudu have paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased.

The governors described the death of Alhaji Mukhtar Abubakar as a great loss to the state Judiciary and the entire people of Kano State”.

The legacy of our iconic father, the Late Mukhtari Adamu Abubakar of blessed memory, has granted us unexpected favors and accorded us respect and courtesy many times

“He was nicknamed professor by his secondary school classmates because of his mastery of the English Language.
He was friendly to all that he met, he was exceptionally brilliant and unassuming”.

This was in the words of one of his classmates in a comment to one of my tributes in their class WhatsApp group. It was sent to me by the Dan Amar of Gumel Alhaji Sani Ahmed Babandi in 2021.

I have written a lot about my father for the past 15 years, but words will not be enough to describe him. We shall tell my son, Muhammad Mukhtar, Adam Naufal, and their cousins Fatima, Ameer, Khairat, Haidar, and Fudail about a great man called Mukhtari Professor.

May Allah S.W.T grant my father, his friend, Yusuf Muhammad Tudun Wada, Hajiya Hauwa Mai Kosai, Baba Ladi, Aunty Sarauniya, and all the departed souls eternal rest.

Ameen.

Adnan is a communication consultant and university lecturer. He writes from Abuja, Nigeria

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