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Beyond Bread and Prayers: What Our Children Really Need

Published

10 months ago

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By Binta Tanko

In Northern Nigerian homes, a quiet crisis is unfolding. It is not marked by poverty, disobedience, or the erosion of tradition, but by something far subtler: the growing emotional distance between parents and their children.

Across Arewa, countless children girls and boys alike are raised in households where love is expressed through provision rather than presence, where respect is demanded rather than earned, and where emotions are often misunderstood or dismissed.

We are losing our children emotionally, and many of us do not even realize it.

The Paradox of Love and Fear
Arewa parents are among the most hardworking and prayerful. They sacrifice endlessly, laboring to secure our futures and covering us in heartfelt du’as. For this, we are deeply grateful. Their devotion is a foundation we carry with us wherever we go.

But love cannot thrive on bread and prayers alone.

Children are not just bodies to be fed or minds to be educated they are hearts to be nurtured, spirits to be guided, souls in need of warmth and safety. Yet, for too many, home was never the safest place.

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We did not fear physical harm, but the sting of emotional rejection. We feared “disappointing” you. We feared being misunderstood. For some, the dread of a parent’s reaction felt more paralyzing than the uncertainties of the world outside.

The Outsourcing of Emotional Healing
Today, many Arewa youth especially girls turn to strangers online to process pain that should be unpacked at home. They confide in bloggers, anonymous forums, or even unverified “therapists” on social media. They beg for anonymity, pouring out their hearts to people they do not know, simply because they feel judged or dismissed by their own families.

Some find kindness in these spaces. Others are met with ridicule, shame, or dangerous misinformation. Yet, even that feels safer than speaking to their parents.

This is a warning sign.

When a child finds more comfort in strangers than in their own home, it is not just a cultural shift it is a crisis.

The Roots of Emotional Silence
Many Arewa mothers, shaped by their own upbringing, struggle to embrace emotional softness. Many fathers equate strictness with strength. Sons grow up believing emotions are a sign of weakness; daughters learn to suffer in silence.

But mental health is not “foreign,” nor is it a sign of spiritual failure. It is a human reality one that our homes must make space for.

A child who cannot speak to their parents about abuse, heartbreak, or shame is a child at risk of anxiety, depression, trauma, or worse. These are not imaginary struggles. They ripple into our schools, marriages, and futures.

A Call for a New Culture of Care
We are not asking for perfect parents. We are asking for present ones—for mothers and fathers who listen as much as they instruct, for homes where vulnerability is met with warmth, not wrath.

Let mothers know that softness is not weakness.
Let fathers understand that approachability is not a failure.
Let us unlearn the culture of silence we inherited.

If children keep seeking comfort outside the home, we will continue to lose them emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes, permanently.

It is not too late.

This is a call to Arewa parents—and to future parents, too. Let us build a new tradition, one where emotional care is as vital as food and faith, where love is not just provided but felt.

Let us restore the gentle love our homes once knew because we still need it.

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ADC Reports Surge in Membership Following Kwankwaso’s Defection, Calls Him ‘Game Changer’

Published

6 hours ago

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March 30, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has officially welcomed former Kano State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso into its fold, touting his defection as a pivotal move that strengthens a growing coalition for political realignment in Nigeria.

In a statement released for immediate effect, the party described Kwankwaso as a “game-changer,” announcing that he has directed his network of supporters nationwide to join the ADC. According to the party, this call has already triggered a significant uptick in registrations on its online platform over the past 24 hours.

The ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, framed the defection as part of a broader recognition among Nigerians of the need for a credible political alternative. The statement emphasized Kwankwaso’s experience in governance, grassroots influence, and capacity to unify as assets to the party’s ambition to “rebuild Nigeria.”

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Notably, the ADC highlighted the presence of several high-profile leaders at the defection event, including the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark; National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; and leading presidential aspirants such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi, and Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi. Their attendance, the party stated, reflects a united front and growing momentum.

The party characterized the surge in online registrations as evidence that Nigerians are aligning with what it called a “different path forward.” In its appeal to Kwankwaso’s supporters and the broader public, the ADC positioned itself as a vehicle for restoring dignity, opportunity, and public trust in governance.

“Change does not happen by chance,” the statement concluded. “It happens when people come together with purpose.”

The development marks a significant realignment in Nigeria’s opposition political landscape, with the ADC seeking to position itself as a converging point for influential politicians and their followings ahead of future elections.

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Foreign Affairs Minister Resigns to Pursue Bauchi Governorship Election

Published

7 hours ago

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March 30, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has resigned from his position in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pursue the governorship of Bauchi State in the 2027 election.

Tuggar submitted his resignation on Monday, in compliance with a presidential directive requiring all political appointees with electoral ambitions to vacate their posts by the March 31, 2026, deadline.

The directive, issued through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, aligns with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It affects ministers, advisers, and heads of federal agencies intending to contest in the 2027 general elections.

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Reports have it that his resignation positions him to seek the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Bauchi State gubernatorial race.

Tuggar’s entry is expected to significantly reshape the state’s political landscape, intensifying an already competitive contest for the APC nomination. His background as a career diplomat and serving minister is seen by political observers as a potential advantage, offering national visibility and extensive political networks.

With less than 24 hours remaining before the deadline, additional resignations from the Federal Executive Council are anticipated as other appointees move to formalize their electoral ambitions.

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Kwankwaso Officially Joins ADC

Published

11 hours ago

on

March 30, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and ex-Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has officially joined the African Democratic Congress.

The former Minister of Defence also registered with the party and received his membership card on Monday at Gidan Kwankwasiyya, Miller Road, Bompai, Kano.

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Present at the event include ADC National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; Senator Dino Melaye; and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, among others.

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