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North Must Invest in Media to Tell Its True Narratives – Prof. Kurfi

Published

10 months ago

on

Professor Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi

 

Professor Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi, a renowned scholar in mass communication from Bayero University, Kano, has called on Northern Nigeria to urgently invest in the media sector, stressing that the absence of strong northern media platforms has weakened the region’s voice in national discourse.

Speaking during a stakeholder engagement organized by the Fulbe Development and Cultural Organization (FUDECO) in collaboration with the National Commission for Nomadic Education, Professor Kurfi lamented the collapse of legacy media institutions like New Nigerian Newspapers and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) in Kaduna. The event was themed “Consolidating the Outcomes of the IDRC-SPARC GES Research Findings on the Media Empowerment of Pastoralist Women in Kano State.”

According to Professor Kurfi, access to information is a powerful tool for societal development. “No communication, no society,” he stated, adding that women in rural areas, especially among the Fulani communities, must be educated on the value of information. He described the findings of the research presented during the event as a reflection of reality and not surprising to those familiar with gender issues in rural communities.

He referenced the existence of gender studies at Bayero University as a testament to the growing recognition of the need to investigate the different experiences of men and women, especially in media access and usage. Professor Kurfi said nearly 99 percent of newspapers in Nigeria are produced in the South, particularly in Lagos and Ibadan.

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“The flow of information is from the South. You cannot access what you do not own,” he explained. “What the southern press engages in is what I call media coinage. They shape narratives in ways that do not always favour the North, and while they avoid terms like ‘terrorist’ for the Igbo or Yoruba, the North is constantly labeled in such negative terms.”

Professor Kurfi emphasized that for the North to control its narrative, it must revive and invest in indigenous media institutions. He called for renewed support to expand the scope of research beyond Shagawa Ward in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, where the current study was conducted, suggesting that future studies should encompass entire local governments to get broader and more representative data.

Highlighting the importance of media literacy, he urged Fulani communities to use social media and digital platforms not only for entertainment but also for education and self-improvement. “Media literacy helps people to distinguish between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation,” he said. “Social media tools should be used to upload content that benefits individuals and society at large.”

He also stressed the importance of collaboration in research, stating that a single organization cannot address the information gap alone. “Since FUDECO has initiated this collaborative effort, we should now focus on defined research areas, seek funding, and investigate the real problems affecting the Fulani people,” he advised.

Professor Kurfi recommended that findings of such studies be documented and shared with policymakers and stakeholders to influence practical change. “Research like this must not remain on the shelves; it should inform planning and policy that uplift marginalized communities,” he said.

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Insecurity: US lawmaker accuses Matawalle of bribe attempt to silence recommendation calling for his sack

Published

3 hours ago

on

April 21, 2026

By

Governor Matawalle

 

Kimberly Daniels, a United States Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 14, has alleged that Nigeria’s minister of state for defense, Bello Matawalle, attempted to bribe a US official to deflect the narrative of the United World Congress of Diplomats, UN-WCD, report.

The lawmaker made the claim in a viral video released on her official Facebook account on Monday.

She said Matawalle’s alleged move was to cover up the UN-WCD report on Christian genocide in Nigeria, which indicted him.

Daniels insisted that no amount of pressure can silence her stand against the killings of Christians in Nigeria.

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“A US elected official was offered money by Nigeria’s minister of state defense, Bello Matawalle, to change the narrative of the UN-WCD Christian genocide in Nigeria report,” she said in the viral video.

Recall that Daniels, who doubled as the chairperson of UN-WCD, had called for President Bola Tinubu to remove Matawalle over alleged complicity in the killings in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and other parts of Nigeria.

Matawalle is yet to officially reply the US lawmaker.

Daniels alleged that following her recent press statement on what she described as targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria, she came under pressure from individuals she linked to the minister, including what she characterised as attempts to discredit her report and “buy support” from US-based elected officials.

According to her, an unnamed American lawmaker allegedly received an offer of financial inducement to publicly counter her position and defend the Nigerian defence leadership.

She claimed to have received evidence of a communication, including a prepared statement and promotional material, purportedly linked to the minister.

She also claimed that the bribery attempt is meant to divide America elected officials not knowing that they are united.

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Just In:President Tinubu Sacks Minister Of Finance

Published

7 hours ago

on

April 21, 2026

By

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a minor cabinet reshuffle in the membership of the Federal Executive Council.

According to a memo signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, two cabinet members, Mr. Wale Edun and Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa are to leave the cabinet while their replacements have been named.

Edun, until the latest development, was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy. He has been directed to hand over to Mr. Taiwo Oyedele who is now to take over as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. Oyedele was formerly a Minister of State in the ministry.

Also Mr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma (PhD .) has been named as the ministerial nominee and minister designate for the Housing and Urban Development Ministry.

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The memo also directed Dangiwa to hand over to the Minister of State in the ministry.

The memo stated that “all handing over and taking over processes should be completed on or before close of business on Thursday 23rd April, 2026.”

Explaining the President’s decision, Akume said: “These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

He said the President, in approving the cabinet reshuffle, has fully exercised his powers as conferred on him by Sections 147 and 148 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended).

The President thanked the outgoing ministers for their services to the nation while wishing them the best in all their future endeavours.

The President, Akume noted, equally assured all cabinet members that “the process of reinvigoration shall be continuous.”

Signed:

Yomi Odunuga,
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation

21-04-2026

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JUST IN: FG Files 13 Count Charges Against Alleged Coup Plotters

Published

14 hours ago

on

April 21, 2026

By

 

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against individuals accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu. Among those named in the suit are a retired major general, a retired naval captain, a serving police inspector, and three other suspects.

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According to security sources, the coup was scheduled to be executed on Nigeria’s Independence Day. However, the plot was uncovered after preparations and plans were leaked, leading to its successful disruption.

The development prompted the Federal Government to cancel the Independence Day programme—a move described as highly unusual by political observers.

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