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ABCOAD Bids Farewell to Prof. Wailare, Unveils Sci-Tech Journal, Hands Over Leadership

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Written by Abdu Saidu

Eight-Year Tenure Marked by Stability, Expansion, and Institutional Reforms

The Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta (ABCOAD), Kano State, on Thursday, January 15, 2026, held a send-forth ceremony, formally unveiled the ABCOAD Sci-Tech Journal, and conducted a handover ceremony in honour of its outgoing Provost, Professor M. A. Wailare, who concluded a successful eight-year tenure.

The event, attended by members of management, staff, students, and invited guests, also featured the formal transfer of leadership to the Deputy Provost, Dr. Hassan Ibrahim, marking a smooth and orderly transition in the College’s administration.

In separate remarks, speakers described Professor Wailare’s tenure as a defining era in the institution’s history, crediting him with restoring peace and stability on campus and steering the College through sustained academic, infrastructural, and institutional growth. Throughout his time in office, the College recorded no major crisis, protest, or disruption—an achievement that fostered unity, confidence, and a renewed sense of belonging among staff and students.

A major milestone of the administration was the expansion of the College’s academic scope with the establishment of 15 new departments, including Fisheries Technology, Horticultural Technology, Agribusiness Management, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, Environmental Science and Management Technology, and Networking and Cloud Computing, among others. Speakers noted that this development positioned ABCOAD as a multi-disciplinary institution aligned with emerging global trends in science, technology, and agriculture.

The handover

The handover

Professor Wailare was also commended for strengthening transparency and accountability through the introduction of a cashless financial policy in 2018, as well as for establishing key directorates such as Quality Assurance, Strategic Planning, Renewable Energy and Climate Change, Guidance and Counselling, and Research and Development.

Under his leadership, the College deepened community and international engagement, notably through collaboration with Wageningen University in the Netherlands under the Seed for Change programme, which boosted horticultural development. Annual Farmers’ Field Days, tree-planting campaigns, and the distribution of improved seedlings further reinforced the institution’s impact on neighbouring communities.

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In the area of regulation and quality assurance, ABCOAD successfully hosted multiple NBTE accreditation exercises in 2018, 2022, and twice in 2025, alongside achieving SIWES and full institutional accreditation in 2025. The introduction of free education at the ABCOAD Staff School for children from disadvantaged neighbouring communities was also cited as part of the administration’s social responsibility drive.

Infrastructure and ICT development featured prominently during the tenure, including the renovation of classrooms, laboratories, hostels, offices, vehicles, and tractors, as well as the rehabilitation of the College clinic. The institution also benefited from ICT interventions such as the establishment of an NCC E-Learning Centre, the donation of laptops and tablets, the modernization of the e-library, the launch of the official website, and the upgrade of the ICT Centre to host JAMB CBT examinations over several years.

Agricultural innovation was strengthened through the introduction of high-yielding cassava varieties in collaboration with IITA and ATASP, the restoration of 33 hectares of farmland, the establishment of commercial seedling production, and the fabrication of prototype agricultural machinery. Hundreds of youths and women were trained under programmes supported by the World Bank, KSADP, TVET, and the French-sponsored WATEA initiative.

Other milestones recorded during the period include the construction of a Leather Enterprises Innovation Centre and a Water Treatment Plant, the adoption of renewable energy solutions through solar installations, perimeter fencing and general renovation of the College by the Kano State Government in 2025, and national recognition with the 2025 Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Award (Tertiary Category).

As part of staff welfare and administrative efficiency, Professor Wailare introduced free daily shuttle bus services, provided at no cost, for management staff, Heads of Departments, and Directors commuting from Kano to Dambatta.

During the handover ceremony, Professor Wailare received several awards and gifts from various departments and units in recognition of his exceptional leadership and for providing staff with opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of the institution. Presenters noted that the gesture reflected widespread appreciation for his inclusive and empowering leadership style.

Professor Wailare also led efforts to reposition the institution for the future, initiating processes for its transformation into the Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, and actively participating in legislative engagements aimed at upgrading the College to a Federal University of Agriculture.

In his farewell remarks, Professor Wailare expressed gratitude to the management, staff, and students for their cooperation and support, noting that collective commitment was central to the achievements recorded. He urged the College community to sustain unity, discipline, and dedication, while wishing the institution continued growth and success.

Furthermore, Professor Wailare commended the Kano State Government under the leadership of Governor Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf for the support and educational development initiatives implemented to advance the College, emphasizing that such assistance has greatly contributed to strengthening teaching, research, and the overall development of the institution.

The ceremony concluded with the formal unveiling of the ABCOAD Sci-Tech Journal, described by stakeholders as a landmark platform for advancing research, innovation, and scholarly engagement within and beyond the College.

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Uber Shutdowns Operations in Nigeria

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Ride-hailing company, Uber, has shut down its operations in Nigeria.

In a statement, the company, which came into Nigeria in 2014, said its exit is effective from September 2, 2026.

“We are writing to share some difficult news. After a thorough review of our business, we have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Nigeria, effective 2 September 2026.

“Since we first launched in Lagos in 2014, it has been an absolute privilege to be a part of your daily life connecting you with independent transportation providers.

“Whether it was a morning commute, a ride to see loved ones, or exploring the city, thank you for trusting the platform to connect you to a driver to get you there safely. We know this may cause disruption to your routine, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.”

In a memo on Wednesday, the ride-hailing company also announced elimination of roughly 3,300 positions.

The job cuts focused on management and coordination roles, according to its CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi.

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“Today, we’re making a number of significant organizational changes across Uber. We are removing layers, simplifying team structures, refining our global location strategy, and focusing our people and investments against the biggest opportunities ahead of us.”

“As a result, we will be reducing the size of our team by about 10%. Everyone whose role has been affected has already been notified, except in countries where we will follow the required local process.

“This wasn’t a decision we made lightly, because it will have a real impact on our teammates and friends who have worked hard for Uber. It’s important to say that these changes are about how we’re organized and what we’re prioritizing, not about anyone’s contributions to Uber, which we will always value.

“I’m sure you’re asking, ‘Why, and why now?’ particularly since our business is performing so well. Over the last 5+ years, Uber has grown by orders of magnitude, with our top line nearly tripling. We’ve built new products, expanded into new businesses, reached more consumers and supported more earners, and become a much larger and stronger company. But that growth has also brought complexity: more layers, more coordination, more fragmented ownership, and in some cases structures that made sense when businesses were smaller but no longer serve us well at our current scale.

“Our opportunity from here is enormous: we have the chance to bring Uber to hundreds of millions more people; to invest even more in drivers, couriers and merchants; and to innovate across our core businesses and build the autonomous future.

“The changes we’re making today are designed to do two things: make Uber simpler and faster, and create more capacity to invest in our future. A leaner organization will mean clearer ownership, faster decisions, and more time spent building rather than coordinating. It will also generate savings that we intend to reinvest in growth, innovation, and the capabilities that will matter most over the coming years.

“It’s our job as leaders to make these difficult calls, and to give you transparency into our thinking and our decision-making process.”

The layoffs are the latest round of job cuts for Uber, which eliminated roles in customer service and HR earlier this year.

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Author of ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ Languishes in Billion Dollar Debt

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the bestselling ’Rich Dad Poor Dad’ book, has accumulated an estimated $1.2 billion debt connected to his aggressive real estate investment.

According to reports, the debt is the estimated amount the 79-year-old author and his business partners borrowed to acquire approximately 1,500 property units as Mr Kiyosaki continues to expand his real estate holdings.

Despite the significant debt, Mr Kiyosaki does not appear apprehensive about the liabilities, maintaining that borrowing money to acquire income-generating assets is a strategy commonly used by wealthy individuals.

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“So, I’m a billion two in debt,” the author said on the ‘Get Rich Education’ podcast recently, adding that people “should not do what I do, right? But I studied it since 1974… If you’re going to learn to use debt, you’d better take some education.”

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Mr Kiyosaki’s ex-wife and business partner, Kim Kiyosaki, revealed that the debt did not reflect the amount her ex-husband personally owes.

She stressed that it is connected to the real estate properties owned by them and their business partners, adding that Mr Kiyosaki’s personal share of the liabilities is small.

Vanity Fair estimated Mr Kiyosaki’s share of the debt at around $30 million to $60 million.

“We have a lot of apartment houses with our partners. So technically, yes, we have all this debt,” the ex-wife told Vanity Fair.

Speaking to the magazine, Mr Kiyosaki stated, “If it all comes to hell, you can talk to my attorney. Firewalls—that’s the way the rich play the game.”

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Maulud: Best Choice Specialist Hospital Congratulates Kano Governor, Muslims Globally

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The Chairman of Best Choice Specialist Hospital, Kano, Auwal Lawal Muhammad (Dan Malikin Garo), has congratulated the executive governor of Kano State Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, the good people of Kano State and Muslims across the world on the occasion of the Maulud celebration commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

In a statement he personally signed, Lawal commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for his efforts towards fostering unity among the people of Kano State.

According to the statement, the chairman was amazed on how governor Yusuf placing emphasis on the development to the state particularly in matters concerning religion, saying such initiatives would help reduce divisions, promote mutual understanding and strengthen peaceful coexistence across the state.

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He urged Muslims to use the occasion of Maulud to strengthen their relationship with Allah through increased devotion and prayers for peace, stability and prosperity in Nigeria and Kano State.

The Chairman of Best Choice also praised the Governor for his efforts to improve the healthcare sector in the state.

He cited the renovation and upgrading of healthcare facilities, provision of modern medical equipment, as well as the training and development of healthcare workers as some of the administration’s efforts towards improving healthcare delivery in Kano.

Auwal Lawal further commended Governor Yusuf for his dedication, compassion and commitment to the wellbeing of the people, noting that his efforts continue to have a positive impact on the lives of residents across the state.

He prayed for continued peace, unity and prosperity in Kano State and Nigeria, while wishing the Governor and the people of Kano a blessed Maulud celebration now and beyond.

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