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Global Shapers Community Organises 13th Annual Blood Drive in Kano, Collects 108 Bags

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The Global Shapers Community in Kano has organised its 13th annual blood donation drive, collecting 108 bags of blood from voluntary donors to support patients undergoing treatment at health facilities in the state.

The blood donation exercise was held at the Kano Cancer Treatment Centre, located within the Muhammad Buhari Specialist Hospital in Kano, where medical personnel screened donors and collected blood for patients in need.

Speaking during the exercise, Sumayyah Umar Tofa, Curator of the Kano Global Shapers Community, said the organisation was established under the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers initiative and has a membership of more than 10,000 young people across the world.

Tofa said the turnout for this year’s blood donation exercise exceeded the organisers’ expectations, describing the response from residents as encouraging.

She said the annual initiative was particularly important because of the persistent need for blood in hospitals, adding that the Kano chapter had continued to organise the exercise as part of its community service activities.

According to Tofa, the Kano Global Shapers Community is one of the chapters operating across different parts of Nigeria, with the organisation having a presence in 17 states.

She said the blood donation campaign had now become an annual intervention, with the Kano chapter organising its 13th edition to help address the shortage of blood available for patients requiring transfusion.

Tofa also stressed the importance of blood donation, saying that loss of blood could quickly become life-threatening if a patient does not receive timely medical intervention.

She commended the donors who came forward to support the exercise, saying their decision to donate blood could make a significant difference to patients and families facing medical emergencies.

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Also speaking, Mshelia Peter Emmanuel, Lead Blood Donation Therapist at the Kano Cancer Treatment Centre, said the facility was delighted with the response to the blood donation campaign.

Emmanuel said one of the major challenges confronting cancer treatment was the lack of adequate blood, particularly because some cancer patients require transfusion during the course of their treatment.

He said the large turnout of voluntary donors was encouraging because many patients requiring blood transfusion often faced financial difficulties in obtaining it.

According to Emmanuel, the donated blood would not be given directly to patients without undergoing the required screening and testing procedures to ensure that it was safe for transfusion.

He explained that after the blood was collected and screened, it would be made available to patients who were medically eligible to receive it.

Emmanuel thanked the Global Shapers Community, the MSS and other groups and individuals who participated in the exercise, saying voluntary blood donors were effectively contributing to saving lives.

He said every person who donated blood had provided an opportunity for another person to receive life-saving treatment, particularly patients undergoing serious medical conditions such as cancer.

One of the donors, Jabir Uba Ibrahim from Sharada, said he decided to participate in the exercise as part of his contribution to society.

Ibrahim said he did not wait to be specifically called upon before volunteering, explaining that he felt compelled to contribute whenever an opportunity arose to assist other members of the community.

He said the donation exercise was timely and that although he experienced some dizziness after donating blood, medical personnel advised him to sit down, rest and take water.

Ibrahim said the exercise was his first experience of donating blood and expressed his willingness to support similar humanitarian initiatives in the future.

Another participant, Dr Sadik Ahmad, a member of the Global Shapers Community, said the organisation had made blood donation one of its recurring community service activities because of the shortage of blood in hospitals.

Ahmad said the objective of the annual campaign was to mobilise members of the public to voluntarily donate blood, which would subsequently be transferred to hospitals and made available to patients who require transfusion.

He said the current exercise formed part of the blood donation campaigns organised by the Global Shapers Community since its establishment, adding that members and members of the public had responded positively to the call for donations.

Ahmad expressed appreciation to the donors who participated in the exercise, saying the organisers were encouraged by the turnout and the willingness of people to contribute to saving lives.

The organisers said the 108 bags collected during the exercise would support efforts to improve the availability of blood for patients receiving treatment and those requiring emergency transfusion in Kano.

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Mahanga TV appoints former AREWA24 staff Zuwairiyah Girei as MD

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Mahanga TV, a Kano-based television station, has appointed former AREWA24 staff member Zuwairiyah Adamu Girei as its new Managing Director, bringing her more than 14 years of experience in Hausa-language television production and broadcasting to the organisation.

Girei was formally welcomed into her new role during a reception held at Mahanga TV’s premises in Kano on Monday, November 2, 2026, marking a new phase in the organisation’s growthe barely three months after its launch.

Speaking at the reception, Girei expressed excitement over her appointment, describing her experience at AREWA24 as a significant milestone in her professional journey.

She said she would draw on the knowledge and experience acquired during her time at the television station to strengthen Mahanga TV and drive it towards greater achievements.

“All the experience I have at AREWA24, I will bring here, and I think I will do extraordinary because I know what I have learnt there. I pray that we will see success beyond our expectations,” she said.

Outlining her vision for Mahanga TV, the new Managing Director said the organisation would look beyond Northern Nigeria and target audiences across Africa and the rest of the world.

She identified the large Hausa-speaking population as a major opportunity for the industry, noting that despite the challenges facing Hausa-language broadcasting, the sector has a substantial audience.

“We have over 60 million Hausa speakers in Nigeria, so I think we have a target audience we have to try to reach,” she said.

Girei said her leadership would focus on understanding audience expectations, introducing improvements and positioning Hausa productions for international recognition.

“Our thinking is pan-African; our thinking is the world. Our thinking is now how can Hausa film reach the Oscars. That is the thinking,” she said.

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Looking ahead to the next decade, she expressed her ambition to see Mahanga TV secure three to four Academy Awards, earn international recognition and become a household name among viewers across different age groups.

She said she envisioned a future where Mahanga TV would be the preferred television platform in homes, with both adults and children identifying with its programmes.

The Chief Executive Officer of Mahanga TV, Nuhu Abdullahi Balarabe, said Girei’s appointment was informed by the organisation’s rapid growth and the need for experienced leadership to sustain its progress.

Balarabe explained that he initially served as both Managing Director and CEO but decided to appoint a dedicated Managing Director to oversee the organisation’s daily operations and provide the leadership required to sustain its expanding activities.

He said the organisation needed someone who could provide consistent leadership and maintain its momentum as it continued to grow.

“She is well experienced, and I’m sure she will use that experience to take the organisation further from where it is,” he said.

Balarabe disclosed that Mahanga TV had recorded progress beyond its initial expectations within three months of launching, attributing the achievement to the dedication of its staff, consultants and advisers.

He said the organisation was expanding its content offerings through original productions and partnerships with independent producers to provide audiences with engaging programmes.

He also urged viewers to continue supporting the station and sharing feedback through its social media platforms and WhatsApp channel, assuring them that the organisation remained open to suggestions as it worked to improve its services.

Reaffirming the organisation’s broader ambition, Balarabe said Mahanga TV was committed to ensuring that Hausa stories, culture and experiences reached audiences across the world.

“We have a beautiful tale happening in Northern Nigeria, and I believe it is only we that can tell our own story. We want to make sure all our stories are told and they reach every part of the world,” he said.

Also speaking, Mahanga TV’s Creative Director and Brand Manager, Abdulbasit Abanikanda, described Girei’s appointment as a timely development that would strengthen the organisation’s management structure and provide better direction for its expanding workforce.

Abanikanda recalled that Mahanga TV started with a team of just three people but had since grown considerably, making the appointment of an experienced manager necessary to coordinate its activities.

He expressed confidence in Girei’s ability to advance the station’s creative vision, noting that her ambition of taking Hausa stories to audiences across the world aligned with the organisation’s objectives.

With Girei’s appointment, Mahanga TV aims to consolidate its early progress, strengthen its content production and expand the reach of Hausa storytelling, creating opportunities for Northern Nigeria’s stories, culture and creative talent to gain wider national and international recognition.

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Kano Governor Nominates Ex- Speaker, Spokesperson as Commissioners

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Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has nominated his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, and a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Balarabe Sa’idu Gani, for appointment as commissioners.

The governor has forwarded their names to the Kano State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

The Assembly is expected to screen the nominees on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

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In a statement issued on Monday, the Assembly’s spokesperson, Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai, said the legislature had received a formal communication from Governor Yusuf requesting the screening of the two nominees.

He added that the exercise would be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Gani served as Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly from 2003 to 2007, while Bature currently serves as the governor’s spokesperson.

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2027: Rep Abubakar Kabir Bichi holds strategic meeting with Kano lawmakers

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The Chairman, House of representatives committee on appropriations Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, has convened a meeting of all APC State Assembly Members and 40 Candidates in the upcoming 2027 General elections, led by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Jibril Ismail Falgore.

Crucial issues were discussed on how best to coordinate their campaigns programs to deliver the APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

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The meeting was held at his Bichi office, Sunday evening 1st November 2026.

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