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Jaiz Bank Rebranding Saga: An Intellectual Sparring Between Professionals

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Jaiz Bank rebranding of its logo has sparked series of debates in the past few days among professionals. Most engaging of all the discourse was that of Aliyu Jalal, a communication specialist and Safwan Idris, a brand designer.

Safwan Idris, from his years of experience as a brand designer, argued that the new choice of design by the bank is below par, and even posited that the management could be sued for a copyright violation owing to the fact that a flip of the bank’s new logo design resembles that of Bixby Samsung. Not only that, he also critiqued the use of lowercase for the letter ‘j’ which starts the bank’s name, Jaiz. Safwan, in his criticism, added that the rebranding has got too much colors on the logo which has made it look unfit for such an establishment.

Aliyu Jalal on the other hand, while responding to Safwan’s criticisms, expressed shock as to why such an acclaimed brand designer would be ignorant of things that he is to know even better. In his rebuttal, Aliyu highlighted that the adoption of the lowercase instead of the conventional uppercase which many brands are used to is a step toward solidifying their ideology of operating differently in the banking industry.

The communication specialist went further to juxtapose brands like adidas, spotify, reddit, tajbank, paypal, and others that have adopted the same lowercase; citing reasons for such an adoption to be the fact that it looks more aesthetically appealing, softer, friendlier, and less rigid.

Furthermore, Aliyu countered the designer’s claim that the new logo of the bank is a “flipped” version of Samsung’s Bixby; reiterating that such claim is weak. He justified his position by sharing that what it’s considered a legal breach in Corporate Law is a “near-identical copying”, stressing that “mere resemblance is not an issue.”

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He buttressed further that logos are symbols, and that symbols are drawn from shared ideas in which a bit of research would have him find out that there are “resemblance for almost every logo in the world.”

Responding to the “too much color” criticism by the designer, Aliyu pointed out that big brands like Google and Microsoft are using four different colors whereas the antagonized bank adopted only three which, by all means, still serve the simplicity purpose as expected.

Not relenting, Safwan held a space on the X app(formerly Twitter) yesterday evening on Thursday with the topic: Logo Design Process: Avoiding Copyright Breach and IP Lawsuit, where he expantiated more on his claims about the rebranding of Jaiz Bank.

The brand designer, once again, faulted the person whom the bank contracted for the job, remarking that no professional designer would come up with a word mark logo that’s in lowercase with the ‘j’ having the dot that it originally has. He emphatically conveyed that even though the person wish to use the word mark in lowercase, the ‘j’ should not have appeared with the dot on it.

Secondly, he argued that rebranding is not always about changing everything that a brand is already known with; that such move is risky as customers have known the brand with certain features already. Safwan noted that since Jaiz Bank, which is an Islamic bank, had adopted green which is globally recognized among Islamic countries as the favorite color of Islam; and that customers have acquainted themselves with already, it was unnecessary for the bank to replace that with yellow which, according to him, means nothing deducing from their unveiling ceremony clip that he watched online.

Lastly, he remarked that Jaiz Bank is known for its unique way of banking, hence, that should have made the designer to have avoided coming up with any logo that is in existence already; and which wouldn’t have made people debate on whether it resembles the Samsung Bixby or not.

Safwan ended the space with the mentioning of some tenets of trade mark, how copyright really works, and how it could be avoided.

Moreover, a staff of this very Jaiz Bank, Ameer Lukman Haruna, in his reaction to the online debate, shared that though he has received and seen quite a number of logo proposal for the bank, the management has reasons to stick to what it has now, while urging the youths to continue in their show of talents; that it might actually inspire the bank’s future decision to rebrand again if such opportunity arises. He also acknowledged the fact that the debate, being an intellectual discourse, is a way to keep the bank visible and relevant.

Are you a Jaiz Bank customer? If yes, what’s your take on the issue: should the bank stick to its current design or it should go back to the old one? Let’s know your thoughts!

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Kaduna 2027: Governor Uba Sani Replaces Deputy, Names Jerry Adams as Running Mate

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

In a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 governorship election, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has officially nominated the Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Jerry Adams, as his new running mate.

The announcement, made on Tuesday via a personally signed statement, effectively signals the end of the ticket with the current Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, who also served as Deputy to former Governor Nasir El-Rufai during his second term.

Governor Sani framed the decision as more than a political calculation, describing it as a “reaffirmation” of his administration’s core philosophy of inclusive governance.

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“This decision is far greater than the selection of a deputy governorship candidate. It is a reaffirmation of the values that have guided our administration since I took the oath of office on 29 May 2023; the values of inclusion, justice, fairness, equity and the unwavering conviction that every citizen of Kaduna State deserves a genuine sense of belonging,” the Governor stated.

Addressing the state’s complex socio-political landscape, Sani noted that Kaduna’s rich diversity in ethnicity, religion, and culture should be a source of strength rather than division. He reflected on the state’s history, emphasizing the need to learn from past conflicts.

“Our history has taught us difficult lessons about the heavy cost of division, mistrust and exclusion. Yet it has also shown us that when we choose dialogue over discord, inclusion over alienation and justice over prejudice, our people achieve extraordinary things together,” he added.

The Governor touted his administration’s track record over the last three years as evidence of this commitment, citing equitable distribution of developmental projects across the state’s 23 local government areas. Key sectors highlighted include road infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, water supply, rural development, and social protection programs.

The nomination of Jerry Adams, who currently oversees the state’s revenue generation, signals a potential shift in the administration’s focus toward economic consolidation and fiscal expansion as it prepares for the 2027 electoral contest.

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No Sin in Politics’ Wike Says as Fubara Returns to Rainbow Coalition

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

FCT minister Nyesom Wike has welcomed the return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to his political side, declaring the latter has corrected his mistakes.

He said this in Abuja on Tuesday after inspecting the project, alongside the ongoing construction of the service carriageways of the Southern Parkway in Gaduwa District, Abuja.

Reacting to the Rivers governor’s recent declaration about his return to the Rainbow Coalition and pledge of complete loyalty to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, Mr Wike said, “There is no sin in politics.”

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The minister further stated, “If someone realises he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that.

“What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and deciding to take the right path.”

The minister, who welcomed Mr Fubara back into his political fold, insisted that the governor had “no other choice” than to return to the political family that brought him to power.

Mr Wike explained that the Rivers governor’s decision to align with his political camp publicly was a step in the right direction, adding that the reconciliation would strengthen support for Mr Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I said during my last media chat that he had no other choice but to return to the same political family that produced him,” Mr Wike stated.

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Aminu Magashi Donates Relief Materials to Bichi Female Rehabilitation Centre Inmates

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The Technical Adviser to the Kano State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, has donated relief materials, including blankets, food items, and essential drugs, to inmates of the Bichi Female Rehabilitation Centre following the destruction caused by a recent rainstorm.

Dr. Magashi made the donation during a visit to the facility on Sunday, July 26, accompanied by officials of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), led by its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi Kubarachi.

The visit followed a heavy rainstorm that damaged parts of the rehabilitation centre, leaving several buildings in need of urgent repairs. During the inspection, Dr. Magashi interacted with staff and female inmates while assessing the extent of the destruction.

He observed that the rainstorm had blown off the roofs of several female accommodation blocks, while sections of the perimeter fence had collapsed, creating serious safety and security concerns for the facility.

In response to the situation, Dr. Magashi commended the Kano State Emergency Management Agency for its swift intervention, particularly the decision to temporarily relocate all female inmates to a dedicated and secured section within the Bichi Male Rehabilitation Centre.

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According to SEMA, the temporary relocation was undertaken to safeguard the lives and welfare of the inmates while rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged facility are carried out.

Dr. Magashi described the agency’s response as timely and necessary, noting that the safety and well-being of vulnerable persons in government care should remain a top priority.

He also pledged to support SEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in convening a strategic stakeholders’ meeting aimed at reviewing the incident and strengthening emergency response mechanisms across rehabilitation centres in the state.

The meeting, he said, would provide an opportunity to mobilize additional support from government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and development partners to improve SEMA’s capacity in managing the 13 rehabilitation centres under its supervision.

Dr. Magashi highlighted his continued commitment to supporting humanitarian interventions across Kano State, recalling that he had previously visited six of the state’s 13 rehabilitation centres where he donated drugs and food items to inmates.

He added that he had also sponsored a one-day capacity-building training for health workers serving in the rehabilitation centres to improve healthcare delivery to inmates.

The Technical Adviser expressed appreciation to the Executive Governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, for appointing him to serve in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, pledging to continue supporting initiatives that improve the welfare of vulnerable residents across the state.If you’d like, I can also make it follow the exact Nigerian Tracker house style with a stronger lead, subhead, and editor-ready formatting.

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