Education: PMB not leading by example

Late Alhaji Wada Nas was a prolific writer, an astute politician and a former Minister of state for Education and later Special duties in the regime of Late General Sani Abatcha. When the military relinquished power in 1999 he joined the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and was vividly in the train of Buhari campaign when the retired General joined politics in 2002. 

Many people remember him for different things but one thing I always remember Wada Nas for was his advocacy for a law banning Government officials from taking their children to private schools. The Funtua born politician started calling for the enactment of that law when he was a minister in Abatcha regime. But in military regime civilian appointees had limited say as they were not members of the Supreme military council or the Armed Forces Ruling Council whose prerogative it was to make decrees and/or repeal same.

When I saw Nas in Buhari campaign train, it gave me more courage to continue to support the General. At least there will be some level of sanity in the Education sector. The good old days in which an almajiri like me was in the same class as the governor’s child shall be back. The practice of Government officials taking their children abroad while killing our local universities or to private schools while leaving our public schools to rot will soon be over. Wada Nas died along the way but my confidence in Buhari as the best person to solve the problems of the Nigeria’s education sector remained intact. 

Politicking, elections and PDP rigging continued until 2015 when the time came and our votes counted. Our own man had won, not under ANPP or CPC but in the name of another concoction unknown to Late Wada Nas. It is a new party called APC. The nomenclature didn’t matter. We were happy.

During the campaign preceding the 2015 election, Alhaji Aminu Masari, the APC gubernatorial candidate of Katsina state came to Kano to address Katsina indigenes living in Kano. One of the things he promised to do as he told those of us who were in Royal Tropicana Hotel that day was that he will make a law banning all senior Government officials, elected or appointed including himself from taking their children to private schools. If Masari, who was seen as PDP man in progressives skin could do that why not PMB? Thus for people like me, it was a dream come true when PMB became the president.

I must confess that up to May 2015 I knew very little about PMB’s family. I knew he was married to one Hajiya Safinatu who was said to come from Mani in Katsina state. According to the rumuors, when Buhari was in detention after the 1985 coup she kept visiting Maryam Babangida. When Buhari was released and he learnt about it he divorced her and married a 20 year old girl from Adamawa state. How many children did Buhari have from his first wife and from the Adamawa lady? Up to what level were they educated and where? What is the nature of relationship between Buhari’s children and his new wife? Even by way of rumuor I didn’t know.

By the way, what was Buhari’s view about educational institutions being run with public funds? I knew General Buhari the Head of State removed feeding subsidy from public universities. That was just before I enrolled as a Predegree student in Bayero University. Although I didn’t meet the subsidy, people who enjoyed it were not happy with Buhari. But life then was not as harsh as it is now; so it could continue. I didn’t know about anyone who dropped out of the university due to the removal of feeding subsidy but I know people suffered and they were not happy.

When, after PMB took over in 2015, pictures of his children’s convocation in a UK university flooded the public space my disappointment began.  How can someone who has been the masses’ choice in his struggle to become the President feel that the schools being attended by masses’ children are not good enough for his own? Well, he was not the yet the president when he registered his children for degree programmes in the UK, I decided to give him that benefit of doubt.  

This Tuesday, the third of December 2019 I was forced to withdraw that benefit of doubt. The Adamawa wife of Mr. President has posted the pictures of her daughter’s graduation from a foreign university. I wouldn’t want to believe that the mother of this girl registered her daughter against the wish of the President. That would be a total condemnation of the man I love so much. But what message is the President sending by registering his daughter to follow a degree programme in a foreign university when he is the President? That Nigerian universities under his watch are not good? That he doesn’t want his children to mix with the children of people who lost their lives in the struggle to see that he become the president, people who drank gutter water and trekked hundreds of kilometers out of joy that he won election? 

That he spent his personal money to educate her is not a valid explanation. What made his money personal when he has confessed to being a public servant all his life? Umar bn Alkhattab reduced his salary when he realized that it was in excess of his daily needs. Where did Mr. President, a public servant for life get excess money to send his daughter abroad? But even if the daughter is sponsored by a friend or a relation, PMB is not supposed to allow it for the bad impression it gives about himself and his government.

If we add this to the poor budgetary allocation to education since PMB came to power and the way his administration is condemning public universities as parasites who must join the killer IPPIS against money-generating agencies who are exempted, one cannot help being disappointed. 

Finally, is PMB now telling us that Masari, ElRufai  and other ‘boys’ who are known to take their children to public schools are better than him or did they make a mistake?

What you should know about the Islamic calendar

This article of mine was published by the New Nigerian newspaper on the first of Muharram two decades ago. I have reproduced it here verbatim. Read well.

What you should know about the Islamic calendar

The first day of every Muharram marks the beginning of another Islamic calendar year. The Islamic year has twelve months, viz. Muharram, Safar, Rabiul Auwal, Rabiut thani, Jumada al-auwal, Jumada atthani, Rajab, Sha’ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qa’dah and Dhul Hijjah. These months are, according to the Holy Qur’an, the ones recognized by Allah (SWT). Allah says:

“The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year) – so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred; that is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein…” (Q9: 36)

The four sacred months mentioned in this verse of the Holy Qur’an are Muharram, Rajab, Dhul Qa’dah and Dhul Hijjah. It is in these months that attacking an enemy is prohibited and acts of sins committed attract more sin than if committed in other months. War is prohibited in these months because it is the command of Allah that peace should reign, especially during and around the Hajj period. Thus three consecutive months were sanctified, the month of hajj itself, the month before it and the month after it. This would enable all pilgrims travel to and from the Holy land and observe their rites without any feeling of insecurity. The other sacred month is placed in the middle of the year so that Muslims who wish to observe Umrah can do so with maximum feeling of security.

The use of twelve lunar months and sanctification of some is an old practice of the arabs and can be traced to the time of Ibrahim (AS). While the pagan arabs agreed on the sanctity of some months however, there were differences among them about the number and names of the months. Few of them had eight sacred months in which no war could be fought but the majority accepted four months as sacred. All of these agreed on Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram but disagreed on which between the seventh and ninth months should be called Rajab and therefore considered sacred like the other three. While the tribe of Mudar considered the seventh month as sacred and called it Rajab, the tribe of Rabi’ah called the ninth month Rajab and considered it sacred.

Another practice of the pagan Arabs concerning the sacred months was the transposition of the sanctity of Muharram between it and Safar. In one year they will consider Muharram as sacred and in another they will transfer its sanctity to the month of Safar so as to get an unfair advantage over an enemy who was not prepared to fight in the sacred month of Muharram. The Holy Qur’an condemns this practice in Surah attaubah. Allah says:

“Verily transposing is an addition to unbelief. The unbelievers are led to wrong thereby; for they make it lawful one year and forbidden another year, in order to agree with the number of months forbidden by Allah and make such forbidden ones lawful. The evil of their course seems pleasing to them. But Allah guides not those who reject faith.” (Q9:37)

The pagan arabs also intercalated a month in every three years for the lunar year to correspond to the solar one thus avoiding the travelling of the months around the seasons.

These pagan practices were put to a stop by the Messenger of Allah (SAW) who said at Minna in his farewell pilgrimage:

“Verily time has turned around and today it is like it was the on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth and verily the number of months is twelve. Of them four are sacred – the first of them is the Mudar’s Rajab which is in-between Jumadah and Sha’ban and Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram.”

Islam thus fixed the Islamic year as a purely lunar year of twelve definite months each of either twenty nine or thirty days depending on the actual appearance of the moon. The months also move around the seasons.

There is wisdom in letting the months move around the seasons. An example is in the fasting month. If Ramadhan were restricted to the summer for example, many Muslims who cannot spend few hours without drinking or eating during the hot season due to sickness or nature will be permanently deprived of observing this pillar of Islam throughout their lives. If, on the other hand it were permanently placed in the winter, the well to do Muslims would not know what their poor brothers and sisters encounter during the difficult seasons of the year which is one of the lessons of Ramadan fasting.

While the names of some of the months could be associated with arab culture and tradition, others got their names from the seasons in which they fell by the time they were named. Muharram got its name from the Arabic word ‘harrama’ which means to prohibit or sanctify. It is perhaps named so in order to make its sanctity undisputable. We have already said that pagan arabs sometimes transferred its sanctity to Safar in order to get an undue advantage over an enemy.

Safar got its name from the word ‘safira’ which means to vacate or become empty. This is because in most cases the Arabs used to leave their homes vacant in this month and proceed on journeys having to do with trade or war. The names of Rabiul auwal and Rabiut thani have to do with the Arabic word ‘rab’ or building. They are so named because of the utilization of this period by the Arabs to build houses. Jumadah I and II got their names from the Arabic word ‘jamuda’, i.e. to solidify or freeze. The two months period coincided with the winter during which time water freeze up due to cold weather condition.

Rajab got its name from the word ‘rajjaba’ which means to extol or regard. This is because the Arabs always respected this month. Sha’aban got its name from the Arabic word “tasha’aba”, i.e. to scatter or move in different directions. This was a month of battles for the Arabs and they used to scatter in different directions in attack.

Ramadan got its name from the word ‘ramdha’ or heat. This month was associated with hot weather. Shawwal originated from the word ‘shala’ which means to raise. The Arabian camel had the habit of raising its tail to nocturnal visitors. This month is associated with that habit. 

Dhul qa’ada got its name from the word ‘qa’adah’, which means to sit down. The Arabs used to sit away from battle fields in this month. Dhul hijjah was named so because of the observance of pilgrimage in that month.

The pre-Islamic Arabs had no organized system of year-naming. Years were sometimes named by certain events that occurred in them. This practice continued up to the early days of Islam when as a matter of policy the second caliph Umar bn Al-Khattab introduced the hijra style of dating. In this method of dating, which is the one accepted by the entire Muslim Ummah, year-naming began with the year the Messenger of Allah (SAW) migrated from Makkah to Madinah. The migration actually took place in Rabiul auwal of that year.

Jibia: A week of bloodbath and what we expect of Government

It was exactly nineteen minutes past midnight, few moments into Thursday the 22^nd of August. I had gone to bed. My eyes were already closed and sleep was descending quietly. Somehow, unlike many people I don’t normally switch my hand phone at night. There are usually no calls during that time except when I initiate them. But who could this caller be? I asked myself as I picked my phone which was vibrating by the bedside. For the past several weeks there have been renewed security challenges in the rural areas of Batsari and western part of Jibia local Governments. This is a place where my maternal relations are spread. On my fathers’ side I have no relations in this area. My father hailed from Bugaje ward in the eastern part of Jibia local Government. Thus back and front, as Hausa speakers will put it, I am from Jibia Local Government. I wish I had relations in Niger Republic so that I can be visiting the neighbouring country from time to time like many settlers in my native Jibia town do. But I have none. The last time I visited Maradi, the nearest Nigerien town to Jibia was more than thirty years ago. 

So even as I stretched my hand to pick my inexpensive android phone, I thought it must be one of my relations calling. At times like this, they sleep during the day and spend their nights on guard. Of course, there is usually little they can do to confront the heavily armed bandits. To compound their problems, Governors of North western states met recently in Katsina and outlawed volunteers popularly known in the area as ‘yan sa kai’ which are the Northwest equivalent of civilian JTF in the North East. The most unfortunate thing is that the politicians did not provide any alternative. 

Another problem is the recent peace initiative in Zamfara state. Somehow His Excellency the President sat in Abuja watching a PDP Governor reconciled with bandits and like magic it began to work. People who have confessed killing hundreds are now free. To worsen the situation, the level of criminality in his own state of Katsina rose immediately, with none of himself, his Governor and their party raising doubts as to whether or not the opposition had a hand in the crimes in the first place. But whosoever is behind it does not seem to be their business, anyway. After all, the honourable Hajiya minister has observed that Nigerians are too many. 

In situations like this I usually call some of the villagers when I wake up at late hours of the night and I am always sure to get them. We shall talk for a few minutes before I go back to bed or do something else. They only call me at late hours when there is a criminal attack in their area. There is nothing I can do either. A Muslim will usually pray and I do. So this call must be from one of them, I thought. And I was right. It was one of my uncles. This one is younger than me but unlike me he did not have the privilege of going to the whiteman’s school. He is a farmer.

There was an ongoing attack in the nearby village of Zandam which is about two kilometers away, he told me. They could hear the sound of gunshots from their position. There was no need to call the people in Zandam in that situation. The DPO had already been informed but only for the sake of it. His men were to come about five hours later from Jibia which was only ten kilometers away. We lamented and prayed over the phone before hanging up. I then made two unsuccessful calls to Jibia and waited for a sleep that had gone away for the night. Some thirty minutes later when I called him he told me in a very low tone that the bandits were already in his village and immediately switched off. 

But Zandam was not the first town to be attacked in the renewed violence in Jibia LGA. A day earlier, another village called Tsayau was attacked and four of its dwellers killed. There is something interesting about Tsayau. Literally, you can say there are two Tsayaus separated by a stream. One of them is our own Tsayau in Jibia LGA. The other Tsayau is in Niger Republic. Over the past few years, Nigerian Tsayau has been attacked several times, but Nigerien Tsayau has never experienced a bandit attack due to the vigilance of the Nigerien security forces. 

A day before the Tsayau attack, there was another attack in Garin Gado about six kilometers out of Jibia. Wherever they go, the bandits rape, maim, kill and take away animals and in many cases women with them. They also burn assets especially cars and motorcycles.

The next time I spoke with uncle was in the morning. But even before we spoke, I got information from my cousin in Zandam that one Sani was killed during the night attack. His offence? The criminals asked for money and he showed them a fifty Naira note which he confessed was the last money he had. They shot him. In another household they attempted to take a small child and the mother stood in their way. They shot her and her husband and left them in blood. They were taken to hospital after the bandits left the village. They took away many cows whose exact number could not be verified by my Zandam sources. But most of the animals are ones used for farming.

My uncle confirmed to me when we spoke later that fifteen cows were rustled from his village. No woman was taken by the bandits.

The next night I received another call. The bandits struck again. This time it was Mallamawa fadi ka gurje a distance of less than ten kilometers west Zandam. By the time they left, 13 women forcefully left with them, in addition to the ones they raped and dumped. Animals were taken and property burnt down.

The next day (Friday) in the afternoon some cattle rustlers were intercepted by the Nigerian Army around Gurbin Baure along Jibia – Gusau highway. Two of the cattle rustlers were killed and three arrested. The animals were taken back. This is probably what made the larger gang to launch a reprisal attack on traders returning from Jibia market on Gurbin Baure - Shimfida road off the highway. This took place on Sunday. The Army came to the rescue but ran out of ammunitions and had to retreat. Eight vehicles, three of them belonging to the Nigerian Army were burnt to ashes by the bandits. The deaths and injuries are better imagined. But the Police later announced that only three people were injured. 

As I m writing this piece, another village Tsambe in Jibia Local Government was attacked last night.

But Jibia is not the only place currently under attack. Batsari, Safana and other local governments in Katsina are having their own share of the renewed attacks. For example, on Monday the 26^th of August, Wurma in Kurfi Local Government was attacked. More than two hundred bandits speaking with Zamfara accent arrived the village at around 11pm and spent more than three hours searching from house to house and room to room. They later kidnapped 42 people, 41 of them women and girls. This is in addition to the property they took along with them and the one they destroyed.

President Buhari seems to underestimate the level of crime taking place in deep areas of Katsina State. Even people like me who are not security experts know that the approach of Federal Government cannot work. How can a Commander-in-chief who has ordered his Army to rout criminals wherever they are allow a Governor to provide a hideout for the same criminals in the name of reconciliation? As things are, Zamfara state serves as the base for the bandits where they resort to after launching attacks in Katsina state. 

But even without Zamfara, the Federal Government’s method of sending the Army to guard the highways and Air force to target bandits’ locations is another blunder. This has resulted in the highways being heavily guarded and the deep areas exposed to criminality. And because both the Army and Air Force have no knowledge of the area and are apparently not using any intelligence report, damages have reportedly been inflicted on innocent people with criminals left untackled.

If sincere advice is anything to go by, Mr. President should take certain necessary steps. One, he should consider the North West security as a priority and personally take charge. Two, Mr. President should abrogate the peace accord in Zamfara and use the full force of Federal Government to bring an end to banditry. Three, if an end is to be seen to this menace, civilian JTF must be established consisting of youth from the communities affected. Our communities are ready to provide the young people to be trained to work with regular security forces. The method of leaving soldiers to operate only on highways should be past.

Facts about banditry/kidnapping in Jibia/Batsari Local Government areas

When we talk about security challenges in Jibia and Batsari LGAs, many people do not seem to understand what we are talking about. A good number of people believe that we are some elements sponsored to spoil the good name of Buhari administration. Another misconception is that security operatives are working round the clock to bring this problem to an end. 

These are some facts people should know about the picture of what is currently on the ground in those areas.

1. There is no single known foreigner involved in banditry, kidnapping or cattle rustling in our areas.
2. Many of the bandits, their leaders and informants are well known to the locals.
3. Locals shut their mouths to save their lives. When I heard that His Excellency the President was going to meet with local victims I thought it was going to be one on one with the villagers in the absence of state government officials and local security chiefs, as that is the only way he would hear the dirty truth from his local people.
4. In some areas, heads of thieves are paid some fixed amounts by farmers to allow them carry out farming activities on their farmlands and protect them from other gangs.
5. The peace initiative in Zamfara state only aggravated insecurity in Katsina. It is widely believed that Zamfara state now serves as a hideout for the bandits from where they come into Katsina state, launch attacks and go back.
6. Most of the time security forces arrive scenes of attack long after the attackers have left. There is nothing like 24 hour surveillance to forestall bandits’ attacks.
7. Security forces are only visible on highways. For example, Katsina – Jibia road which 42 km long has 17 checkpoints of armed soldiers, police, customs and immigration men. In deep areas where crimes take place almost on daily basis there is no presence of security personnel.

My appeal to people like us who have confidence in PMB’s leadership and especially those close to him is to mount pressure on His Excellency to take consistent steps to bring this major problem to an end. Peace is like fuel. Once it is available the masses do not care whether it is locally refined, imported or made available by whatever other means by Government.