Kano Health Sector Under Abba: From Crisis To Example (2) - By Abba Anwar

If you really want to know whether a government cares about its people, don't go and count the number of garden per school. Go to a Primary Health Centre in Shanono by 1am. Watch what happens when a woman in labour is brought in with no money in her pocket. That is where government is tested.

When Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf took oath on 29th May, 2023, that test was almost nothing to write home about. Because of cumulative experiences of administrations before him. I remember following the transition committee reports. I also went round myself. The Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency at Sharada had empty shelves. I am not exaggerating. Drug availability was about 30 percent. Suppliers had blacklisted Kano because we were owing them over N1.2 billion. Many General Hospitals - Wudil, Bichi, Gaya - looked tired. Paint peeling, beds broken, no running water. The health insurance agency, Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), had less than 500,000 people enrolled in a state of over 15 million. Doctors were leaving. Nurses were leaving. People used to say, "asibiti ba magani."

What happened in the last three years is not magic. It is work. Quiet, amazing work. This is where Abba Gida-Gida's feeling for his people takes the lead. In responsive and responsible leadership. 

First, the money.

You see, in 2001, African Heads of State gathered in Abuja and said, let us give at least 15% of our budgets to health. Since then, Nigeria as a country has never met it. Kano before this administration was doing 6%, 7%. Even Lagos today does about 8%. Ghana as a country does 6.32%. Senegal less than 4%.

But Abba did it. In 2024, he gave health N77 billion, that was 16.46% of the entire state budget. In 2025, he gave N90.6 billion, 16.5%. Two years, back to back, above Abuja Declaration. No Kano governor has ever done it. Now the 2026 budget proposal has taken it to N214.8 billion for health repositioning, including N500m for a Cancer Centre at Giginyu, N1.5bn for free hernia surgeries across all zones, and N473.5m for ICUs in Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital and Wase Teaching Hospital.

And the money was not just on paper. He paid the N1.2bn debt. Once he paid, suppliers returned. Today, drug availability in Kano public hospitals is over 90%. Go to Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital today, you will see drugs. Go to Murtala Muhammad, you will see drugs. That singular move has reduced the habit of patients being given prescription to go and buy drugs outside.

Second, the hospitals themselves.

The government did not try to build new ones everywhere. He said, let us fix the ones we have. Over 20 General Hospitals were fully rehabilitated - Hasiya Bayero, Murtala Muhammad, Wase, Wudil, Dambatta, Gaya, Bichi and others. New theatres, new wards, new labs.

For the grassroots, more than 200 PHCs across the 44 LGAs were upgraded. Solar light, borehole, staff quarters, delivery beds. Then he did something I personally like. He gave one ambulance to each of the 44 LGAs, and 484 mini-ambulances, one for each ward. So if there is an emergency in any ward in Kano today, you can move a patient. Before, people died on the way because there was nothing to carry them.

He also created what we never had before - the Kano Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC. And on 3rd August, 2026, he commissioned the Sickle Cell Centre that now offers free diagnosis, free hydroxyurea, free blood transfusion and counselling for thousands of families.

Third, and most important, the people to work in these hospitals.

You can buy equipment, but if there is no doctor or midwife, it is useless. The biggest challenge was human resource. Many left because of poor pay. The governor first restored dignity. He reinstated 926 health workers on full CONHESS salary structure, reviewed hazard allowance, and deployed 65 residency doctors to secondary hospitals. That is why NMA gave him their National Award for Service Excellence. They don't give that award for nothing.

Then he recruited. Massively. And in phases, not audio.

Phase 1, which we just witnessed, was the distribution of appointment letters to 2,367 health personnel. Officially, core clinical is 2,037, but total with other cadres is 2,367. Let me break it down as announced at Government House: 250 medical doctors, 40 pharmacists, 250 nurses, 250 midwives, 150 Senior Community Health Extension Workers, 50 Junior CHEWs and 50 epidemiologists, plus hundreds of other cadres. All permanent and pensionable. The Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, was clear that it was on merit, not for sale.

In a separate special effort, which many people mix up, the government also employed 250 Doctors, 150 Nurses, 75 Midwives and 50 Pharmacists to immediately close gaps in our secondary hospitals. This separate effort has already improved the doctor-patient ratio, especially in places like Dambatta and Gwarzo.

What is coming next is bigger. Phase 2 is being prepared where 1,600 additional health workers will be employed for state hospitals. And in a very creative way, Local Governments will be allowed to employ 3,900 health workers for PHCs. This is key. It means LGAs will employ their own sons and daughters to stay in their communities. By the time that is done, no ward in Kano will say we have a PHC without staff. That is how you solve retention.

Fourth, insurance for the poorest. This is where the governor's philosophy shows.

Before he came, KSCHMA had 497,262 people enrolled. Mostly civil servants. As of February this year, it is 910,862. That is 413,600 additional people, an 83% increase in less than two years. And within that, 231,293 are vulnerable - children under five, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, people living with HIV, and retirees.

The flagship is ABBACare. You remember ObamaCare. This is AbbaCare. Over 300,000 vulnerable people - pregnant women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, inmates and people living with sickle cell - were given completely free health insurance, paid by the state. Today, 39,000 people living with sickle cell are receiving free care at Murtala Muhammad, Hasiya Bayero and Wase under this.

For mothers, delivery and CS are free in over 30 hospitals. Government spends over N60m monthly on that. That is why maternal mortality, according to ministry records, dropped from over 1,300 in 2023 to about 300 in 2026. Free eye camps, free cataract surgery, free hernia surgery for thousands have become routine.

Now, when you compare Kano with many other states, you understand why people are talking.

Look around. A national report on PHC delivery by ONE Campaign ranked Zamfara as the worst performing state in PHC, followed by Sokoto, Taraba, Kebbi, Katsina, Borno, Yobe and others as weak performers. In some of those places, capital performance for PHC was as low as 0 to 6.5%. There are documented cases of multimillion naira hospitals lying abandoned while people travel kilometres for paracetamol.

While some states are still struggling to put cotton wool and gloves in their clinics, Kano has moved to Cancer Centre, ICUs, Disease Control Centre, Sickle Cell Centre, 90% drug availability, and close to one million people on insurance.

That is not by accident. It is because of 16.5% budget to health.

I was in Wudil last week. A nurse named Aisha came forward and said in Hausa, "Abba ya kawo mana rayuwa, a harkar lafiya." She was one of those reinstated on CONHESS. Before, she wanted to leave for Federal. Now she wants to stay.

In Takai, a PHC that used to close by 2pm now runs 24 hours because there is staff and solar. This is what governance looks like.

Governor Yusuf did not bring a new textbook theory. He just did the basics that others refused to do: give health money, clear its debt, bring back its workers, and pay for the poorest to get care.

With 1,600 coming in Phase 2 and 3,900 PHC workers to be employed by LGAs, Kano is walking practically towards universal health coverage, not on PowerPoint, but on ground.

If you want to show a state that is doing well in health today in Nigeria, you will show Kano. Not because everything is perfect. But because it is moving, and it is moving in the right direction for the talakawa.

And history will record it.

Anwar writes from Kano

Saturday, 10th October, 2026

Peter Obi's Election Claims Troubling Display Of Delusion - APC PCC

Mr Peter Obi continues to demonstrate a troubling lack of character, candour, and dignity. One would expect his latest twaddle to come from overzealous supporters rather than a presidential candidate who is becoming a veteran of the race. Perhaps the master and his followers are two sides of the same rotten coin.

According to the APC Presidential Campaign Council Spokesperson, Dele Alake, nothing is more annoying than Obi's recent claim that he won the 2023 presidential election, while simultaneously admitting he lacks the evidence to support it.

In a recent interview on the BBC, Obi stated: "I don’t like going back to the past. I won the last election. There’s no evidence, but I won the election. Everything is not based on evidence."

By Obi's logic, it is acceptable to make outrageous claims without a shred of evidence or verisimilitude. For him, it is in order and acceptable to make allegations without substantiation or to act on impulse by airing unsubstantiated conjectures.

This is deeply troubling. There is simply no end to Obi's posturing and no end to his shenanigans and farce. 

For a candidate who placed a distant third in the presidential poll to persistently insist he won — without evidence and contrary to all official records — reflects a deep and troubling disconnection from reality and absolute disregard for facts and truth.

This constant habit of exaggerating facts is unbecoming of a man who aspires to lead our great country. 

Where is Obi sourcing his facts? Could it be from his infamous adviser at Upper Iweka Junction or from one Obedient punching the laptop for the next post from California or Dallas?

At the pain of restating the factually obvious, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the 2023 election decisively. There can be no doubt about it. The Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed his victory. The election tribunal and the country's highest court affirmed it. 

President Tinubu has continued to discharge his mandate, advancing key reforms that have stabilised the economy, expanded infrastructure, supported businesses and youth, upgraded education and healthcare, and created job opportunities.

We again call on Peter Obi to act honourably and honour his earlier pledge to exit the 2027 presidential race if it is proven that his administration left behind liabilities in Anambra State—a fact now clearly established by the state's financial records.

Kwamitin Kar Ta Kwana Kan Yaki Da Shan Muyagun Kwayoyi Na Kano da Ofishin Jakadancin Amurka sun tattauna ƙarfafa yaƙi da miyagun ƙwayoyi

Rundunar haɗin gwiwar hukumomi da dama ta Jihar Kano kan yaƙi da shaye-shayen miyagun ƙwayoyi da safarar su ba bisa ƙa’ida ba, ta gana da Ofishin Jakadancin Amurka da ke Najeriya, domin ƙarfafa haɗin gwiwa wajen yaƙi da miyagun ƙwayoyi tare da duba wasu hanyoyin tallafawa ci gaban jihar.

SolaceBase ta ruwaito cewa, a cikin wata sanarwa da Rundunar Task Force ta fitar ranar Alhamis, Shugabanta, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, Esq., ya jagoranci tawaga zuwa Ofishin Jakadancin Amurka, inda ya gana da Daraktan Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Mista Tolliver Derrick, tare da wasu jami’an Ofishin Jakadancin Amurka.

Sanarwar ta ce taron ya mayar da hankali ne kan ƙarfafa tsarin haɗin gwiwar hukumomi wajen yaƙi da shaye-shayen miyagun ƙwayoyi da safarar su ba bisa ƙa’ida ba.

Tattaunawar ta kuma shafi amfani da bayanan sirri wajen aiwatar da doka, inganta ƙwarewar hukumomi, ba da tallafin fasaha, shirye-shiryen wayar da kan al’umma da kuma samar da shirye-shiryen musamman na gyaran halayen masu fama da matsalar shaye-shayen miyagun ƙwayoyi.

An kuma ba da muhimmanci na musamman ga shirye-shiryen da za su taimaka wa ƙungiyoyin da ke cikin haɗari, musamman matasa.

Bangarorin biyu sun kuma tattauna hanyoyin haɗa ayyukan yaƙi da miyagun ƙwayoyi da sauran shirye-shiryen gwamnatin Amurka da ake aiwatarwa a Kano.

Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado ya ce ba za a iya samun nasara a yaƙi da shaye-shayen miyagun ƙwayoyi ta hanyar ɗaukar matakan hukunci kaɗai ba, yana mai cewa rigakafi, gyaran hali da kuma haɗin gwiwar al’umma suna da muhimmiyar rawa.

“Yaƙi da shaye-shayen miyagun ƙwayoyi yana buƙatar fiye da aiwatar da doka kawai. Yana buƙatar hukumomi masu ƙarfi, sa hannun al’umma, ingantaccen gyaran hali, ƙaƙƙarfan matakan rigakafi da kuma haɗin gwiwar ƙasa da ƙasa mai ƙarfi,” in ji shi.

Ya ƙara da cewa Rundunar Task Force na da niyyar amfani da shirye-shiryen tallafin Amurka da ake gudanarwa a Kano domin inganta tsaro mai ɗorewa da kuma kare rayuwar jama’a da tattalin arzikinsu.

Ofishin Jakadancin Amurka, ta hannun INL Bureau, ya bayyana aniyarsa ta yin aiki tare da Rundunar Task Force tare da duba hanyoyin haɗa ayyukan yaƙi da miyagun ƙwayoyi da sauran shirye-shiryen tallafin fasaha da ci gaba na Amurka a yankin.

Taron ya kuma tattauna wasu fannoni da suka haɗa da shugabanci nagari, tsaron jama’a da ƙarfafa juriyar al’umma, inda tawagogin biyu suka amince da muhimmancin samar da tsari na musamman domin ƙarfafa haɗin gwiwar.

An kammala taron ne da ƙudurin kafa hanyoyin da za su taimaka wajen tsara haɗin gwiwar fasaha a hukumance da kuma aiwatar da shirye-shiryen haɗin gwiwa a Jihar Kano.

Idan kana so, zan kuma iya sake tsara shi cikin salon labaran Hajj Chronicles/SolaceBase, tare da kanun labari mai jan hankali da Hausa mai sauƙin karantawa.

Breaking: Kano Gov. Abba Yusuf Reconciles DSP Barau, Abba Bichi on Political Feud

As Leaders Call for Unity to Achieve Success in the Forthcoming 2027 Elections

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has facilitated a reconciliation between the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Barau I. Jibrin, and the Chairman House Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Member Representing Bichi Federal Constituency as part of efforts to strengthen unity and cohesion within the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State.

According to the statement by the Director General Media and Publicity Government House Kano, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the reconciliation meeting, which took place in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, lasted for two hours and provided an opportunity for the two prominent APC leaders to address their differences and discuss the need to work together for the collective interest of the party.

Governor Yusuf urged Senator Barau, Hon. Bichi and their teaming supporters to sheathe their swords and drop all grievances, stressing that the success of the APC at all levels requires unity, mutual understanding and collective commitment among its leaders and members.

Ahead of the 2027 elections, the Governor emphasised the importance of working together for the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Kano State Government and all APC candidates, while calling on party members across the state to put the overall interest of the APC above individual differences.

He noted that political disagreements are part of democratic engagement, but such differences should not be allowed to undermine the unity, stability and progress of the party.

He called on supporters of both leaders to embrace the spirit of reconciliation, avoid inflammatory statements, character assassination or any other negative action capable of disuniting the party members.

The Governor further stressed that the APC remains one family and that all stakeholders have a responsibility to ensure that internal crises are resolved through dialogue, consultation and mutual respect.

The party leader in Kano also expressed confidence that the reconciliation would contribute to greater unity among APC leaders and supporters in Kano State and strengthen the party’s collective efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Henceforth, I do not expect any of your supporters to come out and abuse one another. We must put a stop to this unnecessary distractions.” Said Governor Abba Yusuf

 

The reconciliation process, which was blessed with the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR has brought to an end a major misunderstanding between the two political figures in Kano State.

Gov. Abba K. Yusuf further assured the President and National Leader of the party, the National Chairman, the State Chairman and all critical stakeholders that the APC is set to win all elective positions in Kano come 2027 by God’s Grace.

In their separate responses shortly after the meeting, Sen. Barau Jibrin and Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi cautioned their supporters against fueling the internal conflicts within the APC family in Kano State, assuring their continued support, loyalty and commitment to the success of the party at all levels.

They also expressed appreciation to the Governor for his timely intervention to wade into the situation, offer a truce and lasting reconciliation to the ongoing crisis.

Gaya Polytechnic Receives C of O for Permanent Site

Gaya Polytechnic has received the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for its permanent site, marking another major step towards the full establishment and take-off of the institution.

In a statement posted by the Senior Special Reporter of the Ministry, Nanu Kankarofi on the his verified Facebook page, the certificate was presented to the Chairman of the Gaya Polytechnic Implementation Committee, Prof. Mukhtar Atiku Kurawa, by the Kano State Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Hon. Abduljabar Umar Garko.

The presentation of the C of O is expected to facilitate further development of the institution’s permanent site as efforts intensify towards its full operationalisation.

Speaking after receiving the certificate, Prof. Kurawa commended the Kano State Government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for its continued support and commitment to the establishment and development of Gaya Polytechnic.

He also expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning and officials of the ministry for facilitating the issuance and presentation of the certificate.

Prof. Kurawa said the development represented an important milestone in the efforts to ensure that Gaya Polytechnic becomes fully operational at its permanent site.

The institution’s implementation committee is expected to continue working with relevant government authorities and stakeholders towards the completion of the necessary processes for the full take-off of the polytechnic.

Gaya Polytechnic is moving closer to full take-off at its permanent site.

A Tribute to Malam Nafi’u Baba Ahmad - By Muhammad Ahmad Musa

A Neighbour for Decade a Mentor for Life.

By: Muhammad Ahmad Musa 

From Gidan radio close - Gudu cemetery 

24th Rabi'ul-Akhar 1448 = 6th October,  2026

A Hausa–English Tribute of Love, Gratitude and Du'ah.

"انك ميت والمهم وانهم ميتون." سورة الزمر 

Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die"  Qur'an Chapter Zumar, verse 30. 

There are people whose departure leaves an empty space.

There are others whose departure makes an entire neighbourhood feel different.

And then there are those whose presence has been woven so deeply into our lives that, when they leave, a part of our own history seems to leave with them.

For me, Malam Nafi’u Baba Ahmad was such a person.

For almost a decade, I have lived next to him on our radio close, off Rabah road vicinity.

For more than thirty years, I did not merely have a senior, I had an elder, mentor, teacher, adviser and friend whose presence became part of the rhythm of my life.

Today, I struggle to write about him in the past tense.

Yau, Malam or rather Baba Nafi’u (as we used to address him) ya rasu, ya tafi, ya koma gurin Mahaliccinmu Allah SWT!

But the memories remain.

And perhaps that is one of the ways Allah allows a good person to continue living among those he has touched, through the lessons, kindness and memories he leaves behind.

“Malam, Yaya Baba Nafi'u, Allah jikanka da RahamarSA, Allah sa ka huta cikin Aljannatul-Firdausil a'ala, ka jira zuwanmu, muna hanya?”

One of the things I will never forget is the way Malam Nafi’u always asked after my father.

My father is 101 years old, older than Malam Nafi’u himself, and whenever we met, Malam Nafi’u would ask about his health and wellbeing.

It was never an empty question.

It was the concern of an elder for another elder.

At one point, he gave my father two neck-support pillows as gifts, simply because he wanted him to be more comfortable.

This morning, when I told my father:

«“Baba, Malam Nafi’u, wanda ya baka abun sakawa a wuya dinnan ya rasu, he is no longer in this world, ya rasu da safennan!.”»

My father cried.

Not just tears.

He cried with a heavy, painful sound.

I intentionally did that to guage his response and his crying confirm he is still very responsive because these days he seems to be too quiet.

And in that moment, despite his age, we realised something deeply touching: he still remembered Malam Baba Nafi'u.

He remembered the man.

He remembered the kindness.

He remembered the gifts.

That moment broke my heart.

Because it reminded me that kindness does not expire.

Sometimes a simple act of kindness given some months ago, remains buried in the heart until the day someone tells you:

“The person who showed you that kindness is no longer here.”

A MENTOR WHO TAUGHT THROUGH STORIES.

Malam Nafi’u had a special way of teaching me.

He did not always sit down and say, “Let me teach you this.”

Sometimes he simply told me a story.

A story about someone.

A story about life.

A story about human nature.

A story about faith.

And after the story, there was always something to take away.

Darussan rayuwa suna nan cikin labarai. Labarai masu nausarwa, masu hannunka mai sanda.

There was always a lesson hidden somewhere between his words.

I learnt to listen beyond the story.

I learnt to ask myself:

“Me Malam yake so in fahimta daga wannan?”

That was his style of mentorship.

He did not always give you the answer.

He gave you the wisdom with which to find the answer yourself.

And that is the kind of teacher whose lessons stay with you.

THE BOOK, THE WILL AND THE LEGACY

I remember discussing with him his book on Islamic Will.

We spoke about the importance of making Muslims understand the Islamic guidance concerning wills and encouraging people to update and properly document their wills before their deaths.

I suggested that the book should be digitised, so that its teachings could travel beyond the people who could physically obtain or read the book.

The idea was simple:

If knowledge is beneficial, let technology carry it further.

Today, after his passing, that conversation means even more to me.

It's in his will that he should be buried wherever he dies. His will actualized by the family, alhamdulillah we all gathered at Abuja for the burial.

Perhaps one of the greatest ways we can honour scholars is not merely by remembering their names, but by helping beneficial knowledge they cared about to reach another generation.

May Allah make every beneficial knowledge he taught me and others be preserved as a continuing source of reward for him.

THE MASJID

Then there was our neighbourhood Masjid, the radio close Masjid and Islamiyyah.

Malam Nafi’u, after briefing him of our last meeting where we discussed the future of the Masjid, he encouraged me to team up and continue taking care of the Masjid.

He understood something that many people sometimes forget:

A Masjid is not only a building. It is an Amanah.

When we decided to begin collecting contributions for the maintenance of the Masjid, I approached him.

And, as I will never forget, he was the first to contribute.

The first.

Before asking others to support the Masjid, he supported it himself. As I write this piece, his deposited contribution before opening the Masjid account is in my custody.

That was Malam Nafi’u.

Ba ya koyarwa da baki kawai, a aikace yake baka tarbiyya.

He did not merely tell others what to do.

He led by example.

THE LAST SALLAH

There is one memory that I believe I will carry to my grave.

One day, Malam Nafi’u asked me to lead the prayer in our neighbourhood Masjid.

I stood before the congregation and led the Salah.

During my recitation, I recited the Basmala at the beginning of Suratul-Fatihah and the subsequent surahs.

After the prayer, Malam Nafi’u addressed all of us.

He explained that what had been done had a basis in the religion, even though it may not always be practised by others. That was his last time to pray in that Masjid, to the best of my knowledge. 

It was an admonition.

It was a lesson.

It was a moment of scholarship.

That would be the last prayer we would share with him in our neighbourhood Masjid.

SubhanAllah!

Sometimes Allah allows us to experience a final moment without telling us that it is final.

We shake someone's hand without knowing it is the last handshake.

We hear someone's voice without knowing it is the last time.

We sit with someone without knowing it is the last sitting.

We pray beside someone without knowing:

“This is the last Salah you will pray together.”

Today, I look back at that prayer differently.

And I thank Allah for it.

Because my last prayer with my mentor ended with a lesson from my mentor, nagode Allah.

OUR LAST CONVERSATION

Our last conversation was about his journey to Egypt for his health.

We spoke about his travels.

We spoke about his wellbeing.

We spoke as neighbours and as people who had known one another for decades.

We did not know we were having our final conversation.

There was no dramatic farewell.

No long goodbye.

Just another conversation between a mentor and his mentee.

And perhaps that is how Allah decreed it.

We do not choose our final goodbye.

Allah chooses it for us.

And when the appointed time comes:

«كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ»

“Every soul shall taste death.”

MALAM, KA BAR MU DA ABIN DA YA FI KUDI

Malam Nafi’u,

You have left us with many things money cannot buy.

You have left us lessons.

You have left us memories.

You have left us knowledge.

You have left us so many examples and narratives.

You have left us good deeds to remember you by and to emulate, in sha ALLAH we will act upon so you get more rewards while away in your peaceful grave in sha ALLAH.

And you have left behind people who can say:

“I benefited from knowing him.”

That is a legacy.

Mutum yana mutuwa, amma abin da ya koyar da kyakkyawan aikinsa suna iya ci gaba da kasantuwa da wanzuwa.

A person dies, but the good he taught and the good he did can continue living.

FROM MY HOME NEXT DOOR TO YOUR HOUSE

For nearly ten years, our homes stood next to each other.

There was only a wall between us.

But today I realise that the distance between two houses is nothing compared with the distance created when Allah calls one of their occupants back to Him.

Your house is still there.

Our Masjid is still there.

The Gidan-Radio close is still there.

Life continues.

But your voice is missing.

Your stories are missing.

Your live-counsel is no longer there.

Your physical presence and always playing with the kids is absent.

And every time I pass by your house, the first house in the close, I will remember:

“This was the home of Malam Nafi’u.”

That memory alone will become and remain a form of companionship.

MY FAREWELL

Malam Nafi’u Baba Ahmad,

Na gode.

JazakAllahu khairan katheeran jazilan for more than thirty years of being part of my life.

Thank you for your concern for my father.

Thank you for the kindness you showed him. 

Babana, Mahaifinmu yana gode maka for the two neck supports that today carry a meaning far greater than their material value.

Ina godiya for your stories.

Shukran for your counsel.

Miyetti you for your lessons.

May Allah reward you for encouraging me to continue to care for the Masjid.

ALLAH YA biyaka for being the first to support its maintenance when we began seeking contributions.

JazakAllahu khair for trusting me to lead that fateful prayer.

Thank you for correcting and teaching us with knowledge and wisdom.

Thank you for every conversation whose importance I sometimes understood only afterwards.

Allah Ya saka maka da alherinSa.

May Allah reward you with goodness beyond anything we can give you.

OUR DU'AH FOR YOU

Ya Allah,

Forgive Malam Nafi’u Baba Ahmad.

Have Your Mercy upon him.

Accept his good deeds.

Overlook his shortcomings.

Reward his years of service to Islam, the community, Nigeria and humanity.

Make every beneficial word he taught a Sadaqatul Jariyah for him.

Make every person he guided, every Masjid he supported, every piece of knowledge he transmitted, and every act of kindness he performed to serve as a witness in his favour in the day of resurrection.

Ya Allah, ka haskaka kabarinsa.

Illuminate his grave.

Ya Allah, ka fadada masa kabarinsa yai ta hango aljannah kafin shigarta.

Expand his resting place into paradise.

Ya Allah, ka sanya kabarinsa ya zama lambu daga cikin lambunan Aljannah.

Make his grave a garden from the gardens of Paradise.

Grant him peace in Barzakh.

Grant him companionship with the righteous.

And when the Day comes for us to join him, let the Shahadah be our last wordings, when we are all raised again, raise him among those upon whom You have bestowed Your Mercy.

Ya Allah, ka kai Malam Nafi’u Baba Ahmad Aljannatul Firdausil A'ala.

Ya Rabbal Aalamin.

THE FINAL WORD

Malam Nafi’u,

You were an elder.

You were a mentor.

You were a teacher.

You were a guide.

You were a servant of Islam.

And you were part of the story of my life 

Malam Nafi’u, ka tafi lafiya.

Go in peace, my elder.

And until the day Allah reunites us

Barka da Hutu, Malam.

(To the righteous it will be said) "Oh reassured soul, return to your Rabb, well pleased and pleasing, then enter amongst My (righteous) servants and enter My Paradise." (Qur'an Chapter 89, verses 27 to 30)

From your neighbour, mentee and grateful student.

Mineral Resources Resources Ministry, KIRS Move to Strengthen Revenue Collection in Mining Sector

 The Kano State Ministry of Mineral Resources has received the management of the Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), led by its Executive Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Maitama, in an effort to strengthen collaboration and improve revenue generation from the mineral resources sector.

According to a statement by the Director of Public Enlightenment at the Ministry, Adamu Ibrahim Dabo, the Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Alhaji Hamza Safiyanu Kachako, received the KIRS delegation at the Ministry’s Conference Room and expressed appreciation for the visit, noting that the need for greater collaboration between the two institutions had long been overdue.

The Commissioner explained that the Ministry had worked tirelessly to develop workable policies and regulatory measures for the mining sector, with the support and political will of the present administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, including the Executive order on mining activities in the state.

Alhaji Hamza Safiyanu Kachako stressed that effective revenue collection could only be achieved through synergy, mutual understanding and respect for the statutory mandates of both institutions.

He assured the KIRS management that the Ministry was committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the collection of revenue from the sector.

" We will ensure that revenue generated from this sector goes directly into the KIRS Central Billing System. We do not want to see a penny before us. I am a professional in financial administration, having worked for 18 years in the banking sector before joining public service, " the commissioner said.

He called for the development of a clear operational framework to enhance revenue collection from the mineral resources sector, which, he noted, remained an important revenue-generating sector for the state.

Earlier, the Executive Chairman of KIRS, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Maitama, disclosed that a substantial amount of revenue was being lost through the activities of officially assigned revenue vendors, particularly in sand dredging operations.

According to him, findings by the Service indicated that as much as 80 per cent of targeted revenue was allegedly being diverted by some vendors.

'' ....this must not continue. We must work together to block leakages and ensure that revenue due to the government gets directly into the KIRS Central Billing System, " the KIRS Executive Chairman stated.

He expressed optimism that the meeting would provide an opportunity for both institutions to clearly identify their respective mandates and establish a stronger working relationship for improved revenue generation.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Tijjani Muhammad Sharif, proposed the establishment of a joint committee comprising representatives of the Ministry and KIRS. He said the committee would work assiduously towards developing a harmonious operational framework and identifying practical measures to enhance revenue collection from the sector.

At the end of the meeting, both parties agreed to immediately constitute a joint committee to develop appropriate modalities for closer collaboration, improved accountability and effective revenue collection from activities within the mineral resources sector.

Gov. Yusuf Approves Promotion of over 18,000 SUBEB Staff, Releases ₦235.1m for Implementation

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved the implementation of promotions for 18,984 teaching and non-teaching staff of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for January and July 2026.

According to the statement by the Director General Media and Publicity Government House Kano, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the approval follows a request submitted by the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Yusuf Kabir, seeking the release of ₦235,116,339.09 for the implementation of the promotions across the 44 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs).

In the letter dated 2nd September 2026, SUBEB said the affected staff comprised eligible teaching and non-teaching personnel whose promotions for the January and July 2026 cycles had been processed, including the corresponding salary adjustment calculations.

The Board said timely implementation of promotions was essential to staff motivation, career development, capacity strengthening and improved service delivery within the basic education sector.

It noted that SUBEB, one of the largest public institutions in the state, has approximately 60,000 teaching and non-teaching personnel serving across the 44 LGEAs.

According to the Board, the administration inherited outstanding promotion backlogs, including arrears spanning seven years and another backlog of one-and-a-half years. It said Governor Yusuf had previously approved and ensured the implementation of the outstanding promotions.

SUBEB said the intervention had significantly boosted staff morale, restored confidence in the service and demonstrated the administration’s commitment to the welfare of public servants.

The Board explained that it had completed all necessary arrangements and processes for the January and July 2026 promotions, including staff eligibility verification and salary adjustment computations.

Governor Yusuf has approved the request, was ratified at recent State Executive Council paving the way for the release of the approved funds for the implementation of the promotions.

Governor Yusuf Condoles Kano NIPR Chairman Over Father’s Death

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has condoled with the Chairman of the Kano State Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Alhaji Aliyu Yusuf, over the death of his father, Alhaji Yusuf Alaasan, who passed away on Saturday evening at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness.

In a statement by the Director General Media and Publicity Government House Kano,Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Governor Yusuf described the deceased as a respected elder whose life was characterised by good character, commitment to his family and valuable contributions to his community.

He said the loss of a parent is a painful experience, extending his heartfelt condolences to Alhaji Aliyu Yusuf, members of the deceased’s family, relatives, friends and associates.

The Governor urged the family to take solace in the virtues and legacies left behind by their departed patriarch.

He prayed Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased, grant him eternal rest and give the family the strength and fortitude to bear the loss.

Late Alhaji Yusuf Alaasan is survived by his wife, children, including Alhaji Aliyu Yusuf, Chairman of the Kano State Council of the NIPR and Director of Public Enlightenment at the Kano State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and other family members.

Gov. Yusuf Galvanizes Support for President Tinubu’s Re-election at Kadiriyya Maukibi

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has called for continued support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement by the Director General Media and Publicity Government House Kano, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Governor Yusuf made the call on Saturday while attending this year’s Kadiriyya Maukibi in Kano, which brought together prominent Islamic scholars, political leaders and other dignitaries.

The Governor said the gathering provided an opportunity to strengthen unity, peaceful coexistence and support for the leadership of President Tinubu.

The event also featured the commissioning of a newly constructed Maukibi platform built by the Kano State Government. The platform was commissioned by the representative of the President Hon. Ibrahim Kabir Masari.

The Director Generals of APC and ADV Presidential campaign councils, Former Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’aziz Yari, and former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, also attended the Maukibi and delivered remarks during the gathering respectively.

The Kadiriyya Maukibi attracted religious and political leaders from across the country, alongside thousands of followers of the Qadiriyya order.