GOD FATHER BARADE

Suleiman Qosim

Even as there can be nothing wrong in endorsing a candidate, the reputation of the person making the endorsement matters.

Its surprising how SU President, Faruk Barade who wasn't cool with the endorsement of his then opponent, A.A Funtua by the former SU President, Shehu Kalgo now feels it is okay for him to endorse or annoint a candidate.

Barade clinched the position of the SU Presidency against a candidate who is more familiar -and probably, more deserving- with the position. While a lot wondered how the popular A.A Funtua lost to a candidate who many would say came from nowhere, even though he came from somewhere, it's just a simple Nigerian-Politics formula.

Even though an amateur, Barade learned and understood how Nigerian -more especially Sokoto- politics works. Give them something and they will vote for you -- some politicians used that to dominate their territory for more than a decade. And it worked for them!

No one freaked out when unprecedentedly in UDUS a SU Presidential aspirant campaigned with gifts (Hand fans and Cups). Instead, like in Major Elections, Danfodite-Nigerians voted for a candidate with gifts at the expense of another with experience.

If in the last two years, Maibasira had endorsed any SU aspirant, his candidate will definitely win because at that time most students will not even oppose him running for a second term --if possible-- and that is because of the tremendous work he had done.

Like Barade last year, many students are also not cool with the endorsement of a candidate.

The fear of many is that the welfare of students will be stagnant or even deteriorate in the hands of a Barade-endorsed candidate who will likely follow the foot-steps of his predecessor.

Aluta Last Born may find it difficult to garner support if Barade is his God father, but may be lucky to clinch the position if he happens to have an unpopular contender.

This article was first Published on GAMJI PRESS UDUS in February, 2020

The Proud Viruses: Kansas Flu and COVID19

Qosim Suleiman

Writing anything in the birth of this decade, this year, this month, this week or this day will see your imagination floating from your room until your mind is abreast of the sun. You need to. You need to see how, unprecedentedly, homosapiens are in a state of miasma. Not knowing what went wrong or when it will be right. It's all because of COVID19 which started as simple flu but turning deadly by the day. Months ago, it was a Wuhan disease. It soon became a pandemic and a Health Emergency for the world.

One will wonder if the world has ever been in this state in the history of civilization. Thanks to History, the world has suffered scores of viral infections and disease outbreaks, but there is a notable one in the history of civilization, one that would pass for the kinsman of COVID19; The Kansas Flu, otherwise known as the Spanish Flu that creeps in, like a thief in the night in 1918 when the world is at war. When governments won't let anything deter them from winning the war. When nothing, not even humanity, matters as the war did.

Spanish flu, like Covid19, was proud. It came as an enigma. It needed attention and only left when it got it. COVID19 has all the attention now --world economies stagnant, businesses dormant, people grounded, cities and airports deserted--is it leaving soon?

Deaths, as a result of the Spanish flu, was around 50million people --more than the recorded deaths of World War I.

Even though deadly, Kansas flu may not have killed half of those it killed if the world had paid attention to it. In fact, governments were lying to the population that it was only the common flu that had another name. This lie killed millions including privates in the war. The government began seeing an astonishing and puzzling bulk of soldiers in the frontline getting sick at the same time. Soldiers soon outnumbered the health care services available.

There is only a slight difference between Covid19 and its kinsman, Kansas flu. While COVID19 fell in love with folks with weakened immune systems, Kansas flu seems to be interested only in the strong, as it killed more youths between the ages of 18 and 45 than it did on people with weak immune systems. The justification remained obscure.

COVID 19 should not kill much --there is about 20% recovery in the case with more than 200,000 people recovering from about a million cases (as on April 7th there is a total of 1,363,365 cases with 292,425 recoveries and 76,420 deaths).

The fight against COVID19 is a war with victory aloof. World powers and the whole world have a role to play to bring forth the victory. While the populace needs to practice precautionary measures of washing their hands, sanitizing them, coughing to their elbows, practicing social distancing etcetera, Governments need to compensate the working-become-idle population with palliatives. A scientist needs to work round the clock to save the planet --the people make up the planet. World Powers need to stop the blame game of who invented the virus or imposing selfish and unimportant items, like the US insisting on labeling the virus "Wuhan Virus" --President Trump has always referred to it as the "Chinese Virus".

Economies are crumbling, jobs are being lost by the day, people are devastated as they are isolated. Hunger keeps growing as food supply and reserve keep running low.

For this Virus not to kill more than it is supposed to, the world needs to lay down its differences and get to the drawing board to roll out an expedient plan to fight COVID 19. Until then, Stay Safe.

Qosim Suleiman is a Journalist. He can be reached on twitter @elqaxxee

Who's Next After Kazeem Tiamiyu?

By Qosim Suleiman

Day by day we are faced by Insecurity emanating from different parts of Nigeria. Also, we are faced with extrajudicial killings by the security agencies meant to protect the lives of innocent civilians.

One of them is the recent killing if a footballer, Kazeem Tiamiyu --a case that showed, vividly, the hypocrisy of the police.

Worse still, the other three died in the midst of protest to get justice for him.

This is not really a new phenomenon in Nigeria --as the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the police is known for its notoriety.

But this worrying spate of killings by those in the vanguard has raised questions by Nigerians in who the next victim will be. A day before his death, Tiamiyu never expected his death to be from a man who has sworn to protect Nigerians.

The Leadership of the National Assembly is not unaware of this, as the Speaker of the house of representative, Femi Gbajabiamila stated on Tuesday "Reports of police harassment of young people have become so rampant that they barely even break through the news cycle except when public anger becomes so great that it results in a breakdown of law and order,”.

Unfortunately, aside from this statement, the call for reforming the police and the disbandment of SARS Zonal Office by the Inspector General of Police, there has been no concrete efforts to stem future occurrence while seeking justice for the slain footballer.

A soul has been killed. A destiny ruined. A future shattered. And a career squashed.

Since SARS has the primary role of curbing " Armed Robbery" why not stick to their roles and desist from chasing the so-called fraudsters or "Yahoo boys" to avoid future occurrence.

Qosim can be reached on twitter @elqaxxee

Nigeria and its misplaced priorities

By

Qosim Suleiman

The Nigerian media space is always heated with debates on what is going on in governance, mostly when the Nation's treasury is about to be shaken up to excavate huge amounts of money.

It happened late last year when President Muhammad Buhari assented to 37 Billion naira for the renovation of the National assembly constructed at 7 Billion naira.

Information and Culture Minister, Lai Muhammed made a statement on Monday that he needs $500 million dollars to rejig the Nigerian Television Authority NTA to compete with the likes of CNN. 

The statement is as annoying as it is funny because NTA is, arguably, one of the worst television channels in Africa.

The Current Minister of Sports and Youths Development, Sunday Dare in his book "Guerilla Journalism: Dispatches from the underground" described how in the 90s he visited the South African state TV and was stunned by what he saw. Immediately he knew NTA was operating in a dysfunctional state. He even made mention of a time when he went there (NTA) for a program, and only one Camera was functional. That was at NTA Abuja, the nation's capital.

With Nigeria's public debt at N26.215 trillion  and the World Bank not willing to give loans to the country anymore is enough reason for the country to reduce public spending.

Now instead of sorting for ways to reduce the debt, the federal government is seeking other means of getting loan --including the $500 million.

It is clear that NTA's upgrade is long overdue but, the country is at a time right now when it needs to cautiously cut spendings by applying strictly the elementary topic of economics "Scale of Preference".

Qosim Suleiman is a Journalist. He can be reached on twitter @elqaxxee

Jamb Recommended Books and the "dull" students

Qosim Suleiman

Several teenage or young adults book especially the ones recommended by Jamb are often an eye opener for most students -particulaly, young adults and undergraduates- and I love it except for the single side taking of the 'bright students' who always, at the end, passed WASSCE and secure admission into their dream university to study their dream course- which I believe is almost opposite of the reality at hand. You will notice these novels end abruptly not telling us what happens to other dull students who failed the SSCE. This infuriate me a lot. Are they so useless? There are dull, dumb, bad or whatever kind of students you tag the ones that constantly take the burden of having to come last or worst at the end of every term. The stride and agony of this set of guys are never represented. All Jamb recommended books -Last Days at Forcadoes High School, In dependence and Sweet Sixteen- made attempts to solve the problems of bright students, forgetting that the so called 'dumb' or 'dull' students suffer more anguish than the bright ones actually do. At the most, the bright ones only encounter, probably, bully at school but they are constantly loved by teachers and parents. Unlike the dull ones whose biggest problem may be the evident preference their parents and teachers have for their counterparts who are only better with grades. Sometimes, the dull students, after trying and suffering alone without encouragement or a pat at the back, resort to eccentric harsh behaviors - bully and inflicting harm on others. This is usually the rise to the stubborness and behavioural disorder that will later dominate their lives -if at all they do not become or seen as psychopaths. Now Imagine a Jamb-recommended book that features its main character as the worst graduating student whose parents and teachers doubt his excellence in the WASSCE, and like every one thought, he failed. Then narrate how support from parents, teachers and everyone around him would help him rise above what he could be in his wildest dream. Jamb, I want to see a book about a young person who engage in social vices, but rise beyond this and create a desirable future for himself.

Enough of the bright students stories!  At least its better inspiring the uninspired young dumbs than re-inspiring the inspired smart dudes.

WHERE THE FAMILY GOT IT WRONG

Qosim Suleiman
It's heartbreaking to know that the Family is the source of most Stigma and Violence. Today, I believe happiness and love from ones family play a vital role in one's development including one's chosen career.
Sometimes the family become selfish wanting you to do their will and not yours. 

WITH LESS THAN 50,000 YOU CAN DRIVE A STOLEN CAR FROM AND TO ANYWHERE WITHIN NIGERIA

If you are surprised by this, then you have not heard or seen the report of Fisayo Soyombo titled “REPORTER’S DIARY: With N46,000 bribe, I drove a ‘stolen’ car from Abuja to Lagos, and back!”

Somebody talked about this report and I decided to check for it.
I am bewildered when I saw it; Fisayo Soyombo is an Investigative Journalist, in this report, he drove a car without any document, not even a driver’s license from Abuja, The Federal Capital Territory to the biggest city in Nigeria, Lagos and back to the FCT.

The most amazing part of this story is that, he met with 86 checkpoints of different authorities including – The Nigerian Police (The Kings of Bribery), Federal Road Safety Corp, Nigerian Army, and the Nigerian Customs. You know how he got through? N46,000 did the job.
Now, we have answers to why a car will be stolen and will not be found. Also, now we know that the recklessness and nonchalant attitude of these forces has made terrorism unending in Nigeria.

Now also, we know that the killings by herdsmen are with the consent of these forces. That’s why, when you ask some people who Boko haram is? They tell you it’s the government, who is Fulani herdsmen? It’s the government they will say, because already it is clear that the Law enforcement agencies are those who trample on the laws they are supposed to enforce.

By this report, it is crystal clear that smuggling within the Nigerian border will be as easy as chewing a gum.
What is the way out?

THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT DO IT! THE MASSES CAN!

Until Nigerians stop giving out bribes, then and only will our country progress. Sometimes I blame Buhari for focusing too much on corruption, now I can see that corruption is the prime problem of Nigeria and must be curbed before we can achieve anything, not even taking the World Cup.
This is the untold story on federal roads; it is the untold story of the enforcement agencies.
All the ministries and agencies in Nigeria have their own atrocities too, sooner or later, they, also will be revealed.

CHANGE FOR GOOD AS A NIGERIAN,

some people will say “If you can’t beat them join them”, it is not true, you definitely can beat them.
Remember, “If you want to change the world, look at yourself and make a change!”
God Bless Nigeria!