YUNKURIN KOYI DA HALAYEN SARDAUNA;

BA GIRIN GIRIN BA…….

DAGA

MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA

mudassiray@gmail.com

     Masu Magana na cewa “Wawaye adon tafiya”, wannan haka yake bisa la’akari da tafiyar da ake aiwatarwa a yankin arewacin Najeriya wadda take bukatar waiwaye domin kawata tafiyar a halin yanzu, tun bayan rasuwar Mai girma Firimiyan tsohuwar jihar arewa Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardaunan Sakkwato (Gamji dan kwarai, Namiji uban yan boko) ake samun ja baya a arewacin kasannan duk cewar an samu karuwa ta fuskoki da dama da suka hada da yawan masu ilimi, wayewa, arziki sannan kuma an sami saukin aiwatar da wasu abubuwa ba kamar lokacin da ba, amma sai dai babu ci gaba ta fuskar tattalin arziki, siyasa da kuma jin dadi da walwalar jama’a musamman ga talakawan yankin. Abin tambaya anan shine me ya jawo wannan koma bayan? Lallai idan muka waiwayi irin halaye da dabi’un Marigayi Firimiyan zamu tabbatar da bukatar koyi da su a wannan lokaci da yake cike da sammatsi ta fuskar jagoranci, zamantakewa tattalin arziki da siyasa. Yana da kyau kwarai mu tuna irin abubuwan cigaba da yankin arewa ya samu a lokacin Firimiya wadanda har a yau muna cin moriyar wasunsu da suke nan kuma muke takaicin rashin wadanda suka durkushe daga cikinsu. Bama yan arewa kadai ba wasu ma a yanzu dasu kasar take takama.

      Misali, a bangaren ilimi koda yake dama akwai ilimin addini, karatu da rubutu tun kafin zuwan turawa amma ta fuskar ilimin boko kowa ya san irin babban aikin da Gamji ya yiwa yankin arewa, an sami cigaba ta hanyar gina makarantun ilimin zamani tun daga kan elemantiri, sakandire har zuwa kan manyan makarantun gaba da sakandire kamar makarantar nazarin kimiyya, fasaha da harkokin yau da kullum ta Kaduna (Kaduna Polytechnic)  kai har ma da jami’o’i  irin su jami’ar Ahmadu Bello dake Zaria (ABU) a yankin na arewa. Wannan ya ba arewacin Najeriya damar yin gogayya da sauran sassan kasar duk da sun yi mana nisa ta fuskar ilimin zamani.

     Ta fuskar tattalin arziki kuwa, kowa yasan arewa akan Noma, Kiwo da sauran sana’o’in hannu irin su saka, kira, rini, dinki, jima, dukanci, sassaka da sauransu, wadannan sana’o’in sun sami kula sosai a lokacin Firimiya inda ya jajirce wajen zamanantar dasu domin su yi daidai da wancan lokacin. An sami damar kafa Masaku a Kaduna, Funtua da Gusau; Masana’antar sarrafa gyada; kamfanin Madara na Arewa wandanda suka taimaka matuka wajen samar da ayyakan yi ga jama’ar arewa suka kuma bunkasa tattalin arziki da daukaka darajar yankin arewa.

     A bangaren cinikayya da kasuwanci Sardauna ne ya samar da tsohon Bankin Arewa (Bank of the North) da Kamfanin cigaban Nijeriya ta Arewa (Northern Nigerian Developmen Company) domin bunkasa harkokin kasuwanci wanda sun kai makura wajen taimakawa al’ummar da tallafi don habaka kasuwanci, noma, muhalli da cigaban jama’ar yankin. Dadin dadawa idan mu kayi duba zuwa bangaren wayar da kan al’umma da ilimantarwa baza mu manta gidan rediyon ta talabijin na Kaduna dana kano da sauran kafafen watsa labarai a yankin wanda suke karkashin kulawar (Broadcasting Comapany of Northern Nigeria) da kamfanin dab’i na arewa ba (Northern Nigerian Publishin Company), da kamfanin jaridu irin su “New Nigerian” da Gaskiya tafi Kobo wandanda suka taimaka matuka wajen wayarwa da ilimantar da jama’a ta fuskar addini, zamantakewa, siyasa, kiwon lafiya, tattalin arziki da sauransu.

     Hakikanin gaskiya idan muka yi duba izuwa ayyukan cigaba da Sardauna ya kawo arewa zamu tabbatar ya zarta sauran takwarorinsa Firimiyoyin yankunan gabas da yamma na kasarnan, Sir Ahmadu Bello ya zamo zakaran gwajin dafi a tsakanin su ta fuskar samar da jin dadi da walwalar jama’a duk da cewar yankin da yake jagoranta yafi sauran yankunan girman kasa, yawan jama’a, bambancin addini, kabilu, al’adu da dabi’u amma duk da haka yankin ya samu cigaba fiye da sauran a wancan lokacin, tabbas wannan ya samo asali ne bisa jajircewarsa bisa aldalci da kuma sanin hakkin talakawansa.

     A halin yanzu abubuwa da dama sun tabarbare a arewa inda yankin ke fuskantar babbar barazanar durkushewar martabar da magabatan suka dora yankin akai. Ada jama’ar arewa suna cike da walwala, jindadi da kwanciyar hankali, amma yanzu labarin ya sha bamban bisa la’akari da halin kunci, masifar talauci wanda alkalumma suka nuna karfinsa fiye da a sauran yankunan kasarnan. Haka kuma bincike ya nuna an fi samun yawan cututtuka da ballewar annoba a arewa, sannan kuma yankin yafi ko ina a fadin kasarnan yawan yara kanana marasa zuwa makaranta da suka dogara da aikatau a gidajen masu hannu da shuni, yan siyasa da manyan jami’an gwamnati, wannan ya samo asali ne ga irin sakaci, halin ko in kula da kuma rikon sakainar kashi da jagororin arewa na wannan lokacin ke wa jama’arsu sabanin yadda Marigayi Sardauna ya tafiyar da shugabancin ga mutanen arewa.

     Yau shekaru 48 da durkushewar gwamnatin yankin arewa, an kuma kasafta yakin zuwa jihohi 19 wandanda gwamnoni 19 ke gudanar da sha’anin mulkinsu ba tare da la’akari da juna ba. To abin lura anan shine yadda jagora daya tilo ya jagoranci daukacin jama’ar yankin kuma aka samu cigaba mai amfani ga jama’a, ina ganin zai zamo da sauki a yanzu a wajen mutane 19 (Gwamnoni Jihohin Arewa). Alhamdulillah, a iya cewa su kansu jagororin suna yabawa da irin salo da jagorancin Firimiya don kuwa sukan bada misali su da kansu, kaga kenan a iya cewa ko sun gano bakin zaren ne sun kuma yi amanna da cewar akwai matsaloli a yankin kuma dawo da martabar arewa bai yiyuwa sai anyi adalci kamar yadda Sardauna yayi ada, sai dai mutane suna ganin ba’a nan gizo yake sakar ba, babbar maganar itace yadda za’ayi amfani arzikin yankin wajen dawo da martabar arewa ta fuskar yaki da talauci, bunkasa lafiya, inganta ilimi, bunkasa aikin noma, farfado da masana’antu, cigaban ciniki da kasuwanci da kuma kyautata siyasa da harkokin mulki da kuma uwa uba tsaron rayuka da dukiyoyin al’ummar yankin.

     Lallai in har za’ayi kokarin aiwatar da abubuwan da aka gabatar a lokacin gwamnatin Firimiya Sa Ahmadu Bello to ba makawa talakawan arewa zasu dara, yan kasuwa zasu sami cigaba sannan kuma shugabannin arewa zasu sami nutsuwa gami da san barka daga wajen wadanda suke jagoranta. Haka kuma arewa zata zamo abar misali, abar alfahari kuma abar kwaikwayo ba ma kadai ga sauran yankunan kasarnan ba har ma ga sauran kasashen duniya masu kishin talakawansu baki daya.

     To amma fa hakan baza ta samu ba sai an sami mutane na gari masu adalci, rikon amana, gaskiya, tausayi, juriya, hakuri da kuma uwa- uba tsoron Allah. Sannan mu kuma jama’a mu basu hadin kai da goyon baya mu kuma kyautata musu zato kuma muyi musu addu’a domin samun nasara ga wannan muhimmin kudirin da ni, kai, ke zamu amfana da kuma yayanmu da jikokinmu su mora a nan gaba.

MUDASSIR ya rubuto daga NTA Maiduguri.

UNEMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA ; AN EXTREME SITUATION

BY

MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA

mudaysh@yahoo.co.uk

 

     Land, labour, capital are the most important factors combine together in the process of production of goods and services in every economy. It is left for the producer to make a consistent choice among the available production functions which can be attain through the technical and efficient combination of factor input to produce various level of output. In production the application of factor depend on the intensity of that factor and this is usually measured by capital/labour ratio (K/L). It is important to note that both the factors can be under employed or unemployed generally but the most sensitive one in every economy is the unemployment of labour which is considered as a threat to the overall socio-economic setup of the society.

     By definition, unemployment of labour is a situation where people are qualified to do the work, they also have willingness and ability to partake and to offer them for employment at a prevailing wage rate but they are unable to secure the job in any sector of the economy. It is also be seen as the under utilization of labour in an economy. However so many economic and social factors can cause unemployment. Economically low aggregate demand for goods and services, excessive wage rate, literacy level, information asymmetry, pattern of demand and techniques of production, government policy e.t.c. likewise socially the societal belief base on religion and culture can  lead to a prevalence of unemployment.

     Almost all the causes of unemployment mentioned above are in existence in Nigeria and this indicate that the country can not escape from the trend of unemployment, and it is well aware that the country is blessed with abundant wealth that can be utilized to minimize the prevailing rate of unemployment that hinder the development of the country and it is responsible for the economic and social privation that the citizens are seriously facing especially the poverty inclination of over 70% of the people in the country. It was recently that the statistical analysis was released by the federal government and they reaffirm the 2007 analysis on poverty that the poverty line stated by United Nation (UN) in 2007 that any body who spend one third (1/3) out of his total earnings in consumption and any body who live below one dollar ($1) per day is considered as poor. So with this, the World Bank analysis on Nigerian case revealed that 28.57% out of the total population of Nigeria are poor, this figure was accepted by the federal government through it’s minister of labour, but up to now there is no any measure that is put in place to control the situation but they are wrongly informing the public that all the problems that the country is currently facing is because of the effect of global financial crises. This is no doubt an incredible assumption by considering the situation of unemployment which was in existence for long and even before the prevalence of global financial crises.

     The problem of unemployment in Nigeria has touches almost all the economic sectors like agricultural and industrial sector, which are considered as the nucleus economic sector in any country and the development of any country mostly depend on these two inter related sectors. Industrial sector faces serious predicaments that led to close down of many manufacturing companies, this is as a result of devastating problem of power supply in the country, within one year period about 100 textile companies were forced to close down and their workers was also thrown into the labour market and increase the rate of unemployment in the country. For those companies that are currently managing and running by the use of generator power they are not many and there is under utilization of labour in such companies which is also associated directly with unemployment.

     The large scale companies in Nigeria are in the verge of collapsing because of the power failure, while the small scale businesses that extract considerable number of labour  and distribute income in the economy like tailoring, metal work, wood work, small manufacturing firms e.t.c are also forced to close down because most of them can not afford to use private generators for smooth running of their services and as such this will definitely increase the number of people in the labour market, and this is another reason why the rate of urbanization is increasing as majority of working population are engaging themselves in some small businesses that do not have any bearing with electricity like achaba, hawking shoe servicing and other engagement that is mainly found in the cities.

     As a result of the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria the dignity of labour is falling to the extent that workers are not receiving a fair wages for their services and the right to fight for  better pay and better condition of service is deprived because of the fear that if they do so their employers can do away with them and employ others that are in long queue waiting for employment in labour market, and with this there is tendency for labour abuse that is against the concept and principle of good management of labour.

    Therefore if government is sincere in its actions for achieving stated macro economic objectives they should put effort in reducing the rate of unemployment in the country. This can be done through immediate revamping of electricity per excellent in the country, this will have multiplier effect by touching almost all the sector of the economy ranging from agriculture, industry, transportation hence the overall increase in investment, productivity, income and employment  of each sector sector in the country.

                MUDASSIR is a corp member serving with NTA Maiduguri Borno State. 

 

NIGERIAN AND ITS VAST RESOURCES;

ARE THEY CONSERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATION?

               

BY:

MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA

NTA ZARIA

mudassiray@gmail.com

   

      Nigeria is a country located in West Africa, the largest country in Africa in terms of population and wealth potentialities. It is the largest oil producer and exporter in Africa and 5^th in the world generally. Almost all valuable resource can be found in the country, some underground and surface resources are yet to be tapped. Apart from that the country is blessed with abundance land which is extra ordinarily fertile and suitable for cultivating numerous types of crops for domestic consumption and export for cash and revenue generation. The climatic condition in the country varies from time to time peculiar to the three (3) regional areas of the country, for instance, in Northern region only statistics has shown that with effective management and proper utilization of the endowed resources particularly in the field of agriculture, Nigeria can feed the whole African continent.  Likewise cocoa and rubber; palm oil and palm kennel are among the important and valuable resources in the world, and are richly endowed in western and eastern regions of Nigeria respectively.

     Initially farming and mining were the mainstay of the Nigerian economy especially in pre independent era and even after the country attained self control and with revenue from the duo sectors aforementioned above the country was able to provide to its citizens some basic life requirements. But with the discovery of oil and its drilling in commercial quantity the face of Nigerian economy was turned to the revenue derivable from crude oil neglecting some other important and nucleus economic sector especially agricultural and industrial sector making the country to depend mainly on oil proceeds.

     However, even though some resources are yet to be tapped in Nigeria, but there is need to make the best use of the country’s resources and preserve them to sustain both the present and future generation.

The conservation of our natural resources and their proper use constitute the fundamental problem which underlies almost every other problem of our national life. We must maintain for our national development the adequate material basis with which our future will still be on proper track. Nigeria must show foresight and must look ahead as a nation not only enjoys a wonderful measure of present prosperity but if this prosperity is used to harness future success. The benefit for conserving the available resource is numerous for any nation aspiring to be great, it is highly encouraging for any country to determine on how to maintain its status quo through proper planning and preservation of the resources for future use, there must be a realization of the fact that to waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed. For the last few years, through several agencies, the government has been endeavoring to get our people to look ahead and to substitute a planned and orderly development of our resources in place of a haphazard striving for immediate profit. Our great river systems should be developed as national water highways, the forests and their tributaries, standing first in importance. 

    We are prone to speak on the resources of this country as inexhaustible; this is not so. The mineral wealth of the country, the coal, iron, oil, gas, and the like, does not reproduce itself, and therefore is certain to be exhausted ultimately; and wastefulness in dealing with it today means that our descendants will feel the exhaustion a generation or two before they otherwise would. But there are certain other forms of waste which could be entirely stopped the waste of soil by washing, for instance, which is among the most dangerous of all wastes now in progress in the country and is easily preventable, so that this present enormous loss of fertility is entirely unnecessary.

     We all know that the foundation laid by our past leaders still remain the same up to present people are benefiting from their legacy, in even though some became rotten and others have started fading off. My question here is what are we doing for our children and grand children who are yet to be born as our fore father done to us? Did we make any tangible provisions that may ameliorate our future generation? Is there any arrangement for our future sustainable development economically, socially and politically?

     It is a mandate for every good citizen to contribute his/her own quota in building a just and prosperous society. Let us make sure that our resources (both human and material resources) are highly preserved for our own future generation. We should desist from any action that may eventually jeopardize the welfare of the next generation to come, because they are our blood descendants, and I am sure no matter the level of madness one have, one will not stab him/herself with a knife. Therefore any misuse and extravagant of the present resources will automatically impair and wash away the quality of its future demand and hence jeopardize the welfare condition of our offspring.

                                   Mudassir write from NTA Zaria channel 32

TRIBUTE TO LATE DR. MUHAMMAD ABUBAKAR RIMI.

(1940 – 2010)

BY:

MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA

Mudassiray@gmail.com

 

     Monday 5^th April 2010 was the fateful day of mourning not only to the people of Kano State but to the entire people of Nigeria following the announcement of a sudden death of Kano based international political magnate, the all time political friend and god father of the masses, an active political activist as well as one of the agent of Nigerian democracy. This is nobody but Alhaji Dr. Muhammad Abubakar Rimi(CON), the first executive Governor of Kano State, a very pleasant and respectful person with a great sense of humour and self assertive, the man of the masses, the people’s best political key player in Kano who dedicated his time towards salvaging  the plight of his masses subordinates, whose voice and saliva mostly dried up in his effort to fight and change the political scenario  to go in accordance with standard international political order.

     The gentle, courageous and industrious person has sacrificed much of his time despite facing serious political thugery, blackmail and sabotages in ensuring masses redemption. Alhaji Abubakar Rimi also posses masses centred political ideology and principles in the sense that his political actions are geared towards the provision of societal welfare and development of masses politically, socially and economically. He was a strong hearted and humble politician who is always campaigning against money politics which is the order in today’s political system, but rather urged for displaying pure political ideology.

       He was called “ Limamin Canji”  meaning “ The Apostle of Change” because of his firmed ideals toward transforming the political system with the aim of attaining positive changes that may eventually guarantee individual liberty, accountability and better representation of masses by their leaders. It took to the extent that Limamin Canji is well known in Nigeria on his dedication and endurance in serving the masses towards attainment of political fairness, justice, equity and development. He always tasked and pressurized both military and political leaders to be responsible and accountable to their subordinates particularly in the provision of basic life requirements. Indeed, wherever there is injustice, aggression, tyranny and oppression, Alhaji Rimi would go in extreme parallel against them.

     Moreover, what impressed me most with Me gida  Rimi was the way he used to opposed and challenged any injustice and oppression even if it comes from his party or a government in which he was an active participant. In fact, he was also known for that popular attitude of legal and legitimate opposition on any policy and programme of government which will not directly or indirectly benefit the masses.

    Born in 1940 in Rimi, Sumaila Local Government Area of Kano State. He started his primary education in Sumaila Central Primary School, he proceed to Government College Birnin Kudu where he obtained his Secondary school certificate. He then went to Sokoto for an Accounting course. He obtained his First and second Degree in International Relation. He started his career as a class room teacher in Congo, Zaria and he also served the government of Nigeria in different capacities (especially in Nigerian embassy in Cairo).

     As a Governor of old Kano State (now Kano and Jigawa States), he ruled the State with heart full of commitment and dedication, sacrificing his time and talent with determination to transformed the state and take it to greater height. His achievements as a Governor are many but to mention a few among others are:-

     Construction of 14 storey building of Kano State Investment and Properties (Gidan Ado Bayero), construction of sketches and roads in Farm Centre, building of trade fair complex Zoo Road, construction of Magwan Water Restaurant which  presently is not in possession of Kano State Government. Construction of Kano State House of Assembly in the State Secretariat, construction of Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Road popularly known as Mandawari sabon Titi, construction of Hausawa Court Road, construction of many rural feeder roads across the state etc.   

      In the field of agriculture, he established Kano Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO) and Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) to cater for farmers towards the provision of modern agricultural tools, equipments, seeds and fertilizers in the state, and their offices and stores were spread to all local governments and other towns in the state. In his administration, agricultural product taxes and poll taxes (Jangali) were lifted during his administration.

     In the provision of education, he was the first Governor that developed the idea of mass literacy in the whole Country. This led to the establishment of Agency for Mass Education which accorded him higher recognition and award from the United Nation (UN) for his tremendous effort. Apart from mass education, he built many primary and secondary schools across the state, he equally established Kano State College of Education Kumbotso which was named after his late wife Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education. He also sponsored many students in the state to study both within and outside the country in order to improve the level of education, skills acquisition and manpower development in the state.

     In the supply of electricity, before his arrival as a Governor, there are less than 10 towns that were fully equipped with power supply. But on taking the mantle of leadership, just within 4 years about 180 villages and towns in the present Kano and Jigawa States were supplied with power which up to this day residence in those areas are immensely benefiting from.

       Health sector was hermonized per excellent, where he established about 66 health centres together with building of School of Nursing, Dental clinic and Aminu Kano Hospital which was later took over and converted to Bayero University Teaching Hospital by the federal government.

     In the area of mass media, he established state owned television station the CTV 67, Triumph Newspaper Company in order to uplift the level of public enlightenment and awareness.

     Moreso, In the Traditional arena and Chieftaincy affairs, in order to bring people closer to the government he created emirate councils and upgraded the title holders in Karaye, Gaya, Rano, Ringim and Auyo to become Emirs.

     In early 1983 as a result of some serious intra party political crises in PRP he decamped to NPP and voluntarily step down from his appointment 5 months to the end of his tenure as Governor for what he considered to be gross injustice to his people and former party PRP as against the attitude of today’s politician who decamped to another party while on their political seats won on the platform of other parties.

     That enviably handsome man, was also a Chairman of Nigerian Agricultural Development Bank (NADB) during IBB’s regime where he served the Bank with absolute dedication, and provided soft loans at low collateral across the federation.

     Nobly generous Rimi was also appointed as the minister of communication during the military government of General Sani Abacha GCON. He made a tremendous effort in the provision of NITEL network service in all local government headquarters in Nigeria. He also made another good effort of recovering the bad debts individual and organisations owed NITEL through forcing the public including high ranking people to pay their NITEL dues.

     His last appointment with government was the chairman of Nigerian Security Minting and Printing under the civilian government of Obasanjo in 1999 – 2003.

     The highly articulated man was devoted to religious etiquettes. He sponsored many Islamic programmes in Radios and Televisions for the benefit of the general public.

     With respect to his efforts and achievements it goes without saying that Rimi was dedicated, hardworking and responsible politician who was always trying to wipe away the tears of his subordinates. He died at the age of 70 and at a time when the people are in dear need of his wealth of experience and service to humanity.

     May Almighty Allah direct his gentle soul to Jannatil Firdausi and give us the courage and fortitude to bear this irreparable lost of our dear friend, brother and father.

Allah ya jikan maza. Amin .

 

 

MUDASSIR write from NTA Network Centre Maiduguri.