The late Prof. Mustapha Ahmed Falaki had a larger-than-life personality during his working career that made his name ring the bell nine years after his assasination. As expected, my tribute last week to the academic colossus, social-justice crusader, power of the powerless, and farmers’ general, Mallam Falaki, attracted praise and happy testimonies from those whom…
On Saturday, February 14th, 2015, my phone repeatedly rang in the middle of my lovely squash game. I cursed myself for not putting the phone on silent mode. I hesitatingly answered it. The distance caller said, “Prof, you are in the court playing, so you didn’t hear that Malam Falaki (as we fondly called him)…
By Prof M.K. Othman As time ticks, our university system’s perilous situation is deepening, creating an unpleasant scenario. The current administration seems irresponsive to the happenings on our university campuses. Apart from the sweet-coated but unfulfilling statements, award of 25/35% salary increase, presidential amnesty to release four months withheld salaries of the striking workers, approval…
In 2001, during my postgraduate program in Montpellier, South France, one of the most observable features of banks in France was the sparse population in banking halls. You can hardly see ten people in the banking halls, comprising bank workers and customers. The only reason for a customer to be in the banking hall is…
Today, public university employees are Nigeria’s most disenchanted, discontented, and embittered workers. The segment of the academic staff housing the teachers is at the bottom of the ladder in this villainous classification. The university lecturers are the crème de la crème of the sane society and deserve special treatment to do their best for societal…
Right food Act: Nigerians Must Not go to Bed on an Empty Stomach Professor Gbolagade Ayoola is an obscure personality among the downtrodden Nigerians, the category of people he has doggedly fought for all his life. If Nigeria is a country that recognizes and celebrates heroes and fighters of human rights, Ayoola would have been…
Un petit pose—to use the French language for a break. Again, this week, I am fulfilling my promise of sharing some of my readers’ views on several issues discussed in this column to provide broader perspectives for clarity. While I sincerely appreciate my readers’ effort to comment on the issues I raised, I cannot…
It is time to pause and allow readers to air their views on the many issues featured in this Column. This week and next, I will share some of my readers’ views to give broader perspectives on the issues discussed in this Column. One of the critical issues was that of Borno State Governor Prof….
Precarious Food Security in Nigeria: Can President Tinubu Change the Narrative? II My last week’s piece closed with a poser: Are the two Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security, Senators Kyari and Abdullahi, capable of breaking the jinx of poverty and hunger associated with Nigerians? Answering this question requires an in-depth analysis of Tinubu’s policy…
As I am writing this piece today, Tuesday, December 12th, 2023, the Nigerian population is 226,179,203. This population estimate is based on Worldometer’s latest United Nations data elaboration. In the last fifty years, the Nigerian population has escalated at a geometric proportion. The population growth rate in Nigeria is “one birth in every four…
