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Saudi Arabia's Unfair Visa Treatment to Nigerians

 Saudi Arabia's Unfair Visa Treatment to Nigerians By Prof MK Othman With the benefit of hindsight—drawing from my diverse experiences in a successful postgraduate program in Europe and visits to several countries in Africa, America, and Asia—I believe that no nation merits my strenuous effort to visit except Saudi Arabia (SA). Earlier, I made three unsuccessful attempts to visit Saudi Arabia until 2010, when I persevered and performed my first Hajj operation. After that, I visited Saudi Arabia thrice, with my last visit occurring this year, between March 16 and 27, 2025. On each trip, one of my prayers on the last day of my stay before the Masjid Haram in Mecca was to have the ability to return as many times as possible. My desire for frequent visits to Saudi Arabia reflects the wish of every Muslim in Nigeria and other Muslim countries to perform one of the five obligatory acts of the Islamic faith. For a Muslim, performing Hajj, which takes place only in Mecca, Minna, and Medina...
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SAA-Nigeria: Champions of Regenerative Agriculture and Digital Extension

SAA-Nigeria: Champions of Regenerative Agriculture and Digital Extension By Prof M. K. Othman Is achieving food security in Nigeria a mirage, a pipe dream, or a false hope? Food security has evolved from just quantitative factors of adequacy and sufficiency to encompass qualitative aspects of nutrition, dietary quality, and timely availability of the right food for the right people in the correct amounts. Beyond the definition of food security, a demographic factor needed to reach this goal in Nigeria poses significant challenges for policymakers and implementers.  When Nigeria gained independence in 1960, its population was approximately 45 million. As I write this piece, the Nigerian population has soared in geometric proportion to 236 million, more than five times its size over the past 65 years. The demographic trend in Nigeria is expected to position the country as the third most populous nation after India and China within the next twenty years. Yet, there are no known polici...
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Trump II: Are His Policies Blessing Africa in Disguise?

 Trump II: Are His Policies Blessing Africa in Disguise? By Prof MK Othman The United States of America is an enigmatic political embodiment reflecting human creation's true nature. The more you observe, the less you comprehend; a more profound analysis leads to further confusion. Otherwise, why would Americans, who triumphantly denied Trump a second term in 2020, consider bringing him back to the White House in 2024?  President Donald Trump was denied a second term as President of the United States in the 2020 election due to political, social, and economic factors. Among these key factors were Trump's conduct and behavior. Many voters were deterred by his controversial statements, Twitter usage, and the numerous scandals that marked his presidency, including his impeachment by the House of Representatives in 2019. Has Trump changed, earning him a second term?  Today, President Donald Trump is in his second month occupying the White House during his second and final term...
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IBB Memoir: Is the Cat Getting Out of the Bag?

 IBB Memoir: Is the Cat Getting Out of the Bag? BY Prof. M. K. Othman I love reading biographies, but I love autobiographies the most for obvious reasons—an actor shares his perspective on his actions, inactions, and covert and overt situations. However, the risk of reading autobiographies lies in the potential for biased opinions, sugar-coated narratives, and historical distortions. I have not read the 420-page IBB memoir, "A Journey in Service." Nevertheless, I have carefully studied the book review by His Excellency Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the former Vice President of Nigeria. Additionally, there have been responses to the book from Sameer Lukman and Dr. Abdullateef Y. Bida, among others, along with several news media commentaries. As a keen observer of IBB's background from my days as a university student radical, I have always been interested in IBB's developments over the last four decades. IBB's revelations may be just the beginning, letting the cat out of the...
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# StopASUUStrike-Yayale's Arduous Tasks II

 # StopASUUStrike-Yayale's Arduous Tasks II By Prof MK Othman The first part of this piece was published in this column on Wednesday, October 30, 2024. At that time, I only knew Yayale through newspapers and news media. Nevertheless, I wrote about his responsibilities, background, risks, and potential challenges related to his assignment. This assignment involves two demanding tasks: leading the government delegation to resolve the over-a-decade-long FGN-ASUU crisis and chairing the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria Governing Council, which entails overseeing the appointment of the university's new vice-chancellor. The tasks are so burdensome that one can hardly accomplish them without compromising integrity and reputation. I recounted the unpleasant stories of the late Mallam Adamu Chiroma and Engr. Bunu Shariff Musa, who were appointed at different times to chair the ABU Zaria Governing Council and serve as university Pro-Chancellor. However, both resigned due to circumstan...
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Re: The Beauty of China, its People, and Accentuated Lessons

 Re: The Beauty of China, its People, and Accentuated Lessons By Prof. M. K. Othman   China's narrative is not fading, and many people share my view of the country: admiration, envy, and respect. A large population is typically associated with chaotic and undisciplined behavior, as control and regulation become challenging, but this is not the case with China. The population is exceptionally high, representing over 17% of the world’s total, yet the leadership is attentive to every individual in China. Therefore, the citizens are unlikely to misbehave for fear of consequences. Our political leaders need to learn the art of effective governance from the Chinese to guide the nation to its promised future. Some of my readers have shared their thoughts on China, and I am presenting them from a broader perspective. Happy reading.   Excellent write-ups about China and the Chinese people, my professor, sir. As represented in their map, there is much to appreciate about the “fat c...
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Re: Jimmy Carter- Adieu to the Champion of Downtrodden - Nigeria, Nay Africa

 Re: Jimmy Carter- Adieu to the Champion of Downtrodden - Nigeria, Nay Africa By Prof. M. K. Othman   President Jimmy Carter stood much taller amid the giants.  His aura of influence may continue to touch the lives of the underdogs years after his demise. We cannot but continue to mourn the death of the African hero, the American president who advanced human rights and alleviated human suffering. We grieve the death of Jimmy Carter for spearheading the campaign to eradicate dracunculiasis, onchocerciasis, trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, and malaria across over eighty countries in Africa and Asia. We will continue to cherish and immortalize President Jimmy Carter, who passed on at the Centurian age. As part of the mourning, I lifted and edited (for clarity) Dr. Wumi Akintide’s comment on my article published two weeks ago to further enlighten my readers on the excellent job to humanity performed by Jimmy Carter during his 100-year journey on earth. Happy reading. Dr. Akint...
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