Deep Thought

 Mai Mala Buni: From Wearing Two Caps to Biomedical Revolution By Prof MK Othman On 8 July 2021, I published a column examining what I then described as “the art of wearing two caps”—a reflection on Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State’s ability to navigate the simultaneous demands of partisan political leadership and subnational governance. The argument in that essay was neither celebratory nor predictive. Rather, it was an inquiry into institutional balance: whether the burden of national political responsibility could coexist with focused attention to the quotidian, unglamorous work of state development. At the time, the conclusion was cautious. The essay noted discipline, timing, and restraint as key ingredients but stopped short of extrapolating long-term outcomes. Almost five years later, events in Damaturu on January 29 and 30, 2026, provide an opportunity to revisit that earlier reflection—not personalities, but process, priorities, and precedent. The commissioning of the B...

 Kano Family Killing: Nigerian Youths and Collective Responsibilities By Prof. MK Othman Over the past six years, I have written extensively about Nigerian youth and their future, including articles highlighting the risks of neglecting our youth. Despite repeated warnings, the situation continues to decline. At the heart of this crisis is the undeniable fact: the trajectory of our nation depends on how we prepare, empower, and guide our young people. Their current condition is not merely a youth issue but a direct reflection of our societal priorities and collective responsibility. Entering 2026, Nigerians face mounting socioeconomic challenges. Recently, a senseless daylight killing occurred in Chiranchi, Kano: a mother and her six children were murdered by youth. The Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, condemned the act as barbaric and unacceptable, ordering a manhunt. He stated, “The killing of a mother and her innocent children is barbaric, senseless, and a grave assault on ...

 Yayale’s Tribute: The Long and Thorny Road to University Stability By Prof MK Othman In my November 2024 article, I posed the question of whether Alhaji Yayale’s name would be written in gold for accepting two of the most unenviable assignments in Nigeria’s public policy space—leading the government delegation to resolve the over-decade-long FGN-ASUU crisis and serving as the pro-chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria Governing Council. It is on record that, some years ago, key personalities who held the same jobs at different times did not finish without denting their credibility, either because they were unable to meet the expectations of their principals or because stakeholders were dissatisfied. Both jobs were herculean, arduous, and frustrating, requiring skillful technocrats with impeccable character with ability to squeeze water out of stone. With the benefit of hindsight, the answer to my poser is more affirmative than cautious: Yayale Ahmed became the squar...

 Re: Whither the Nigerian University System? III By Re: Whither the Nigerian University System? III By Prof MK Othman Given the dispute resolution brokered by the indefatigable Yayale Ahmed committee, with the strong support and determination of the President Tinubu administration to end perennial university workers' industrial action, 2026 is the year of dream-realization for university workers in Nigeria. Earlier, the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), a Federal Government initiative, proved to be a strong tool for making tertiary education accessible to the majority of indigent students through a soft loan facility. NELFUND is more than a financial aid program; it is a beacon of hope for Nigerian students pursuing higher education. Salute to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for enduring the struggle to achieve lofty gains and secure for university lecturers their due recognition – university autonomy, enhanced salaries, and allowances. Salute to the Minister ...

 SAA-IsDB-KSADP Agricultural Model: Scalable Pathway to Food Security? By Prof MK Othman A most heartwarming experience is commencing a well-planned project and concluding it most imaginatively, with a scoreboard showing that the target was exceeded in multiple ways. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I witnessed the launch of the Sasakawa Africa Association- Islamic Development Bank – Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (SAA-IsDB-KSADP) in Kano. On December 20, 2025, I was also among the key witnesses at the close-out workshop, which marked the project's conclusion. Beneficiaries and other key stakeholders celebrated the project's achievements in combating poverty and advancing food security across sizable communities in the 44 local government areas of Kano State. The SAA-IsDB-KSADP model was not only a promising agricultural project but also demonstrated scalability, replicability, and sustainability. During the five years of its implementation, smallholder farm...

 Whither the Nigerian University System? III By Prof MK Othman   As I was concluding this article last week, news broke of a significant milestone in the ASUU-FGN impasse: FGN and ASUU had signed a comprehensive agreement signaling the end of the 8-year ASUU industrial action. It was an impasse that cost billions of Naira in lost person-hours, unquantifiable economic losses, and, in some cases, the supreme price. The tragic case of a professor who was neck-deep in debt due to the imposed "no-work, no-pay" policy, watching the news on TV when it was announced that the "no-work, no-pay" policy would be sustained even after suspending the 2022 ASUU industrial action, resulting in the professor's fatal cardiac arrest. There were a few reported and unreported cases of hardship stemming from the perennial ASUU strikes, which are now history, owing to the determination of President Tinubu's administration to end them. I salute Mr. President Tinubu, Education Minist...