Deep Thought

 Nigeria, Greatness and the Missing Link II By Prof. M. K. Othman The picture of Nigeria and its potential to be a great nation was presented in this column last week. It is heartwarming and inspiring to recognize Nigeria’s enormous natural and human resources, but also disheartening to know that these resources are lying idle, with some being plundered. As earlier buttressed, humans are the most important resource, which galvanizes the transformation of other resources to fast-track societal development. How qualitative is Nigeria’s human resource? The major qualitative indicator of human resources in any society is the level of its human capital. Human capital refers to the stock of competencies, skills, knowledge, and personality attributes that individuals embody.  These attributes are responsible for creating a high-quality labor force with appreciable economic, social, and personal values. Labor is the most important factor of production. Human capital is therefore a pri...

 Nigeria, Greatness and the Missing Link By Prof. M. K. Othman In February 2026, Nigeria is 66 years and five months old as an independent nation, free from colonialism, and 113 years old as a nation called Nigeria. The 1914 amalgamation of the British colonies and the northern and southern protectorates into a single country, Nigeria, was carried out by fiat, without consultation with the people. During colonization, the land, its resources, and the people were considered the spoils of the colonial masters. Some people felt, and still feel, that the amalgamation was an “accident of history” that shouldn’t have happened; they argue, “how can over 200 nations be fiercely jam-packed as one nation”? Nevertheless, the country has survived decades of political, religious, and tribal turmoil, plundering, and kleptomania, and still wears the toga of a potentially “great nation of the 21st century”. Can Nigeria achieve greatness in this century? Nigeria is stupendously blessed with both hu...

 Re: Kano Family Killing - Nigerian Youths and Collective Responsibilities By Prof. MK Othman   From youthful exuberance to delinquency and then to full-blown violent crimes, the youths are restive, and we are losing control of the situation, creating a bleak future for the nation. From Bama to Badagary, the story of youth involvement in illicit drug use and crime is pathetic and, more dangerously, creating a monster that requires our collective efforts and responsibility to crush. After a series of write-ups on Nigerian youths and their undesirable behaviors that have become a time bomb, I was alarmed to read a piece by Abdu Abdullahi, an ace writer and public opinion analyst, who cited examples of crimes committed in Kano over the last five years, predominantly by youths. Abdullahi posits that Kano, hitherto a famous center for both Islamic and modern education, cultural fulfillment, and progressive politics, has sadly been redefined and ruled by spontaneous episodes of huma...

 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...