Deep Thought

 #EndASUUStrike: Need to Pay Salaries of Striking University Workers   By Prof. MK Othman ASUU strike was forcedly suspended in October 2022. It was suspended not ended but can be ended in this new dawn. The nation is suddenly breathing the enviable fresh air of hopes for a glorious future under the able leadership of shrewd but consummate politician, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT). As a testimony, BAT was a 2-term governor of Lagos state (1999-2007). His stewardship as governor was (still is) the most highly rated performance of a governor in Nigeria since the inception of the current political dispensation. He touched every sector of societal development particularly the economy, education, power, and the rest. To date, Lagos remains the startling example of good governance and excellent leadership under BAT’s tenure. Can he replicate it at the national level? Time will tell. No doubt, governing a complex nation like Nigeria is a herculean and gargantuan task, which needs...

 20-day BAT Presidency: Petroleum Subsidy Withdrawal and Matters Arising By Prof M. K. Othman Today, 17th June 2023 is exactly 20 days since Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu took instrument of power from President Muhammadu Buhari as the 16th Head of State and 8th democratically elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Globally, the performance of leaders is assessed after their first 100 days, then one year in office, and so on but BAT set the ground rolling with a gigantic stride that shook the socioeconomic bonemarrow of the nation immediately. From the day he took over, 29th May 2023, several things started happening in quick succession that makes waiting for 100 days to write the BAT scorecard a herculean task with the possibility of making mistakes. Nevertheless, his earth-shattering policy of petroleum subsidy removal needs a thorough discussion in this Column. Before digesting BAT's inaugural speech, Petroleum Subsidy Withdrawal was the first policy that hit us like t...

 Readers’ Comments on Katsina Irrigation, GSS Funtua, ASUU and GMO By Prof MK Othman I am on break this week to publish the views of some of you, my esteemed readers on the various issues in this Column. Some of the views are edited for clarity, space limitation, and conformity with my style of writing. Happy Reading.   Sitting on a Goldmine: Irrigation, a Glorious Future for Katsina State   You have said it all regarding the revamping and refurbishing of the agricultural sector (including Pests, Weeds, and Diseases Control (PWDC), proper irrigation systems and facilities, agro-processing industries, marketing of agricultural products, etc). I wish Dr. Dikko Umar Radda a sound and successful administration beyond the expectations of people. Many people are hoping that he will be the best Katsina State Governor in history, as he has a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension, and he is well-known as a hardworking and smart civil servant with relevant experience in civil service, as...

 FGN VS ASUU Court Case: Beyond the Legal Judgement By Prof. MK Othman   Law is an ass, idiot, and an insane blind woman with a sword, ready to swing in any direction.  Like a pregnant woman of those days when nobody could predict the sex of the fetus but today’s technological advancement has invalidated this maxim. The complexity and limpidity of the law have created a dreary concern to many whenever a judgment is to be pronounced. The regimented and conservative court procedure with its perceived supreme power has distanced the common man from the court, which is opposite to the adage “last hope of the common man”. Self-esteem and superiority complex of the law practitioners, the lawyers further compound the misunderstanding of the law by the generality. I remember when a lawyer was assigned to teach us a topic “company’s law” as part of a course called “Engineer in Society” in my undergraduate days, one of his first statements was “I am sure you aware that we lawyers a...

 GSS Funtua@60: A Tortious Journey from Grace to Grass By Prof. MK Othman   I was taught and have taught/still teach in many institutions of learning within and without but two of such institutions are uniquely occupying the center stage of my heart. These two are so dear to me that I can give all I have to advance their causes. Government Secondary School (GSS) Funtua and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria are the two exclusively pricey schools I cannot but continue to hold close to my heart. Coincidentally, my age and the age of these two schools marked our Diamond age in 2022 as they were established in October 1962 while I was born three months earlier. I paid a glorious tribute to ABU Zaria, titled “ABU@60: Giant, Still Briskly Walking in the Right Direction” published on 13th October 2022. This article can be accessed via my blog; https://deepthoughtwithmkothman.blogspot.com/2022/10/abu60-giant-still-briskly-walking-in.html On Sunday, 2nd October 2022, GSS Funtua, (now Govern...