Deep Thought

 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...