Ismail

A blip in the vastness of time

[Mr. El-Bonga @el_bonga]

Over the years, I have noticed that most of our young people want to join politics and run straight to Abuja in order to sit in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly. Almost every young man with money—who returns home to contest elective positions—wants to start with the House of Representatives. They want to go to Abuja, where they are mostly based, to “chill with the big guys.”

What they prolly don’t get is the fact that, as far as governance is concerned, the grassroots level is very important. Governance at the subnational level is the most important tier of all the components that can translate into meaningful change. It is the lowest levels of the societal pecking order where you can touch lives in millions.

There is nothing wrong with starting in the State Assemblies. You are not bigger than that. You can make laws and make reforms that directly touch people’s lives. Start there and then graduate to the federal level.

Nowadays, every young man with little money from a few contracts in Abuja or Lagos, after a few discussions with their Abuja godfathers in their air-conditioned living room, simply concentrates on the National Assembly, viewing seats at the state level probably too small for them. They want to follow the footprints of their godfathers without learning or starting somewhere. They want to head to Abuja straight.

Ironically, some of them do not even have the necessary experience in business or governance to spearhead the activities of their communities because they have not built anything. For some, their businesses are still in their fledgling days. Take a careful look at majority of the aspirants and judge. Yet they want to leapfrog everything and get to the very top at once. They do not even consider positions such as local government chairman.

This mentality needs to change.

[Omar @omar_dddg]

Obsessing over money will really eat into your soul, wallahi there are way more important things. Especially as a man.

Leave the hustle culture.

Work hard but enjoy the process and do the things you love and if money comes then welcome it and be grateful to Allah, and spend it on your family and in charity, and if it doesn’t and God has given you enough food and shelter, then also be grateful.

Life is way too short, we’re all on borrowed time.

[Ismail @ismail_mb]

This is a lie, with all due respect. Adamawa isn't known for having a large number of beggars, even today.

[Big Shegs @olusegunfadipe2]

Lagos will be unlivable soon.
I worked in Adamawa state in 2004 before boko haram began...
The kids were like these

[Abduljalal Musa Aliyu @AbduljalaalMusa]

Countries like Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Japan record only 1-5 maternal deaths each year.

In Nigeria, 75,000 women died from pregnancy- and childbirth-related causes last year.

This is completely unacceptable. We have politicians who seem more focused on politics than governance. They win an election today, and by tomorrow, instead of delivering on their mandate, they’re already talking about the next election.

This is why every kobo of public money wasted while the masses suffer earns my Allaah ya isa.

Education, healthcare, the economy, in virtually every critical metric, Nigeria is a ticking time bomb.

Every preventable maternal death, every life lost to insecurity, and every child kept out of school reflects failures in governance, corruption, and the misuse of public resources.

Wallaahi we don’t hate Nigerian politicians enough.

[Iain Cameron @theiaincameron]

The Niger River has one of the most bizarre courses of any major river on Earth. It starts just 150 miles (240 km) from the Atlantic Ocean in Guinea. But instead of flowing west to the sea, it heads inland, northeast toward the Sahara Desert.

Why?

1/n

[Chief 🇵🇸 智人 @NWali_X]

Looking at these children, they've probably never known what it means to live a normal life. Most were born after 2009 and have spent their entire lives at the epicentre of the insurgency. To them, violence, bloodshed, displacement, and loss are not interruptions to life, they are the only reality they've ever known. When an entire generation grows up with conflict as its normal, the consequences extend far beyond the battlefield!

[Paul Graham @paulg]

Something I told 14 yo: People are going to stop reading books. I wish this wasn't so, but I fear it is. The silver lining in this cloud is that if you're one of the few people who still read, you'll have a huge advantage over everyone else.

[Ismail @ismail_mb]

@MA_Iliasu Amin. Allah ya mata gafara ya baku haƙurin rashi.

[Abduljalal Musa Aliyu @AbduljalaalMusa]

According to UNESCO, the recommended pupil-to-teacher ratio at the primary school level is 25 pupils to one teacher.

Okay, that may be too ambitious for Nigeria. Even the National Policy on Education recommends a ratio of 1:25 for pre-primary, 1:35 for primary, and 1:40 for secondary schools.

But in Kano, according to the state’s Annual School Census, one teacher handles an average of 105 pupils.

You don’t get it. In a pre-primary or primary school setting, it is simply impossible for one teacher to effectively teach 100 pupils.

A teacher needs to hold children’s hands to teach them how to write. How do you hold the hands of 100 pupils in a single day? They also have to mark their exercise books in at least five subjects every day. How do you mark 100 pupils’ books five times each? That’s 500 books every single day.

These are basic realities.

You simply cannot impart knowledge this way.

And it isn’t just about Kano. Many schools across Nigeria, especially in rural areas, operate under similar conditions.

This is why some of us insist that we must invest heavily in education.

This is why, whenever any state wastes even five naira, I’ll call it out and argue that such money should have been invested in education.

We have such a huge education deficit that even if every state devoted its entire budget to education, it would still take years to close the gap.

Our governors need to rise to the occasion. Otherwise, there is no way we’ll overcome insecurity.

[Ismail @ismail_mb]

@hamzaabaliyu @abdulfot Beautiful!

[Phryne Astynome @PAstynome]

The elites are a reflection of the people. It doesn’t matter which way it flows either. If the people are trash, the elites are going to be trash; if the elites are trash, then the values they are going to impose on their people will be just as bad.

[MA Iliasu @MA_Iliasu]

Do we think the 30 million children that don’t go to school will just disappear into a thin air?

[Omar @omar_dddg]

People nowadays forget that enduring hardship is one of the greatest virtues and may as well be life’s entire purpose.

It’s the root cause to a lot of depression.

Either a life that isn’t challenging enough, or giving up in the face of a hard challenge.

Without enduring, life isn’t worth living.

وبشر الصابرين.

[Propaganda & co @propandco]

Piece of shit hypocrites

[Omar @omar_dddg]

On a day like today, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), knew it was going to be his last pilgrim, and he gave his final sermon to us.

This is the most important man to walk on earth's advice. So read it and heed:

“O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again.

Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

“O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust.

Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.

Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.

“Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds.

Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest); therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep.

You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib (the Prophet’s uncle) shall henceforth be waived…

“Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

“O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you.

Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission.

If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness.

Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers.

And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

“O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, perform your five daily prayers (salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford it.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor does a black have any superiority over a white, except by piety and good action.

Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my household (Ahlul Bayt), and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people.”

[Al Jazeera English @AJEnglish]

“We used to celebrate Eid with joy. Now we just calculate what we can afford.”

High costs in Nigeria are reshaping Eid preparations as families adjust spending and cut back on celebrations https://t.co/9Pvf3Nzf7J

[Ismail @ismail_mb]

@HabuSadeik Agreed. 2 days WFH is the perfect arrangement in my opinion.

[Mr. El-Bonga @el_bonga]

You think people care about blueprint? I doubt. In 2015,only Atiku and late Sam Nda had a clear manifesto I think. Buhari had none. After PMB’s victory in Lagos,both Atiku and Sam Nda submitted their blueprint to the party. Our people aren’t yet mature for policy-based campaigns.

[Al Jazeera English @AJEnglish]

Nigeria is expanding naval shipbuilding in Lagos to reduce reliance on foreign vessels and strengthen maritime security. The navy is locally producing and maintaining patrol boats used against piracy, oil theft, and smuggling.

Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris reports.

[Bello Saleh, PhD بيللؤ ساليح۔ @bellosaleh]

Meet Yusufa, Hafizu and Audu — and their innocent, cheeky smiles.

These pre-teen boys are street beggars I encountered a few days ago in Abuja.

Away from home.
Away from school.
Away from safety, dignity and childhood itself.

They are from Mashi, Katsina State.

Their Local Government Chairman is Salisu Kallah Mashi.

Their representative in the Katsina State House of Assembly is Hon. Sani Bello Mustapha.

Their representative in the House of Representatives is Hon. Majigiri Salisu Yusuf.

Their Senator is Distinguished Senator Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura.

Their Governor is His Excellency Dikko Umaru Radda.

The President of their country is His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Every one of these elected officials swore an oath to protect children like Yusufa, Hafizu and Audu.

To protect their dignity.
To secure their future.
To ensure they have access to education, safety and opportunity.

But because #AlmajiranchiIsChildAbuse, these children have been failed.

Failed by leaders who refuse to enforce Nigeria’s Child Rights Act (2003), which clearly states:

“No child shall be used for the purpose of begging for alms…”

And we, as a society, have also failed them — by normalising this exploitation, looking away, and refusing to hold our leaders accountable.

Child begging is not culture.
It is not tradition.
IT IS CHILD ABUSE.

We must advocate to #BanAlmajiranchiNow.

@officialABAT @dikko_radda @UNICEFNigeria @UNICEFAfrica @UNICEF @NigeriaGov @MinOfInfoNG @FMYDNG @FedMinOfJustice @nassnigeria @PoliceNG @ICPC_PE @officialEFCC