Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna has granted former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai access to his choice medical facilities for eye and dental attention. At a sitting today, May 6, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, granted the request, saying that El-Rufai should be allowed access to medical facilities of his choice whenever the need arises, Such medical facilities including Mile Dental Clinic and Skipper Eye-Q Hospital, Abuja. El-Rufai legal team, led by Oluwole Olaniyan (SAN), had made a plea to the court, during the proceeding, to allow the defendant access to medical treatment, specifically for dental and eye care, at designated facilities in Abuja. The court had earlier admitted El-Rufai to bail in the sum of ₦200 million and two sureties in like sum, while the administrative bail granted to the second defendant, Joel Adoga was adopted by the court.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyeson Wike has advised a female Pastor who pleaded with him not to reallocate a land on which her church is built to stop calling on God. “To the woman who was crying, if she likes, let her call God to come down. What is my business? How does Jabi become hers? Is it an individual or government property?” Speaking to newsmen today, May 6, in the capital city, Wike said that he is not carried away by emotions.
The minister asked the female preacher, who knelt on the pulpit, pleading with him not to repossess the land on which the church is sited what she is begging for. “Who owns Jabi Lake? How does it become your (pastor’s) own? “First of all, I came on board; that place was given to a company that said they wanted to turn it into an entertainment place, but they have turned it into shanties. “One of these days I went there and said, ‘This can’t be; there is a hotel, and who would come to stay in that hotel when there are shanties all over?’ You don’t know if there are criminals. “We are trying to make sure investors develop this land for the interest of all of us.” The video clip of Rev Serah Omaku, begging the minister on her knees not to reallocate the Church land went viral on social media a couple of weeks ago.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has issued a strong warning to Senator Adams Oshiomhole to be careful how he addressed him or face expulsion from the Senate. “Oshiomhole, if you become unruly, we will use the rules to take you out of the Senate.” This came today, May 6, in the Senate chambers when Akpabio clashed with Oshiomhole over the reading and interpretation of amended standing rules. Trouble started when Akpabio began with the reading of Votes and Proceedings of yesterday, May 5, and Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) raised a point of order. The Senate President quickly reminded him of the rules of the Senate as contained in the Standing Order 2023 as amended: that during this point of going through the Votes and Proceedings, a point of order is not always taken. Akpabio called the former Chief Whip, Senator Orji Kalu, APC, Abia North, to educate Oshiomhole on the rules, and Kalu said the same as the President of the Senate: that there was no point of order at this point. At this point, Oshiomhole did not stop, and the whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, APC, Borno North, warned that if the Edo North senator continues, he would invoke the powers he has and then asked Oshiomhole to be guided. Akpabio continued to read pages 194, 195 just as Oshiomhole continued to talk, saying that they must all read the rules and went to Order 20 (c) Akpabio said: “We should not just go home, buy forms and come here without knowing the rules. Akpabio then continued and rounded off with Senator Adamu Aliero, APC, Kebbi Central, moving for the adoption of the votes and proceedings and seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, PDP, Benue South. Oshiomhole’s outburst might not be unconnected with yesterday’s amendment of the Senate rules, ahead of the 2027 presidential and general elections. The Senate had put in place, moves to scheme out incoming senators for the 11th National Assembly from contesting for the position of President of the Senate and amended its standing rule, limiting the eligibility of candidates for the Senate presidency to only candidates in the 9th and 10th assemblies. The new amendment of the Senate standing order says the Senate has narrowed the scope of eligibility for senators-elect for principal and presiding positions to only two-term senators who will be eligible to vie for any principal office. With this development, it appears that it shut the door of eligibility against would-be senators in the 11th National Assembly in June 2027, like Senators Hope Uzodimma, Imo; Kabiru Marafa, Zamfara Central; Adams Oshiomhole, Edo North; among others. The Senate, after about three hours of a closed-door session, amended orders 4 and 5 of its standing rules to edge out those who were not in the 9th and current 10th Senate. The new amendment went further to state that one of the two consecutive terms must immediately precede such nomination. The immediate implication of this is that only members of the 10th Assembly who are re-elected in the 11th Senate will be eligible to contest for the positions. The Senate explains that the new standing rule is to engender strict compliance with the parliamentary tradition of ranking. The amended order 4 states: “Nomination of Senators to serve as Presiding Officers shall be in accordance with the ranking of Senators and shall be strictly adhered to. “The order of ranking are (i) Former President of the Senate , (ii) Former Deputy President of the Senate , ( iii) Former Principal Officers of the Senate , ( iv) Senators who had served at least one term of four years , (v) Senators who had been members of the House of Representatives , (vi) In the absence of i to v, Senators elected into the Senate for the first time.” Aside from the order of ranking used to narrow the window of eligibility among senators-elect for the presiding positions, the 10th Senate went further with an additional provision in Order 5 to knock off freshers in the contest. The order states: “Any Senator shall not be eligible to contest for any Principal Office of the Senate unless he has served as a Senator for at least two consecutive terms immediately preceding nomination.” This means that Senators who were not in the 9th and current 10th Senate are not eligible to vie for presiding officers’ positions in the 11th Senate. Presiding officers’ positions in the Senate are President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate. Principal officer positions are Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Whip of the Senate. Others are minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and deputy minority whip.
A veteran journalist based in Abuja, Nigeria federal capital, Alhaji Ibrahim Biu has recommended a serving Senator, Ibrahim Mohammed Bomoi for the Governorship of Yobe State in the 2027 election. In a statement today, May 5, Ibrahim Biu said that Bomoi has always remained a strong party loyalist and committed to the overall development of his Yobe South constituency which he represents in the Senate and the State generally. The veteran journalist, who said that he had been following the state political trend since 1999, insisted that his choice of Senator Bomoi has nothing to do with his person but has everything to do with performance, loyalty, grassroot status and more. “I have never met Ibrahim Mohammed Bomoi on one-on-one basis, but I have been following his political career, especially as Senator.” Ibrahim Biu, who retired as a Director in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), acknowledged that the Senator has remained steadfast in giving his best to anywhere his services were needed, even when he too was Director in the same FCTA. The veteran journalist noted that for the All Progressives Congress (APC) on which ticket Senator Ibrahim Bomoi has been representing his Senatorial District to go for the person in Ibrahim Bomoi that has the capacity and foresight would serve the greater good of humanity and the collective future. “Senator Ibrahim Bomoi has the opportunity of contesting and returning to the Senate in 2027, but his vision goes beyond personal ambition. “His heart is with all the people of Yobe State, the youth, women, the masses and generations yet unborn. It is their future that must guide the decisions being made today. It is time to sacrifice today for their tomorrow.” Ibrahim Biu advised APC to choose courage over convenience, prioritize the will of the masses over personal desires, saying that there is need to embrace a new direction that reflects the true voice of the people. “For nearly three decades, we have followed the same path. It is only fair to ask: why not try something different? “Let us, for once, truly listen to the people from Zone A to Zone B, and from Zone B to Zone C. Let their voices be heard. Let their will determine who emerges as the flag bearer. This aligns with the spirit of the amended Electoral Act of 2026, which places greater trust in the people.”
The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has drew attention to the ongoing infrastructure revolution in the Northern part of Nigeria by President Bola Tinubu, as precursor to economic transformation of the region. He said that the infrastructure revolution is consistent of roads, rail, agriculture, energy and education, aimed at stimulating local economies as well as deepening cross-border trade, enhance regional integration and position the region as a commercial nerve centre for the sub-region. According to him, the deliberate and strategic investments of President Tinubu’s administration in Northern Nigeria are designed to transform the region into a formidable economic bloc and a model of development for neighbouring countries across West and Central Africa. In a statement today, May 5, by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, the APC National Chairman said that the scale, depth and intentionality of ongoing federal government interventions underscore a clear commitment to repositioning the North as a hub of productivity, trade, education and infrastructure-driven growth. Professor Yilwatda stressed that the transformational Infrastructure Development highlighted several ongoing and planned infrastructure projects that are critical to the North’s transformation. “These include: The expansion and rehabilitation of major road corridors linking Northern states to key commercial hubs, facilitating seamless movement of goods and people. “The ongoing rail modernization projects, including extensions that connect Northern cities to ports and southern markets, thereby reducing logistics costs and boosting trade competitiveness. Strategic investments in energy infrastructure aimed at improving power supply to industrial clusters and rural communities across the region. “The development of agricultural value chains through irrigation projects, mechanization support, and agro-processing zones to ensure food security and export readiness.” The APC boss emphasized that the Northern region, given its geographical advantage and economic potential, is strategically positioned to serve as a gateway to neighbouring countries such as Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic. “The vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Northern Nigeria goes beyond politics; it is a well-thought-out economic and developmental strategy aimed at unlocking the vast potential of the region. “Within the lifetime of this administration, the North will emerge as a strong economic powerhouse, driven by infrastructure, human capital development, and strategic investments.” He said that all the developmental projects are part of a coordinated national strategy to integrate the North into global value chains while strengthening its role within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). On education, the APC National Chairman described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a landmark intervention that will significantly expand access to tertiary education for Northern youths. He explained that NELFUND is structured to remove financial barriers that have historically limited educational attainment in the region, ensuring that no qualified student is denied higher education due to lack of funds. This, he said, will lead to a more educated, skilled, and competitive workforce capable of driving innovation and economic growth. “Education is the backbone of sustainable development. With NELFUND, the children of the North now have a clear pathway to tertiary education, regardless of their socio-economic background. “This is a transformational policy that will redefine the future of the region.” On agriculture, security and economic evitalization Professor Yilwatda pointed to renewed federal focus on agriculture as a cornerstone of Northern development. According to him, enhanced security measures, combined with targeted support for farmers are gradually restoring confidence in rural communities and boosting agricultural productivity. He said that the administration is prioritizing food security through large-scale farming initiatives and support for livestock development and modern ranching systems as well as access to financing for farmers and agribusinesses. He said that there is also a programme onrevitalization of dams and irrigation infrastructure. He said that these efforts will not only feed the nation but position the North as a leading exporter of agricultural products to neighbouring countries. Professor Yilwatda called on all stakeholders in the Northern region, traditional rulers, political leaders, youth groups, business communities and civil society, to rally behind the Tinubu administration to ensure the successful implementation of these transformative initiatives. “This is a defining moment for the North and for Nigeria. We must not allow narrow personal interests to truncate a historic opportunity for regional transformation. The future we seek requires collective commitment and unity of purpose.”
There used to be the time in the past where people looked forward to “tomorrow” with hope and expectation of bountiful things. Those were the days when people were comforted with soothing word: “tomorrow will be better.” As a matter of fact, those were the days when the youths would be comforted with the word: “youths are the leaders of tomorrow.” It has continued to be clear from about two decades now that the tomorrow has at every turn, became a nightmare, hopeless and fearful. Just recently, I engaged with some concerned Nigerians in review of the socioeconomic situation of the country, and the painful conclusion we arrived at was that each government, from Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian government since the beginning of the fourth Republic in 1999, had turned out to be better than the one that succeeded it. In other words, citizens would go out to vote the leader they thought would better their lives over and above the one that was exiting only to end up in direct opposite. Without imputing any personal bias, it’s been clear that Nigerians enjoyed the good side of governance, irrespective of the circumstances, during Obasanjo’s regime more than the period of late Umoru Yar’Adua/Goodluck Jonathan regime, leading to the current leadership of Bola Tinubu. Let’s take it one after the other: When Olusegun Obasanjo assumed office as civilian President in 1999, his government was able to restore democratic institutions, secure debt relief from the Paris Club and stabilize the economy to some extent. Yet, many ordinary Nigerians still faced poverty, unemployment and inadequate infrastructure. So, while there was hope, the benefits were unevenly distributed. Then came Umoru Musa Yar’Adua, whose regime placed emphasis on the rule of law and electoral reform. His administration also initiated the Niger Delta amnesty program, which reduced militancy in the oil-rich region. However, his subsequent ill health limited the impact of his policies and therefore, the systemic issues persisted. The tenure of Goodluck Jonathan saw economic growth. Nigeria even rebased its GDP to become Africa’s largest economy at the time. But still, insecurity, especially the rise of Boko Haram, corruption allegations and weak infrastructure eroded public confidence. Many citizens began to feel that growth figures did not translate into real improvements in daily life of the citizens. When Muhammadu Buhari came into power, tall hope was built by the impoverished citizens. They thought that stage was set for them to gain back the country they had always dreamt of. Buhari came in promising to tackle corruption and insecurity amongst others. While there were efforts such as the introduction of Treasury Single Account and social investment programs, the country experienced economic recession, rising inflation and worsening insecurity in various regions. For many Nigerians, hope began to give way to anxiety about safety and economic survival. The bitter experience of poverty was in many homes. The current administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu introduced what have largely been called “economic reforms.” The father of the reforms were fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification. Economists agreed that such reforms are necessary long-term corrections, but that in the short term, they have brought about higher living costs, untold rise in fuel prices for simple domestic shuttles and deepening hardship for many citizens, intensifying the feeling of uncertainty. The question is “has the hope of Nigerians turned into a reverse gear, breeding, instead of “better tomorrow” but” “fearful tomorrow?” The persistent gap between government promises and the reality of the living conditions of the citizens, marked by poverty, insecurity, unemployment and inflation, has steadily eroded trust. The worsening tomorrow for the citizens has, in deed, been largely as a result of governance challenges, which have to do with weak institutions, corruption, policy inconsistencies and rapid population growth that is not matched with economic expansion. In short, Nigeria’s story since 1999, though has not been one of total decline or total progress, but has been a mix of gains and much more, disappointments, where hope has repeatedly risen with each new administration (through mere promises), only for such promised hope to be dashed by enduring structural challenges. There is stubborn insincerity of leadership to admit that the situation is not what it is supposed to be. Analysts have actually ran down statistics on what should be the common denominators of good governance to average common Nigerians. After juxtaposing the pros and cons of the previous governments, they arrive at a dismal conclusion that so far, Tinubu’s government, after about three years in the saddle, presents indices of failure – to provide simple basic necessities of comfort for the citizens over whose affairs he presides. Such common denominators of what the common man regard as good governance are the prices of basic food items, prices of other things needed for simple everyday survival and security, amongst others. For example, from 1999 to 2007 (Obasanjo’s era), price of fuel was between ₦20 and ₦70 per litre and it rose to between N65 and N87 per litre during the regime of Umoru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. Attempted subsidy removal in 2012 briefly pushed the price to ₦141 per liter, but was reversed after protests. With Buhari in charge between 2015 and 2023, the nation’s tomorrow got worse with the price of fuel rising to ₦145 in 2016 and ₦210 in 2023. Then came Bola Tinubu with Renewed Hope mantra. Because of abrupt removal of fuel subsidy, the price of fuel rose to about N1,300 per liter as at today. With the removal of fuel subsidy, prices of virtually all things on the surface of Nigerian earth jumped through the roof. From Jonathan era when price of rice, for example, was about ₦7,500 per bag to Buhari era when it rose to ₦55,000 to 2023, when Tinubu took over to the present it is N80,000. All through, it has been, for the citizens, a walk into the dark tomorrow. Remember that Nigerians were buying pepper at ₦21,000 per basket during Buhari era. They were hoping that when tomorrow came, the price would go down, only for tomorrow to come in 2023 when Tinubu took charge, for the price to jump to ₦175,000. Price of every other thing, from transportation, children school fees, clothes, soft drinks, water to other conceivable items rose beyond the imagination of any sane economist. Inflation climbed between 15 and 20 percent during Buhari government but surged close to 35 percent in 2024. Before 2023, transport was relatively predictable because subsidy cushioned the effects of skyrocket prices on the citizens, but after 2023, transport fares surged sharply, most time at 1000 percent. For example, the cost of filling the tank of a Spacebus (Seana) as at February 2023 (before the coming of Tinubu in May that year) was N13,000, but today, to fill the same tank one would have to cough out about N125,000. Many Nigerians have reduced movement due to cost of transportation. Drivers who use their vehicles for commercial purpose lament daily because they usually don’t have money to take back home for the family after the day’s runs. Fuel take all the money they make. What type of tomorrow would such drivers say they have brought onto themselves? The scale and speed of price increases under Tinubu are much higher, largely due to structural reforms, including subsidy removal and currency changes without pre-plan for cushioning the effects of such. To make the already dangerous trend worst, Tinubu’s government defied all basic economic reasonings to introduce taxes on all manner of basic things needed by the citizens to enjoy some kind of minimal comfort. The question really is: have Nigerians any hope (that word again) that tomorrow will still be better after the 2027 general election, irrespective of who mounts the gauntlet? Or will an advance version of hopelessness surface… again?
It was on a quiet morning twelve years ago, the news filtered through homes, mosques, and offices with a solemn finality: Alhaji Adamu Atta was gone. For many, it felt as though a towering tree – one that had stood through storms, sheltered generations, and shaped a people’s direction – had finally bowed to time. May 1, 2014, he transited to join the majority in the Great Beyond. In remembering him this year, we embark on an excursion into his life. We revisit a legacy that has stubbornly refused to fade. And we ask, perhaps more urgently than ever: what does leadership look like in an age that often forgets the meaning of service? The Making of a Statesman Alhaji Adamu Atta’s story did not begin in the corridors of power. It began in Okene, in present-day Kogi State, where he was born on October 18, 1927, into a family that understood authority not as privilege, but as duty. His father, Warrant Chief Ibrahima Atta who later became the first paramount ruler of Ebira land was a respected figure within the Native Authority system; a man whose administrative discipline and sense of order quietly shaped his son’s worldview. Young Adamu absorbed those lessons early. Yet, he did not remain confined by geography. His academic journey took him beyond Nigeria’s borders: first to the famous Achimota College, Ghana in 1947 for advanced studies, and then to London, where he read Law. At a time when such opportunities were rare, his admission to Lincoln’s Inn and subsequent call to the English Bar in 1960 marked not just a personal achievement, but a milestone for Ebira land. He returned home not merely as a lawyer, but as a pioneer; one of the earliest legal minds from his community, carrying with him both knowledge and a deep sense of responsibility. *Service Before Politics* Before politics beckoned, Atta had already built a reputation for competence and integrity. In the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN), he served as Legal Adviser, navigating the complexities of a young nation’s evolving infrastructure. Those were formative years for Nigeria’s power sector, and Atta was at the heart of it. He approached the role not as an administrator chasing prestige, but as a builder; someone who understood that national development rests on the quiet, consistent work of institutions. It was here that many first glimpsed the traits that would later define his political life: discipline, foresight, and an unusual commitment to the collective good. *A Governor with a Vision* When Alhaji Adamu Atta entered partisan politics under the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), he did so at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s history. The country was transitioning into civilian rule, and expectations were high. In October 1979, he emerged as the first civilian governor of the old Kwara State; a vast and diverse region whose complexities demanded both political tact and developmental clarity. His victory, following his role in the 1977 Constituent Assembly, was not merely electoral. It was symbolic. It represented the arrival of a leader who combined intellectual depth with grassroots connection. What followed was a tenure that many still describe as transformative, particularly for Ebira land. *Rewriting the Story of Education* Perhaps the most enduring pillar of Atta’s legacy lies in education. At a time when access to secondary schooling in Ebira land was painfully limited – just six schools – his administration embarked on an ambitious expansion. By the end of his tenure, that number had grown to thirty-eight. This was not just a statistic. It was a revolution. It meant that children who would have otherwise been denied formal education suddenly had classrooms to walk into. It meant that families could dare to dream beyond subsistence. It meant that a generation was being quietly prepared for leadership. The establishment of the School of Nursing in Obangede (now the College of Nursing) further demonstrated his foresight. In a country grappling with healthcare challenges, Atta understood that investing in human capital was as crucial as building physical infrastructure. Even the foundation he laid for what would become the Osara Campus of Kogi State Polytechnic speaks to a man who was always thinking beyond his tenure. *Building Beyond the Present* Atta’s governance extended into healthcare, hospitality, and administrative development. The Specialist Hospital in Obangede was not merely a building; it was a lifeline. The expansion of Kwara Hotels and the construction of the Civil Service Clinic reflected an understanding that governance must touch both the elite and the everyday citizen. In Ilorin, the development of Secretariat Phase III strengthened the administrative backbone of the state, ensuring that governance itself could function more efficiently. Perhaps, his most visible contributions lay in roads and electrification. The Okene-Kuroko-Itakpe Road became more than a transport route. It became a connector of lives, markets, and opportunities. Electrification projects lit up communities that had long been left in darkness, both literally and figuratively. *Leadership that Empowered* What set Atta apart was not just what he built, but who he lifted. His administration introduced empowerment initiatives that gave ordinary people a stake in their own progress. He sponsored numerous indigenes for the Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca, recognizing the spiritual aspirations of his people alongside their material needs. He also pursued grassroots governance with conviction, creating local government areas such as Adavi Ihima and Ageva among several others. Though later dissolved by subsequent administrations, their creation remains a testament to his belief that governance must be brought closer to the people. *The Quiet Years* After leaving office in 1983, Alhaji Adamu Atta did something rare among political figures: he embraced quietude. There were no loud attempts to reclaim the spotlight, no desperate bids for relevance. Instead, he lived with dignity, allowing his work to speak long after his voice had faded from public discourse. Generous to a fault, his compassionate heart kept speaking through his hands; especially in educational support. He was characteristically offsetting educational bills of children school fees at all levels. Provide evidence of your child’s tuition evidence and you’ll walk out of his house with broad, very broad smiles. He never said no to genuine appeal for children school fees or tuition. Even when he was down with critical optical health challenge, he remained favour-seekers destination. September 18, 2010, the Kogi Central Media Practitioners Association (KOCEMPA) organized a public lecture/Award ceremony to honour Alhaji Adamu Atta while he was still alive. The event held at the auditorium of the Federal College of Education, Okene. My humble self was the President of the association. In the build-up to the event, the initiator and member of KOCEMPA, Prince Emmanuel Omadivi and I led a deligation to the head of Atta family, Dr Abdulmumin Atta in Kaduna for his blessing. And he graciously did. In Dr Atta’s speech, he acknowledged his younger brother’s uncommon disposition towards those who approached him for financial assistance, especially educational request. He remarked that Adamu has an infectious desire for supporting educational development and that he would not care where the favour seeker came from. Further more, he said that even in sick bed, he was still assisting people adding that “amazingly, his wife – Rose – was exceptionally tolerant and cooperating.” He commended her for being there for his brother tirelessly. May 1, 2014, in Abuja, Alhaji Adamu Atta passed away peacefully at the age of 86. It was, in many ways, a gentle exit for a man who had lived a life of purpose. *A Legacy That Speaks* Twelve years later, his absence is still felt, but his presence endures: in schools filled with students, in roads that continue to carry commerce, in institutions that still serve the public. At a time when leadership is often measured by noise rather than impact, Atta’s life offers a quiet rebuke. He reminds us that true leadership is not about visibility. It is about vision. It is not about rhetoric. It is about results. For Ebira land, he remains a symbol of what is possible when opportunity meets preparation. For Nigeria, he stands as a reminder that public office can, indeed, be a platform for genuine service. *Reflections* As prayers rise for his soul today, one is compelled to reflect not just on who Alhaji Adamu Atta was, but on what he represents. He represents a generation that believed in building without boasting and without shouting from the rooftops. He represents a politics anchored on purpose. He represents a legacy that does not beg to be remembered but insists on being felt. “Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un.” From God we come, and to Him we return. But some lives, like that of Alhaji Adamu Atta, leave behind footprints too deep to be erased by time.
– Abdulkarim Abdulmalik is an Abuja-based Journalist and can be reached on: nowmalik@gmail.com
I was in Makkah on the third of December last year for Umrah and to seek healthcare. And perhaps to run and rest from a political endeavour I willingly jumped into with both feet, even though wide-eyed. By February 10th I was through and was planning to return to Nigeria on the 20th of the month. My intention was to start the Ramadhan that commenced on the 18th there. I informed the airline which rescheduled my return ticket accordingly. Man always proposes. And you must as long as you are alive. But like it or not, it is God that always disposes. That is His prerogative. On the night of Thursday, the 13th – incidentally, a day I was also born – I woke up at about 12 am gasping for breath. I used a nebuliser and it subsided. I went back to sleep. Then at 2 am, it recurred. This time around, the nebuliser did not work. Symbicot, Spiriva – all didn’t. I told my family, my wife, Doctor Aminat Zakari, Fanta Baba Adam and my son, Abubakar Sadik, that we should go to the hospital. We were staying on the fourth floor of an apartment in the Shahra Mansur area of Makkah, but the lift stops at the first. I was not able to move down the staircase when we reached the floor. And I was seriously gasping for air. I heard Fanta tell Sadik, “Just pick him and let’s get down.” And this boy actually carried me up with one hand, using the other to hold the rails for guidance. Strong boy! I wondered where he got his strength from. From our father’s side, we were ulama and farmers. Perhaps from his mother’s side? She, her father, sister and siblings were big-boned. One of her senior brothers was even nicknamed Giant. And her father, at one time, was the Emir of Fika’s Head of Guards. Well, that’s by the way. He brought me out of the block and I heard him calling for an ambulance. Within five minutes the Medical Emergency Team, Red Crescent, was with us. An impressive aspect was that the team was tracking our position through my son’s phone and asking him what I would require. What happened was that my lungs had collapsed due to infections by germs and opportunistic parasites. But I have been having lung issues even before I left Nigeria. It made it difficult for me to walk for any appreciable distance. Or climb stairs. Doctors here in Nigeria look at you superficially in the name of diagnosis, prescribing what may not be the solution. Over there, the ambulance came at a time when my lungs, as I said, had collapsed. Without functional lungs, you cannot breathe. Simple as that. The Red Crescent ambulances are mini hospitals in their own right. Where you see windows in ours, that one can peep in or out, theirs are all constructed to accommodate medical gadgets for almost all kinds of unforeseen and envisaged emergencies. When they arrived, of course, I could not move. I was forcefully pulling in the little air I could into my compromised lungs. Grunting, chest heaving like a ram being slaughtered. They talked to me like humans to a human, calling me “Habibi.” Habibi is an Arabic word meaning “my love,” “my dear,” or “my darling”. The Arabs, great people in the art of love, use it as a term of endearment for friends, family, or significant others. It is masculine. The feminine form is “habibti”, meaning “my beloved”. It is derived from the Arabic root ḥubb (love or affection). These medics, two of them, carried me to the ambulance when they realised I could not help myself. Inside the ambulance I immediately began to function. They connected me to an oxygen machine. What their Emergency Team does is always to rush the patient to the relevant hospital closest to where they picked him. And that was what they did. Ash Shifa in the Shahra Mansur area of Makkah was where they took me to. Now, I had never heard of them. I was enamoured by hospitals with names like Saudi-German, Adeer and others. But because Allah (SWT) is He who knows, He made them take me to Ash Shifa, which I now realise is one of the best hospitals in Makkah, with a staff so dedicated and in love with what they do. The nurses, whom I will talk about subsequently, in sha Allah, are professionals and know their job. There, they put me on a mechanical ventilator, or life-support machine, to resuscitate my lungs. It worked. A life-support machine does for you what your lungs cannot do for you. And that was how it was till March 3. The lungs picked up. The doctors – Doctors Tema, Nazeeh, Imdad, Hassan and Ahmed Alsaid – all great guys whose humanity is beyond the medical profession – were happy, even ecstatic. They had just saved a life! I will talk about them by and by, in sha Allah. Then, a twist! They tried weaning me off the life-support machine three times. It failed three times. My lungs still could not take breathing through the nose. And they feared going for the fourth time. Next option? Tracheostomy. A tracheostomy is a surgically created opening in the neck leading into the trachea (windpipe) to establish a secure airway, clear airway obstruction, or for managing secretions. A tube is inserted into this opening to facilitate breathing, bypassing the mouth and nose. And so, that was how it ended. All this, as I said, was because of lung infection. Saudi-German Hospital had prescribed an antibiotic for me that I used for about three days before I was hit on the 13th. Whereas Saudi-German had prescribed Augmentin, a commonly prescribed, broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections like sinusitis, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, for me, at Ash Shifa, the doctors used the following very strong and expensive antibiotics on me: Levofloxacin, a potent, broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections like pneumonia, bronchitis; Cefforen, an antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections in adults and adolescents, including chronic bronchitis and pneumonia; Meropin, a higher-end antibiotic and Tazocin, an antibiotic used to treat serious bacterial infections. Other antibiotics they used on me were Cefepime, a powerful fourth-generation antibiotic used to treat severe bacterial infections, including pneumonia; Metronidazole, a powerful antibiotic antiprotozoal used to treat a wide range of infections caused by anaerobic bacteria and parasites; and Amikacin, a potent antibiotic used to treat severe, multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections (e.g., Pseudomonas, E. coli) in the blood, lungs, bones and joints. It is administered via intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) injection, usually for 7–10 days, and requires monitoring due to risks of kidney damage (nephrotoxicity) and hearing loss (ototoxicity). Incidentally, my kidneys developed a problem, but they were taken care of before any further damage was done. Despite all these drugs, three “stubborn” germs, including E. coli, the doctors told me, refused to die. And they told my family while I was intubated, and confessed to me when I came back to life, that they had given up on me.
“Any other person,” they told me, “Would have died.” It was then they used a new drug made by Pfizer, in America, Zavicefta (ceftazidime/avibactam). It is hardly used in hospitals. The drug is a combination antibiotic designed to treat serious bacterial infections, including hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Approved for treating adults with complicated intra-abdominal infections, complicated urinary tract infections, and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), it is specifically designed to treat infections caused by aerobic Gram-negative organisms, which are often resistant to other antibiotics. Because of its potency and high value (it costs about ₦2,500, while the others where about ₦1,000,000 up), hospitals in Saudi were not allowed to keep it. They had to apply to the Ministry of Health, which would then supply them. It was their last option. And since they had given up on me, they said: ‘Let’s use it; if it works, fine, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.’ I was about the first person the drug was used on there. They used it for ten days and that was how I turned back from the gate of the other world. Till I left the hospital, all the doctors and nurses were calling me “Gimba the fighter.” They would come and say, “You are a fighter”, “You are a strong man,” “Warrior”, “You are a hero.” Some of them went as far as googling my name, where they saw my pictures and write-ups and started following me on Facebook and Instagram. I became a mini-celebrity there. One of the doctors, Dr Imdad, a Pakistani, would always come around to soothe me. “Allah brought you back because of the good things you are doing to your people, we see all the things,” he would say. But I have to thank Allah (SWT) who lent me more time, the duration of which I do not know, from His limitless time that only He knows. He and His beloved Prophet, Muhammad Mustapha (PBUH), and his pure progeny were always in my mind. But my being a “fighter”, “strong man”, “warrior” or “hero” all came as a result of imagining and drawing strength from the faces of two great Yobeans, who have fought and are fighting for the people and to put Nigeria aright the way they see it. I drew my strength from them, and you will see why in the next edition, in sha Allah.
Hassan Gimba is the Publisher and CEO of Neptune Prime.
The Tunji Braithwaite Foundation (TBF) has scheduled the 10th memorial anniversary of the lawyer, social justice crusader and politician, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, tomorrow, May 2. The event, which will attract the launching of a commemorative book on the political icon, written by a renowned journalist and Public Relations consultant, Muyiwa Akintunde, will be held at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, the Nigerian capital. The event will have President Bola Tinubu as Special Guest of Honour. The book is a literary work on the social justice and human rights crusade of the well-loved legal practitioner, who practised his profession in dogged pursuit of justice, particularly for the vulnerable. The book highlights that, for Braithwaite, who died on 28 March 2016 at 82, ‘rights and privileges shouldn’t be the prerogative of only the nouveau riche, but must also be available to the plebeian’. The book, which was conceived by the TBF, captures Braithwaite’s devotion to the cause he truly believed in, a cause he launched through his illustrious legal career, standing in defence of the oppressed without counting the cost. ‘His relentless fight on the side of what was just and true resonates in this book. Even in the face of the gun, he never buckled. For him, evil would never triumph with the will and determination to do the right things’, said Akintunde, who is the Publisher of Breezy News, an online newspaper that promotes ethical journalism. The book is to be reviewed by a Director of the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies, Professor Anthony Kila, who is a frequent commentator on ARISE News. He provides analysis on politics, economy and policy, and also discusses leadership, constitutional issues and governance. The event theme is “Politics with Conscience: Leadership, Responsibility, and the Nigerian Social Contract.” A former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande will be the Chairman of the event, while Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu will be the Chief Host, while Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka will be a Guest of Honour.
Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has returned to classroom during which time she taught the pupils of the Local Education Authority (LEA) Primary School, Durumi, Abuja, the art of safety around them. Her interactive session with the pupils on disaster prevention and safety awareness yesterday, April 30, according to a statement by the spokesperson of NEMA, Ezekiel Manzo, is part of the ongoing efforts to promote disaster risk reduction education among young Nigerians and build a culture of safety from an early age. Manzo quoted Mrs. Zubaida Umar as stressing the importance of basic safety habits and simple disaster mitigation measures that children can adopt both at home and in school. “She taught the pupils practical steps to reduce risks associated with common emergencies such as fire outbreaks, flooding, and unsafe play environments.
“The Director General encouraged them to be safety conscious, remain alert to potential dangers in their surroundings, and promptly report hazards to teachers, parents, or other responsible adults.” He said that Mrs. Zubaida Umar told the pupils that disaster risk reduction is not only the responsibility of emergency responders, but a shared duty that begins with awareness, preparedness, and responsible behaviour at the community level. She noted that introducing children to disaster preparedness concepts at an early stage is essential to building safer and more resilient communities. Manzo said that the interactive session also featured a question and answer segment during which the pupils were provided with useful information to deepen their understanding of disasters and the important roles they can play in promoting safety within their homes, schools, and communities. According to him, the school visit underscores NEMA’s broader strategy of taking disaster risk reduction education beyond formal institutions and into communities, schools, and households across the country as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national resilience.
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The minister asked the female preacher, who knelt on the pulpit, pleading with him not to repossess the land on which the church is sited what she is begging for.
“The Director General encouraged them to be safety conscious, remain alert to potential dangers in their surroundings, and promptly report hazards to teachers, parents, or other responsible adults.”
How I Returned From The World Beyond (1), By Hassan Gimba
I was in Makkah on the third of December last year for Umrah and to seek healthcare. And perhaps to run and rest from a political endeavour I willingly jumped into with both feet, even though wide-eyed.
By February 10th I was through and was planning to return to Nigeria on the 20th of the month. My intention was to start the Ramadhan that commenced on the 18th there. I informed the airline which rescheduled my return ticket accordingly.
Man always proposes. And you must as long as you are alive. But like it or not, it is God that always disposes. That is His prerogative.
On the night of Thursday, the 13th – incidentally, a day I was also born – I woke up at about 12 am gasping for breath. I used a nebuliser and it subsided. I went back to sleep. Then at 2 am, it recurred. This time around, the nebuliser did not work. Symbicot, Spiriva – all didn’t. I told my family, my wife, Doctor Aminat Zakari, Fanta Baba Adam and my son, Abubakar Sadik, that we should go to the hospital.
We were staying on the fourth floor of an apartment in the Shahra Mansur area of Makkah, but the lift stops at the first. I was not able to move down the staircase when we reached the floor. And I was seriously gasping for air. I heard Fanta tell Sadik, “Just pick him and let’s get down.” And this boy actually carried me up with one hand, using the other to hold the rails for guidance.
Strong boy! I wondered where he got his strength from. From our father’s side, we were ulama and farmers. Perhaps from his mother’s side? She, her father, sister and siblings were big-boned. One of her senior brothers was even nicknamed Giant. And her father, at one time, was the Emir of Fika’s Head of Guards.
Well, that’s by the way.
He brought me out of the block and I heard him calling for an ambulance. Within five minutes the Medical Emergency Team, Red Crescent, was with us. An impressive aspect was that the team was tracking our position through my son’s phone and asking him what I would require.
What happened was that my lungs had collapsed due to infections by germs and opportunistic parasites. But I have been having lung issues even before I left Nigeria. It made it difficult for me to walk for any appreciable distance. Or climb stairs. Doctors here in Nigeria look at you superficially in the name of diagnosis, prescribing what may not be the solution.
Over there, the ambulance came at a time when my lungs, as I said, had collapsed. Without functional lungs, you cannot breathe. Simple as that.
The Red Crescent ambulances are mini hospitals in their own right. Where you see windows in ours, that one can peep in or out, theirs are all constructed to accommodate medical gadgets for almost all kinds of unforeseen and envisaged emergencies.
When they arrived, of course, I could not move. I was forcefully pulling in the little air I could into my compromised lungs. Grunting, chest heaving like a ram being slaughtered. They talked to me like humans to a human, calling me “Habibi.”
Habibi is an Arabic word meaning “my love,” “my dear,” or “my darling”. The Arabs, great people in the art of love, use it as a term of endearment for friends, family, or significant others. It is masculine. The feminine form is “habibti”, meaning “my beloved”. It is derived from the Arabic root ḥubb (love or affection).
These medics, two of them, carried me to the ambulance when they realised I could not help myself. Inside the ambulance I immediately began to function. They connected me to an oxygen machine.
What their Emergency Team does is always to rush the patient to the relevant hospital closest to where they picked him. And that was what they did. Ash Shifa in the Shahra Mansur area of Makkah was where they took me to.
Now, I had never heard of them. I was enamoured by hospitals with names like Saudi-German, Adeer and others. But because Allah (SWT) is He who knows, He made them take me to Ash Shifa, which I now realise is one of the best hospitals in Makkah, with a staff so dedicated and in love with what they do. The nurses, whom I will talk about subsequently, in sha Allah, are professionals and know their job.
There, they put me on a mechanical ventilator, or life-support machine, to resuscitate my lungs. It worked. A life-support machine does for you what your lungs cannot do for you. And that was how it was till March 3.
The lungs picked up. The doctors – Doctors Tema, Nazeeh, Imdad, Hassan and Ahmed Alsaid – all great guys whose humanity is beyond the medical profession – were happy, even ecstatic. They had just saved a life! I will talk about them by and by, in sha Allah.
Then, a twist! They tried weaning me off the life-support machine three times. It failed three times. My lungs still could not take breathing through the nose. And they feared going for the fourth time. Next option? Tracheostomy.
A tracheostomy is a surgically created opening in the neck leading into the trachea (windpipe) to establish a secure airway, clear airway obstruction, or for managing secretions. A tube is inserted into this opening to facilitate breathing, bypassing the mouth and nose. And so, that was how it ended.
All this, as I said, was because of lung infection. Saudi-German Hospital had prescribed an antibiotic for me that I used for about three days before I was hit on the 13th.
Whereas Saudi-German had prescribed Augmentin, a commonly prescribed, broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections like sinusitis, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, for me, at Ash Shifa, the doctors used the following very strong and expensive antibiotics on me: Levofloxacin, a potent, broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections like pneumonia, bronchitis; Cefforen, an antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections in adults and adolescents, including chronic bronchitis and pneumonia; Meropin, a higher-end antibiotic and Tazocin, an antibiotic used to treat serious bacterial infections.
Other antibiotics they used on me were Cefepime, a powerful fourth-generation antibiotic used to treat severe bacterial infections, including pneumonia; Metronidazole, a powerful antibiotic antiprotozoal used to treat a wide range of infections caused by anaerobic bacteria and parasites; and Amikacin, a potent antibiotic used to treat severe, multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections (e.g., Pseudomonas, E. coli) in the blood, lungs, bones and joints. It is administered via intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) injection, usually for 7–10 days, and requires monitoring due to risks of kidney damage (nephrotoxicity) and hearing loss (ototoxicity).
Incidentally, my kidneys developed a problem, but they were taken care of before any further damage was done.
Despite all these drugs, three “stubborn” germs, including E. coli, the doctors told me, refused to die. And they told my family while I was intubated, and confessed to me when I came back to life, that they had given up on me.
“Any other person,” they told me, “Would have died.”
It was then they used a new drug made by Pfizer, in America, Zavicefta (ceftazidime/avibactam). It is hardly used in hospitals. The drug is a combination antibiotic designed to treat serious bacterial infections, including hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Approved for treating adults with complicated intra-abdominal infections, complicated urinary tract infections, and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), it is specifically designed to treat infections caused by aerobic Gram-negative organisms, which are often resistant to other antibiotics.
Because of its potency and high value (it costs about ₦2,500, while the others where about ₦1,000,000 up), hospitals in Saudi were not allowed to keep it. They had to apply to the Ministry of Health, which would then supply them. It was their last option.
And since they had given up on me, they said: ‘Let’s use it; if it works, fine, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.’ I was about the first person the drug was used on there. They used it for ten days and that was how I turned back from the gate of the other world.
Till I left the hospital, all the doctors and nurses were calling me “Gimba the fighter.” They would come and say, “You are a fighter”, “You are a strong man,” “Warrior”, “You are a hero.”
Some of them went as far as googling my name, where they saw my pictures and write-ups and started following me on Facebook and Instagram.
I became a mini-celebrity there. One of the doctors, Dr Imdad, a Pakistani, would always come around to soothe me. “Allah brought you back because of the good things you are doing to your people, we see all the things,” he would say.
But I have to thank Allah (SWT) who lent me more time, the duration of which I do not know, from His limitless time that only He knows. He and His beloved Prophet, Muhammad Mustapha (PBUH), and his pure progeny were always in my mind.
But my being a “fighter”, “strong man”, “warrior” or “hero” all came as a result of imagining and drawing strength from the faces of two great Yobeans, who have fought and are fighting for the people and to put Nigeria aright the way they see it. I drew my strength from them, and you will see why in the next edition, in sha Allah.
Hassan Gimba is the Publisher and CEO of Neptune Prime.