Misbahu El-Hamza

[Originally published on  Daily Trust Nov 10 2016 ] T ill date, there’s no explicit evidence at hand linking former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) to Boko Haram (BH). Many people, home and abroad, during his time believed he had everything to do with it. Others argued that his negligence toward some office handlers coupled with him been a puppet to some ‘mafias’ within his government led to the perpetual operation of the insurgents. The arrest and confessions of Col. Sambo Dasuki may have ringed a bell for this argument. It was what led to the embezzlement and misappropriation of arms procurement funds and military allowances. It was what led to the strong hold of BH and the flee of our gallant soldiers from the battle field in a broad daylight. GEJ’s major challenge was BH. It was what made Nigerians lose faith in him and what brought him out of office. President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) today, despite the recession, having lay down BH to repose has gain so mu...

[Originally written Jan. 22, 2017] Dear Governor Lolong, Simon Bako Lalong Plateau State Governor Your Excellency Sir, today I wish to write my first letter to you since you assumed office in 2015. I congratulate you for having the trust of all Plateau people, for your huge successes during and after the election, including the days of peace recorded and counting on the Plateau. Purposely, I write to express my happiness, as I read with joy earlier yesterday (January 21st, 2017) that you listened to the cries of our clergies and elders to have declared a " war on Goskolo ," that deadly local gin which claimed many lives of youths especially in the recent past. Thank you for this gesture Sir. But I think there is need to critically consider the strategies with which you may be using to fight this war. In the last administration, though the timely intervention of Governor Jonah David Jang on Goskolo , together with Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang, was booed by some, it was welco...

The year 2017, unlike many other years before it, will be a memorable one in the history of Kano State and northern Nigeria in its entirety, not just for the amount of rainfall recorded or the bumper harvest of rice, not for the bomb  free Sallah and Christmas celebrations, not for the two days visit of President Muhammadu Buhari and the commission of Health Care Centers in the state, but, for the first time, a day of a well-organized TEDx event in the ancient city on last day of December by a group of brilliant youths from across disciplines. TEDx events are well planned, independently coordinated local gathering where live TED-like talks from various speakers and videos previously recorded at TED conferences are shared with the community, on a community-by-community basis. TED is an acronym for Technology, Entertainment and Design conferences which began 33 years ago in Canada. Today, TED talks are not limited to one topic or field, it covers a various topic  from sciences t...