Author: Hafsat Salisu Kabara

OVER the weekend, I stumbled upon a troubling video circulating on the streets of the Obasanjo internet, posted by Dan Bello. It got me thinking: what exactly is wrong with leadership in the North? I know our leaders have never been particularly famous for putting us first, but even by our very low standards, this felt bad. Is it envy or sheer wickedness? Ok, let’s just call it arrogance of power. Meanwhile, they can pay millions for theirs to attend fashion school, coding academies, software skills and other lucrative skills, but what’s meant to help the poor what should have…

YOU wake up, and you are hit with: The wars brewing and happening. Fresh bandit attacks on innocent villagers, new video footage released by the same bandits torturing their victims. Religious and tribal wars on social media, Nigerian politicians discussing re-elections, and it’s not even mid-year. Amid all this chaos, the real concern is us Nigerians: the North is bleeding. More villages are being attacked, another mosque stained with blood, and yet another press statement filled with “condemnations.” And then the usual cycle continues… This is the North. This is Nigeria. And this is our new normal. Bandits move freely,…

I RECENTLY read about developments in Malawi, where the government has moved decisively to stop public doctors from running private hospitals while neglecting government facilities. My first reaction was immediate and emotional: I wish the same political courage could find its way to Nigeria. Because here, this conversation is not theoretical. It is not policy talk for me. It is deeply personal. It is painful. It is raw. Exactly one year ago, I lost a dear friend. She went into a hospital to give birth. A cesarean section was performed. She was administered injections that were either too potent or…

FOR decades, fire has been one of the most destructive forces against bustling markets stripping traders of goods, wiping out livelihoods, and threatening the stability of the region’s commercial backbone. What too often goes unexamined is not just that these fires happen, but why, how often, and whether lessons from past disasters are actually being implemented. Over the past few years alone, a pattern of devastating fire outbreaks has emerged. In late 2025, a major fire consumed more than 500 temporary stalls at Shuwaki Market in the Gari Local Government Area, razing roughly half of the market’s 1,000 stalls and…

I WAS returning from a quiet evening stroll a few days ago when I noticed a group of boys sitting under a tree by the estate gate. About seven of them. They couldn’t have been more than seven to eleven years old. They were laughing, resting, talking nothing out of the ordinary at first glance. I was about to walk past when something in their conversation stopped me in my tracks. I slowed down. I listened. And what I heard sent a chill through my body. These were not the words of children who had been protected. They were not…

“The children of the poor you refuse to train will never allow your children have peace” Last week, We woke up again to news that shakes the soul. An entire family wiped out in their home. No warning. No mercy. No fear. The rate at which homicides are occurring in the country is deeply alarming. What frightens me even more is the creeping possibility that, like bomb attacks and kidnappings before it, we may soon grow numb to it, accepting it as the new normal. As much as I have tried to avoid news related to this incident, it keeps…

A NEW year has arrived, and like clockwork, Nigerians are hopeful again. We crossed over. We prayed our way into the new year. New resolutions. New declarations. We boldly declared that this year must be better. But hope, on its own, has never been a strategy. And prayer, without responsibility, has never fixed a broken system. Last year, we talked about painm, deep, exhausting, national pain. We spoke about political failure, about mental health struggles hidden behind the popular Nigerian mantra of “we move.” We talked about women carrying entire homes on their backs, children slipping quietly through the cracks,…

A Year of Reflection, Accountability, and Uncomfortable Truths THIS year has been one of deep reflection, accountability, and uncomfortable truths. From insecurity, hunger, unemployment, and leadership failures to women trapped by culture, children lost to long school hours, and widows left to survive alone, my columns consistently examined how political, social, and cultural systems continue to fail the most vulnerable Nigerians. I asked hard questions: are leaders prioritizing people or appearances? Are we, as a society, allowing tradition, silence, and convenience to harm those who need support the most? Whether exploring freedom of speech, education, or women’s empowerment, my call…

EMPOWERING women is often spoken about in soft tones, hashtags, conferences, and small, well-intentioned gestures. But there is a harsh reality we rarely confront, when a woman loses her husband, she doesn’t just lose a partner, She loses her pillar, her safety net, her structure, and in many cases, her voice. His death didn’t just take a man; it dismantled a family structure. It stripped a woman of her protection, her partnership, and the quiet assurance that tomorrow was planned with someone else in mind. And this is where society becomes dishonest. We cry loudly at funerals, recite verses, and…

MANY women are depressed in their marriages not because they are weak, ungrateful, or demanding too much—but because society has perfected the art of silencing them. In many Nigerian homes, silence is mistaken for strength. A woman who endures quietly is described as mature. A wife who does not complain is praised as respectful. And a marriage without visible chaos is quickly assumed to be a successful one. Yet, behind this carefully preserved calm lies a growing number of young women battling depression trapped not by chains, but by silence. From the moment a woman is married, her voice begins…

IT has been two years since the Tudun Biri tragedy. Last week marked exactly two years since an air strike intended for no one fell upon innocent people who had simply gathered to celebrate. We mourned them when it happened, we mourned them a year later, and today, we still remember. Not just their families. Not just their community. We, as a country, continue to carry the weight of that night. And yet the same questions echo unanswered: Were those responsible ever held to account? Were any lessons truly learned? Who took responsibility? Or have we quietly moved on while…

A LOT of people may not like what I’m about to say, but I can no longer swallow the truth just to keep the peace. Because silence has started to taste like guilt. I don’t intend disrespect, but the truth deserves its own voice, and today, while I mean no disrespect to anyone, I will call a spade a spade. There is a special kind of insecurity eating deep into this country, and it is not only the bandits in the forests. It is the chief violator of our rights in office, the ones who fear words more than bullets,…

NO, I haven’t been to Palestine. I haven’t walked through the open wounds of Congo. But I have known the warmth of Sudan. I have walked through the soft, sunlit streets of Khartoum, wandered the lively, colourful markets of Bahri, smiled through the vibrant chaos of Libya’s roadside stalls, and watched everyday life with quiet admiration. I have visited the glassware market with awe, watched children run freely, met locals whose generosity felt almost disarming people who welcomed you with tea, sweets, dates, laughter, and would never let you leave without a spritz of perfume or even a pampering Sudanese…

IF Nigeria had its own TV channel, we’d call it Cruise & Chaos Network, 24/7 unscripted madness, premium gbas gbos, top-tier irony, and government-induced blood pressure. Bomb threats? Missile alerts? Abeg shift. In this country, everybody must collect; Trump, Wike, Emilokan brigade, even innocent bystanders. Sometimes I wonder whether Nigeria is a failed science experiment or a comedy skit that forgot to end. You laugh at the madness, then suddenly remember, this isn’t fiction. You’re coping with tragedy by calling it cruise. You’re living inside satire with no exit button, no remote control, and definitely no refund. The saddest part?…

THE Federal Government of Nigeria has announced its adoption of the Afroliganza Vision, a continental initiative aimed at uniting African nations through fashion, culture, and creative enterprise. Fashion and Culture have become tools of diplomacy for economic growth and unity. News Point Nigeria reports that Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, made the announcement at a World Press Conference on the African Fashion Renaissance in Abuja on Wednesday. Musawa said that the adoption of the Afroliganza Vision demonstrates Nigeria’s bold national commitment to positioning culture, fashion, heritage, and the creative economy at the center…

NIGERIA records about 102,000 new cancer cases yearly and over 72,000 deaths. Four out of five people diagnosed die from it. Another article in 2023 stated Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest cancer mortality rates, with approximately 4 out of 5 cases resulting in death. Cancer walks are meant to mean something, a solemn show of solidarity, education, and hope. Stories of survival… stories of courage. People walk to raise awareness, to empathize, to say to those battling cancer: “You’re not alone.” It is supposed to be a moment where we walk with those affected, not dance…

A REFLECTION on how modern life has numbed us into survival mode while calling it progress. There comes a moment, somewhere between the rush of dawn and the fatigue of night, when you pause mid-routine and realize your life is moving, but you’re not. You wake up, mumble a prayer, rush through breakfast, scroll endlessly, reply to messages, chase work, grab a quick meal, maybe laugh at something online, then collapse into bed only to repeat it all again tomorrow. Days melt into weeks, weeks blur into months, and before you know it, you can’t even remember the last time…

OVER the weekend, I witnessed what I can only describe as a quiet revolution, a business conference themed “Redefining the Future of Business in Arewa.” It was the first of its kind here in Kano, meticulously organized by a visionary young woman, Rahanatu Ahmad, a dynamic entrepreneur whose passion for youth empowerment in Northern Nigeria radiates through everything she does. From the exquisite organization to the depth of knowledge shared, and the sheer magnitude of attendance, everything about the event was breathtaking. The hall overflowed with eager minds; the atmosphere buzzed with innovation, ambition, and hope. The energy was electric,…

THE world expected thunderous words. Cameras were rolling, interpreters were poised, and the ears of nations were wide open. Yet, instead of rhetoric, silence took centre stage. Sometimes, silence speaks louder than the most carefully crafted speech. Last week, at the “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights” gathering in New York, global leaders once again assembled under the bright lights of the United Nations. The stage was set for yet another parade of lofty declarations. But when Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye took the podium, an extraordinary moment unfolded. He stood, papers missing and…

KANO is a state with a storied intellectual heritage. For centuries, it has been a beacon of scholarship from its connections to the ancient learning centers of Timbuktu to the legacy of its emirate schools. Knowledge is not just an asset here, it is the very soul of our identity. And libraries, vibrant, living libraries are the heartbeats of a society. A state library is more than bricks and mortar stacked with dusty books. It is where young minds find direction, where researchers dig for truth, where professionals seek clarity, and where ordinary citizens feed their curiosity. It is where…