In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful. May His peace and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad (S.A.W), his household, companions and all those who follow his footsteps till eternity. I am expressing profound gratitude to Almighty Allah for the blessings, guidance and protection to this point. I sincerely thank and appreciate all those who have supported us in whatever way. May Allah reward them abundantly. Amin
To be honest, after twelve months of stewardship as the KSA President, I am humbled to state that this platform is insufficient for a speech. As such, I am already working on a different intervention to narrate the experience of this opportunity to, among other reasons, give a clearer picture of the reality and set the records straight for the current and future generations. It is therefore safe to say that this is an abridged account of the headlines in this administration as far as I can recall at the moment and some of my thoughts about the office I occupied for a year now.
My first contact with KSA by way of active service was when I was appointed to chair the Editorial Committee that produced the earlier edition of this magazine in September 2020. Subsequently, a medley of events within three months birthed my intention to contest. I consulted my father to seek for permission. His brief, yet, elaborate comment gave me the direction I direly needed. He said: ‘Kabiru, if you know you have something to do, to deliver, to contribute at KSA, then go for it. Otherwise, please stay out of it’. I construed that as a qualified, conditional approval on the requirement that I wasn’t just contesting for the sake of it.
That counsel inspired me to think more deeply and deliberately on how best to intervene in the KSA project and this gave rise to the idea to Digitise the KSA. In this wise, I engaged my friend and colleague Abdussalam Auwal to design a website (ksanational.com) for the KSA on which data and information about and for the KSA would be uploaded and kept for the consumption of the wider public. I did this with my personal money ahead of formal declaration of interest. Soon after the inauguration, we launched a monthly bulletin which gives detailed account of our activities for each month. We could not keep up to the monthly arrangement due to tight academic engagements between June and July. Nonetheless, we have so far produced about seven volumes of the KSA Bulletin. The most recent ones even contain the financial implications of the programs; our sources of funding and the corresponding expenditure.
This administration was inaugurated on 1st January 2021 at a time when Public Universities were on strike, the nation was still recovering from the lockdown and people were still in shock courtesy of the pandemic. New to the system and quite a novice in KSA, I first constituted a five-man Transition Committee which submitted it’s report 14 days later. The report consisted of the Assets, Liability and state of affairs of the KSA at that time.
We commenced with courtesy visits to constituted authorities, stakeholders and community leaders for the sake of familiarisation, seeking wise counsel and blessings. The committee had paid visits to institutions like the Katagum Local Government Secretariat, the Katagum Divisional Offices of the Department of State Security; the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Keystone Bank, a Patron of the Association and former National President Alhaji Dr Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, CFR (Ajiyan Katagum), the Board of Trustees Comrade Adamu Mohammed Bello and Chairman Special Committee on Education Malam Aminu Yahaya. The executive council members also visited Alhaji Aminu Suley – Chairman Katagum Forum, Malam Muhammad Bello Umar (COEASU ASCOEA Ex-Officio), Malam Jibril Shirama (Director, Ummul Qura Science Academy) among others. Some other times, Bala (my Chief of Staff) and I paid more official yet unannounced visits to many important people for same purposes as above.
On February 7th, 2021, the association convened the 1st Reception in Honour of Professors from Katagum Emirate. Back then, twenty-eight (28) living professors were identified and invited to the event. We were humbled that nineteen (19) of those distinguished personalities graced the occasion in person while others sent representatives for some practical reasons. Two thought-provoking lectures were presented on ‘The Katagum we Know’ and on ‘The value of Education’ by Prof Muhammad Hamisu Muhammad and Prof Yakubu Magaji Azare respectively. All went well as all the professors, invited guests and students reached their various destinations safely. After the event, three more professors emerged. The financial burden of the event was shouldered by a philanthropist who seeks anonymity.
Between March and April, the KSA received series of applications from indigent students for sponsorship of the JAMB examination. Between 11th and 29th May 2021, the KSA reached out widely for sponsorship. After rigorous screening process, a list of sixty-seven (67) students was submitted and sponsored by a philanthropist, who immediately disbursed the sum of N335,000. The exercise was meticulously observed to ensure all applicants were indeed registered at the Aminu Saleh College of Education, Azare under the strict supervision of the CIT director Malm Nasiru Mustapha. A total of sixty-one (61) students were registered. Others had technical difficulties with the authentication process. The sponsor was Alhaji Abdullahi Babani (Madakin Katagum).
On 12th May, we hosted for a Special Iftar, the members of the Editorial Committee that produced the 2020 edition of Katagum in Focus Magazine. For some circumstances beyond the previous administration’s control, the committee was not formally wrapped up. We felt the importance of inviting the members of the committee to appreciate them for the job well done in the service of the community. In a later intervention, I will reveal how my service as the Chairman of the Editorial Committee back then birthed my aspiration to the KSA Presidency.
Three days later during the Eidul-Fitr festivity on 15th of May, we organised twin public lectures on the burning topics of Entrepreneurship: A Panacea for Economic Downturn and on Drug Abuse: An Agent of Societal Destruction. Prof Yakubu Magaji Azare, Prof Asabe Sadiya Mohammed, Dr Muhammad Bello Waziri Dogo-Muhammad, Dr Jamilu Haruna, Alhaji Inusa Bakasala, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad Kwara among many other distinguished personalities spoke to the hundreds of youths and students in attendance. The event was sponsored by Hon Tijjani Mohammed Aliyu, the Majority Leader of Bauchi State House of Assembly.
We also celebrated the 2021 Democracy Day (June 12) with students and athletes. Traditionally, even though not a responsibility strictly speaking, the KSA should have organised an event to celebrate the annual Children’s Day on the 27th of May. That, we failed to actualise. The aftermath was that it had riled up serious concerns from interested parties and onlookers alike. As a make-over, a giant celebration was organised and held on 12th June (Democracy Day) at the township stadium in Azare. Pupils and students from various schools across the Emirate, athletes and youths converged to watch, socialise and rejoice as their contemporaries displayed scenic shows of parade, egg race, sack race, 100-meter race among other sports. The organising committee was chaired by a former Naional President Comr Bin Umar Said. The program was largely sponsored by a contribution received from Madakin Katagum complemented by interventions in kind (gifts) from some schools like Abdullahi Memorial, Islamic Orientation, Ummi and Sughra Yayale Institute and few others.
In the same month of June, the KSA president inaugurated a 7-member committee with the possibility of co-opting other likeminds for the purpose of Career Guidance and Examination Orientation for Secondary School Students across the six local government areas of the Emirate. The committee, under the chairmanship of the president’s principal private secretary Usman Aliyu Tsoho had Kamal Muhammad Kabir as secretary, went round dozens of both private and public secondary schools in Gamawa, Giade, Itas/Gadau, Katagum, Shira and Zaki Local Government Areas. The results were mind-blowing.
Between Saturday and Sunday, 28th and 29th August 2021, a two-day personal development training on scholarship opportunities and job hunting was organised in collaboration with the Kano-based Kabir Sagagi Centre for Community Development and Leadership (KCCD). The training was fully regimented with 5 presentations daily. Over 230 secondary school leavers and graduating tertiary students across the six local government areas of Katagum Emirate and different tertiary institutions across the country were trained on various scholarship opportunities, ways to get them, skills needed in the contemporary job market as well as the significance of community service. We served tea breal and lunch. Each participant was presented with a certificate of participation as well.
In our drive to carry along students from both inclinations of the Islamic/Arabic as well as the conventional settings, we organised mega Qur’an Recitation and Arabic Debate Competitions exclusively for Higher Islam Institutions across Katagum Emirate on Saturday, 23rd October 2021. KSA invited and sponsored schools from all the six local government areas under the Emirate to converge in Azare for the Competitions. Certificates and gifts were distributed at the closing. Goni Ashiru Isa Tsomo was awarded for his sterling contribution towards the teaching and learning of the Holy Qur’an. The sponsor seeks anonymity. We appreciate Malam Nawwar Waziri Mustapha, Imamul Bukhari Centre for Islamic Reseaech and Translation (Kano), Alfurqan Masjid Management (Kano), Bala Usman and Abdussalam M Auwal for their efforts towards the success of the competitions and their generous contributions.
On Saturday, 23rd November, joint Quiz and Debate competitions were organised among primary and secondary schools within Katagum. Due to constraint of resources, they were limited to schools within Katagum Local Government only. The competitions saw a total of 25 schools, 50 participants and over 300 students, teachers, community leaders and spectators. Gifts and Cash Prizes were presented to the best three schools in each category.
Continuing with existing projects, we have inherited a metal container constructed by the previous administration. We succeeded in securing a space for it at Aminu Saleh College of Education Azare and had moved it to the site. We hope the next administration would take it a step or two further to the desired target of a source of income for the association.
In addition, to identify with the community during national, traditional and theological events, we have designed and publicised -sometimes even printed- banners and fliers. For instance in Ramadan -the Muslim Fasting Month- we produced shared daily reminders, on both Eid festivities too, on National Independence Day, Children’s Day, and so on. We also intermittently intervene to condole, commisserate and congratulate where appropriate and feasible.
Between the 360 days, we have rendered direct financial assistance to students in need (mostly to pay for registration fees at tertiary institutions namely: ASCOEA, ATAP, BUK and UNIMAID) to the tune of two hundred and fifty thousand, five hundred naira only (N250,500). This money was sourced from various sources through solicitations including the social media and my personal WhatsApp line through which colleagues from BUK who have never been to Katagum also extended their token of support. That generosity melted my heart.
Quite recently, we have followed the tradition of producing the 2021 edition of Katagum in Focus magazine with the theme: ‘The Pacesetter’ in Honour of our patron and father, the Ajiya of Katagum Emirate and a former National President of the KSA. Alhaji Dr. Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, CFR had been supporting Noble causes for the advancement of Katagum Emirate and had invested heavily in human development. His efforts towards the realisation of Katagum State are deafening. We dearly appreciate him and look up to him in many ways. It is our prayer may Allah bless and protect him, Amin. The magazine is richly embedded with exclusive interviews, articles by reknowned academics and a writer, profiles and goodwill messages, riddles and poems.
During the launching event, a mentorship chat was organised via a Panel Discussion style moderated by Kabir Nizam Baba with Engr Kabir Yusuf Yayu, Engr Abubakar Shehu Ahmad, Aliyu Khalid and Malam Isma’il Ibrahim Idris as panelists. The discussions revolved around the topics of Community and Humanitarian Services, Prospects in Engineering, Scholarships and Quest for the knowledge of the Qur’an.
Still on the 30th, 12 awards were presented to some deserving personalities. These include: the newly appointed provost Prof Asabe Sadiya Mohammed (honoured on the event of her elevation to the rank of a professor), the outgoing Provost, Alhaji Abdulkadir Ali Shira (Karofin Katagum), Malam Mohammed Bello Umar, Malam Aliyu Mohammed Nasir, Malam Aminu Yahaya, Malam Jibril Shirama, Malam Saleh Waziri Mustapha (Mal. Nawwar) and a host of others. The non-presentation of Karofin Katagum’s award at the event was an oversight to be paid back on the transition day (1st January 2022).
After 360 days, it is my pleasure to mention that contrary to popular belief, this administration was not a know-it-all. We were not here to outshine anyone either. In fact, we have missed a lot of steps, had committed many mistakes, and as my personal subsequent ‘memoir’ would reveal, we have done the little that we did with the support of a wide range of personalities from different walks of life including our predecessors at KSA (whom many thought we are trying to outshine). We have traveled thus far on the shoulders of giants. I pray that when I would stand before Allah on the Last Day, I would be happy that I treaded this path. I wish us all same. May Allah forgive us where we fell short. Amin
As a former president, I am inviting the new leadership to design a Blueprint for the activities of KSA this year in the soonest possible time. The document will serve as a guide, ensuring focus and sense of direction. I have made a lot of mistakes, in our interface, the new leadership would learn to avoid them. We have also known some willing donors and supporters who would insha Allah assist the organisation as much as possible. All these are dependent on the new leadership’s (particularly the president’s) willingness to think, seek wise counsel, dedicate, sacrifice and act. I want us to work together to decently outshine the 2021 tenure, then work together with the 2023 to outshine both 2021 and yourselves.
I wish the new leadership the best and a smooth ride in this tenure. I trust they are fresh, agile and ready. We started with almost an empty account. We sought & solicited for funds to organise programs for about Two Million Naira (N2,000,000) within 12 months. We are now leaving behind pledges of over N600,000 made with regards the magazine launch to be followed up by the new leadership. It is definitely not easy. But it is possible. We did it. You too can do even better. May Allah strengthen you. Amin
Kabir Nizam Baba,
KSA National President, 2021.