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A city has fallen: Tribute to Professor Dahiru Yahya
By Kabiru Ibrahim Danguguwa
“The Mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires”. William Arthur Ward.
Professor Dahiru Yahya is one of my favorite teachers and remains a good mentor to this day.
In Professor Dahiru Yahya, true scholarship and humility meet. A generous, charismatic and prolific thinker.
I first met him in Bayero University when I was undergraduate student in the Department of History.
Since that time, Prof as he once said, enjoyed every moment he spent with me.
He believed that young people always have novel ideas and to be updated he would always listen to me as if I was his teacher.
He used to call young people his teachers whenever they told him something new.
In one of the moments I spent with him, Prof told me that a head (brain) of a professor is just like a city.
He therefore advised me to value every moment spent with Professors by exploring the city.
During my MSc between 2012-2014, Prof was so keen to read my thesis when I informed him that I was writing on Boko Haram and AQIM.
He helped me with whatever I needed to complete the thesis. A year later, I informed him that I was presenting part of the work in a Faculty seminar.
He was so happy and promised to come all the way from Abuja to listen to my presentation.
After the presentation, he ushered in intellectual discussions on the origin of ‘Islamic activism’.
He even responded to the questions I was supposed to answer. What a great honor!
As a humble person, Prof allowed me to explore his city as much as I could.
I wanted to explore more when I informed one of my course mates that I wanted to see Prof to discuss the situation of the country last week.
He deliberately shared some of his life encounters with people I considered great men in Nigeria.
I have a lot to say on this. Perhaps this is not the right place.
In 2014, Prof and I were having dinner in his sitting room. His wife served us with variety of foods.
After few minutes, Prof looked at me and said “Danguguwa! You have masters degree but you have zero experience regarding what women can do” I was single without even a fiancé.
He taught me what he jokingly called “makircin mata” . He advised me not to underestimate the power of a woman.
He said “your wife’s money is hers, while your money is for hers. Make sure you take good care of her”
When one of my course mates wanted him to write a reference letter for him, Prof gave him his letterhead and directed him to meet me.
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I wrote whatever I thought was right and Prof signed the letter without a second thought.
In 2019 during a conference organised by Faculty of Humanities, Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano, Prof served as a lead paper presenter.
The thought provoking paper was sent to me for review prior to the presentation.
I was confused for I couldn’t even comprehend the content of the paper.
How could I review what Prof wrote? He was not happy though.
Prof joined academics almost two decades before I was born. In 2010 Bayero University Kano organised a Festschrift conference in his honor.
By that time, he spent four decades teaching in the University. Out of more than seven and a half decades he spent on earth, over half a century was dedicated to teaching, research and mentorship.
Hundreds of students and colleagues attended his funeral today. Hundreds of tributes will be written in honor of the diplomatic and intellectual historian.
This six hundred and forty one words tribute says nothing about Prof Dahiru Yahya.
Allah Ya sa Aljanna ce makoma.
Kabiru Ibrahim Danguguwa is a historian and a lecturer with Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano (YUMSUK) writes form Kano.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday received a delegation from the Association of Kano Business Community at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a thank-you visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
KANO FOCUS reports that the delegation expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for its support to traders and other victims affected by the recent fire incident that razed several sections of the popular Singer Market in Kano.
Speaking during the meeting, the Vice President reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to collaborating with the Kano State Government and relevant agencies to prevent a recurrence of fire outbreaks in markets across the state.
He assured the delegation that President Tinubu has the interests of Kano people at heart, noting that the N5 billion approved as immediate relief for victims was based on the findings of a preliminary assessment of the damage caused by the inferno.
Shettima reiterated that the Federal Government would continue to support efforts aimed at restoring commercial activities and strengthening safety measures in markets to protect lives and property.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has inaugurated a 23-member committee to oversee the transparent and equitable distribution of financial assistance and relief materials to victims of the recent Singer Market fire disaster.
KANO FOCUS reports that the inauguration was carried out on behalf of the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruq Ibrahim, who chairs the committee. The event was presided over by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kabiru Maude.
According to the Attorney-General, the committee comprises representatives from key government agencies, security services, the Kano Emirate Council, religious leaders, and affected traders.
He said the panel’s mandate includes assessing the extent of losses, verifying genuine victims, ensuring timely distribution of support, and recommending measures to prevent future fire incidents.
The intervention follows support approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as contributions from the APC Governors Forum. It also comes in addition to earlier assistance provided by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin.
The state government reaffirmed its commitment to supporting victims of the disaster and restoring commercial activities at Singer Market.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has announced Saturday, March 1, 2026, as the commencement date for the Eid-el-Fitr break for all public and private primary and post-primary schools in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the announcement, contained in the approved 2025/2026 academic calendar, applies to both day and boarding schools across the state.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Public Enlightenment, Musbahu Aminu Yakasai, parents and guardians of pupils and students in boarding schools are expected to convey their wards home by the early hours of Friday, February 28, 2026.
The statement further explained that boarding school students are to resume on Sunday, March 22, 2026, while day students are to resume on Monday, March 23, 2026.
It added that the second term will continue from Sunday, March 22, 2026, and end on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
The government directed all public and private schools in the state to comply strictly with the directive, warning that non-compliance would be treated as a breach of government instructions.
The Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Abubakar Makoda, urged parents and guardians to ensure full compliance with the approved resumption dates.
He appreciated parents and residents of the state for their continued cooperation and support to the ministry, and wished pupils and students a successful completion of the Ramadan fast and hitch-free Sallah celebrations.
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