Headlines
Buhari preaches unity, as Emir of Bichi receives staff of office
Nasiru Yusuf
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday in Bichi, Kano State called on emerging leaders in the country to rid the nation of divisiveness and unite the people.
KANO FOCUS reports that in an address to the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero and his people at his inaugural ceremony read on his behalf by Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, the President said the prevailing circumstances of the nation impose a demand on leaders to “display their qualities and work earnestly for continued peace and unity.”
Prof. Ibrahim Gambari
The President said:
“Your turbanning at a providential time like this in the history of our country when the prevailing social and socioeconomic conditions have created an opportunity for emerging leaders to display their qualities and work earnestly for continued peace and unity.
‘‘Your father, my friend the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, was a symbol of unity, not only within his Kingdom but also within Northern Nigeria and the whole country.”
Going down the memory lane, President Buhari said when we remember Ado Bayero, we remember unity, we remember simplicity and good leadership, a leader who devoted his life to unify the nation.
“I remember with nostalgia, the passion and commitment he always exhibited in the pursuit of anything he believed in, a distinctive character that almost cost him his life prematurely on 19th January, 2013 because of his vociferous stand against the Boko Haram terrorists.”
President Buhari expressed optimism that the new Emir will exhibit similar qualities and “even much more, as he has begun to exhibit” within the few months of his reign.
The President, who extended his “deep and wholehearted congratulations”, said he will continue to pray for the success of the Emir and looks forward to his contributions ‘‘to uplifting the people of his emirate and Nigerians in general.”
The leader of the Presidential delegation, Gambari, who is an uncle of the Emir, Nasiru Ado Bayero from his mother’s side, reaffirmed his loyalty and affinity to the Emir.
Gambari described the recreation of Kano’s additional four emirates by the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration as ‘‘wonderful, historic and innovative.”
In his address governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said, the creation of 4 additional Emirates in the state, demonstrates how committed and determined his administration is in the promotion of traditional institutions in the state.
Abdullahi Umar Ganduje
“The creation of four additional Emirates, Bichi Emirate inclusive, has demonstrated our practical commitment to the promotion of traditional institutions in Kano state….with this, development can easily go down to grassroots.
“We are grateful for this show of friendship and for honouring our invitation.”
“I am so over-joyed to take part in another historic event of the coronation of another First Class Emir in Kano state, in the person of Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero. The Second Emir of Bichi Emirate Council. The son of the 13th Fulani Emir of Kano, the late Alhaji Ado Bayero.
“Distinguished guests, His Highness the Emir of Bichi is a distinguished technocrat, a Banker per excellence and a successful entrepreneur,” Ganduje said.
TheGovernor recalled that, prior to the appointment of the Emir, he served as the District Head of Nassarawa and Tarauni local government councils, adding that “He even held the title of Turaki and Chiroma of Kano. Selecting him to serve as Bichi Emir is apt, considering his royal pedigree and extraordinary leadership qualities.”
He said he was optimistic that, “Bichi will experience extensive transformation under the stewardship of Nasiru Ado Bayero. Kano state government appreciates tremendous contribution of traditional institutions in promoting peace and harmonious coexistence among the people of the state.”
Nasiru Ado Bayero
The celebrant, the Emir, thanked President Buhari and the Governor for their support to him. He called on people to plant trees for healthier environment, adding that, “We will do our best in the security of our society.”
Nasiru Ado Bayero
Headlines
Abdulaziz unveils project inspection initiative, trains APC social media inflluencers at Arewa media summit
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Enlightenment, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, has unveiled a regional project inspection initiative aimed at showcasing key development projects in Northern Nigeria, while urging journalists and social media influencers to uphold ethical communication and combat misinformation.
Speaking on Monday at the maiden Arewa Media Summit in Kano, organised by his office, Abdulaziz said the gathering was conceived to strengthen dialogue between government, citizens and the media through accountability, responsibility and ethical communication.
He said effective governance depends on transparency, responsible civic engagement and a professional media that serves as a bridge between leaders and the people through factual and balanced reporting.
The presidential aide also cautioned social media influencers, who command large online audiences, to verify information before publication and avoid content capable of creating division, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
According to him, more than 100 All Progressives Congress (APC) social media communicators were trained ahead of the summit to enhance their capacity to communicate government policies, programmes and achievements effectively.
Abdulaziz also unveiled the Gani Ya Kori initiative, a regional project inspection tour designed to spotlight landmark projects executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Northern state governors that have received limited public attention.
“The initiative will help ensure that citizens are adequately informed about development projects and government interventions across the region,” he said.
The summit also featured a keynote address by the Minister of Information and National Reorientation, Mohammed Idris, who urged journalists and social media influencers to deny bandits and terrorists the publicity they seek.
“The media has an indispensable role in denying violent extremists the publicity they seek while promoting unity, resilience and hope,” the minister said.
He stressed that democracy flourishes when government remains transparent, citizens participate responsibly and the media performs its constitutional role with professionalism, fairness and integrity.
Idris observed that while the digital revolution has transformed communication by making every smartphone a broadcasting platform, it has also accelerated the spread of fake news and disinformation capable of undermining national unity and public confidence.
Declaring the summit open, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf called on other states to emulate Kano’s Special Reporters Initiative, through which more than 150 young people have been deployed to ministries, departments, agencies and the state’s 44 local government areas to strengthen government communication and public enlightenment.
KANO FOCUS reports that the summit attracted journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, digital content creators, academics, policymakers and communication professionals from across Northern Nigeria to deliberate on the theme, “Government, Citizens: Accountability, Responsibility and Ethical Media Practice.”
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government says it has executed 1,508 development projects worth more than N928 billion across the state’s 44 local government areas since Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf assumed office, with about 80 per cent of constituency projects awarded between 2023 and 2025 already completed.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Commissioner for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Nura Iro Ma’aji Sumaila, disclosed this during an international press briefing on the administration’s infrastructure development programme.
According to Comrade Sumaila, the projects cover critical sectors including roads, urban renewal, education, healthcare, security and other social infrastructure.
He said 799 of the projects have been completed, while 709 are at various stages of execution. He added that the state is also implementing 619 constituency projects through members of the Kano State House of Assembly.
The commissioner noted that about 80 per cent of the constituency projects have been completed. However, he said some projects remain unfinished because of rising construction costs caused by inflation.
He said the government has submitted a request to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for an upward review of contract sums to enable contractors complete the affected projects.
Breakdown of projects
Comrade Sumaila said the administration spent over N169 billion on urban renewal projects, including road rehabilitation, drainage construction and other metropolitan infrastructure.
He said another N118 billion was committed to constructing five-kilometre roads in 38 local government areas to improve connectivity across the state.
According to him, the government also awarded contracts worth over N6.8 billion for the construction of Kano State Neighbourhood Watch security divisions in 36 local government areas.
He added that rural infrastructure projects covering education, healthcare and other social interventions across the 44 local government areas account for contracts valued at more than N397 billion, while other ongoing projects have a combined value of about N255 billion.
Commitment to transparency
The commissioner said the Ministry of Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation would continue to ensure compliance with due process and technical standards in the execution of government projects.
He said the ministry’s mandate includes monitoring projects to ensure value for money and prudent utilisation of public resources.
According to him, the administration’s investments in infrastructure are intended to improve mobility, strengthen security, expand access to education and healthcare, improve water supply and stimulate economic growth across the state.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State has emerged as the highest-ranked sub-national government in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for education spending, according to the latest Sub-National Education Spending Index developed by the University of Paris.
KANO FOCUS reports that the ranking places Kano State first among 209 first-level sub-national governments across 15 ECOWAS member countries, underscoring the state’s growing reputation for prioritising investment in education.
According to the published index, Kano topped the rankings with an overall S-WAESI score of 87.21, outperforming other leading regions, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State was the second Nigerian state on the list, ranking 16th overall.
The assessment evaluated states and regions using the S-WAESI (Sub-National Weighted Aggregate Education Spending Index) methodology, which measures government commitment to education through indicators such as actual education expenditure, spending per student, budget execution, education priority, transparency and evidence-based reporting.
The methodology assigns 35 points to actual education spending, 25 points to spending per student, 20 points to budget execution, 10 points to education priority and 10 points to transparency.
The report indicated that Kano excelled largely due to its strong actual education spending and budget execution, making it the best-performing sub-national government in the region.
The ranking covered states, regions, districts and municipalities across Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde.
Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) said the recognition reflects Kano State Government’s sustained investment in expanding access to education, improving school infrastructure and strengthening educational planning and budget implementation.
KANO FOCUS reports that the achievement is expected to further boost the state’s profile as a leader in education reform within West Africa and provide additional momentum for ongoing efforts to improve learning outcomes across the state.
The latest ranking comes amid renewed attention on education financing across ECOWAS, with experts increasingly emphasising transparent budgeting, efficient resource utilisation and sustained public investment as critical drivers of quality education.
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