News
FOMWAN holds dialogue over harmful practices against women

Nasiru Yusuf

The Deputy National Amirah of Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) Hajiya Habiba Abubakar Mijinyawa has condemned some harmful traditional practices against women and called for a change.
KANO FOCUS reports that Hajiya Mijinyawa made the call at a one-day social dialogue organise to sensitise the general public on the dangers of such practices.
The event, tagged: ‘One-day Social Dialogue with key stakeholders on Sexual Gender Based Violence, Trafficking In Persons and forced Marriage,’ was held in Kano on Friday.
It was organised for participants from Kano, Jigawa and Zamfara States. It was an interactive session which featured group works and presentations from the participants on various topics related to the event’s subject matter.

Cross section of participants
The Deputy Amirah said some negative norms and practices promote violence against women and the girl-child.
Hajiya Mijinyawa, who doubles as the Programme Manager of the association, said the participants were gathered to find a lasting solution to such practices in the society.
She described sexual harassment, human trafficking and early marriage as worrying issues militating against societal development.
She said they wanted to use the forum to create awareness among the citizens in the community on the problems with a view to eradicating them.

Cross section of participants
On his part, the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer from the national headquarters of the association, Malam Muhammad Danjuma Abubakar, said the project is a five year.
Malam Abubakar said they used the occasion to see how they could strengthen the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the three states in converting child trafficking, child early forced marriage as well as those issues having to do with gender base violence.
He said among the stakeholders, they identified religious leaders, traditional in stitutions, the CSOs, people with disabilities and women as critical to the success of the programme.

Cross section of participants
He said they brought them together to share ideas that would shape the society in ensuring that those issues were tackled to the barest minimum.
“The project started this year 2022 even though others started last year 2021 but it is going to finish by the year 2025,” he said.
Highlighting on the presentation he made on safeguarding, he said it was necessary, adding that: “This is because sometimes, people forget to understand the situation they find themselves.

Cross section of participants
“So, we concentrate more on those victims and survivors, whereas some of those issues we are advocating for also happen within our work space.”
“The presentation focuses on those who are giving the services so that they will not find themselves in the situation.
“Because when you look at issues of discrimination, sexual harassment and all of that, they also happen in work places,” he said.
Malam Abubakar explained that the presentation was to ensure that: “We don’t fall trap of what we preach to others.”

Cross section of participants
According to him, as the project is for everyone, they build the capacity of not only the CSOs; they also try to those from the judiciary as they are interlinked.
“So we also interface with judges, the alkalis and Imams so that when it comes to their tables, they understand the best way on how issues can be addressed fully.
“But going forward, we have identified the media as critical stakeholders as they amplify the voices of those who are voiceless less,” Malam Abubakar said.
Also speaking to KANO FOCUS, Communication Officer of FOMWAN and Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) Project, Malam Suleiman Mukhtar, said before gathering the participants, they conducted a situational analysis on the three states on the matter.
He said they found out that there were retrogressive cultures taking place in those states that seemed to create a ground for sexual and gender base violence, trafficking in persons, child and early forced marriage in the three states.

Cross section of participants
As a result, he said they saw the need to strengthen knowledge of the stakeholders CSOs, community and religious leaders, legal practitioners and the media to carry out the awareness campaign.
Malam Mukhtar said they engaged in the social dialogue in order to gather a mixture of the various stakeholders to interact from the training done in the past on how to create workable solutions to the problems.
He therefore stressed that it is very important for every person in the society to say no to such retrogressive cultures and adulterated religious practices that seem to be stumbling blocks to a progressive society where they were trying to eradicate social and gender base violence, trafficking in persons and forced marriage.
A participant from Kano state branch of the Joint Association of People with Special Needs Malam Aminu Ahmad Tudun Wada pledged to step down the training to other members of the association who were not opportune to be at the occasion so that they would be fully aware of what they are expected to do on the matter.

Malam Aminu Ahmad Tudun Wada
He said they are supported by some lawyers who render free service to them, urging members of the association to forward issues on the subject matter for appropriate actions to be taken by the association.

Headlines
Power Shift in Kano: Ganduje Family Bows to Emir Sanusi as Nephew Gets Turbaned

In a dramatic political twist that may redefine Kano’s traditional power matrix, former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has thrown his weight behind Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, as the monarch turbaned Ganduje’s nephew, Alhaji Jamilu Sani Umar, as the new Village Head of Ganduje.
This development signals a major shift in political allegiance, coming from a family that once stood at the heart of Emir Sanusi’s 2020 dethronement.
The former village head, Alhaji Sani Ganduje — who was removed from office — had openly challenged the Kano Emirate over the legitimacy of his removal, deepening the rift between the Gandujes and Sanusi’s loyalists.
However, following the recent reinstatement of Emir Sanusi II by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, political equations in Kano have shifted rapidly.
In what many see as a move to realign with the prevailing tide, Dr. Ganduje reportedly convened a strategic meeting with his extended family and directed full support for the new appointment.

Rather than sending a delegate, the entire Ganduje family physically accompanied Jamilu to the Emir’s palace, a powerful public gesture of submission and allegiance to Sanusi’s throne.
Political analysts interpret this as Ganduje’s calculated pivot — recognizing Emir Sanusi’s regained influence and perhaps seeking to reposition himself within Kano’s changing political terrain.
The move also draws a clear contrast with the dethroned Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, who enjoyed close ties with Ganduje during his administration but is now increasingly sidelined.
By endorsing the turbaning and realigning his family under Sanusi’s leadership, Ganduje appears to be reading the political handwriting on the wall — that Emir Sanusi’s return is not just ceremonial, but a restoration of deep-rooted traditional authority with growing political resonance.
As Kano continues to balance tradition and politics, the Ganduje family’s public allegiance to Emir Sanusi may be the clearest indication yet that the old guard is adapting to a new power order.

Headlines
Kano legislator, Masu dumps NNPP for APC

Kano legislator Masu dumps NNPP for APC

A member of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and a member of the Kano State House of Assembly representing Sumaila Constituency, Hon. Zubairu Hamza Masu, has defected from the NNPP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Masu addressed his resignation letter to the Speaker, Ismail Falgore, and it was read during Monday’s plenary session.
However, Masu cited internal crises bedevilling the NNPP, including factional disputes and ongoing litigations, as his reasons for leaving the party.
He specifically emphasised the multiple claims of leadership within the party at both state and national levels, naming Dr Suleiman Hashim Dungurawa and Senator Mas’ud El-Jibrin Doguwa as those claiming control at the state level, while Dr Ahmed Ajuji and Dr Agbo Major were also asserting authority at the national level.
Masu’s resignation takes effect from 12 May 2025, and he pledged his full allegiance to the APC leadership at all levels.

Headlines
Dangote donates N15billion to Kano varsity, offers Automatic jobs to best graduating students

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Group President of the Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has announced the donation of a whooping N15billion to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil (ADUSTECH), Kano State.

KANO FOCUS reports that. Alhaji Dangote, who is also the Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) was reappointed the Chancellor of the University.
In his speech at the 5th convocation ceremony, he said the University must be repositioned to lead the race of producing cutting edge research and highly skilled manpower that meets the requirements of market demands, industries and real problem solvers in the Nigerian society.
He said: “It is in this vein that I wish to use this opportunity to announce the launch of the 5-year Development plan which I envision for this institution.
“Over the next 5 years, we will commit the sum of N15 billion to the following projects: the design and construction of additional student hostels; the design and construction of a world class Engineering Lab; the design and construction of a world class multipurpose computer lab -open to all students of the institution which will also be equipped with 24-hour internet access to support academic research and the installation of a mini-solar plant to support access to power on campus.”
He added that: “We also undertake to design and construct a befitting Senate building that will house the administration of this institution. Finally, we will also reserve post-NYSC employment slots for the best performing graduates in Engineering and other related courses that form part of our areas of interest at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Plant and Dangote Cement Plants.”
Alhaji Dangote said the funding for such an institution places a significant burden on the government, which is why, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, it was able to offset the University’s electricity bill to ease the strain on their finances.
“Additionally, to support the infrastructural drive of the University, we built two blocks of Male and Female Hostels with 500 bed spaces each.
“We also ensured the availability of electricity in a specialized University like ours for continuous teaching, learning and research, via the connection of the University to a 33KVA line, and provided a 2.5 MVA transformer and six (6) step-down transformers. This, I believe, has gone a long way in solving the energy needs of the University.”
Dangote therefore congratulated the vision of those who dreamt of the institution 25 years ago.
“An institution that began with a student population of 88, today has a population of more than 21,877 students and this combined convocation has a total of about 18,000 graduates. This is indeed a milestone,” he added.
In his address, Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State commended Alhaji Dangote for contributing financially and morally towards the development of the University, adding that, “all of us will continue to remember you as a visionary and African illustrious industrialist.”
The University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasa said 18,000 students were being celebrated during the convocation ceremony, having graduated from the university in the last ten years to date.
Business mogul Chief Arthur Eze, founder of Max Air and billionaire Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, Senior Advocate Ahmad Adeniyi Raji, and oil magnate and founder of Amasco Oil Al-Mustapha Ado bagged honorary doctorate degrees.
The VC said the University has recorded significant strides in its academic journey to greater heights, including program accreditation and a mathematical digital model designed by a university product, Mahmoud Mubarak, for measuring deforestation density.
