Headlines
How Tsakuwa Community employs, pays teachers in Govt schools
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Disturbed by the challenges faced by pupils and students, the residents of Tsakuwa town under Dawakinkudu local government area of Kano state have mobilised resources to complement government’s effort of addressing shortage of teachers in public schools.
KANO FOCUS reports that the community under the umbrella of Tsakuwa Mufarka has employed and deployed sixteen teachers to nine public schools in the town.
In an ideal situation, government is solely responsible for running public schools. While the federal government is taking care of the tertiary institutions, state and the local governments are accountable for effective running of primary, secondary and state owned institutions in their respective domains.
Governments at the three tiers are expected to provide structures, teachers and other staff as well as maintenance of all facilities in public schools to give the citizens education. They are also to pay salaries and other entitlements of teachers and other staff in such schools.
However, these vital functions are gradually been eroded at all levels due to inadequate resources coupled with increased population.
GGJSS Tsakuwa students in class
The community, KANO FOCUS observed that has a about nine schools, but they lack teaching and learning facilities to make them complete schools.
However, it was observed that children of Tsakuwa community are lagging behind educationally. This is because successive governments are not paying the needed attention to the schools in the area. The community has to take action to keep the schools alive after all attempts to get government intervention have failed.
Government Girls Junior Secondary School Tsakuwa, KANO FOCUS gathered has a population of about 1,300 students at present. The students are being handled by only three teachers, a principal and two classroom teachers. Thus, only three teachers are under the employment and pay roll of the government.
However, the community had through Tsakuwa Mufarka, employed the services of three more teachers to complement government employees.
Despite this effort, KANO FOCUS observed that eight other schools in the town are offering skeletal services courtesy of inadequate teachers, chairs and desks.
Members of Tsakuwa Mufarka education committee and leadership of PTA of Alhaji Danjummai Primary School
The chairman of education committee, Tsakuwa Mufarka Development Association Malam Abdullahi Wagadi also told our reporter that officials from the state and local authorities have been visiting the town and noting all the problems affecting it with promises to address them, yet nothing has been done to that effect.
This is in addition to the monthly reports to the authorities at the top of which is always the problem facing the schools, which includes, inadequate teachers, lack of furniture amongst others.
Wagadi said the students could not use the available toilets in some schools because of lack of water.
Tsakuwa Mufarka employs 16 teachers
The chairman of Tsakuwa Mufarka Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan, said that their schools are facing serious challenges and that efforts to make government come to their aid have failed.
The chairman said the schools are lacking of adequate teachers and other basic infrastructures.
He said: “The teachers are not enough and government has refused to deploy more teachers to our schools, so the community has to employ sixteen additional teachers and has been paying them for three years now.”
He pointed out that some years ago, the secretary of the local government education summoned leaders of Tsakuwa Mufarka for a meeting where they tabled the matter, yet government has not addressed their concern.
He said they will continue to encourage parents and guardians to enroll their children in school despite the challenges they are facing in the community.
Distribution of books at Tsakuwa Model Primary School
Some of the teachers who are under the community payroll told KANO FOCUS that their work has been marred by lots of challenges, such as overcrowding of pupils, lack of text books and other facilities to aid them in teaching.
One of them said most times the teachers have to provide the books to use in teaching from their meager salary of N10, 000.
“Because we don’t have enough teachers in the school, a class that is supposed to be handled by three teachers is being handled by one teacher,” she said.
They said that they accepted to do the work because of lack of employment bedeviling the country.
However, they are pleading with the government to confirm their employment through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) as well as provide the necessary infrastructures that will help them in giving their best to the pupils.
Kano declares state of emergency on education
Kano state government says it will soon declares state of emergency on education.
The state commissioner of education Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa revealed this at three day workshop for the Development of the annual Operational Plan for education held in Kaduna.
The training was supported by Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria’s Education (PLANE).
The commissioner said with this intended declaration, education shall henceforth take a lead, as first line charge item in government priorities.
With this declaration on state of emergency on education the state is expected to witness a positive transformation in education sector.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has conducted a capacity-building training for operatives of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) to enhance their investigative capacity in tackling financial crimes.
KANO FOCUS reports that the training, held in Kano, focused on strengthening the technical skills of investigators to address increasingly complex and technology-driven financial offences.
Hajiya Aisha Gadanya Malam Saidu Yahaya
A statement signed by the Acting Public Relations Officer of PCACC, Isah Mansur Bello said the session was facilitated by James Ebiboloukemi, Head of CCS1 at the EFCC Kano Zonal Office, who provided practical insights into the evolving nature of financial crimes and strategies for combating them effectively.
Key areas covered during the training included financial intelligence gathering, analysis of financial records, asset tracing and recovery, digital forensics, detection of money laundering, interrogation techniques, case documentation, and prosecution support.
Participants were also equipped with practical tools to investigate and manage complex financial crimes, particularly those involving digital platforms.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of PCACC, Malam Saidu Yahaya, described the training as timely and critical to improving the commission’s operational effectiveness.
He reaffirmed PCACC’s commitment to sustained collaboration with the EFCC in promoting accountability, transparency, and good governance in Kano State and beyond.
The commission also expressed appreciation to the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for his continued support in ensuring the agency’s independence and providing necessary logistical backing.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, has commended the Federal High Court in Kano for sentencing a 20-year-old drug suspect, Muhammad Maharazu, to 15 years imprisonment.
In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer NDLEA Kano Strategic Command Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari on Thursday, the command said the conviction followed Maharazu’s arrest on February 14, 2026, at the notorious Filin Idi drug den in Kano.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect was apprehended by operatives of the Commander’s Special Joint Task Force in possession of various illicit substances, including Diazepam tablets. During the operation, Maharazu allegedly produced a knife in an attempt to attack officers while trying to evade arrest but was swiftly disarmed and taken into custody.
The agency said Justice S. M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court, Kano, sentenced the convict to 15 years imprisonment on April 15, 2026, with no option of fine. The sentence is to take effect from the date of judgment.
Reacting to the development, the NDLEA Kano Commander, Dahiru Yahaya Lawal, described the judgment as decisive and a strong warning to drug offenders.
“This conviction sends a clear message that no amount of threats or violence will deter our officers from carrying out their mandate. Kano will not be a safe haven for drug traffickers,” he said.
The command added that the custodial sentence would serve as a deterrent to others involved in drug trafficking or those who resort to violence to resist arrest.
It also called on members of the public to continue supporting the agency’s efforts in tackling substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking, emphasizing that the fight against drug-related crimes requires collective responsibility.
Headlines
Dangote, Pope Leo XIV, Trump, Xi Jinping, others named in TIME 100 most influential people for 2026
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Renowned African industrialist and philanthropist, Aliko Dangote, has been named among TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2026, reaffirming his standing as one of the most successful and iconic business leaders of his generation.
KANO FOCUS reports that Dangote joins global influential figures from multiple sectors, including political leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, revered Pope Leo XIV, current head of Catholic Church as well as business and technology leaders including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan.
A statement sent to Kano Focus by Esan Sunday of Dangote group said the annual TIME100 list, published on Wednesday April 15, 2026, recognises global figures whose leadership, ideas, and actions are shaping the future across business, politics, culture, and society. Dangote’s inclusion places him alongside prominent international figures drawn from diverse spheres of global influence.
This marks Dangote’s second appearance on the prestigious TIME100 list, following his first recognition in 2014, when he was honoured for his exceptional impact on business and philanthropy. His return to the list more than a decade later underscores the consistency and scale of his influence on the global stage.
Dangote, who is being recognized for his African industrial drive is the only Nigerian on the list and featured in the titan and innovators category. Other prominent honorees named alongside Dangote in the titan category are Reid Wiseman, Commander of the Artemis II mission to the moon; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet and Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube.
Also featuring prominently under the titan category are Michael and Susan Dell, the high-profile American tech billionaires and philanthropists best known as the founders of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, a global non-profit that focuses on improving the lives of children living in urban poverty. Included here also is the American designer and billionaire, Ralph Lauren, best known for founding the global lifestyle empire Ralph Lauren Corporation.
Recognized in the Pioneer category are individuals with breakthroughs in Science and Social Advocacy such Kiran Musunuru and Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas, both of whom were cited for medical breakthroughs in genetic therapy as well as Aaron Williams, recognized for advancements in heart transplant readiness.
Influential figures recognized in global entertainment and culture include Ranbir Kapoor, prominent Indian actor; Dakota Johnson, recognized as an actress and cultural icon and Kate Hudson, included for her cultural influence.
As Founder and President of Dangote Group—Africa’s largest indigenous industrial conglomerate—Dangote has played a central role in advancing industrialisation across the continent. Under his leadership, the Group has made landmark investments spanning cement manufacturing, sugar and food processing, agriculture, infrastructure, and lately energy, significantly reducing Africa’s reliance on imports while creating millions of direct and indirect jobs.
In its citation, TIME Magazine highlighted Dangote’s vision of building African industries with local resources for global competitiveness, noting his recent investments in large‑scale energy and manufacturing infrastructure as emblematic of his long‑term commitment to Africa’s economic transformation.
Beyond business, Dangote is widely acclaimed for his philanthropic leadership through the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), one of Africa’s largest private philanthropic organisations. The Foundation supports critical initiatives across healthcare, nutrition, education, disaster relief, and economic empowerment, contributing to improved outcomes for vulnerable communities across the continent.
The 2026 TIME100 recognition further reflects a broader global acknowledgement of African leadership, innovation, and enterprise, with Dangote standing as a symbol of the continent’s growing influence in shaping global economic and development narratives.
This latest honour consolidates Aliko Dangote’s legacy as a visionary industrialist and philanthropist, whose work continues to drive sustainable development, inclusive growth, and long‑term value creation—both within Africa and beyond.
Under his leadership, Dangote Group recently launched Vision 2030, with which Dangote Industries aims to transform from a regional $30 billion conglomerate into a $100 billion global powerhouse by 2030.
This strategy focuses on industrial self-sufficiency for Africa, moving the group from “regional dominance to global relevance”.
Dangote said the roadmap to vision 2030 is divided into phases to “supercharge” the group’s expansion; with phase one spanning 2025-2028 focused on scaling existing businesses—cement, fertilizer, and energy—and optimizing assets for international competitiveness.
The Phase two running from 2028-2030 is for the deployment of new businesses and ventures into global markets to drive the final leap to the $100 billion revenue target. The Dangote Group plans to venture into steel manufacturing, power, and deep-sea ports to tackle industrial bottlenecks across Africa.
This recognition by Time Magazine underscores the growing global acknowledgment of African leadership and innovation, and highlights Aliko Dangote’s enduring influence as a visionary leader committed to sustainable development and inclusive growth.
The 2026 list underscores the expanding global visibility of African leadership and Dangote’s continued influence as a leading industrialist and philanthropist.
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Dangote, Pope Leo XIV, Trump, Xi Jinping, others named in TIME 100 most influential people for 2026
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