Jamilu Uba Adamu

 

Some people come into our lives and leave an indelible mark that transcends blood relations. Through their honesty, humility, nobility, contentment and disregard for worldly ostentation, they become more than friends or acquaintances; they become second fathers whose wisdom and kindness shape our lives.

 

Late Alhaji Bashir Ahmed Maizare was one such rare individual. His death is not merely the loss of a respected sports administrator but the departure of a father figure, mentor and custodian of Kano’s sporting heritage.

 

A Bond Beyond Blood

 

My relationship with the late Maizare began through my elder brother, Abdullahi Bayero Uba Adamu, who worked under him at the Kano State Sports Commission. My passion for sports naturally brought me closer to him and strengthened the bond that would eventually develop into a father-and-son relationship.

 

I vividly remember the day my elder brother escorted me to Maizare’s residence at Kofar Wambai Quarters in Kano and introduced me to him. What began as a simple introduction blossomed into a lasting relationship. From that day, I became a regular visitor to his home, where I found not just a sports enthusiast and administrator but a father figure whose counsel and encouragement meant so much to me.

 

His home became a place where I could seek guidance, share my concerns and learn valuable lessons about sports and life. He welcomed my questions, listened patiently to my challenges and offered advice without hesitation. His humility made him approachable, while his wealth of experience made his counsel invaluable.

 

The Shocking News of His Death

 

I was attending a training course in Jos, Plateau State, when the news of his death reached me. We had just stepped out for a break after a rigorous and exhausting lecture. I switched on my mobile data to check my WhatsApp messages.

 

Although I belong to several WhatsApp groups, one platform I regularly follow is the Kano Sports Commission group, driven by my enduring passion for sports in Kano.

 

After attending to some personal messages, I opened the Commission’s group. Almost immediately, I came across a series of condolence messages announcing the death of Alhaji Bashir Ahmed Maizare.

 

I was stunned. For a moment, I struggled to comprehend what I was reading. Before I could fully process the devastating news, I received a phone call from Malam Haruna Sabga, one of his neighbours at Kofar Wambai Quarters, who confirmed that Maizare had passed away.

 

The confirmation plunged me into deep sorrow. I felt like crying, my mood changed instantly, and I completely lost my appetite.

 

It was difficult to accept that someone who had played such a significant role in my life was gone. Beyond the public figure known within Kano’s sporting circles was a man whose personal kindness, encouragement and fatherly affection had touched my life profoundly.

 

A Mentor Who Believed in My Potential

 

One of the qualities I will forever remember about Maizare was his unwavering encouragement. He consistently motivated me to participate actively in sporting activities and supported my efforts to contribute to sports development.

 

His influence and fatherly support recently contributed to my appointment as Team Manager of the Kano Pillars Amputee Football Team and Vice Chairman of the Kano State Tug of War Association.

 

These appointments represent more than personal achievements to me. They also remind me of the encouragement I received from a man who believed in nurturing others and helping them discover opportunities to serve.

 

Maizare understood that sports administration was not merely about organising competitions or managing teams. It was also about identifying talent, encouraging young people, sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for others to contribute meaningfully to society.

 

He was always willing to offer guidance whenever I encountered difficulties. Whenever I faced a challenging situation in sports, he was among the first people I contacted. He would listen attentively and offer practical solutions, never making me feel that my concerns were unimportant.

 

That willingness to help, even when there was nothing to gain personally, distinguished him as a genuine mentor.

 

His Contribution to Documenting Kano’s Football History

 

One of the most enduring aspects of my relationship with the late Maizare was his invaluable contribution to the successful writing of my book, *Takaitaccen Tarihin Wasan Kwallon Kafa a Kano* (A Brief History of Football in Kano).

 

Documenting the history of football in Kano required access to reliable information, historical accounts and the experiences of people who had witnessed the evolution of the game. Maizare proved to be an invaluable source of knowledge and guidance throughout the process.

 

He never grew tired of attending to me. He patiently answered my questions and shared insights that helped me navigate the challenges of documenting the history of football in the state.

 

His support went beyond the ordinary assistance of a friend or acquaintance. He understood the importance of preserving sporting history for future generations and willingly contributed to an effort that would help keep Kano’s football heritage alive.

 

Looking back, I realise that his contribution to the book was part of a much broader legacy. He was not simply sharing information; he was helping preserve the collective memory of Kano’s sporting community.

 

More Than a Sports Administrator

 

Late Alhaji Bashir Ahmed Maizare was more than a sports administrator. He was a school from which others could learn, an archive of sporting memories and an encyclopaedia of Kano’s sports history.

 

His knowledge, built on years of experience and close association with the sporting community, made him a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the development of sports in Kano.

 

Yet, his greatness was not defined by knowledge alone. His humility, generosity, patience and commitment to youth development made him an exceptional human being.

 

In a world where positions and titles sometimes create barriers between leaders and those they serve, Maizare remained accessible and approachable. He demonstrated that true leadership is not measured solely by the authority one possesses but also by the lives one touches and the opportunities one creates for others.

 

His life offers an important lesson to sports administrators and public servants: institutions become stronger when experienced individuals are willing to mentor younger people, preserve institutional memory and pass on knowledge rather than keep it to themselves.

 

For Kano State, his passing should serve as a reminder of the importance of documenting the experiences of veteran sports administrators and preserving the history of the state’s sporting achievements. When such individuals pass away without their knowledge and experiences being adequately documented, society risks losing an irreplaceable part of its heritage.

 

A Loss Beyond the Family

 

The death of Alhaji Bashir Ahmed Maizare is a profound loss not only to his immediate family but also to the sporting fraternity in Kano State and Nigeria at large.

 

For those who knew him professionally, he was a repository of sports knowledge and experience. For those who benefited from his mentorship, he was a source of guidance and encouragement. For me, he was a father figure whose support and kindness I will continue to cherish.

 

Although death has taken him away from us, the values he embodied and the lives he influenced remain part of his enduring legacy. His contributions to sports administration, youth development and the preservation of Kano’s football history will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing him.

 

Personally, I will forever remember him with gratitude. I will remember his patience, his encouragement, his willingness to help and his unwavering belief in the value of sports. Above all, I will remember the fatherly relationship we shared, which was built not on blood ties but on mutual respect, kindness and genuine affection.

 

May Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds, illuminate his grave and grant him Jannatul Firdaus. May Allah also grant his family, friends, colleagues and the entire sporting community the strength and patience to bear this irreparable loss.

 

Alhaji Bashir Ahmed Maizare may be gone, but his legacy lives on in the people he mentored, the knowledge he shared and the sporting history he helped preserve.

 

Ameen.

 

Jamilu Uba Adamu is a sports writer based in Kano. 

 

 

Safiyanu Bichi

 

When Abia State Governor Alex Otti recently pulled off his shoe and proudly declared, “This is Aba Made,” the gesture went beyond the shoe itself. It offered a simple but powerful demonstration of what deliberate government patronage can do for local industry.

 

The message for Kano is equally important: where is Made-in-Kano in government procurement?

 

This is a question Kano can no longer afford to ignore.

 

For decades, Kano has been one of Nigeria’s important commercial and industrial centres. The state has a long tradition of manufacturing, textile production, leatherwork, furniture making, tailoring, metalwork, food processing and a wide range of small and medium-scale enterprises.

 

Yet having businesses and skilled artisans is not enough. Local industries need markets, and government procurement is one of the largest markets available in any economy.

 

The Kano State Government spends billions of naira annually on infrastructure, furniture, uniforms, clothing, construction materials, office equipment, vehicles, signage and other goods and services. The critical question is how much of this expenditure remains within Kano and how much leaves the state.

 

This is where a deliberate Kano Local Content Policy becomes necessary.

 

Every major state government project and Bill of Quantities (BOQ) should, where technically and economically feasible, contain a clearly defined local-content component. A target of 40 per cent Kano content could provide a practical starting point.

 

The idea is not to sacrifice quality or value for money. Rather, it is to ensure that qualified Kano-based businesses are given a fair opportunity to compete for government patronage.

 

If the government buys furniture from Kano manufacturers, contracts uniforms from local textile and garment producers, procures locally manufactured footwear and leather products, and sources other goods and services from competent businesses within the state, public expenditure can generate a multiplier effect across the local economy.

 

The money does not simply disappear after a government contract is executed. It circulates.

 

A furniture company pays its workers. Workers spend their earnings in local markets. Manufacturers purchase materials from other businesses. Transporters earn income. Artisans receive more orders. Businesses expand and potentially employ more people.

 

In other words, government procurement can become an instrument of economic development.

 

This is particularly important at a time when Kano needs to create more productive opportunities for its growing population, especially young people.

 

The state does not have to begin from scratch. Kano already possesses the human capital, entrepreneurial culture and business networks required to support a stronger local-content regime.

 

What is needed is deliberate policy, transparent implementation and consistent monitoring.

 

The government could begin by identifying categories of goods and services that can realistically be sourced within Kano. It could establish a database of qualified local manufacturers, contractors, artisans and suppliers, while maintaining clear standards for quality, pricing and delivery.

 

There should also be safeguards against turning local-content policy into another avenue for patronage. The objective should not be to favour politically connected businesses. It should be to create opportunities for genuine Kano-based enterprises that can meet established standards.

 

That distinction matters.

 

A successful local-content policy must combine local patronage with competition, quality, transparency and accountability. 

 

The experience highlighted by Governor Otti offers Kano an opportunity for reflection. A simple act of wearing a locally made product can draw attention to an entire ecosystem of producers, workers and entrepreneurs behind that product.

 

Kano can create its own version of that story.

 

Imagine a government school furnished by Kano manufacturers, public institutions using locally produced furniture, uniforms supplied by Kano garment producers, official events showcasing locally produced textiles and leather goods, and government projects deliberately creating opportunities for competent local suppliers.

 

That would make “Made-in-Kano” more than a slogan.

 

It would make it part of government’s economic strategy.

 

Kano has the people. Kano has the skills. Kano has the entrepreneurs. Kano has the markets.

 

What is required is a deliberate decision to connect government spending with the productive capacity of the state.

 

Let Kano Government buy Made-in-Kano.

 

A 40 per cent Kano Local Content target should not be treated as another political promise. It should be the beginning of a measurable procurement policy that keeps more public money within the Kano economy, strengthens local businesses, supports jobs and helps rebuild the productive foundation of the state.

 

The real question is no longer whether Kano can produce.

 

The question is whether Kano is ready to buy what Kano produces.

 

Safiyanu Bichi is a member of the Kano Budget Working Group.

 

 

Dr Auwalu Halilu

 

Kano State has recorded the highest number of candidates nationwide who obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).

 

The state recorded 74,413 candidates meeting the benchmark, up from 68,159 in 2025. The increase represents 6,254 additional successful candidates, or approximately 9.2 per cent year-on-year growth.

 

Kano’s 2026 figure placed it ahead of Lagos, which recorded 72,496 candidates, and Oyo, with 55,543 candidates.

 

The result marks the second consecutive year in which Kano recorded the largest absolute number of candidates meeting the five-credit benchmark, including English Language and Mathematics.

 

The development provides an important opportunity to reflect on the direction of education in the state. While the figures are significant, the relevant measure here is the absolute number of successful candidates. Kano has one of Nigeria’s largest school-age populations and examination cohorts, meaning that the scale of achievement involves tens of thousands of young people attaining a credential that can open pathways to tertiary education, technical and vocational education, employment and further training.

 

Educational outcomes are rarely produced by a single intervention. They typically emerge from the interaction of financing, teachers, infrastructure, learning materials, school leadership, assessment, family support, community participation and accountability.

 

Kano’s recent performance should therefore be viewed within the wider pattern of sustained investment and reform in the state’s education sector.

 

State of emergency on education

 

One of the defining decisions of the current administration was the declaration of a State of Emergency on Education in June 2024.

 

The declaration acknowledged structural challenges including inadequate classrooms, teacher shortages, overcrowding, poor learning environments, large numbers of out-of-school children and shortages of teaching and learning materials.

 

It subsequently created a platform for accelerated interventions in classroom construction and renovation, teacher recruitment, school furniture, textbooks and learning materials, school uniforms, examination support and broader system strengthening.

 

Its significance lies not only in individual projects but also in the signal that education has been placed at the centre of the state’s development priorities.

 

Kano’s budgetary pattern is another indicator of the priority attached to education.

 

In 2024, education accounted for approximately 29.95 per cent of the state budget. In 2025, the allocation rose to about N168.35 billion, representing roughly 31 per cent of the budget. For 2026, approximately N405.35 billion was allocated to education, again accounting for around 30 per cent of the state’s overall spending plan.

 

Consistency across successive budget cycles is important because education transformation requires predictable financing. Children remain in school for many years, teachers require continuous professional development, infrastructure needs maintenance and learning reforms take time to mature.

 

However, budget allocation should not be treated as the final measure of success. Sustainability requires transparent reporting on releases, actual expenditure, procurement, outputs and learning outcomes.

 

Kano should increasingly publish the full chain from budget commitment to classroom-level impact.

 

Examination support

 

For low-income families, examination fees can determine whether a young person completes secondary education with a recognised certificate.

 

The government’s examination sponsorship therefore represents both an education intervention and a social-protection measure.

 

In 2025, the state approved more than N3 billion for examination registration support covering approximately 141,000 students across qualifying examinations, including WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS. Additional support was provided to eligible students in community and voluntary schools.

 

In 2026, the intervention expanded substantially, with approximately N4.4 billion committed to examination fees for more than 150,000 students.

 

By absorbing these costs for eligible learners, government reduces the risk that poverty becomes the final barrier between years of schooling and an examination certificate.

 

The policy is particularly important in a state with a very large population and significant numbers of economically vulnerable households. Examination sponsorship should therefore be viewed as an equity measure that widens participation and helps ensure that family income does not alone determine access to final certification.

 

Teachers remain central

 

Classrooms and learning materials are essential, but teachers remain the human engine of the education system.

 

Kano has pursued large-scale teacher recruitment and absorption as part of its reforms. In September 2025, the state announced the absorption of 4,315 former BESDA volunteer teachers into permanent and pensionable employment.

 

In July 2026, appointment letters were presented to 8,588 teachers, comprising 4,900 newly recruited and trained teachers and 3,688 BESDA teachers.

 

These numbers matter because teacher shortages affect class sizes, subject coverage, instructional time and learning outcomes.

 

Recruitment, however, must be matched by effective deployment. Rural communities, underserved local government areas, girls’ schools and schools with shortages in English, Mathematics, science and technology subjects require particular attention.

 

Continuous professional development is equally important. The state’s work around the revised competency-based basic education curriculum should be sustained so that teachers are equipped to develop critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, civic values and problem-solving skills rather than relying mainly on rote learning.

 

Infrastructure and learning materials

 

The condition of a school shapes attendance, dignity, safety and concentration. Kano has therefore invested in classroom renovation, construction, furniture and other school-level inputs.

 

Reported interventions include more than N1.9 billion for the renovation of primary school classrooms and approximately N2.925 billion for additional classroom construction.

 

In 2024, the government also announced the distribution of 73,800 three-seat desks across the state’s 44 local government areas.

 

Large-scale provision of school uniforms has complemented these investments. Reports indicated the distribution of hundreds of thousands of uniforms, while a further N1.148 billion was approved in 2025 for free uniforms for Primary One pupils in the 2025/2026 academic session.

 

These may appear to be simple inputs, but a uniform, desk, textbook or safe classroom can be decisive for a child from a low-income household.

 

The next challenge is to ensure that infrastructure and materials are equitably distributed, properly maintained and linked to measurable improvements in attendance and learning.

 

Partnerships remain important

 

Kano’s education challenge is too large for state resources alone. Sustainable transformation requires effective collaboration with federal institutions, development partners, civil society, communities and the private sector.

 

UBEC-supported interventions have contributed classrooms and teacher support across the state, while programmes such as the UK-supported Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), UNICEF, Plan International and Save the Children have supported education planning, foundational literacy and numeracy, teacher development, data generation and teaching and learning materials.

 

The most sustainable partnerships are those that strengthen government systems rather than create parallel structures.

 

As externally funded programmes close, Kano will need to institutionalise effective approaches, retain trained personnel, budget for successful interventions and preserve the data and monitoring systems developed through such partnerships.

 

Beyond the NECO table

 

The movement from 68,159 successful candidates in 2025 to 74,413 in 2026 represents 6,254 additional young people meeting the five-credit benchmark, including English Language and Mathematics.

 

These are not merely examination statistics. Each number represents a student, a family, teachers, school leaders and communities.

 

At Kano’s population scale, even modest improvements in system effectiveness can affect tens of thousands of young people.

 

Education policy should therefore be understood not only as social-sector spending, but also as human-capital investment, poverty reduction, economic development and social stability.

 

A young population becomes a demographic dividend only when young people acquire knowledge, skills, values and opportunities.

 

NECO performance is an important indicator, but examination success should not become the final objective of education.

 

Kano needs young people who can read with comprehension, use mathematics, think critically, communicate effectively, solve problems, use technology, work collaboratively, create enterprises and participate responsibly in society.

 

The education strategy should therefore connect basic and secondary education more deliberately with technical and vocational education, tertiary education, entrepreneurship, digital skills, innovation and labour-market opportunities.

 

The long-term test of education investment is not only how many candidates pass an examination, but how effectively graduates convert education into productive lives and social contribution.

 

What comes next

 

The second consecutive NECO achievement also raises questions about how the gains can be sustained and deepened.

 

Kano should develop a medium- and long-term financing framework that protects education investment while shifting attention from allocation alone to releases, expenditure efficiency and value for money.

 

The Ministry of Education should publish an annual education performance report by local government area covering enrolment, attendance, retention, transition, completion, learning outcomes, teachers, infrastructure, WASH, school safety, gender, disability inclusion, examinations and financing.

 

Government should also analyse NECO results beyond absolute numbers by tracking percentage pass rates, local government and school performance, subject-level outcomes, gender gaps, urban-rural differences and year-on-year trends.

 

Examination sponsorship for indigent learners should be protected, with transparent eligibility criteria and a digital beneficiary database to improve targeting, prevent duplication and track beneficiaries’ progression.

 

Teacher quality should receive as much attention as teacher numbers through institutionalised continuous professional development, mentoring, classroom observation and data-driven deployment, particularly in underserved rural communities and critical subjects.

 

There is also a need for incentives for rural teacher deployment, including accommodation, transportation support and career incentives that make difficult-to-reach postings more attractive and sustainable.

 

Learning should be measured before the final examination. Regular state-level assessments in literacy, numeracy, science and other competencies at key stages can help identify and address learning gaps early.

 

The state should also establish a preventive maintenance culture involving education authorities, school leadership, School-Based Management Committees and communities so that renovated facilities remain functional.

 

Action on out-of-school children should be intensified through ward- and household-level data to identify who is out of school, why they are out, where they live and what interventions are required.

 

Girls’ education should remain a priority through sustained scholarships, re-entry opportunities, safe learning environments, WASH facilities, female teacher deployment and community engagement.

 

School safety and resilience should also be strengthened through early-warning systems, safeguarding, emergency preparedness, community intelligence and collaboration with relevant security institutions.

 

Digital education should be expanded through improved access to devices, connectivity, digital learning resources and teacher digital competence, including in rural schools.

 

Credible technical and vocational education and training pathways should also be expanded to give secondary-school leavers stronger routes into technical education, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship and employable skills.

 

An education research and innovation hub could further connect government, universities, civil society and development partners to evaluate reforms, generate evidence, test innovations and translate research into policy.

 

Civil society, professional bodies, the media and platforms such as K-SAFE, CSACEFA, OGP and GEP should also be supported to monitor commitments, expenditure and outcomes constructively.

 

A story of shared responsibility

 

The emerging Kano education story is encouraging.

 

In 2025, 68,159 candidates obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, in NECO. In 2026, the number rose to 74,413 — 6,254 additional successful young people in one year.

 

Behind the figures is a wider pattern of public investment: education receiving around 30 per cent of successive budgets; billions of naira committed to examination sponsorship; thousands of teachers recruited or absorbed; classrooms renovated and constructed; desks, uniforms and learning materials provided; and partnerships strengthened with federal institutions and development organisations.

 

These investments provide an enabling environment for improved participation and learning outcomes.

 

At the same time, the NECO result should not be attributed to any single intervention or individual. Students, teachers, parents, school leaders, communities, education agencies, federal institutions and development partners all contribute to educational outcomes.

 

The stronger lesson is that sustained political prioritisation and public investment can create conditions in which progress becomes possible.

 

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Kano State Government deserve recognition for placing education prominently within the state’s development agenda, while teachers, parents, communities and, above all, the students deserve recognition for converting opportunity into achievement.

 

The second consecutive NECO achievement should therefore send two messages: celebration that progress is being recorded, and responsibility to sustain and deepen that progress.

 

Kano’s ambition must ultimately be larger than leading a national table in absolute candidate numbers.

 

It should be a state where every child enters school, every child learns, every learner is safe and included, every teacher is competent and supported, and every young person leaves education with the knowledge, character and skills needed to build a productive life.

 

Education transformation is not achieved in one budget year, one examination cycle or one administration. It is a generational project.

 

When a society consistently invests in its children, strengthens its teachers, supports its schools and holds its institutions accountable, it is not merely funding education — it is investing in its future.

 

Dr Auwalu Halilu, Co-Chair (CSO), Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE).