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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.
Headlines
“As You Sow, So Shall You Reap”: Imam Reminds Muslims of Divine Justice
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Imam Nura Garba Mato has urged Muslims to remain conscious of their actions, saying that divine reward and punishment often correspond to the nature of people’s deeds.
KANO FOCUS reports that the imam made the call while delivering a Friday sermon at Jami’u Ansar wal Muhajirun Jumaa Mosque, Cotton Ginnery Layout, Zawaciki, Kano State.
The sermon, titled “Al-Jazā’u Min Jinsil-‘Amal” (Recompense Is According to the Nature of Deeds), focused on the Islamic teaching that people’s actions have consequences and that good deeds attract divine reward.
Imam Mato said Allah had established enduring principles in human life that do not change, urging Muslims to understand these principles and allow them to guide their conduct.
He explained that one of these principles was that recompense corresponds to the nature of one’s actions, stressing the importance of living righteously and fulfilling one’s responsibilities to Allah and fellow human beings.
The imam called on Muslims to observe *taqwa* (consciousness of Allah), remain steadfast in their faith and follow the teachings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He also highlighted the importance of helping people in difficulty, easing the burdens of others and showing compassion to fellow Muslims.
Quoting a prophetic tradition, the imam emphasised that whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship in this world will receive relief from Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
He further explained that whoever conceals the faults of a fellow Muslim would receive Allah’s concealment of their faults on the Day of Resurrection, while those who make things easier for people in difficulty would receive Allah’s assistance in this world and the Hereafter.
The sermon also underscored the importance of supporting others, noting that a Muslim’s relationship with Allah should be reflected in their treatment of fellow human beings.
Imam Mato urged Muslims to reflect on their deeds and recognise that their conduct carries consequences, encouraging them to embrace good actions, assist those in need and uphold the teachings of Islam in their daily lives.
He stressed that Muslims should make righteousness, compassion and service to others central to their lives in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and success in the Hereafter.
Headlines
Kano Govt Orders Retired Civil Servants to Vacate Offices, Hand Over Government Property
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has directed all civil servants who have attained their statutory retirement age or completed the required length of service to immediately vacate their offices and hand over government property in their possession.
KANO FOCUS reports that the directive was contained in Circular issued on Tuesday by the Establishment Directorate, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Kano State.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Abba A. Danguguwa, on behalf of the Head of Civil Service, was titled: “Unauthorized Continuance in Service After Statutory Retirement by Civil Servants in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government – Call for Immediate Handing Over of Official Documents, Properties.”
The government said it had observed that some civil servants continued to remain in office and operate in official capacities after reaching their statutory retirement period.
According to the circular, such conduct was a “negation to the reputation of the Civil Service of Kano State,” noting that the service had a long-standing tradition of ensuring seamless transition by retiring civil servants.
It described the continued stay in service after retirement as a direct infraction and aberration of relevant provisions of the State Civil Service Rules and other applicable service regulations.
The government stressed that it was legally and administratively untenable for any officer to remain in service or perform official functions beyond the statutory limit.
Consequently, all civil servants who had retired either by age or length of service were directed to immediately exit and hand over all official documents, government property and duties to their immediate subordinates in their respective ministries, departments and agencies.
The circular also directed all Accounting Officers, including Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives, as well as Directors of Administration and Personnel Management, to ensure strict and immediate compliance with the directive.
It warned that any officer found aiding, abetting or condoning the continued stay of a retired officer in service would face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Civil Service Rules.
The directive takes immediate effect, the circular stated.
Headlines
Kano Settles N32bn Pension, Gratuity Liabilities, Says Gov Yusuf
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf says his administration has settled approximately N32 billion out of the N48 billion inherited backlog of gratuities and related liabilities owed to retirees in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that Gov Yusuf disclosed this on Thursday while addressing residents at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium in Kano.
The governor said the government had also sustained the regular payment of monthly pensions while increasing the minimum monthly pension from N5,000 to N20,000.
He said the welfare of workers and pensioners remained a priority of his administration, citing timely payment of salaries, improved remuneration and measures aimed at strengthening the public service.
According to him, the state has maintained the practice of paying workers’ salaries on or before the 25th of every month while implementing the N71,000 minimum wage for civil servants.
Gov Yusuf also said his administration was sponsoring public servants for professional training, including programmes at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), to strengthen their administrative and leadership capacity.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a professional and motivated workforce, while ensuring that the contributions and sacrifices of serving workers and retirees were recognised and treated with dignity.
