hajia

Well, well. Above is the picture of Gobarau Minaret (aka Gwabrau) in Katsina. I promised publishing this picture a long time ago. This edifice was first built more than 600 years ago by Mohammadu Korau. This man was reputed to be the first muslim Emir of Katsina and he reigned in the 1300s. Later of course the rulers abandonned the religion and a Jihad had to be carried out by the Fulanis. This Minaret was part of the central mosque at the time but when Ummarun Dallaje, the flag bearer during the Jihad, seized the town and settled down, he moved the Palace to its present location at Kangiwa. The mosque and minaret had all suffered neglect since then. Dallaje's central mosque was sutuated at the present lower court premesis near old central office. Dikko on taking over the throne moved the mosque to its present location.
But what irks me most is the utter neglect of this historical building. Successive Emirs and state governemnts all paid lip service to this edifice. This allowed encroachment of all sorts and collapse of the top sections. The height has become reduced as a result. This building ought to have been declared a national monument by now.
If you examine the picture again you will notice how the primary school by the right has taken a chunk of the original premises of the mosque. Also the houses on the right have encroached too close to the building.
Monuments as old as this and even older have been preserved all over the world for historical reasons. Are we bereft of any historical sense. Remember the Chinese wall was built around 2000 years ago and it is still standing today. Thanks to the foresight of the Chinese. Americans revere anything as old as mere 200 years and they preserve them like pets.

But lest we forget while Korau was busy building the Minaret, Mansa Musa was on his trip to Makkah in Saudi Arabia, the British and the French were engaged in the bloody 100 year battle, Ibn Khaldun was expounding his theories on world history, Ibn batutta had embarked on his travels round the world in search of knowledge.

Above is an Iranian female fan doing her best to support her countrys team. Now who says Football is not international. The Mullahs probably looked askance to this or perhaps realised they just cant stop this kind of behaviour. Now In Somalia the new boys on the block ie the Islamists tasted some popular rebellion when they tried to stop youth there from watching the world Cup. This kind of show is a far cry from what we see in brazillian anf Portuguese fans. These girls went way out to display their support with their bodies. More pictures soon. 

DAVID LETTERMAN, OPRAH AND DR PHIL
The above three really need no introduction. They all have their television shows ranging from comedy to lfe style. However it would be asking too much to expect them on one show. But thats exactly what Letterman is hoping for. He called such a meeting a superbowl of love.
Now Dr Phil has appeared on Lettermans show a couple of times. Neither Oprah nor Letterman appear to be willing to appear in one anothers show.

Letterman has always used his shows to dig at the ribs of Oprah (and others) and so for she has never replied. He also jokes about others in the news or out. Paris Hilton was at one time his favourite. Her stupid boyfriend once posted their lovemaking on the net and Letterman picked on that hilariously. He also had gags for George Bush,Clinton, Michael Jackson, saddam Hussein and his killed sons Uday and Kusay. And Virtully every body on this planet. Oprah never said anything to him on or out side her shows. Its on record though that she sent a choking largess to Letterman when he had his first son. First son, Yes. The guy is around seventy years old but he fathered a son. Isnt it amazing?

Letterman is the classical stand up comic. He once said Oprah pumps some gas in her studio that makes her audience to laugh and cry all the time. And thats why he can never go to her shows. He never spared Dr phil also who by the way was once married to Oprah.

Seeing the kind of relationship between them Letterman suggested a peace deal where the three of them will come together. But first Dr Phil would meet him to straighten things up before Oprah makes her grand appearance. And three of them would then agree for a truce.


Isnt that funny for a comedian and lifestyle hosts?

GOVERNOR MASARI OF KATSINA STATE? GOD FORBID BAD THING.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is Honourble Aminu Masari (PDP) from Katsina State. Its no more news that he has joined the race to become governor of the state.
Let it be known however that I do not support his ambition. And before people like Yusufu Sani Yar Santa start showering invectives on me let me hasten to add that I have cogent reasons for my position.
First let me talk about the non-reasons.
Hon. Masari did not go to University, neithr is he a holder of HND. I am not bothered with this. His few certificartes are enough to see him through. Remember too that Sabo Bakin Zuwo was once the governor in Kano state but he had little or no western education. Masari in fact attended several courses and worked for Water Board in Katsina where he was said to have good in plumbing works. This is a good enough qualification and experience.
Secondly it cant be his age. Or where he is coming from. He hails from Karaduwa (KRD) area of Katsina state. I for one is half KRD and half KT. In fact if given the choice I would rather have someone from KRD as Governor this time around.
So Yusuf Yar Santa please spare me.
I do not support Masari's bid because i beleive he had had his shot at elective office. Kaput. He served one term as floor member of the House and in his second term now he is the Speaker. He should be grateful for this and retire honourably to his farm.
Elected Officers should never be allowed to jump from one post to another. Its just like allowing a governor to vie for the Senate at the end of his eight year term. It reeks of injustice because it denies others to also serve their nation. In this regard I a;lso do not support Yarima's (Zamfara Governor) bid for the presidency, and all those Local Government Chairmen in Katsina who are bent on swapping their seats with their representatives in the state Assembly.

Personally I would want the constitution to be amended so as to stop overzealous politicians from jumping from one elected post to another ad infinitum.

As for the race to the Government House in Katsina srtate the list is long but can be devided in to two or three.
The old guard comprising of Magaji Mohd., Eng. Kanti Bello, Tukur Jikamshi (ex deputy governor), Nura Kalil, Garba Aminchi (the present deputy governor), Yan Doma, etc.
The new and young faces comprising of Murtala Safana, Dr Jabir, Dr Mustapha, the ex-AIG, Alhaji Ida, Lawyer Shema etc

Now who in the above list is best suited for the post? Time will tell.... and we will continie with our analysis.

CAT STEVENS OR YUSUF ISLAM
Remember that reknown musician who convertd to Islam a few years ago? Well thats Cat Stevens. He abandoned music and a playboy lifestyle as we know and see it in the lives of music stars. No sooner after that his music records were burnt by some extremist christians in America. i wonder if these extremists also burnt Michael Jackson's senior brother's records after he also converted to Islam. Forgot the name of the guy but he was never among the Jacksons. He went on a solo carrier and was quite successful too. Thats Jermaine Jackson. He converted to Islam a few years ago.

Well, Yusuf Islam is back in the news now. Apprently he has gone back to his past time, ie music. He first backed for a remake of one of his original songs and then followed that with a full blown composition of his own.
This act has obviuosly irked extremsts in the muslim world who todate maintain that music is haram or forbddten. And they may be seeking for explanations from the man.

Well definitely not from the likes of me. Ride on Yusuf Islam with your music. I am lucky that since childhood i have not been given the notion that music is haram. And recently when some Shariah zealots like Aminu Milo wanted to ban music in KT the people resisted. We resisted.
At one time they banned celebrations that included music and all in Katsina. A popular musician Mai Asharalle was even jailed.
The saving grace came when the Governor was marrying off his daughters. Bands were invited to the town and since then the music gates opened. In fact that attempt to ban music made it to be entrenched further in our religiuos activitivities. Take the newly introduced musicals that accompany Maulud - the birthday of the Prophet (PBUH). This ceremony used to held in Daura only but now its in KT and other parts of the state.
Music is indeed the spice of life. No extremist christian or muslim can stop it.
Congratulations Yusuf Islam. No explanations to offer at all.

As for me I like music from what ever source, be it made by muslim, christian, Hindu, Sikh or who ever. Even jewish music if there is one. I wonder though if jews have the time to sing songs. The vidictiveness and desire for revenge may just hinder them from such things. Remember too Abike Dabri, (a one time NTA corrspondent but now member of the House Of Representatives in Abuja) once described jews as the most highly focussed people on earth. That was in report after her visit to Israel. Their principal focus appear to be on armaments and revenge. The Lebanese wanton attacks testify to this. But as the Prime Minister of Lebanon said in Italy all the fallouting armaments would not give one peace. Only trust building strategies like withdrawing from Sheba Farms. Such will lead to the disarmamentof the Hizbollah and the deployment of Lebanese army in the South.

Any way let there be muisc folks all the time.......

LEBANON AND ISRAEL CRISIS
I have tried to shy away from making any comment on the above since violence broke out between the above two countries. As the crisis continue, with no sign of going away, the urge to write on it became unbearable.
It is clear to all now that Israel is a small but powerful nation that is backed by the mighty USA. This kind of support give the country a kind of licence to virtually do as it likes. This is the only way to explain the massive, disproportional attacks it is unleashing on Labanon. Remember though 2006 is not the only year in which Israel attacked and invaded Lebanon. The first invasion was in 1978 and then againg in 1982. In the 1982 invasion the Israeli army was led by no other than the now reclusive Ariel Sharon. He led the attack but more importantly looked askance as christian lebanese massacred unarmed Palesrtinians in the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps. Sharon was seriously indicted by the international media and faced court action in The USA and another in Europe. Sharon is known in some quarters as the butcher of Sabra and Shatilla.

As they say history repeats itself and we are now witnessing yet another invasion of an independent country. israel is using the pretext of the two captured soldiers by Hizbollah operatives. The lives of two junior officers is now being equated with that of hundreds and possibly thousands of Lenbanese lives. How preposterous!
The international community is keeping mum on the crisis. The only feeble voices you hear only talk about humanitarian disaster. The cause of the disaster is a no go area. Kofi Anan , the UN secreatry General started talking "tough" but quickly stopped as soon as Bolton ( the American UN Ambassador gave him a briefing.
Well where is this crisis heading? Your guess is as good as mine. Its heading towards Iran and Syria. Thats the original agenda of the Jews. They and their American cohorts wants to now destroy the two remaining countries that pose danger to them in the region. The Hizbollah action merely played in to their hands.

George Bush maintains that Israel has the right to protect itself in going after the Hizbollah. What about Labanon as a country? Don't they have the right to protect their country? Of course Mr. Bush would as soon change his rhetorics tha moment Tel Aviv start crumbling under katusha rockets.
And how come the Lebanese army has not entered into the war. Are they waiting till the Jews reach Beirut with their tanks and apache helicopters? The time to act has passed but its never too late.
I really dont understand the jewish penchant for inflicting severe revenge every time they are attacked. Could it be a hangover from the days of the gas chamber? Hitler was stopped from gassing them all back in the early fourties and since then it appears they have put themselves in a kind of revenge mood.
Now to the Hizbollah. This is a bunch that organised themselves in the aftermathof the infamous 1982 invasion, as a resistance force against Israeli activities in Lebanon. They appear to be in a hurry to exact revenge on Israel by carrying out puny attacks every now and then. These efforts all led to severe counter attacks by the little nation. The Hizbollah have never been efficient in their resistance and their strategies are at best faulty on virtually all counts.
Now how can peace be achieved in the region what with America and the duo of Iran and Syria all behaving the way they do? All these countries are guilty for the instability in the region. But more so America beacause of its blind support for Israel. Just last week The Washington Post reported that giant bombs have been shipped to the jewish state so as to help it destroy Hizbollah bunkers underground. If only Iran or Syria were to supply the Hizbollah with similar weapons perhaps Bush would then start talking about negotiations or detente.

A note of caution to the zionist state: no condition is permanent. The European Union and the Russians have all started buckling under the heavy guilt of keeping silent in the face of wanton porgrom. Such can give rise to a new anti semitic feeling across Europe and across the world that would make the earlier one in the 1930s and 1940s look like a childs play.

RE GOVERNORSHIP RACE

An anonymous comment was made on my post on the above subject. The person appears to be Honourable Speaker Aminu Masari's supporter. He was irkked by the absence of Masaris name in my list of candidates. Its true i did not mention Masaris name but its not because i consider him to be out of the race. And he is not the only one i forgot to mention. Nura Kalil and Yandoma were also not mentioned. In the case if Masari though I am glad the likes of Yusufu Sani Yar Santa have not come across my blog. He would have cried blue murder for not mentioning his candidate ie Masari.

A little sideline about this guy Yar Santa. He is a politician who is in a hurry to make a name for himself. An opportunity presented itself when the Voice of America (VOA) invited him for a live discussion program. The guy went into a loop and accused everybody in the northern part of the state for plotting against Karaduwa (KRD) and its people (comprising of Malum Fashi and Funtua areas of Katsina state). The governpor, the emir and all from that side were accused by this guy for discrminating against Funtua /Malum Fashi axis. How preposterous.

To back his argument he said no Minister from their side was ever appointed. Perhaps. So far Obj had Sani Zango from Daura and Magaji Mohd fromDutsinma who served as Ministers. Now its Abba Sayyadi from Batsari serving as Minister. Also that no emirate has been created for them. Only two emirates exist in the state: Katsina and Daura. So...

Well....Ministerial appointments are political in nature and Yar Santa ought to know this. As a politician he has the right to call the governor to order on this but at the proper forum. Certainly voicing out this in the media is aimed at scoring cheap point with his fellow KRDs.

As for the emirate I would rather the people of KRD decide in a referendum. And i doubt if they will go for it. The loose arrangement of village an district heads suit Funtua and Malum Fashi well. Imposing an emirate and its attendant conservative posture will not augur well for the freedom loving people of that area.

Well what a mouthful. I dont know what this Yar Santa guy is up to but one thing is clear; we have not heard the last of this debate.

Thsi picture was snapped a few moments after the handing over of the certificate. It shows rthe entire entourage of the Waziri from Katsina. I thought i recognised some faces: Alhaji Ida, Alhaji Wada Maida. Take note of the red and green uniformed palace guards. They have a purpose: to protect the Waziri 

This was the moment of ecstacy when the then Minister of Education(left) presented the licence of the University to Alhaji Sani Lugard Notice the white turban that says it all about his traditional title of waziri. Peter Oke the NUC secretary does not seem to feature in the photo. . 

Seeing is believing.This s the sign board that says it all. It is by the main gates of the University. 

KATSINA STATE UNIVERSITY HURAY
Well the pundits and doubting thomasses have all been proved wrong when the the gates of Katsina University opened a few months ago. Remember how we, the indigenes, were taunted about the University? Some even said we were waiting for the Arabs to come and build it for us! Well we got it now, thanks to Alhaji Sani Lugard the Wazirin Katsina.
In fact he single handedly established the University through the Katsina Islamic Foundation which he heads. As a resultof this I have a new respect for this man and am ready to bow down at him when he passes by. He has done for Katsina what no other has done before, not even state governors. He got the licesce for the University as the pictures above testify. For this I recommend him for the highest honour of the state. Perhaps the Dikko Medal of Honour. Or perhaps he should be inducted into the Dallaje Hall of Fame. What ever it is, the state and people of the state should show their due appreciation to him. Perhaps too a much higher traditional title.
That said then let me state categorically that the time to bow out for the Waziri has come. The University he established has now out grown him, it has become too big for him to run. And the honourable thing is for him to let go, by allowing the state governmwent to take over the school.
As it is today the University is a scandal waiting to happen. Whoever heard of a University without a library? Without professors? Without an independent revenue base? Without Glasnost or openness? The faults of the University are legend and the earlier the state took over the better for all.
Consider these facts for example: If NUC were to send accreditation team to the school today the licensce will be revoked tommorrow. If the state government were to cut off its funding the school will collapse within a year. If the University were to survive the next two years, by some miracle, then on the third it will self destruct under a myriad of conflicts, nepotism, incompetence, bootlicking and other shenanigans of its own making. After all you cant run a University from your bedroom, like a fiefdom. Its damn bigger than that.
Lest we forget, money was initially raised more than twenty years ago from citizens of the state and other muslim umma in Nigeria and beyond that provided the seed money for the University project.It is also on record that the Arabs have made wholesome contributions. All the contributions and effort have today come to fruition as the pioneer students are said to be writing their second semester exams. Good Luck to them all, including the Izala-Imam-turned-merchant.
Let me also add that the behavior of the Waziri towards the committee set up by the state governemnt was not lost on the people of the state. It is on record he refused to give the committe members audience and also refused to attend their hearings in Katsina motel. This was unfortunate but clearly pointed to the waziris opposition to let go of his baby - the school.
STOP PRESS
Someone whisphered to me that all is settled and the stage is clear for the state government to take over the University. I hope and pray this is correct. We shall indeed celebrate all over the state. Dust your Kool and the Gang album and start playing the number titled Celebration!!!

Same saudi girl in different pose with the saudi national flag. Notice the make-up (its too much eh) and the pencil-lke nose. Is the nose typical of middle eastern race or is there a mix up in blood somewhere? i know that lots of Arabs have married caucasians including their Kings. For example King Hassan of Jordan had his American spouse, Hosni Mubarak has his own too and King Fahd also had. The girl above might just have a white dad or mom for all i know.  

See above the saudi football fan i promised. Is it not nice how she shows her support for the team. Do we have similar girls going all out to support football teams? May be  

SAUDI FAN PIX
I have not forgotten my promise to post a picture of an ardent female saudi football fan on this blog. Problem is i cant just use the picasa software correctly. As soon as I get it right you will see the pix.

GOBARAU MINARET
I was near the minaret this morning and i could not resist the urge to take a peek. Do you know that it was first built in 1348 by Emir Muhammadu Korau? Oh yes. More than six hundred years ago. Remember the Americans revel at things 200 years old while Jews go for a thosand or so they claim. OUr OWN GOBARAU is OVER SIX hundred years for Godsakes. The very first skyscrapper in Nigeria or even West Africa. For this it is supposed to be a national monument decades ago. But the sorry state it is in puts the blame squarely on the state and successive state governments. The primay school adjascent to it is already stealing the show and houses nearby are encroaching on this edifice.
When shall we cotton into a simple sense of history?

GOVERNORSHIP RACE IS ON ...
We have been inundated lately in Katsina with adverts for one guber candidate or the other. The list of contenders appears to be elongating by the day. Take a simple roll call starting with the old timers: Kanti Bello, Magaji Mohammed, the man from PTF, followed by new young faces like Dr. Jabir, Murtala Safana, and then the ex AIG, Dr. Sani ( a kaduna resident), the present deputy governor,Yantumaki? and others whose names and cliches escape ones mind. These names are a mixed bag of both or all parties: PDP, ANPP and others too numerous to mention. But who among them has presented a solid agenda or manifesto as a basis for his campaigns? What are their views on say education or agriculture? How would they improve the acute unemployment seen among the youths of the state? What about the issue of women and girl child? The abuses they suffer as second or third or fourth wives? What are they saying on these and several other issues?
Without touching these how can we know who is right for us. All the contenders are guilty of this serious omission in their campaing trains.
So back to the drawing board guber hopefuls.

ET TU YARIMA
So Yarima(the erstwhile governor of Zamfara) is also serious about the presidency? Have you noticed his posters all over, along all major roads? Why cant some one tell him the plain truth? Like he told obasanjo himself in a letter published in several newspapers. In the letter he advised obj against third term. That was pretty audatious then and we all cheered. Me think some one should give him the same treatment he gave to obj. Afterall what is good for the geese is also good for the gander.
ADORO WELL OR RIJIYAR ADORO
These new township roads are making us (KT natives) to loose our bearings as we try visiting our relations. The other day I was trying to locate my auntiy's house near adoro and i lost my bearings completely. My signpost had always been the famous adoro well. No sign of the well and i had to engage a boy to lead me to the house.
Now this well is more than a hundred years old and always had water through out the year. It was no doubt built on the orders of Lord Lugard and it served the people. During the 1973 drought it was among the few that had water in in in the whole of Katsina. And refugees from Niger thronged it to fetch water for sale. It was a beehive of activity as those "yan garuwa from Niger made a descent living out of it then. Up till it was mercilessly destroyed it provided drinking water for the surrounding populace. Did you say what about the Water Board? Well what about it. Katsina is still experiencing shortages of tap water and the wells fill the shortfall. In fact the situation is so bad that in Kofar Kaura Layout digging well is the sign of wisdom among house owners. Just dig your well and and attach a pump and surface and overhead tank. Then you can dare the Water Board by refusing to pay their bills.
But some people thought this well had to give way to a new road thet starts from Ambuttai primary school. I find it odd that the road engineers could not maneuver the road so as to save the well. Or were they trying to save yet another edifice somewhere along the road? The destruction of the well must have been deliberate especially when you consider that they refused to build another well. They only gave a token compensation that can hardly build a culvert let alone a deep well. Thats vintage KT for you buddy

WORLD CUP FEVER
Well, well, well. The world cup is now over. It was really hectic especially for those who watched it religiuosly. As for me, well i watched but sparingly. Iam no great football fan but still had my favourite team. It was not brazil at all. I rooted for new faces like Portugal and Ukraine and when they fell by the way side, i took on others.
Who would have thought Italy will lift the cup? And by beating the French? No one.

Who would have thought the Saudis to be football-mad? Well they are and the country stood still during the event. Really stood still. Saudi boys and girls, men and women all went gaga during the tourney. I came across a picture of a young saudi female fan draped in their national flag. What a pose and the damsel is a looker except for the make up which was a shade too much. You need to see the nose too, pencil long....Watch out for the picture on this blog soon....

Can we compare with the Saudis? No way especially for girls and women. But perhaps its because nigeria does not feature in the tourney. Do we even have a female football team? At national level yes, a strong one at that. But at state level there is none. Or are we waiting till the stadium is completed? Golf is the in thing now and we have ma brand new golf course. Or so I heard. Who plays golf in Katsina? Your Guess is as good as mine.......Not the talakawas though.

RAINS OH WONDERFUL RAINS
By the way it rained heavily on the sunday of the world cup final here in Katsina. In the evening. It was a big relief as the crops have started wilting seriously. Right from Malum Fashi to Gyaza and Katsina all the farms are in a sorry state. Lack of rain or drought is the order of the day and i cant help but put the blame squarely on us. We burn tons of firewood daily to cook our food. The firewood comes from the surrounding trees. We also burn tons again every time a woman gives birth. These have been going on since the Jihad in 1804. So how could the forests remain when we cut them daily? How could the Sahara not encroach? How could sand dunes refuse to form in our vicinity? The existence of vegetation improves climatic condition and that leads to more rains. This is a fact and Kyoto is there to prove it. You can pray for rains all you can but careless use of the natural vegetation will never help you. Look at Israel - a desert expanse that has now been turned into savanna. Arial pictures on euronews channel show the country as green as Britain while the neighbouring countries look sandy and barren.

Why do we still use firewood? Why did we cut all the plantations that surrounded the town- the so called Dajin gwamna? Why cant we stop or reduce the use of firewood? Or are we all doomed to migrate southwards as time goes on? because thats what will happen by 2020.
Do you remember Dajin Giginya? On the outskirts of Kafar Durbi? All gone now