Education as a common Northern responsibility: Revisiting the ICSA principle on the road to 2027 (1), by Usman Sarki
“Degeneration and advance are not fixed processes but recur in cycles in the history of every nation.” — John Buchan A most disconcerting phenomenon confronting Northern Nigeria today is the failure to educate its children properly. A drive around Abuja and adjoining parts of Nasarawa State makes the point painfully vivid. Children of school age, […]
The sociology of the “Northern Question” in Nigeria: A fundamental reasoning on some salient issues(1), by Usman Sarki
“Moreover, the psychology of individuals, even in the most extreme instances, reflects the general effect of the fears and hopes of its time”- Joseph Conrad The May 1, 2025 editorial of Business Day titled “Nigeria’s self-destruction: Ethnic politics cripples progress”, made a sober assessment of politics and governance in the country, and provided the context for […]
The apathy of the masses and the insouciance of being, by Usman Sarki
“Apathy can only be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal which takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying out that ideal into practice”– Arnold Toynbee The state of our nation today calls for an honest and critical self-appraisal. We have become […]
What democracy means to me: A simple take on a serious question, by Usman Sarki
“A sentiment asserts its claim by its force, persistence and universality“- Joseph Conrad My younger readers might find this piece of interest in their attempts at understanding what democracy means. If democracy is a sentiment, it can assert itself by the force of practice and persistence that can be felt from its universality and common […]
The “Renewed Hope” Agenda and Nigeria’s foreign policy: Some suggestions on the actualisation of the “4Ds” objectives (2), by Usman Sarki
“The President shall hold regular meetings – for the purposes of (a) determining the general direction of domestic and foreign policies of the Government of the Federation”- Section 148(2), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) of 1999 A holistic conceptualisation and implementation of the “4Ds” agenda will require a robust assessment of the […]
The “Renewed Hope” Agenda and Nigeria’s foreign policy: Some suggestions on the actualisation of the “4Ds” objectives(1), by Usman Sarki
“For what is foreign policy? It is the adjustment of your relationship with other states in such a way as to ensure the prosperity of your state in peace and its safety in war”- Douglas Reed The enunciation of policies around development, democracy, demographics and diaspora, that form the “4Ds”, is a clear appreciation by the […]
Industrialising Nigeria and the task of the political class(3), by Usman Sarki
“Whether it will rise to a nation or sink to a territory rests only with its people”– John Buchan The agency of transcendence is about renewal and regeneration of the national ideals and ethos that make for a better society and dignified people who are confident about their future prospects and security. The underlying desire […]
Industrialising Nigeria and the task of the political class (2), by Usman Sarki
“The basis of every civilisation is wealth – wealth to provide the background of leisure, which in turn is the basis of culture in a commercial world”– John Buchan The historical task and challenge of leading the Black Race must be accomplished and fulfilled through the creation of the objective conditions at home that would favour […]
Industrialising Nigeria and the task of the political class(1), by Usman Sarki
“The economic factor in the politics of a country is always a difficult matter to discuss, for it is made up of infinite details, some of them purely speculative, all of them hard to disentangle”- John Buchan Presuming that there is a political class in Nigeria that is both visionary and patriotic, this series of articles […]
A word in favour of “Native Authority”(3), by Usman Sarki
“Yet even in the stress of work, it is often sound policy for a man to halt for a moment and collect his thoughts“- John Buchan I believe it is necessary that Nigerians should pause for a while and collect their thoughts even in the stress of day-to-day living, and reflect on the governance situation to […]
A word in favour of “Native Authority”(2), by Usman Sarki
“People who concentrate merely upon effects are unsound guides when constructive measures are required”-E. D. Morel Radical politics and intellectual adversity have played an important role in presenting the traditional system as archaic, conservative, feudal, exploitative, backward and even reactionary. But these allegations remain to be largely proved or substantiated by the critics of the system. In […]
