The Learner

A Quick Take on “Christian Persecution” in Nigeria By Muhsin Ibrahim The claim of Christian persecution in Nigeria reduces the insecurity issues we experience to a very simplistic narrative. I am glad and pleased that prominent Christian individuals, institutions, and associations have outright rejected the claim. Folks like Omoyele Sowore put aside their opposition to the Tinubu government and spoke the truth. Boko Haram’s bullets do not differentiate between Muslims and Christians. In fact, they, like their terrorist counterparts elsewhere, have killed more Muslims than non-Muslims. Their attack on the Kano Central Mosque remains one of the deadliest. The victims of banditry in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, etc., are almost entirely Muslims! These beasts have attacked countless communities and mosques, often while people are praying. To my knowledge, no one has ever framed this as a religious persecution. The incessant clashes between farmers and herders in parts of the so-called Middle B...

By Muhsin Ibrahim People have spread false news about General Muhammadu Buhari's death a million times. At one point, many claimed–and several others believed–that he had actually died and was replaced by a body-double called Jibril from Sudan. The real Buhari has today passed on. He was 82. This is yet another reminder to us all that we will leave this world; it is simply a matter of time. Another reminder is that we will only die when our appointed time comes, because many have wished Buhari dead for several years, for several reasons. The man often reappeared looking even more refreshed than before. Not any longer. Buhari's presidency (2015-2023) shattered the image we had of him. If he had not been elected president not once but twice, we might have been mourning the death of our Mandela. Instead, we are mourning the death of just a former president today. They say we shouldn't speak ill of the dead, and that is quite right. We will also die; we would not want the livin...

Reflections on power and history: Lessons from Ceaușescu’s Romania By Muhsin Ibrahim History is essential for our understanding of the world. It tells us what happened in the past, why things are happening now (i.e. context) and what will likely occur in the future. Nothing beats this vital knowledge. A few years ago, we arrived in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. On the flight, I read about some African dictators, from Addis Ababa to Bangui, Kampala to Kinshasa, among others. I kept imagining how those tyrants, whose regimes mostly ended in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, thought while in power. Nevertheless, when we visited the house and the massive parliament building of Nicolae Ceaușescu, the infamous Romanian communist dictator, everything fell into place. Power is transient. Mr Ceaușescu ruled this Balkan country for 25 years. Going through some of the structures he left behind, one would assume he never thought of dying. However, in December 1989, demonstrations, riots, and civil...

  Top 7 Kannywood Series of 2024   By Habibu Maaruf Abdu For the Kannywood film industry, 2024 has been a remarkable year filled with unprecedented achievements and historic milestones. These include Ali Nuhu’s appointment as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation and Rahama Sadau becoming part of the federal government’s Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprise Program (iDICE). However, while the year was marred by the losses of veteran actress Saratu Gidado (Daso) and singer El-Muaz Birniwa, it also witnessed the emergence of fresh talent and a notable improvement in film quality. Big-budget productions like  Nanjala  and  Mai Martaba  achieved significant feats;  Nanjala  debuted in Turkey and the United States, and  Mai Martaba was selected as Nigeria’s official entry for the 97th Academy Awards. Moreover, Sadau’s film  Mamah  was screened at the prestigious Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. Interesting...

Elon Musk and the Dangerous Spread of Islamophobia By Muhsin Ibrahim One might expect that brilliant people possess a greater capacity to understand nuanced issues. However, this is often not the case. Prejudice and bias can obscure even the sharpest minds, leading to mischaracterisation of basic truths. Elon Musk needs no introduction. Yet, despite the tech billionaire’s extraordinary intellect and achievements, his views and social media posts on anything remotely related to Islam and Muslims reveal a gross misunderstanding and evident bias. Musk’s commentary on the Middle East, since the October 7 attack, and immigration-related issues, is riddled with inaccuracies and distortions. I once saw one of such posts. Initially, I thought it was by a parody account. After realising it was indeed Musk’s verified account, I recommended that he read Rashid Khalidi’s seminal book, The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine , to cure his ignorance. Now, following the terror attack on the Chris...

When I received the Kano State Foreign Scholarship to pursue my master’s degree at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in India in 2012, my first challenge came from the then-deputy vice chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK). Prof. Yahuza Bello understandably questioned the university’s name, among other inquiries, and asked me to meet with Prof. Sa’id Babura and Dr AB Baffa to investigate the institution’s credentials. Dr Baffa and I thoroughly examined the university’s accreditation status and ranking. We confirmed that LPU was not only fully accredited but also ranked as the best private university in India at that time. Convinced by our findings, BUK released me on fellowship. BUK later employed some of my friends with whom I studied at LPU. Many of us have earned PhDs from other universities since then, while others are gainfully employed in Nigeria and abroad. Our degree certificates still bear LPU’s name, and these facts speak volumes about the university’s standing. Whil...