The Learner

When I got the Kano State Foreign Scholarship to study for 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). The DVC, 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 about this issue. Dr. Baffa and I examined the university's accreditation status and ranking, among other things. We confirmed that it was not only fully accredited but also ranked as the best private university in India at that time. Convinced, BUK released me on a fellowship. BUK later employed some of my friends with whom I studied at LPU. Many of us have PhDs from other universities today, while others are gainfully employed in Nigeria and abroad. Our degree certificates still bear LPU's name. These facts say much about the university's status. While I wish LPU had a more ...

Muhammad Muhsin Ibrahim muhsin2008@gmail.com @muhsin234 Let me be categorically clear from the onset that I am not here to legitimize the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari’s handshake with any non-maharam woman. The often cited instances of other Muslim leaders of, among others, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia doing the same is, at best, extraneous and at worst, clumsy. No amount of words, logic, wisdom, etc can make what’s already haram (forbidden) such as an unconditional body contact with a non-maharam woman by another man halal (legit). That is my understanding, firm belief and sturdy stand. Buhari’s action is, however, purely personal between him and his Creator, Allah. I am very sure that Buhari, being a Hausa-Fulani and Muslim, knows that. He would, if he at all allows it, definitely frown at anybody shaking the hands of his wife, his daughter or his female wards. He did not grow up seeing the same being done in their house nor in his immediate environment. And yes, we...