The Learner

On rewriting my novel, A Weird Hope By Muhsin Ibrahim I published my novel, A Weird Hope , in 2012. I don’t have a copy today. However, as I was preparing to publish a second edition very soon, I asked a friend who still keeps a copy to send me its imprints. I found avoidable errors in the “Acknowledgement.” What about other parts of the book? It’s pretty embarrassing. Beyond that, I felt happy. I was glad because my writing skills are better today. That enabled me to see those blunders, which led me to upgrade the language of the forthcoming edition. I also insisted on hiring a competent editor, not just someone who would do it for free or quickly. Please note that you may still encounter errors. I’m human—and a Learner. I will discuss the book further once it’s released. For now, I advise fellow budding writers to never stop practising. Writing is a passion. Nevertheless, they should take their time getting their manuscripts published. I know the euphoria of seeing your writing publi...

Too many people desperately seek cheap popularity on social media (SM). They include socialites, self-identified religious scholars, and ordinary people. The first category, such as Murja Ibrahim, doesn’t surprise me; their followers astonish me. But the second and third categories astound me. The “religious scholars” mindlessly chase fame (and fortune) on SM today. It’s common to see a benighted person countering an established scholar on a subject he barely understands. I came across one a while ago, trying to debunk a theological discourse using baseless claims. He struggled to recite the Qur’an before him. The third category hides behind “catching cruise,” whatever that means. Yesterday, someone shared that viral tweet by parody accounts of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. People called his attention to the fact that they were parody accounts. He admitted knowing that but added that he was only “catching cruise.” What is that, for God’s sake? Fame can be a heavy load to carry, but it...

By Muhsin Ibrahim My wife and I got an appointment to meet with some real estate agents and see a new apartment we applied to rent. I wanted to practice the little German I could speak to impress them, but it didn’t work. Sensing my disappointment, one of them, apparently well educated, told me I was lucky to understand a little German. In contrast, he couldn’t speak any Nigerian, referring to a non-existent language he called “Nigerian”. I appreciated him, but reminded him that such language did not exist. I have had similar encounters in India, as I wrote   here . Due to Africa’s colonial past and ‘peripheral’ status on the world stage, we effectively learn about other, more prominent countries than their people know about us. For instance, most Africans learn about the European country that colonised their own country. As Nigerians, we learn about Great Britain and the English language and literature in school. English is our official language! We also know a lot about the Uni...

By Muhsin Ibrahim Following the publication of Skills Rather Than Just Degrees by Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), a debate raged on whether to obtain a degree certificate or acquire skills in northern Nigerian cyberspace. To my knowledge, Prof. Abdelghaffar Amoka Abdelmalik of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, offered the best response, which put the final nail in the coffin of the debate. For the past few days, we have been busy (again) arguing over whether English proficiency can be a measure of one’s intelligence. But, unfortunately, these controversies in sections of northern Nigerian cyberspace aren’t only unneeded but also detrimental to the region. A few other concerned friends and I have said enough about the two topics. However, some things are worth repeating. Here are two points. First, school is not a scam. Even Islam, the religion most of us practice, is totally pro-education. So, obtain that degree certificate and learn that skill. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. Forget ab...

By Muhsin Ibrahim For some reason, I have not yet finished reading Hadiza Bala Usman’s Stepping on Toes : My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority . However, as I read through it, it felt like I had written parts of the book. While she acknowledges that she is human and bound to err, the internal reforms she brought to the Nigeria n Port s Authority (NPA) are outstanding. What I love the most is how she paid attention to things we in Nigeria consider minor, such as the working conditions of electric appliances, toilets, the ambience of the workplace, punctuality, etc. I will mention just three case scenarios. First, she learned that “the air-conditioning system was faulty, and [they] suggested installing a standing split unit in my office, but I refused” (p. 37). She insisted that the whole system has to work, kicking against “the mentality of insulating chief executives from the general situation in a working environment [in Nigeria]. (ibid.)” Excellent! Second, she emphasised tha...

By Muhsin Ibrahim Part One In 2005, I applied for admission to Bayero University, Kano (BUK). In Nigeria, gaining admission without knowing someone at the university is quite challenging. My late father worked there as an accountant, but remembering how my older brother had failed to secure admission the year before, despite our father’s efforts, I didn’t ask for his help. Our eldest brother (Yaya Babba), now late, was nonetheless a student. Knowing he was not an ‘ordinary’ student because of his age, I approached him for assistance. I was lucky that Yaya Babba knew Malam Jamilu Ahmad Salim. I cannot say what his position at the University was at the time, but he could help, Yaya Babba assured me. My only fear was my SSCE result, which was neither WAEC nor NECO, the two conventional entry exams. I had NABTEB and was applying to the Faculty of Education. But on the other hand, my UTME/JAMB result was excellent. Yaya Babba met Malam Jamilu during a Hajj pilgrimage the previous ye...

By Muhsin Ibrahim It’s only human to prioritise your interests. However, as per my interactions with many fellow Diasporans, many would rather stay and work in Nigeria than in our current host countries. In other words, we want to sacrifice our comfort for the fatherland. In fact, if given a chance, many of us would remain in Nigeria, with half the welfare we get here, because at least we have more loving family and friends there than we can ever find overseas. People leave Nigeria not only because of the systemic failure the country is known for. We are resilient people who make do with many problems and fewer resources. For example, despite our infamous “infrastructural deficit”, our entertainment industry is excelling. This is only one example of our success stories under an adverse atmosphere. Many folks run away from Nigeria because of toxic bosses, colleagues, or both. We complain about “seniority” and “jealousy” in secondary schools, but these are worse in workplaces. But it’s m...