Katsina at 37: The success, challenges

On Monday, September 23, Katsina State marked its 37th anniversary since its official creation in 1987, with various activities to celebrate the occasion. Originally part of ancient dynasties like Daura and Katsina, the region was known for its scholarship, commerce and cultural significance long before Nigeria’s independence. Katsina’s founding fathers, led by figures like General […]

On Monday, September 23, Katsina State marked its 37th anniversary since its official creation in 1987, with various activities to celebrate the occasion.

Originally part of ancient dynasties like Daura and Katsina, the region was known for its scholarship, commerce and cultural significance long before Nigeria’s independence. Katsina’s founding fathers, led by figures like General Hassan Usman Katsina and Musa Yar’adua, successfully pushed for statehood despite political resistance.

On September 23, 1987, the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida announced the creation of Katsina State alongside three others.

Over the decades, both military and civilian leaders have contributed to the state’s development. The state has seen rapid transformation, especially in education, agriculture and various infrastructures.

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To mark the day, the state government organised various activities. They include a twin lecture organised by the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); another lecture organised by the Katsina Young Professionals as well as an award dinner, where the governor presented awards to some outstanding civil servants.

At a colloquium to mark the day, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering young men and women with exceptional talents, emphasising their critical role in shaping the future of the state.

He highlighted recent initiatives aimed at identifying and fostering exceptional young talents in the state.

He said two young innovators, one who designed a car and another who developed software applications, were receiving support from the government.

He said one software developer had been sponsored to the United States for specialised training in his field.

Governor Radda also underscored his administration’s strategic investment in education, particularly in cutting-edge fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Biotechnology.

In this regard, 68 talented students from Katsina are being sponsored to study the disciplines, representing a significant step towards the state’s technological and scientific advancement.

“The future of Katsina State lies in the hands of our young people,” Radda said.

Prof. Pantami urges emphasis on skill acquisition

Also speaking, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, urged the youth to broaden their skills and look beyond traditional public sector jobs for opportunities.

Pantami stressed that the modern job market is highly competitive and that success requires more than formal education.

“To succeed today you must acquire additional skills, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mindset,” he stated.

He emphasised the importance of innovation in navigating the evolving landscape of work, where automation and technology are reshaping traditional roles.

In addition to technical skills, Prof. Pantami highlighted the value of cultivating human qualities such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and optimism, which are essential in fostering personal and professional growth.

He urged the youth to be adaptable and open to learning new skills, particularly in high-demand fields like digital technology, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship.

At another lecture to mark the occasion, Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga, the 5th Waziri of Katsina, reflected on both the state’s development and the pressing challenges it currently faces.

Prof. Lugga highlighted the insecurity that has plagued Katsina and other northern states in recent years, a stark contrast to the earlier decades of progress.

He noted that the worsening insecurity, particularly in the past seven years, had reached a critical point where state governments, overwhelmed by the threat of bandits and insurgents, began to advise citizens to take up arms and defend themselves.

“There has never been a situation where the citizens are asked to defend themselves,” Prof. Lugga said.

He stressed that the responsibility for the security of lives and property does not lie with the people but with the government, particularly the president, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

“Today in Nigeria, we have two standing orders in charge of security: the police and the army. These institutions, under the direct authority of the president, should bear the responsibility of protecting citizens,’’ he said.

Prof. Lugga urged the governor to rally his colleagues from the 36 states and bring this crucial issue to the attention of the president.

“It is entirely the responsibility of Mr. President, as Commander-in-Chief, to ensure that bandits and insurgents are taken care of,” he said.

According to him, if the president and his commanders are incapable of solving the problem, then they should amend the constitution to allow state governors to establish their own police forces.

“There is no way an unarmed people can defend themselves against AK-47 rifles,” he said, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

He alluded to the need for the president to sack all the service chiefs if they cannot do it and employ those who can, or else allow the governments of the state to protect its citizens through constitutional amendment.

Radda rewards 14 outstanding public servants

Fourteen workers of the state civil service were honoured for their dedication to duty at a dinner held at the Presidential banquet hall of the government house

The governor, at the occasion, commended their dedication to duty and urged others to emulate them.

Four people, who emerged best in different categories went home with brand new cars, while 10 others went home with the sum of N2m each as their prizes.

They thanked the governor for his motivational gesture and called on all other civil servants to be alive to their responsibilities for the growth and development of the state.

Citizens differ over celebration

However, there were divergent opinions with regard to the celebration from the citizens of the state.

The state secretary of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Tijjani Zakari, said it was a waste of resources for the government to celebrate the anniversary considering the economic hardship and insecurity bedevilling the state and the nation.

“People’s preoccupations now are issues of insecurity, high cost of living, and high cost of petroleum products that further aggravate issues of inflation, but certainly not celebrations.

“They should have channelled the resources to other things that could improve the wellbeing of the citizenry rather than any unwanted expenditure that is not meaningful,” he said.

A former state chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Salisu Uli, said celebrations anniversaries that come once a year were part of the people’s lives, but considering circumstances, they could have been shelved.

“Remember some years, even Sallah celebrations were dropped due to issues of insecurity. So, this one too, although they are just a tradition, they are better not done.

“I am speaking not as a member of the opposition party, but as a citizen of Katsina State. I know and I believe that there is no state governor in the current dispensation in the northwest that is trying on the issue of insecurity as Governor Radda; we must give him that credit. But spending huge amounts of money just to commemorate state creation is not necessary considering the economic situation of the people,” he added.

However, a citizen Abdullahi Sani (Abba) was of the opinion that celebrating the time and praying for the founding fathers of the state was not bad.

“Celebrating state creation is not peculiar to Katsina State, so why don’t we celebrate like others do? So as far as I am concerned, there is nothing bad in celebrating our state creation, which in turn entails a sober reflection and celebrating our development as well as planning ahead,” he said.