Haidar's Corner

Let me start with the following:  In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. 1. Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), 2. Has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). 3. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, 4. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen, 5. Has taught man that which he knew not. Holy Quran Chapter 96 verses 1-5. I never cease to be amazed by these first five verses revealed to the Holy Prophet (SAW). The message contained herein is a testimony to our DNA as humans whereby it has been ingrained in us to have that unquenchable thirst for knowledge and it is not coincidental that the very first revelation is about creation and the allusion to search for knowledge in nature.  Man has been around very briefly on this planet -  comparatively speaking - and yet as a species we seem to have had the most dramatic and profound effect on it. Knowledge seems to have had a 'double-edged sword' e...

I have participated in discussions with our people about our sorry state and the usual lines I get is that 'we are better than...' My response is why should we always place our bar of expectation so low? Why is our point of comparison limited to 'mediocrity'?    What I mean is that it would amount to self-denial if we cannot accept that much of the efforts at building our youngsters in most of the parts of North is lacking in quality of depth and breadth. Though this is not peculiar to us yet it is glaringly obvious that we are lagging far behind in areas of enterprise, innovation and critical thinking. We need a conscientious effort to be applied to raising youth who are independent-minded and have built their creative and innovative sides towards tackling challenges. And if indeed we claim that a system like that of the almajiri system is sustainable then it must ‘necessarily’ be re-invented into a system which arms these army of youngsters with life ski...

To one hindered to hear; The call of the nightingale... Relate with images melodious to sight Breathtakingly sweet as if a red rose Clarity like as the dong of a bell that's striking twelve To one hindered to see; The moonrise on a clear black night... Explain as a silent whisper when alone Of a lover in her dear one's ear Of ardour and contentment that's still like a sound sleep To one hindered to feel; The cliches of courtship... Tell with comparison to scents Aromatic some, others taking away hunger Like would a sumptuous meal that's bound to make a mouth watery The mind needs not freedom For free it is, unshackled Ready at a moments' notice To make a dreamworld that's a reality. Haidar Wali 201301251738hrs

This time last year we were made 'busy' by the executive proclamation of intended 'diversion' of budgetary funds from Free Public Bonanza (aka Subsidy) to Disappearance act Account (aka Sovereign Wealth Fund). We are still awaiting the 'audited' 'balanced' statement of accounts for the last financial year ended December 31st, 2012. Anyway, I was complaining what happened to t...he Buses that were supposed to subsidize transport after the subsidy regime was scrapped. I later realized what happened: Because the Nigerian people did not allow the full subsidy to be withdrawn, final payment for the buses was still outstanding and thus they couldn't be delivered. Thus Nigerians better allow the full subsidy to be withdrawn if they want their buses. They are already buying fuel at the rate of almost no-subsidy...what's the difference anyway? Well this year, out of the 'largesse' we were greeted with the benevolent...

As the days walk away I count down to the end of eternity For the wait that has weighed down Like a boulder in quicksand Seeming to be lifting As the excitement builds up I pluck the last hairs off a sheep's skin ... For the silence built and mould Like out of uncertainty's bowels Seeming to be fading As 'muse' goads me to pour forth I recite the words 'unsaid' For in the mind's arena Like a gladiator's finest moment Seeming my breath is abating As the moment is nearing I savour the tasty aroma For the heart's beat pumping Like a gushing river Seems to be increasingly racing And then the fall... Oh! the fall into the arms of destiny Waiting to swallow; envelope Like a cave-mouth Seeming expectedly mesmerizing. Haidar Wali 201301031818hrs