Haidar's Corner

These waters race Seeking to outrun They bump, they trip Cascade and drip Inseparable,  mighty Neither dam nor outlet Either detracts or distracts They flow along with tunes Like whispering and whistling winds Peculiar songs they sing Touching shallows and depths Knowledge and wisdom they keep Coursing paths, they sculpt Carving land beneath Leaving marks of essence Documenting their presence Haidarwali 201512230718hrs

Yes the development is in order especially if it will satisfy the perceived injustice in the country. The only thing is that in my opinion it is reactionary. . The Muslim codes of jurisprudence - collectively known as 'SHARIAH', have always been the basis of laws in the various territories in the Northern part of Nigeria since before the advent of colonialism. Even when the Colonialists came they only suspended certain portions of the laws and still sustained certain portions just the same as they did with customary laws in the Southern part of Nigeria because laws of any society are part and parcel of the cultural fabric that defines the society. . The only difference is that Shari'ah law was already codified, structured and documented unlike other customary laws and this was why it was not possible to make Muslims just accept – hook, line and sinker – all the laws that that are claimed to be 'secular' in the Constitution as well as most of structures and mechanis...

Today I happened upon a report that highlighted the precarious situation which we that are normally referred to in Nigeria as the Hausa-Fulani are in. The issue at hand is that of drug abuse and addiction which has gradually become a phenomenon that people seem to accept as part of the realities of today. Well gradually this 'monster' is carving out our communities and making the most valuable members into hollow sh ... ells worth nothing more than an empty barrel or even less for empty barrels do serve as containers for storage, something I'm sad to say a 'druggie' can't be. Thus though this is applicable to any community that wants the best for it's people I particularly have the following advice for my people. From the youths to the housewives that are said to be one of the largest users of some of these drugs, it behooves those who are the 'intelligentsia' of our various communities to ensure that there is an engagement (positive) toward...

"Technology is not just [gadgets], widgets, or software, but is also a social and cultural activity, and thus can be inhibited or encouraged by different cultural patterns." Technological, Social, and Sustainable Systems Arizona State University Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) The above quotation highlights a very interesting issue especially as it concerns development in emerging countries like Nigeria. In today’s world - though not unlike other epochs - the most pervasive element in our day to day lives is technology; especially information technology. Yet despite the ubiquity of technology we still grapple with trying to take advantage of its seemingly limitless potentials. Despite the lightening speed at which development is moving we seem to not only be static, but actually in geometric retrogression. This avoidable underperformance seems to lay credence to theories that link our situation to certain socio-cultural practices that inhibits o...

Today, media is a veritable weapon that is used for offensive as well as defensive strategy both at a personal and institutional level. Any person who understands the workings of managing and interfacing the public especially in this our highly 'over-connected' world, will recognize the need to 'control the narrative'. . Handing over the initiative of 'controlling the narrative' is akin to leaving your rear unguarded which exposes you to attacks from the enemy that would seriously render you disabled and in the long-run might eventually lead to your demise. . Therefore, do not let your story be told and do not be silent in this age of 'borderlessness' where a Chinese man can tell the story of America without stepping out of Guangzhou! . "Kukan kurciya jawabi ne...mai hankali shi ke ganewa" (A word is enough for the wise.) Haidarwali 201610201050hrs

Many a fellow have you hosted and you have been worn and weathered by unending stream of footfalls that have struck your backside. . Tell me. Tell me the stories you've heard. Recount the anguish and joys, the silent fall of invisible crumbs from hearts' crusts that are continuously strewn upon you. . Teach me patience, you've gathered from the cycle of seasons, and endurance that is proven by your unwavering presence whenever we need you to transport us to our destinations. . I know how sad it must be to be unacknowledged by all; how insignificant you figure in the scheme of things; how every rubbish is dumped upon you and when you are no longer of use, discarded for another. . O Pathway! Know that there are those who care and we celebrate you and champion your emancipation! For in this world of senseless loss, to avoid derail, one must grasp on trail so as not to fail. . Haidarwali 201610201009hrs

Today, more than ever before literacy is the key to unlocking the latent potential of the human capacity that demography gives. Unfortunately,  the Northern part of Nigeria has failed to leverage this 'advantage' of numbers. Illiteracy is one of the main challenges that needs to be tackled and over the years a number of feeble efforts have been made to raise the literacy levels in Northern Nigeria with unimpressive results. It is why I feel there is a need to stop doing the same thing over and over again with no result and rather try something different - radical. Basically, when it comes to literacy the target is the use of a medium that optimally brings the most number of masses on board such that information is disseminated to the public in ways that there will be feedback. In a democracy, the ideal mechanism is via representation with regular consultations between the constituency and their representatives. Unfortunately, due to low level of literacy, entrenched by povert...

as Day runs away clouds outline celestial canvas with help of Sun's retreat hue of cautious brushstrokes with a golden dazzle adorning Western horizon before night's shroud is drawn over patch of Earth. Haidarwali 201609271805hrs

Sustainability is the trending buzzword these days especially with issues of climate change, burgeoning world population and other related social issues. According to Dr. Brad Allenby of Arizona State University, Sustainability is a subjective issue that is highly value-laden - which I agree - and depends to a large extent on the point of view of the observer. Dr. Allenby goes on to say that Sustainability lacks a common definition because of two issues: 1. First, there is no agreed basis on how resources in the world should be utilized. Most of the Western world (as well as members of the world power club) have a libertarian philosophy which believes in giving everyone equal opportunity which will ultimately lead to unequal outcomes which is the natural result of Capitalism. On the other hand, the Emerging economies and developing world believe in egalitarian principles which has to do with ensuring that there is equitable re-distribution of resources amongst the populace.  Th...

I remember when eyes met connection that sent electric shock waves rippling to the deepest reaches of heart's core beats racing at stupendous proportions in expectation of seeing you. oh! why does reality play this cruel joke! if only I could continue being in arms of intoxicating dreams, wrapping me with their exhilarating facade now I wallow forlorn, wakeful to routine's bland pinch and atrophy soon embraces, reinforced by appetite's disappearance I close my eyes but the image is blurred I only remember the way you make me feel alive Haidarwali 201609260358hrs

Systems thinking and approach is a very interesting tool of inquiry especially when looking at issues and trying to tackle challenges that are the natural outcome when phenomena interact. Essentially, problems are tackled most effectively when analyzed systematically. What this means is that since 'problems/challenges' are the outcomes of systems, solutions should be sought from looking at how the constituent parts of a system interact internally and externally. Which means you will have systems within systems within systems...almost ad infinitum till you get to a relatively 'simple system' - if anything like that exists! This is because most things thought to be simple are actually complex if looked at more closely.  However, to avoid complications we 'simplify' in order to allow for meaningful discussion. Now since complexity is inherent in almost all systems -  varying only by degree - in order to have a working framework we can look at situations that aris...

Writers have one of the keenest senses of empathetic observation. It is as if they enter our minds to pry emotions and thoughts from us. If ever there were mind readers in existence,  it has to be writers. Listen to how C. JoyBell C. puts it: "Living is about capturing the essence of things. I go through my life every day with a vial, a vial wherein can be found precious essential oils of every kind! The priceless, fragrant oils that are the essence of my experiences, my thoughts. I walk inside a different realm from everybody else, in that I am existing in the essence of things; every time there is reason to smile, I hold out my glass vial and capture that drop of oil, that essence, and then I smile. And that is why I have smiled, and so you and I may be smiling at the same time but I am smiling because of that one drop of cherished, treasured oil that I have extracted. When I write, I find no need to memorize an idea, a plot, a sequence of things: no. I must only capture the es...

First thing you should obviously know (at least from the title), is that Zizou - as his nickname goes - is my best footballer ever. Let me try to put words to why I feel so. You see when watching Zidane playing football, it is sheer artistry! I have never seen a football player that can mesmerize the audience with touches that are simply magnificent. Words cannot fully describe the grace, guile and genius, wrapped up in the body of this player! Silky, velvety suede is what comes to my mind! With Zizou, the football seemed to defy the rules of physics and there seemed to be an invisible connection with his body; almost magnetic, that ensured that the ball was always within touching distance and at his beck and call! He had a unique distinctive style of ball control that was impossible to imitate. At odd and constrained angles, he maneuvered and navigated his way, creating opportunities out of nothing and converting wishes to reality such as his acrobatic finisher at the 2002 UEFA Cha...

Everything that is to be grown needs nourishment. The human being is a dynamic that fuses the physical and the psychological in one seamless whole and any unbalance is capable of affecting the system negatively. Exercise is the methodical process of keeping the system in shape whether it is the mental or the biological, it needs to be periodically tuned up and a maintenance needs to be carried out to reset and reinvigorate. Usually, we lack motivation because exercise is strenuous and lacks any visible payoff as the effects are gradual and need time before they start to show. The key to overcoming this lies in beginning with modest gradual and disciplined increments that would lead to achievement of set goals. And this is why the balance of the mental with the physical is important as it enables the individual to be in an appropriate frame of mind that would ensure perseverance towards the target. The mind is exercised when we engage in creative thinking which has a practical output...

During the course of a day thousands (if not millions) of thoughts course through the mind and at certain points it seems so overwhelming that a person is left with no choice but to employ a coping mechanism of shutting out all the 'noise' and concentrating on the familiarity of routine. Thus, do we daily lose the sparks of brilliance that could have become a wonderful reality and over time we accept as fate, the monotony  and safety of the ordinary. Imagine if there was a way to engage in a process of assaying your thoughts and sorting the diamonds and rubys from the limestone! Well there is. And it's called Theory U. 😃 It might sound weird and somewhat too academic but I assure you it's not. Theory U is as simple as they come. The following three steps summarize it.   First observe. Open your mind to the possibilities that can be created. This will ensure that you do not place limits to your imagination which would limit the alternatives that you will have ...

Good morning my people,  Another Monday morning is here. It's the 3rd week of September and we in Nigeria are just getting back from the Muslim festival of Sallah/Eidul Adha! I hope everyone enjoyed the break despite the 'biting recession'!   :D There's usually a mix of dread and a sinking feeling for many people especially when you have to make that early rise and return work. It seems like a huge load is placed on your back and we trudge along to report for duty, resuming the routine. But it doesn't always have to be this way. According research, it has been found that emotions trigger release of chemicals in our body which lead to certain physiological outcomes in our body systems. And this would eventually affect the way we react from one moment to another.  Thus to avoid starting off the day on a negative note and subsequently setting yourself up for a 'bad' week,  a person needs to become more aware of the kind of thoughts that go thr...

Hi everyone! Today I'm entering a new chapter of this book of life. I'm becoming a fulltime blogger! Though this blog has been in existence for several years, I've never put enough effort into making it a fully functional one. Well finally I'm taking a plunge in a series of actions that I hope will lead me to the next level. What that is, I myself have not yet fully known. But it'll surely be exciting and thus I hope you'll join me in this journey. Let me share this as an appetizer: THE ROAD TO UTOPIA (1) & (2) (1) This is a tale of many sorts You shall therefore enter many ‘boats’ However, you shouldn’t worry And needn’t think you’ll be sorry For we charge no extra fees Likewise we make no unnecessary queries We implore of you only one task That of co-operation And coupled with providence and luck We might reach Utopia by nightfall However, you should be forewarned We mightn’t find ‘Understanding’ And if he’s wi...

"When facts  become so widely available and instantly accessible, each one becomes less valuable. What begins to matter more is the ability to place these facts in  context  and to deliver them with  emotional impact."   The above is a quote from a book we are reading titled A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future and for me it perfectly explains what will eventually happen to education in the coming years. As we observe today, people are 'mastering' concepts and phenomena at an increasingly younger age because 'rote memorization and 'recall' are not as important as they used to be and thus 'mastery' takes less time!  Instead, with the abundant tools technology has made available, it is more valuable a skill to situate issues either looking at how constituent parts make up a whole, or what the larger picture is than it is to know a bunch of facts. Unfortunately,  our educational system in Nigeria and Africa generally is setup as...

In this engagement I would like to closely look at the issue of documentation in African cultures. When I say documentation here, I refer to the whole gamut of media, tools and methods used intrinsically to record  cultures and realities. This ranges from artifacts to buildings to literature.   History they say is a narrative couched in the subjective view of the narrator. And he narrates what he sees through 'his' lense to narrate the story. All over the world we have narratives that  have more or less been accepted as 'history' of peoples. But we may well ask how authentic are these narratives? Are there missing links?   Indeed Africa has been a victim of plunder and rape as much from foreigners as from her progeny.   From artifacts to people, from the Cape to the Horn and the vast stretch westwards across the Sahara touching the banks of the North Atlantic, Africa's essence has continually been pilfered. Quite unsurprisingly, Africa languishe...

What do you say When souls are eternally paired And memories are seared What do you say When thereafter sun sets And dawn brings no light What do you say When all has been said And there's no road ahead What do you say When heart freezes like snow And tears refuse to flow Only time will tell Eating away like termite Grinding away like rocks Melting away like ice Dripping away like oil Blowing away like wind Whispers become screams Silence turns deafeningly loud Maje Amin 201607122326hrs

Contemplation of illusion Elusive is the aspiration To yearn is to befriend despair Whetting thirst with dust Eternity erases all As surely as footfalls in a desert Images drawn in clouds Gone with blink of eyes Yet ego and vanity must feast Their bowels howling And naught fills Except quenching earth So search for sky's end There, you will find it. Haidarwali 201607121346hrs

There are things Gladdening To lonely heart ... Like occasional strolls Up and down Memory lane's paths Moments In mind's vault Treasure troves buried Under routine's monotony Like a souvenir Each contour holds Feelings Edges still sharp Reminders each unique Attached to senses Sight, touch, aroma, sound The flavors mix Mind's tongue savors Heart yearns, dreams For another visit To paradise lost. Haidarwali 201607060632hrs

I am not what you think rather something else that transforms; changes ... like shapeless clouds clay, cement and lava before they harden like steely iron, sturdy as rock that water wears and weathers dissolving and dissipating like whispering wind forcefully bypassing till all is lost but eerie echoes reverberating, reflecting like light's luminescence glinting its piercing gleam final flash pervading into blinding darkness Haidarwali 201607032125hrs

As if valley floods Creeping, seeping As if clouds gathering Blotting, enveloping As if a burst dam Gushing, spraying As if genie or spirit Possessing, controlling As if a scenic landscape Overwhelming, moving Like no other 'sense' Feeling is an essence of Being Haidarwali 201607030859hrs

Today I am embarking on an interesting journey. I initially thought I wouldn't be able to make it because I hadn't gotten a response from the person I was to see at my destination.  Well here I am aboard public transport which I've not followed in a long while. We've just passed Bwari and it's environs and now we're getting into the thick of no man's land. I had to pay for the middle seat between me and another passenger in order to ensure comfortability of the journey. The car's a bit rickety and it's giving me an unease but insha Allah all will be well.    So, here we are tumbling away, watching the landscape wisk away. It's a beautiful Sunday morning and it's been raining since before dawn. My best season! The wet earth and greenery coming alive vividly, the undulating horizons all around as we zoom past. I see different trees and plants and rocks. I wonder what stories they've stored over their existence. Funnily I saw thes...

Silence is sometimes so loud It drowns out your voice Lost in rapids of thought Which can deceive Like oasis in the desert Mirages from afar Disappearing over the ridge Swimming against the tide Of sand or water What will we get Is it dreams or wakefulness Only a slice of reality will reveal A bite giving a taste A taste holding the savor A savor releasing impulses Like currents they flow Into the delta of consciousness Merging anonymously Into embrace of mind's sea. Haidarwali 201604191207hrs

Nothing erases hurt's scars Imprint like death's grasp Experience deepens the ridges Like running water Eats away paths Cold hands of memory Hold me in icey strangle Amid a windy winter I seek shelter My frozen heart in pieces Repair beyond reach I am now friend to Reaper Neither warmth nor succor This vessel will harbour Chilled spices of anger Bottled up... Carelessly positioned... Awaiting to be shattered... Maje Amin 201604240022hrs

Societies that are developing must begin to address a form of structural violence that has been unconsciously embedded into the fabric of everyday life. This muted violence sees us unintentionally depriving certain segments of society access to the same 'resources' and 'facilities' every other person can access devoid of hassles. This is due to the empirical construction of reality by the social circumstances holding sway at any particular time and/or place. Institutions that are setup to address problems of people, gradually become 'structured' such that they inadvertently 'disable' some people while 'enabling' others with the creation of a default position. Again, we can see that this ties-in to the theory of unintended consequence of purposive action that makes them exacerbate conditions of suffering for certain categories of people even as this was not the intended outcome that caused the action to be taken. Usually this structura...

On one hand we have ‘Yan Boko’ (Western-educated folks) who have a zeal that is capable of seeing the achievement of great feats but yet lacking in the full tools and competence afforded by religious jurisprudence to enable them be ‘authoritative’ as well as have the requisite validity in the eyes of the masses to put forth stands and decisions.  On the other, we have scholars who have a 'fixed' interpretation of what our reality should be and being the repositories of ‘legitimacy’ and what is ‘right or wrong’ they determine the extent to which a society moves.  It is this gap that needs to be bridged because to my understanding there are issues that are fluid and that need contextualization and perhaps a combination of Qiyas, Ijtihad and Ijma to arrive at ‘contemporary’ stands regarding our realities and the ways forward that are peculiar to our particular circumstances. So will it be a new breed of scholars that would arise and gain ascendancy who are well ...

Symbols used to captured whole statements and stories. I would say the letters we use today are the offspring of symbols and evolved from them. Where there used to be a single inscription that meant a phrase or a sentence, gradually with the standardization of alphabets, groups of symbols (letters) became representative of ideas and became generic. And so today we are going back to the same whereby if someone wants to say: "I'm feeling happy" he simply inscribes (types on his keyboard): smile emoticon   And with a single 'symbol' a person now expresses themself! And if we look at ancient texts we find that they were more pictorial which meant that they expressed more with less. It is the advancement of standardized alphabets that gifted mankind the ability to 'document' and opened the door to this never-ending quest for full expression. We write, write and write some more! We define, refine and confine only to discover that we're ent...

I only show what I want others to see But in reality there's nothing in me I'm like a corpse whose innards are empty Even worse the corpse of a donkey Rotten to the core cloaked in the garb of innocent piety While I scheme with precision and wreak havoc stealthily You are but another victim like a pawn in my chess party I will laugh haughty and bask in my sinister revelry Till the glimpse of truth breaks free Unveiling the real me For now flip this coin and heads it will be For it is Double-face you will always continue to see Haidarwali 201603280704hrs

Lush greenery invites you Cool breeze awakens The grass sways in rhythm With wind purring and whistling Air is rent with scent Of wet earthy flavor Filling up Nostrils Beckoning appetite to appear Sky above clear As a colorless canvass Awaits dotting and filling With artist's imagery Sounds of laughter and play Drift and pour to your ears Like chocolate covered loaves With honeyed centers Couple holding hands Shoulder nestling head Taking it all in; Hearts with calm serenity. Haidarwali 201603241637hrs

the mind sees shadows afar though the Sun hides awaiting behind dark clouds to spread illumination the mind spots lamppost despite the haze a low and sleepy fog mixture of air and water the mind wanders like wayfarer pausing only for sustenance before moving on in constant search... Haidarwali 201602151618hrs

Like a leaf detached from a stem I drop to the ground and I'll be swept away in the heap of dead leaves and be forgotton Like the passing cloud that forms an image I'll be dispersed in an instance, when the breeze and Sun make their entrance Like the ripples in water swimming to the banks countless, unidentifiable fading into oblivion Like the desert tracks buried in moments by blankets of sand that are like the skin of our bodies Like the rain dropping single yet inseparably pouring in torrents One moment we are, and the next gone.  Haidarwali 201602130713hrs

A boat in the middle of nowhere Sole occupant lost Rocks gently as the waters kiss its sides No breeze, no Sun yet also no storm Eerie calm grips like death Wide-eyed frightened with shaky limbs Suddenly, piercing scream rents the air Echoes fall in line like dominoes The last begins with a hissing And while it builds a crescendo Darkness spreads a shroud pitch And then it begins. Maje Amin 201602081520hrs

Away with the wind This leaf fluttered, swinging and swaying,  Twirling and dancing..before it settled    Upon heap of raked leaves, spotted A stride or so and it was united Adventure begun in earnest The clouds pregnant with wind of hope gusting The sea breeze blows sweet scents Omen for success they believe This journey holds promise true Maje Amin 201602081136hrs

The oceans are worlds apart, but the waters flow Across a thousand leagues I send this bottle Inside I've written note which says it all Emptying contents, that seek to rust my heart  Now heart flutters like butterfly And then settles nigh The minds mesh in utopia Distance is no barrier For the heart knows that which is missing Haidarwali 201601242006hrs

Curled up in bed I snuggled deeper into the warmth. Dreamily, I give in as I am transported yonder... I see her carrying the proverbial pail of water. She wears a garb of wear and tear that veils her essence. Day in day out, routine takes away her dreams and like the falling sand of an hourglass she watches her destiny trickling. A few grains remain till the curtain is drawn. If only she could reach out to turn the flow. She looks at me, her eyes fixedly boring into my soul and I feel naked. She knows I have heard her plea but does not know whether I will... Maje Amin 201601231800hrs

A waft awakes Identifies like fingerprint Imprint like charcoal burn Burn seared in memory Cast like stone Each bird seeks Only its kind Scent of hen Is not of dove Haidarwali 201601231659hrs

Kina cikin zuciya ta kamar kifi yayi nutso a kogi Na dulmiya cikin tunaninki kamar mai su a bahar Maliya Sonki ya mamaye ni kamar fatar jikina Kaunarki ta hadiye ne kamar giwar ruwa Allah yayi min kyautarki kamar ruwa a jallo Idan na kalleki nakan dauka mafarki nake Nakan ji tsoron farkawa In tarar bakece matata ba Tunanin kawai kan sa baki na daci. Translation You are in my heart like fish diving into a lake I've sunk into the pool of your thoughts like a fisherman in the Red Sea My love for you has enveloped me like the skin on my body My adoration of you has swallowed me like a whale God has gifted you to me like an oasis in the desert When I look at you it seems as if I am dreaming I'm afraid of awaking To find it is not you who are my wife Just the thought, makes my mouth bitter Maje Amin 201601192058hrs

Like me? Better Like the gush of the torrents As they slash and beat on the rooftops Like the rumble of thunder and lightening As it roars and streaks through the clouds Like the howling wind rustles and bustles As it blasts and whistles, coursing through Like the stillness of an airless night As it freezes time to a pause Like when you decide for thoughts to be words As a snapshot or video preserved. Haidarwali 201601160900hrs Dedicated to the guardian of a Pigeon named 'Kyauta'.

i was on a journey i became lost. then I saw your face ... in the sand before the wind blew it away, before the waves washed it away,  before the clouds erased it: your face like a white dove against the blue it shone like a lamp in the black night it burned like the flame, it danced like the long grasses in the wide plains it flailed like the sleepy waves of the waters lapping the beach like the thumping of heart-throbs! Haidarwali 201601152250

You see it gets to me This bitterness rising like bile Engulfing the centre, gripping Positive turns negative with cajoling Faith is barely held by hoping That fate has kept us each a path Though this blinding wrath Prevents from seeing A rose and its fragrance Water, pure, colorlessly delicious The sunrise, pregnant, auspicious But like fading blanket of Night proceeds Upon its sighting of dawn, to concede So also this envy recedes With sowing of contentment seed Haidarwali 201601102244hrs

Kindred hearts swirl in a pool Drop of a thought awakens Minds unleashed like bees Buzzing afar, pinpoint Roads and paths, to destiny Yet may be archived memory Sharing, remains the mission Whichever, waters find new color And tastes vary accordingly Canvas dries, strokes preserved And though Sun goes down Conceding battle to Night Light illumines in cycles Reborn, rediscovered. Haidarwali 201601101240hrs