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Gobarau Minaret: A Timeless Symbol of Islamic Scholarship in Katsina (PHOTOS)

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Rising about 15 metres (50 feet) above the old city of Katsina in northern Nigeria, the Gobarau Minaret is more than an architectural landmark. For over five centuries it has stood as a symbol of Islamic learning, religious devotion and the enduring cultural heritage of Hausaland.

Origins and Historical Context

The exact date of the Gobarau Minaret’s construction remains a subject of debate. Oral traditions and some local chronicles associate it with the reign of Sarkin Katsina Muhammad Korau (c. 1493–1520), the first Muslim ruler of Katsina. Others place its completion in the early 16th century. Whatever the precise year, the minaret arose when Katsina was one of the great intellectual and commercial centres of the Sahel, trading with Timbuktu and attracting Islamic scholars from across West Africa.

Built initially as the central Friday mosque of Katsina, the structure reflected the city’s wealth and the growing prestige of Islam in the region. Its height made it one of the earliest surviving multi-storey buildings in West Africa, a feat that proclaimed both religious piety and political authority.

From Mosque to Madrasah

As the city expanded and newer mosques were erected, the original building gradually shifted from being the principal congregational mosque to functioning as a madrasah (Islamic school). Generations of scholars used its chambers for teaching Qurʾānic exegesis, jurisprudence and classical Arabic studies.

While the modern Katsina School of Arabic and Islamic Studies dates from the 20th century, the Gobarau Minaret is widely regarded as a spiritual ancestor of that tradition. Its centuries-long role as a centre of advanced Islamic learning helped secure Katsina’s reputation as a “city of scholars”, rivalled only by Timbuktu in the medieval western Sudan.

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Architecture and Construction

The minaret is built entirely of sun-dried mud bricks, using the Sudano-Sahelian style common across the savannah belt. A rectangular base tapers upward to a commanding tower, its thick earthen walls reinforced by wooden beams (toron) that also serve as permanent scaffolding for repairs.

Small slit windows admit light and air, while the massive mud walls provide natural insulation against the intense Sahelian heat. More than five centuries after its construction, the Gobarau Minaret remains structurally sound—an enduring testament to the engineering skill of Hausa builders and the adaptability of indigenous West African materials.

Cultural and Spiritual Legacy

For the people of Katsina, the minaret is more than a relic of the past; it is a living emblem of faith and scholarship. Local leaders and cultural organisations regard it as a touchstone of identity, linking today’s city to a golden age when Katsina’s scholars shaped Islamic thought across the region.

The Nigerian government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), has designated the Gobarau Minaret a national monument. Yet like many earthen structures of the Sahel, it faces erosion and environmental stress, prompting ongoing calls for conservation to ensure that future generations can witness this unique heritage.

Significance in West African History

The Gobarau Minaret stands as a vivid example of pre-colonial Islamic architecture south of the Sahara. It shows how local Hausa building traditions blended seamlessly with Islamic design, creating a style that is both distinctively West African and part of a broader Muslim world.

Today, visitors who climb its base or simply stand in its shadow experience a tangible link to the centuries when Katsina rivalled Timbuktu as a beacon of Islamic scholarship, trade and diplomacy.

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Sources
National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Heritage Documentation on Gobarau Minaret, Abuja.

The Gobarau Minaret endures not only as a striking mud-brick tower but also as a powerful reminder of the intellectual and spiritual vibrancy that defined medieval Hausaland and helped shape the Islamic heritage of West Africa.

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Fans mourn late Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo

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Fans and followers of late Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo across social media platforms have expressed sadness over his demise, describing the incident as shocking and heartbreaking.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Nigerian entertainment industry has been thrown into mourning since Tuesday when news of the actor’s passing surfaced online.

Social media posts by his close colleagues, and trending media reports, stated that he died after a prolonged battle with cancer.

The incident has continued to generate frenzy on social media platforms, with fans across Nigeria and beyond pouring in condolence messages and tributes to the late thespian.

A fan, @Mr. Rekindled of AFC, asked: “Is this some late April Fool joke. God, what kind of news is this? Rest in peace bro I don’t even know what to type”.

@perpetua Ebubech wrote: “Rest well Alex I am done pressurising myself and being ungrateful. Being alive is enough. Aaaaaah Alex”.

@Amed Oshiorenua commented: “This one hurts me ooo”.

@sheismirah_bakr noted that: “Indeed, every soul shall taste death. May we leave behind kindness, love, and good memories May we be celebrated while we are alive, not only mourned when we are gone”.

@oheneba_nanayere_joyce wrote: “Ooo my God, have mercy on us”.

@SAMPSOLO on X wrote: “Omoh, sometimes when I hear such news I just sit down and think about life.

“Everything we’re struggling for can just end in one moment. It’s really scary”.

@nyarkowai23 said: “Aww fine boy. May his soul rest in peace”.

@_emefaaa wrote: “This is really sad, may his soul rest in peace”.

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@ceeyahs_xclusivcollection commented: “Social media makes a lot of us look like we are living happily when we are actually fighting our battles. Remember we are all passing through something. Stay humble, stay kind”.

@DOG3tt said: “What’s wrong with Nollywood, why is everyone dying young?”

@bbelleamieeee wrote: “I loved him in Keeping My Man with Ramsey and Ini. Sad news… rest easy Alex”.

Ekubo’s passing has also attracted tributes from his colleagues and other celebrities, with many describing him as a talented actor and a kind-hearted friend.

Veteran actor Richard Mofe-Damijo wrote: “Life is not only fickle, it can also feel unreal. Even as I type this, I still struggle to fully process it, and it deeply saddens me to hear this news.

“Rest in peace to a truly great soul. You came, you saw, and you conquered. We are proud of the life you lived, the journey you embraced, and the legacy you leave behind.

“Sleep well, our dear Alex.”

Actor Bolanle Ninalowo also wrote: “Rest on, Alex. May God heal your family and us all.”

Singer Peter Okoye simply posted: “RIP”.

Actor Chinedu Ikedieze wrote: “Jesus, how?”

In a post on his X page, human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore described the late actor as a “rare talent”.

“My profound condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Nollywood star Alexx Ekubo, who I understand passed away after a prolonged battle with cancer.

“I never met him personally, but I still cannot forget a movie of his I watched on an Emirates flight from New York to Dubai en route to Nairobi.

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“He was a rare talent whose presence lit up the screen effortlessly. May he rest in power.”

NAN reports that Alex Ekubo, born on April 10, 1986, was widely regarded as one of Nollywood’s most versatile actors, known for his performances in several hit films and television productions.

However, his prolonged absence from the public had raised concerns among fans and colleagues, as he stayed away from social media and public events for a long time.

His last post on Instagram was made in December 2024, shortly after reports emerged that his engagement to US-based model Fancy Acholonu had been called off.

(NAN)

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Why I assaulted my daughter, Ilebaye – Father

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Father of former Big Brother Naija All Stars winner, Ilebaye Odiniya, Emmanuel Odiniya, has broken his silence over the viral altercation involving his daughter, claiming he was provoked before allegedly assaulting her during a family confrontation.

In a voice note purportedly from Odiniya, and shared on Facebook on Sunday by Kogi-based journalist, Jeremiah Promise Enemona Ocheme, now circulating online, the father said the incident was not driven by hatred for his daughter but by frustration over what he described as her changed behaviour after winning the reality TV show.

“I want to put the records straight that what led to that incident was not that I don’t love my daughter. She is one of my best children,” he said.

He claimed he made sacrifices and mobilised support for her emergence as the winner of the BBNaija All Stars edition.

“During her time in the Big Brother Naija house, I contributed a lot. I stood by my daughter and made sure people voted for her massively. I used my influence and connections, including governors and other people, to support her until she won,” he stated.

According to him, their relationship allegedly deteriorated after her victory, accusing the reality star of becoming disrespectful and physically aggressive towards him.

“After she came out and won, she changed. Ilebaye stopped listening to me. I would book her appointments five to six times in a week and she wouldn’t give me audience. She stopped regarding me as her father,” he alleged.

The father further criticised her lifestyle, particularly her alleged cosmetic procedures.

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“I warned her against getting cosmetic surgery — face reconstruction with fillers and BBL. She’s too young for that,” he said.

Emmanuel also alleged that his daughter had physically attacked him on previous occasions.

“She has hit me twice, and I didn’t do anything to her. One day she took an AC hanger and hit me with it till blood started gushing out of my body,” he claimed.

Speaking on the latest confrontation, he alleged that the reality TV star assaulted him first before the situation escalated.

“In this recent incident, she insulted me, hit me first with a sea hanger, causing bleeding, pushed me, and then broke an electric lantern on my head,” he said.

He also accused her of neglecting him financially despite his health challenges.

“I am very sick and needed to go for medical treatment in Dubai. I called Ilebaye to help me with some money and promised to refund her. She said she didn’t have money. But I saw her video spraying bundles of naira at a colleague’s wedding,” he alleged.

The father further alleged that his daughter negatively influenced her younger brother and interfered in his marriage.

“She has also influenced her younger brother with drugs, and he was expelled from school because of it. She once advised me to divorce her mother,” he added.

Despite the accusations, Emmanuel maintained that he still loved his daughter and wanted reconciliation.

“I still love my daughter deeply. I want her to change and do better. I ask for prayers from Nigerians. The police have already intervened and settled the matter,” he said.

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PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Ilebaye, alongside members of her family, including her father and younger brothers, were hospitalised following the confrontation at their Abuja residence.

The incident became public after the reality TV star shared an emotional livestream video crying for help, sparking concern among fans and followers online.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, disclosed that all parties involved sustained injuries and were receiving medical treatment.

“The man is in the hospital; he is sick. All of them were badly injured and are all in the hospital,” Adeh had said.

She also stated that the siblings were under police protective custody while investigations continued into the matter.

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Kwara concludes airlift of pilgrims for 2026 Hajj

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The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has concluded the airlift of intending pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj exercise with the departure of the last batch of 223 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

The pilgrims departed aboard Max Air from the Babatunde Idi-Agbon International Airport, Ilorin, at about 6:05 am on Saturday.

The development was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Press Secretary of the Board, Sodiq Abdulmumin Folarin.

Speaking before the departure, the Chairman of the Board, Prof. Mashood-Mahmud Jimba, thanked Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for supporting the successful transportation of the pilgrims.

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, advised the pilgrims “to be good ambassadors of the state and country at large while in Saudi Arabia.”

Also speaking, the Amirul-Hajj and Etsu Tsaragi, Aliyu Abdullahi Kpotwa, urged the pilgrims to pray for peace and unity in the country and the state.

The final batch was accompanied by Jimba, Abdulkadir, Kpotwa and other state officials.

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