By Prof. M. K. Othman
Saddiq Mustapha and Mustapha Saddiq, often mistaken for the same person because of their similar names, are, in fact, two bosom friends. Both were classmates in secondary school but later pursued different tertiary-level programs, Mustapha Saddiq in health sciences and Saddiq Mustapha in agricultural sciences. Twelve years ago, they reunited, driven by shared passion, to establish “Katsina Post”—an indefatigable e-newspaper focused on Katsina state in particular and Nigeria in general.
Their initiative is inspired by legendary media figures from Katsina, including the late Alhaji Abidina Coomassie (Today Newspaper), the late Alhaji Ismaila Isa Funtua (Democrat Newspaper), the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (Reporter Newspaper and Sentinel Magazine), the late Wada Maida, and Alhaji Garba Dangida. Alhaji Kabiru Yusuf, Chairman of Media Trust Group and publisher of Daily Trust Newspaper, is also a notable Bakatsine.
On Nigeria’s political chessboard, Katsina State is a vital center of political leadership. It has produced two presidents from distinct political parties during this democratic era. At the height of the Kaduna Mafia, influential civilian and military leaders were either natives of Katsina or closely connected to the state. As a result, newsworthy events have unfolded in Katsina from colonial times to today. The founding of “Katsina Post” as an online news outlet was apt. Thanks to Saddiq Mustapha and Mustapha Saddiq. This is why I carved out time from my busy days for this tribute.
It gives me pleasure to pay tribute to Katsina Post on its 10th anniversary, a milestone marking not just longevity but also resilience, clarity, editorial courage, and impartial reportage in Nigeria’s media. My connection to Katsina Post began in its early days, when many media ideas emerged but few became enduring institutions. At that key moment, I supported the vision—a deliberate act of confidence based on three solid reasons.
First was my trust in the leadership behind the initiative. The drivers of the vision demonstrated not only professional competence, but also the ethical grounding and developmental orientation required to build a credible information platform. Media institutions, much like universities, ultimately reflect the character of those who lead them. My faith, therefore, was anchored in their integrity, discipline, and commitment to public enlightenment.
Sadidq Mustapha is my nephew and was under my tutelage during his undergraduate program. He secured admission to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to read for a Bachelor of Agriculture, and he stayed at my house for part of his program. Amid my children, Saddiq, a shy lad, was famously inquisitive, trustworthy, and hardworking, with an eye on ICT and social media. When he completed his youth service year, he refused to carry his certificates around chasing white color jobs. When I confronted him in Katsina about what he was doing after the service year, he confessed he was into the media. I learned about his relationship with Mustapha Saddiq and their baby, Katsina Post. From then to date, from my “Breakthrough with Prof MK Othman” column to my current “Deep Thought” column, I have published more than 300 articles on various subjects in Katsina Post.
The second reason was my conviction about the foundation of Katsina Post. It was envisioned not just as a news outlet but as a developmental communication platform. This platform aimed to amplify subnational narratives, promote civic engagement, and capture the socio-economic changes of Katsina State and Northern Nigeria. It embodied community visibility, informational inclusion, and constructive journalism. A decade later, history has validated this early confidence.
The third reason is my fascination with those who enter a profession without formal training, fueled simply by passion. Trained health and agricultural scientists who make a living as journalists are quite rare. I can imagine the disdain among professional journalists, who often do not welcome outsiders. Yet I, too, belong to their class as someone untrained in journalism, yet who has been publishing my column weekly in newspapers for a decade, with only short breaks. I must support the founders of Katsina Post. Strong passion can squeeze water from a rock.
Why do the founders of Katsina Post – Saddiq and Mustapha – deserve special accolades? Sustainability is the toughest challenge for digital media platforms. This field faces constant financial pressures, technological disruptions, political sensitivities, and the burden of credibility management. Unreliable energy and infrastructure also challenge electronic media practitioners. Many promising platforms rise with momentum but disappear in the face of these realities. Katsina Post has done the opposite. By adapting editorially, responding to technology, building audience trust, and practicing operational discipline, it survived. It has remained relevant, visible, and has preserved content quality, public trust, and developmental focus. This stability is not accidental, but stems from strong management. It is gratifying to see that early support was given to worthy hands. The platform’s endurance over these ten years proves that the investment of trust and goodwill was wise.
As Katsina Post enters its second decade, expectations will grow. The future will require deeper investigative reporting, stronger fact-checking, and technology-driven storytelling. It will also need youth media mentorship and strict ethical standards in an era threatened by misinformation and digital manipulation. The platform’s opportunity is historic: to move from a successful online newspaper to a regional reference point for credible journalism and development communication.
Katsina Post’s decade of leadership and learning inspires my confidence in its readiness to transition. I reaffirm my goodwill and moral support for its vision. Institutions promoting truth, social cohesion, and informed citizenship deserve collective encouragement. May Katsina Post’s next decade bring greater reach, stronger credibility, deeper developmental impact, and enduring public trust.
Congratulations on ten incredible years—and on the promise of an even brighter future. My nephew, Saddiq, and his co-founder deserve recognition for making me proud, standing tall with my head held high, and proving that passionate writers are unstoppable. May our pen never run dry, amen.
Stop Press: As I was dropping my pen, I was hit by the sad news of a tragic incident involving an assassination attempt on Mustapha Saddiq, Co-Founder and CEO of Katsina Post. He was cornered in his residence at the unholy hour of 2:00 am, stabbed with a sharp knife, beaten to a pulp, and left covered in blood until neighbors found him and rushed him to the hospital. I was deeply traumatized and delayed submitting this tribute until I was told he regained consciousness and was recovering quickly. May God support him in full recovery and expose the culprits to face the full wrath of the law, amen. It was an irony of life, which should strengthen Katsina Post for a more herculean task ahead.
