By Nworisa Michael
The Chairman of the One Kano Agenda, Abbas Yakasai, has raised concerns over the commissioning of a new mosque in Kano State, questioning why similar investments are not directed toward healthcare or education facilities.
Yakasai made the remark in a Facebook post while reacting to a report on the commissioning of a 5,000-capacity mosque and a 700-capacity orphanage by a Saudi-based humanitarian organisation, Albidairi Foundation, in Kano State.
“Mosque again? Why not a state-of-the-art healthcare facility or education centre,” Yakasai wrote in response to the development.
The project, located at Langel in Tofa Local Government Area, was commissioned to support vulnerable children and help address the challenge of out-of-school children in the state. According to the organisers, the orphanage is designed to provide both Islamic and Western education, accommodation, security, and welfare services for hundreds of children.
While acknowledging the humanitarian intent behind the project, Yakasai’s comment has sparked conversations on social media about development priorities in Kano, particularly in areas such as healthcare, education, and social infrastructure.
Kano State continues to face challenges including a high number of out-of-school children, pressure on public health facilities, and population growth, leading to ongoing debates on how public and private interventions can best address these issues.
The reaction reflects a growing public discourse on balancing religious infrastructure with investments in social services critical to human development in the state.