…Earmarks N6.2b for free education, school feeding

The Kano State government said the sum of N2.5 billion has been earmarked for the conduct of mass wedding in the state.

The State’s Commissioner of Planning and Budget, Musa Sulaiman Shanono, stated this while briefing newsmen on the breakdown of the N719.7 billion approved budget for the fiscal year 2025.

Shanono said the money will be used for the conduct of the quarterly mass wedding across the 44 LGAs of the state.

Recall that the mass wedding was first introduced in the state by the two-term former governor, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso-led administration.

Recall that the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP-led government under Governor Abba Yusuf had, in 2023, conducted a mass wedding for over 1,800 couples in the state at the cost of N854 million.

The commissioner further said that the whopping sum of N6.2 billion has also been allocated for free education program (N4 billion) and free school feeding (N2.2 billion) in the state.

He said the education sector got the lion’s share of the budget with an allocation of N205.9 billion, representing 29% of the total budget size.

According to him, “The 2025 proposed budget tagged “Budget of Hope, Human Capital, and Economic Development” seeks to further consolidate the state government policies that are being implemented in directing resources and efforts to stimulate human capital and economic growth of the state.

“The proposed budget had a total size of N549.1 billion as presented to the State House of Assembly. The House, in line with the provision of the law, has gone into the processes of scrutiny, consultations, and public hearing. The budget was passed into law on Thursday, 20th December, 2024, and assented to by His Excellency, the Executive Governor, on 31st December, 2024. The 2025 approved budget has a total size of N719.7 billion, representing an increase of N170,595,000,000, equivalent to 31%, over what was initially submitted by His Excellency to the State House of Assembly. The total recurrent expenditure is N262.6 billion, and the total capital expenditure is N457 billion. The ratio of recurrent to capital expenditure is 36:64. The budget is higher than the 2024 by N282.4 billion, which represents a 65% increase. The approved budget is above the state’s projected available resources as contained in the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) due to the improvement of new sources of revenue from FAAC as a result of subsidy removal and other capital receipts.

“The total approved recurrent revenue for the fiscal year 2025 budget stands at N617 billion, consisting of N85.8 billion in internally generated revenue (IGR) and N531 billion in expected revenues from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) as against the 2024 total recurrent revenue of N379.7 billion. By extension, the 2025 recurrent revenue is higher than that of the year 2024 by N237 billion, representing an increase of 62.5%. It is equally important to note that the projected Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is less than that of the year 2024 by N16 billion, representing a 15.8% decrease. Capital Receipts Ladies and gentlemen, the estimated capital receipts for the year 2025 stand at N73.7 billion. While the Treasury Opening Balance is to the tune of N29 billion.

“Below is the detailed breakdown of some major projects and programs set aside for each sector in 2025. The 2025 approved budget for this sector (education sector) received the sum of N205.9 billion. Free education program—N4 billion, school feeding programs in all early child care and primary schools to improve nutritional status, learning capacities, and enrolment/retention of school-aged children through community participation—N2.2 billion.

“…The government planned to spend N91.3 billion for sector-related programs and services in this fiscal year. A few of the programs include the following: Primary schools free afternoon meal program (CRC facilitation) – N500 million, quarterly auren gata/zawarawa and Yan mata (mass wedding) across 44 LGAs – N2.5 billion,” the Commissioner, Shanono, however, stated.

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has criticised Nigerians for condemning corruption while simultaneously defending corrupt individuals when they face prosecution.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday during a visit by officials of the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), led by Chris Olukolade, Olukoyede stressed that corruption remains the biggest obstacle to Nigeria’s development.

“One of the major problems in Nigeria which when tackled, will make under-development a thing of the past, is corruption and financial crimes,” he said.

The EFCC boss emphasised that the responsibility to fight corruption lies not only with the government but with every citizen, adding that true progress requires collective commitment to integrity and accountability.

Olukoyede also pointed out the contradiction in public attitudes, noting that while Nigerians decry corruption, they often support and defend corrupt leaders when they are prosecuted.

“Everybody is crying that Nigerians are corrupt, that the system is corrupt; that corruption is killing us and destroying our system, but when we investigate high profile cases and arraign people in court, the same people will carry placards and be supporting corrupt leaders.

“It doesn’t show that we are serious about this fight, the fight is supposed to be a collaborative effort,” he stated.

Olukoyede reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to combating financial crimes within the limits of the law and called for greater public collaboration in the fight against corruption. The agency, he said, will work with the CCC to enhance strategic communication and public awareness about integrity and accountability.

On behalf of millions of Yoruba people across the world, we, members and leaders of Pan Yoruba groups representing artisans, workers, students, community based groups, traders, professionals and Self-determination groups spread across Yoruba territories in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Itsekiri areas of Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara and Kogi States, we speak on Sharia, its implications on the over 2000 year old civilisation of Yoruba people.

We do not come as Christians, Muslims, Animists, Artiest or Traditional worshipers but as Yoruba created same way by Almighty God the creator of the universe bounded together by humanity seeking perpetuation of peace, love and progress of Yorubaland.

We recognise the right to debate the future of the children of Oduduwa and the right to free speech as exemplified in the constitution of Nigeria and in the timeless culture of Yorubaland;

Free expression, including the right to faith has been an integral part of Yoruba civilisation, dating back to close to 2000 years, a cherished heritage that we have defended and will continue to  defend with every pint of our blood;

That we have observed the current proposal, by a tiny group of people, backed by largely non-Yoruba domestic and international collaborators pushing for the introduction of Sharia in Yorubaland

ISLAM IN YORUBALAND

Islam is a religion of peace. Yoruba Muslims are proud of the place of Islam in sustainable development in Yorubaland.

Islam has made significant contributions to the economic, social and spiritual development of Oodua territories.

Through Islam, education, health and welfare has been promoted in Yorubaland;

Islam came to Yorubaland in the 14th century during the reign of Mansa Musa (1312-1337).

The first Mosque in Yorubaland was built at Oyo-Ile in 1550, followed by another Mosque in Iwo (1655), Iseyin, (1790), Lagos, (1774), Saki (1790) and Osogbo, (1889).

Prior the adventure of Islam in Yorubaland, according to a school of thought on Yoruba history, Oduduwa himself had left the Middle East, partly for religious freedom as early as the 9th century, choosing to settle in a territory known for tolerance and free spirit as directed by God, the creator of heaven and earth;

As far back as the 14th century, the Yoruba have been visiting Mecca for pilgrimage, millions of them settling in Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia and constitute a huge population in East and Northern Africa today;

SHARIA IN YORUBALAND AS GRAND ILLUSION

We state clearly that the introduction of Sharia cannot improve the economic, political, social and cultural deficit in Yorubaland;

That Yorubaland though seen as the most economically developed territory in West Africa, attained this feat not through theocracy but by the hardwork, committment, determination of our forefathers who were both Muslims, Christians and Traditional worshipers;

That the poverty, misery, lack of access to good health, increasing number of school drop outs, lack of access to economic and political powers by poor Yoruba people, are direct results of poor, visionless and irresponsible leadership which the introduction of Sharia cannot and will not curb;

That poverty, corruption, high mortality rate, terrorism, violence and unprecedented human misery characterise the 12 states where Sharia has been introduced in the North;

Zamfara state for instance has 74% poverty rate while 62% live in poverty; Katsina has 74.1% poverty rate. In fact, Sokoto, the headquarters of the Caliphate which also operates Sharia has the highest poverty rate in Nigeria at 79.9%. While the Sharia states have the poorest of the poor, the political leaders that introduced Sharia in these states are some of the richest in the world.

The Sharia states are currently theatres of war, strive, killings and kidnapping driven by crisis of faith while the Sharia states also have the highest rate of instability in Nigeria. This is the dream of the tiny clique that wishes to Talibanise Yoruba Nation; they often learn nothing from history, until their self-destruction is evident.

The hypocritical aspect of Sharia in these states is the bias implementation of the law whereby the rich continue to exploit the poor, steal billions of Naira and go scot free, while the poor and the impoverished who steal fowl have their hands chopped off;

That we observe a conscious and tailor-made plot to destabilise Yorubaland through organised sponsorship of divisive, retrogressive and dangerous proposals that will end up causing confusion, disunity and raise the spectre of intra-Yoruba conflict to the delight of our eternal foes;

We, the true representatives of Yoruba people hereby strongly oppose the introduction of Sharia in any part of Oduduwaland of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Delta, Kogi, Edo, Kwara and Ondo States;

That Sharia is not feasible and can never be acceptable to a multi-religious, muti-faith people like the Yoruba;

Sharia is only applicable in societies where Islam is the State religion or majority of the people profess Islam;

Though proponents of Sharia claim the law is for only Muslims, but the contradictions are self evident. The Yoruba are bound by blood, history, common fear and shared aspirations, not by religion;

How can any one in his right senses conceive Sharia law in a society where Muslim parents have Christian Children and Muslim husbands have Christian or even animist wives and vice versa? There are Yoruba Muslim parents whose children do not go to Mosque and Yoruba Christian parents whose children are Baba or Iyalawo;

This freedom of faith which has enriched Yoruba civilisation for centuries is what religious extremists, rabid and riotous fanatics and religious anarchists, sponsored by international terrorists are desperate to destroy, fortunately, to their own peril, at the fullness of time;

That introduction of Sharia in Yorubaland will never be accepted to our people. Having destabilised the North, the proponents want to destabilise the South West and uproot the very foundation of democracy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; The intrigue is political, sponsored by vested interests, aimed at polarising the political and electoral fortunes of Yoruba Nation who for many Years have largely defined a common political future;

That no great nation would wish to have different laws for its own people of the same history and the same heritage;

We, the true representatives of Yoruba people hereby strongly oppose any attempt, open or covert to introduce Sharia in any part of Oduduwaland of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Delta, Kogi, Edo, Kwara and Ondo States; We hereby warn religious bigots and extremists, including very naïve and shallow-minded political actors to desist from their evil plots or they will face the full wrath of Yoruba people.

Signed

Tajudeen Olowo- Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, (AYDM)

Olu Sulaiman- O’odua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC for coalition members)

Hamzat  Alao Oriyomi South West Professional Forum, (SOWPROF)

Bashorun Kunle Adesokan Federation for Yoruba Consciousness and Culture, (FYCC)

Dr Kola Afolabi The Covenant Group, (CP)

Chief Kunle Oshodi Agbekoya (Solidarity)

Chief Jubril Ogundimu- O’odua Republican Front, (ORF)

Rasaq Oladosu – Coalition of Oodua Self Determination Groups, (COSEG)

Alhaji Adeyemi Taofik- Oodua Peoples Congress (Reformed)

Akin Oloniyi South West Vigilante Groups

Afiz Agunbiade Neighbourhood Anti-Terrorist Group-Registered with CAC)

Alhaja Medina Abioro- South West Women Congress, (SWWC)

Alhaji Tunde Abioye  United Self Determination Groups, (USEPO)

Wemi Oritsegbemi Itsekiri National Youth Congress, (INYC)

Rasaq Arogundade Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC-Reformed)

Shenge Rahman Oodua Muslim-Christian Dialogue Group, (OMC-DG)

Dr Victor Taiwo, Oodua Redemption Alliance, (ORA)

Chief Medaye Alatse and Mrs Tunbo Adekola, Union of West African Yoruba Communities, Ghana

Nassir Abdul Kalejaye – Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association, NATA-South West

Sanusi Abimbola Yoruba Artisan and Traders Association, (YATA-Registered in Nigeria)

Sina Akinyemi-Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians, (ASNAT)

Goke Otunla- Oodua Liberation Movement, (OLM)

Ade Ikuesan Motocycle-South West Operators Union of Nigeria, (MOUN)

Muftau Ajayi O’odua Hunters Union, (OHUN)

O’odua International Democratic Movement, (OIDEM)

South West Students Coalition, (SWSC)

South West Progressive Farmers Congress, (SWPFC)

Chief Ayo Abereoran Okun Peoples Front, (OPF)

Akinwale Kasali Lagos Progressives Development Front, (LPDF).

Exams asses what we know and how hard we work. But some exams are much harder than others. These tough tests need not just knowledge but also a lot of effort and mental strength. Passing them often takes years of study, determination, and sometimes many tries.

The country with the hardest exam is China, as it is home to the world’s No. 1 toughest exam, Gaokao, while India has 3 of the world’s top 10 toughest exams.

In this article, we’ll explore the 10 hardest exams in the world that only the toughest can pass.

10. Master Sommelier Diploma Exam

The Master Sommelier Diploma Exam is run by the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS). It focuses on improving beverage services, especially wine and food pairing. The exam is very difficult, with a pass rate of only 10%, even after multiple attempts.

There are three levels in the exam: theory, service, and blind tasting. In the final level, candidates must identify the year, region, and type of wine. This makes it the hardest wine exam in the world. Most candidates need at least three tries, and some take five or six attempts. Candidates must pass the theory level first and then complete the other two levels within three years. If they fail, they must retake it within two years. If they don’t pass all levels within three years, they must retake the entire exam. Since 1969, only 269 people have passed.

The exam lasts 50 minutes. Around 70 candidates take the exam each year, with a 5-10% pass rate. The exam is held once a year in the UK and twice a year in the US.

9. All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam

The All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam is held every year by Oxford University. The exam offers a 7-year fellowship, with only one or two people chosen from about 80 each year. Applicants must write four essays on topics from humanities subjects, with 3 hours for each essay. The questions are abstract and hard to prepare for. Only people with a strong background in humanities can apply.

The questions are subjective and have no clear right or wrong answers, like “Is Edward Snowden a hero or a villain?”. The exam looks for students with strong debate, analysis, and judgement skills. Candidates must also show clear thinking, independence, and broad knowledge. Those who pass the written exam are invited for a viva, where they explain their answers orally.

The exam lasts 3 hours for each of the 4 papers. About 80 people take the test each year, with a pass rate of only 2.5%. The competition is tough. The exam covers subjects like English literature, philosophy, politics, and economics. Candidates can choose any topic for their specialised papers.

8. GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, India)

The GATE exam is an online test in India that checks students’ knowledge of engineering and technical skills. It is very competitive and tough, so long study hours are needed to pass. Many students take GATE every year to get into master’s and Ph.D. programs at top institutes like IITs, NITs, IIITs, IISc, and IIMs. Public sector companies like Indian Oil and GAIL also use GATE scores to hire people. Some universities in Germany and Singapore give scholarships based on GATE scores.

The exam has 65 questions: 10 on general aptitude and 55 on the candidate’s chosen subject. It lasts 3 hours and includes both multiple-choice and numerical questions. The questions are not too hard, but the large syllabus makes the exam tough. The pass rate is 18%, and the competition is high. The exam is recognised in India, Singapore, and Germany and covers subjects like aerospace engineering, IT, chemical engineering, and computer science.

7. CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert)

The CCIE exam, run by Cisco, is for networking professionals who need to prove their skills in building, maintaining, and troubleshooting complex networks. Only Cisco engineers can take the test, and the low success rate makes it very hard to pass.

The exam has six sections, covering topics like routing, collaboration, and security. It has two stages. Candidates who pass the first stage can move on to the second, which lasts 8 hours with a 1% pass rate. To succeed, candidates need deep knowledge of networking and 7 to 10 years of experience.

The exam includes a 2-hour written test and six other tests. Around 63,000 people take it each year, with a pass rate of 30%. The exam covers topics like Network Infrastructure, Software Defined Infrastructure, and Infrastructure Services.

6. CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)

The CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exam is one of the hardest exams in finance. Every year, over 100,000 people from about 100 countries take the CFA exam. The CFA designation is one of the most respected in finance and investment management. The exam tests candidates on important finance tools and practices. To get the CFA Charter, candidates must pass three levels: CFA Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Each level has a tough 6-hour exam with 240 questions. Candidates also need 48 months of work experience. The first two levels have multiple-choice questions, and the third level has essay-style questions. On average, it takes four attempts to pass all three levels. After passing the exams, candidates need four years of work experience to become a CFA Charterholder.

5. GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination), run by ETS, is one of the hardest exams in the world. It tests if someone is ready to pursue a master’s degree abroad, mainly in the USA. For example, a good GRE score is necessary to get into top universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The GRE is for those who want to study abroad, especially for master’s, MBA, and PhD programs.

Although the GRE was first created for US universities, it is now accepted in more than 90 countries. It is more complex than other exams because of its detailed syllabus. The test measures skills in verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, quantitative ability, critical thinking, and analytical writing. Many people prepare hard for this test for different reasons, like studying or moving abroad, making it tough to pass. Therefore, strong preparation is needed.

The GRE General Test can be taken once every 21 days, up to five times a year. The test lasts 3 hours and 45 minutes, and the pass rate is 43%.

4. Mensa

Mensa International (MI) is a global group for people with very high IQs. It is one of the oldest and most respected high-IQ societies. To join, a person must score in the top 2% on an approved IQ test. This means their IQ is higher than 98% of people. Mensa is non-political and does not discriminate based on race or religion. The IQ test for Mensa is very hard. It tests logical thinking, problem-solving, and intelligence.

People of all ages, from 2 to 100 years old, can take the test. If they pass, they can join a community of highly intelligent people worldwide. Mensa has 145,000 members in nearly 100 countries. Some IQ tests for Mensa membership include Stanford-Binet (132 and above) and Cattell (148 and above). The test takes 25 minutes and has 35 hard problems.

The pass rate is only 0.02%, making it one of the hardest IQ tests. Mensa tests are held in about 90 countries, including the US, UK, Ireland, and Germany. Passing the test is a big achievement, as it gives membership to one of the most exclusive high-IQ societies.

3. UPSC CSE

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE). It is one of the top five hardest exams in the world. This exam has been held for over 100 years and is highly competitive. Many students prepare for years to pass it. There is a limit on the number of attempts. General category candidates can try six times, while OBC candidates can try nine times. To take this exam, candidates must be between 21 and 32 years old.

The UPSC CSE selects top candidates for civil service jobs like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). Every year, about 500,000 people apply, but only 1,000 get selected.

The exam has three stages: Prelims, Mains, and an Interview. The prelims is held in March and has two objective-type papers. The Mains, held in December, has seven descriptive papers. Candidates who pass these two stages are invited for an interview, where a panel tests their knowledge, personality, and logical thinking. This exam is extremely difficult, with a pass rate of just 0.2%. In 2023, about 1.3 million candidates applied, but only 14,624 moved to the next round.

The exam lasts three hours and includes multiple-choice and descriptive papers on General Studies (Paper 1 & 2—CSAT). The UPSC CSE is held once a year across India. Passing this exam gives candidates the chance to work in top government positions in India.

2. IIT-JEE

The IIT-JEE (Joint Entrance Examination Advanced) is the second toughest exam in the world and the most difficult exam in India. It is a national-level test and the only way to enter the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

Students who pass this exam may get the Siemens Scholarship, which helps them pay for their engineering degree. The JEE exam has two levels: JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Students must first pass JEE Main before they can take JEE Advanced. The JEE Main exam happens twice a year, in January and April, while the JEE Advanced exam happens once a year and is conducted by seven IITs.

This exam is very competitive, as many students try for a few available seats. In 2023, 251,673 students took the exam, but only 26.17% passed. The test lasts for three hours and has 90 questions, each worth four marks. It includes Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology.

1. Gaokao Exam

The Gaokao, or National College Entrance Exam (NCEE), is a very difficult test in China. It was introduced in 1952 and is the main exam for students who want to enter Chinese universities. The exam has tough questions in subjects like math, chemistry, biology, physics, geography, Chinese literature, and political science. It takes place once a year, usually in early June, and lasts about nine hours over two days. The schedule may be different in each province.

Most students take the Gaokao in their last year of high school, around age 18. However, preparation for this test starts early and often takes 12 years of hard work. The exam is very competitive, with a low passing rate of less than 0.25%. Each province has its own scoring system, so the passing score is different in each region and year. The pressure to do well is very high. Many students experience stress, anxiety, and other mental health problems because of this exam.