M.U. Gandu English Academy

*Phrase of the day*
(By M. U. Gandu)

*Cast a vote* = _Kaɗa ƙuri'a._

Misali:
- Every citizen has the right to cast a vote.
- (_Kowane ɗan ƙasa yana da haƙƙin *kaɗa ƙuri'a*._)

M. U. Gandu.
17/6/2026.

*Phrase of the day*
(By M. U. Gandu)

*Alma mater*= Makarantar da mutum ya kammala karatu.

Misali:

- I will attend an old students' meeting at my *alma mater*.
(Zan halarci taron tsoffin ɗalibai a *makarantar da na kammala karatu*)

*M. U. Gandu.*
14/6/2026.

*THE FRAGILITY OF MY CULTURE AND IDENTITY*

Almost a week ago, when heat pressed down with unsettling intensity. I sat at my small business stand along Hadejia Road in Yankaba, near Mata-zalla, dressed in three-quarter jeans and an armless shirt, attending to customers. It was only a temporary setup, but it served its purpose.

A man approached evidently a customer, perhaps over fifty years of age. He carried himself with quiet grace, fair in complexion yet faintly troubled. When he spoke, a thin smile flickered across his face, like lamplight trembling against the wall of a sepulchre.

“Excuse me,” he said, glancing toward my POS machine.

I paused, studying him with a trace of confusion. How could he notice my attire? Why would he choose “excuse me” instead of the familiar sallama, as our Islamic tradition prescribes? Rather than responding immediately, I said,

“I am a Muslim, just like you. Why didn’t you offer sallama instead of saying ‘excuse me’?”

He looked at me with mild curiosity before replying in a subdued tone:

“Oh, I’m sorry. From your appearance, I assumed you were not a Muslim. I lived in the southern part of this country for over twenty years, and you resemble many people from there. But thanks be to God you are Hausa by tongue and a Muslim. I came to withdraw ten thousand naira.”

His words did not only wound; they settled quietly, and their weight was undeniable. In that moment, I felt a subtle yet piercing humiliation not merely personal, but cultural. Still, I proceeded with the transaction. I took his ATM card, processed his request, and even waived my service charge. He thanked me and left.

I remained there, unsettled not because of what he said alone, but because of what it revealed: that identity, once thought visible and secure, can be misread, reshaped, or even erased by appearance. In that quiet misunderstanding, I sensed not just a personal slight, but a fragile crack in the continuity of my culture itself.

*✍️M. U. Gandu*
*20/5/202

*WANDA YA KASHE MAHAIFINSA KUMA YA AURI UWARSA*

"The Gods Are Not To Blame" littafi ne da Ola Rotimi ya rubuta cikin harshen Turanci. Amma asalin labarin ya samo tushe ne daga yarurruka da dama musamman tatsuniyar tsohuwar ƙasar Girka (Greek mythology), musamman labarin Oedipus Rex na marubucin Girka mai suna Sophocles.

Na karanta wannan littafin tun shekarar 2012, bayan kammala sakandare, a lokacin da nake ƙoƙarin samun admission a Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies (AKCILS). A wancan lokaci ina da sha’awa wajen koyon Literature in English.

*GA YADDA LABARIN YA KASANCE*
An yi wani sarki mai suna Adetusa da matarsa Ojuola. Wani malamin duba na gidan sarauta ya yi hasashen cewa ɗansu zai kashe mahaifinsa sannan ya auri mahaifiyarsa.
Saboda tsoron wannan hasashe, s**a yanke shawarar kashe jaririn bayan an haife shi. Amma mutumin da aka ba shi aikin bai kashe shi ba; sai ya kai shi cikin wani daji mai hatsari ya yar da shi a can. Daga baya wani mafarauci ya tsinci jaririn, ya kai shi gida, shi da matarsa s**a raine shi kamar nasu ɗa. Aka sanya masa suna Odewale.

Odewale ya girma ba tare da ya san iyayensa na gaskiya ba. Bayan shekaru, shi ma ya ji irin wannan hasashen cewa zai kashe mahaifinsa sannan ya auri mahaifiyarsa. Saboda tsoron kada hakan ya faru, sai ya gudu daga gidan da ya yi tunanin cewa na iyayensa ne.

A hanyarsa ta guduwa, sai ya haɗu da wani dattijo a wata gona. Rigima ta ɓarke a tsakaninsu har ta kai ga Odewale ya kashe dattijon. Ashe kuwa wannan dattijon shi ne mahaifinsa na gaskiya, Sarki Adetusa.

Daga baya Odewale ya isa wani gari mai suna Kutuje, wanda wata babbar matsala ta addaba. Da yake ya na da ƙarfi da hikima, sai ya warware matsalar, sai mutanen garin s**a naɗa shi sarki. Daga nan kuma aka aura masa sarauniyar garin wato Ojuola, mahaifiyarsa ta gaskiya ba tare da sun san gaskiyar abin ba.

Lokacin da gaskiyar al'amarin ta bayyana daga baya, abin ya jawo tashin hankali, nadama, da babban baƙin ciki.

M. GANDU
19/5/2026

*SIRRIN KOYON TURANCI A SAUƘAƘE*

A. J. Hoge babban malamin Turanci ne kuma ɗan asalin ƙasar Amurka. Marubuci ne kuma ƙwararren mai koyar da Turanci wanda ya yi fice a duniya saboda tsarin koyarwarsa mai suna "Effortless English System", wato: Tsarin koyar da Turanci cikin sauƙi da fahimta.

A. J. Hoge ya samu karɓuwa sosai a duniyar koyar da Turanci saboda salon koyarwarsa da ya fi mayar da hankali kan:
1. yin magana (Speaking),
2. sauraro (Listening),
3. da kuma tunani cikin Turanci (Thinking in English), aimakon yawan haddace dokokin nahawu (Grammar Rules) kawai.

A cewarsa, manyan matsalolin da ke hana mutane iya Turanci sosai sun haɗa da:
1. Yawan dagewa kan nahawu (Grammar drills)
2. Haddace kalmomi ɗaiɗaiku (Vocabulary lists)
3. Yawan fassara daga harshe zuwa harshe (Translation)
4. Tsananin dogaro da jarabawa (Examinations)

A maimakon haka, A. J. Hoge yana ƙarfafa wa masu koyon Turanci su fi mayar da hankali kan:
1. Sauraren Turanci akai-akai (Deep Listening)
2. Koyon jimloli gaba ɗaya maimakon kalma ɗaya-ɗaya
3. Amfani da gajerun labarai wajen koyon magana kai tsaye
4. Yin tunani da Turanci maimakon fassara daga harshen uwa
5. Samun ƙwarin gwiwa da ƙarfin guiwar magana da mutane

Daga cikin fitattun ayyukansa akwai:
- Effortless English
- Learn English Like a Child
- Koyarwa ta hanyar labarai, maimaitawa, da sauraro (Stories, Repetition, and Listening)

A. J. Hoge, miliyoyin mutane a faɗin duniya suna amfani da tsarin koyarwarsa wajen inganta Turancinsu, musamman a yankin kamar Asia, Gabas ta Tsakiya (Middle East) da Afirka.

Idan kana son samun littafin "Effortless English", za ka iya turo min saƙo (DM) domin a tura maka shi. Haka kuma muna da WhatsApp group domin tattaunawa, yin tambayoyi, da taimaka wa juna wajen koyon Turanci da inganta iya magana cikin sauƙi.

*✍️M. U. GANDU.*
*18/5/2026.*

*Phrase of the day*
(By M. U. GANDU)

*Stingy/mean*= na nufin: _Mutum marowaci_

Example in sentence:

a) Tanko is *very stingy/mean.*

_Tanko mutum ne *mai tsananin rowa.*)_

Kawo misalin STINGY/ MEAN da ka sani.

17/5/2026.

*Phrase of the day*
(By M. U. Gandu)

*Money monger*= na nufin: _Mayen kuɗi_ ko mai tsananin son kuɗi.

_Example in sentence:_

a) Some politicians are *money mongers* who care more about wealth than the people.

Wasu ƴan siyasa *mayun kuɗi* ne, sun fi son arziƙi a kan jama’a.

16/5/2026.

*Phrase of the day*
(By M. U. GANDU)

*Business mogul*= na nufin: _Babban ɗankasuwa._

Example in sentence:

a) BUA is a *business mogul* in Africa.

_(BUA *Babban ɗankasuwane* a Afrika.)_

15/5/2026.

*Phrase of the day*
(By M. U. GANDU)

*By virtue of*= na nufin: _Saboda da darajar._

Example in sentence:

a) He was appointed as a leader *by virtue of,* his experience.

_(an naɗa shi shugaba *saboda darajar* gogewa da ƙwarewarsa.)_

10/5/2026.

Phrase of the day*
(By M. U. GANDU)

*Much like*= na nufin: _Sak irin wani ko wani abu._

Example in sentence:

a) He speaks with quite confidence *much like* his teacher.
_(Yadda ya ke magana cikin ƙwarin gwiwa *sak irin* malaminsa.)_