By Danjuma Katsina
The year 2025 ushered in a new literary style that is unlike any other year in Nigeria’s history. Just when it was assumed that online publishing was beginning to overshadow conventional book publishing, 2025 has now shown that book writing will eventually regain its lost glory and continue to move at par with online publishing.
As for 2025, it came with a new style of book writing by making sensitive revelations and exposing secrets which were hitherto unknown, to the extent that people now reserve important information to themselves — only to be revealed in a book.
I have keenly followed the trends of book publication in Nigeria for the past 25 years and I realized that the number of autobiography books published in 2025 has surpassed those published in the last ten years, and 2025 might as well be the year in which the most number of books were unveiled in recent history.
The list of books is quite long based on my collections, but I will outline a few of them and their authors to refresh our memories on the controversies or exposé made in the books, and some pieces of controversial information that were dished out in the public sphere by those books.
It was in the year that former Nigerian military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, launched his book ‘A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of General Ibrahim Babangida’. A book that tells his story of the June 12 crisis. It was also in the year that Malam Ibrahim Yakub El-Zakzaky launched a book on his autobiography titled ‘Rayuwata’, translated in English as ‘My Life’. A book that tells when and how he started his preaching.
It was also in the year that former presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, gave an exposé of his working life with his boss, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his assignment at the Presidential Villa during the Buhari presidency, in his book titled ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’. It was also in the year that the Guild of Online Corporate Publishers (GOOCOP) published a book on how they set up the association and the historical background of online publication in Nigeria in a book titled ‘GOOCOP’s Perspectives on Online Publishing’.
Likewise, business magnate Femi Otedola also published a book on his perspectives on business in his book titled ‘Making it Big’. Similarly, the oldest newspaper in northern Nigeria, which is being published in Hausa language, Al Mizan, also celebrated the anniversary of 35 years of its establishment. It marked the occasion with the launch of a book titled ‘Tarihin Al Mizan da Gwagwarmayar ta’, which can be translated in English as ‘the history of Al Mizan and its many struggles’.
It was also in the year that former Nigerian Information Minister, who presided over a controversial period of information management, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, launched his book ‘Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration.
Of all the books published, the one that generated the most heated debate and controversy was the book ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari’ written by Charles Omode, Ph.D, which was officially launched by the immediate family of former president Muhammadu Buhari, but somehow looked more like an attack on the legacy of the former President.
Likewise, the family of the late renowned business mogul, Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, who hailed from Kano, also published two books, both in the year, titled ‘Behind the City Wall’ and ‘Aminu Dantata: Life and Times of a Nigerian Entrepreneur’, which were written by Munzali Dantata.
Another notable book was the one titled ‘Beyond the Airwaves of a Commentator: Encounters and Experience’ by Dayo Alabi, while former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, also raised a lot of dust with his book ‘Being True to Myself’. In the book, he made a lot of revelations that are still the subject of media and public attention.
Meanwhile, former presidential spokesman during the Goodluck Jonathan years, Dr. Reuben Abati, also celebrated his 60th birthday with the launch of three books, an event that drew important dignitaries from many parts of the country. On his part, seasoned author, Malam Ibrahim Sheme who wrote the popular book ‘Shata Ikon Allah’, also unveiled a book on the history and songs of the renowned female Hausa singer, Uwani Zakirai, under the Hausa language title ‘Tarihi da Wakokin Uwani Zakirai’.
Similarly, Justice Ado Bello unveiled his book titled ‘Eyes of the Law’ also within the year; and for the first time in almost a century a book was published on the fate of some people who migrated from parts of present-day Nigeria to escape life under British colonial rule. The author traveled all the way from Nigeria to Sudan to conduct his research to publish the book ‘Sokoto Caliphate in Diaspora’ The making of the sultane of Mai Wurno in Sudan. written by Shuaibu Shehu Aliyu
Another book that captured many people’s attention was the book titled ‘Zaria Massacre’ written by Malam Ibrahim Musa who interviewed eye witnesses who survived the encounter between Shi’ites and men of the Nigerian Army which happened in Zaria in 2015.
‘Writing for the Media and Monetising It’ which is a book written by the Vice Chairman of Leadership Media Group, Azu Ishiekwene, also generated a lot of attention in the public sphere.
A group of supporters of President Bola Tinubu also published a book with the title ‘Reflections on the Renewed Hope Agenda’ while on its part the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), based on my research, has sponsored many publications by university and polytechnic academics — more than in any other year in the past. Also for the first time, I discovered books written in Hausa vernacular which focus on science and technology also published in 2025. These include the book on simplifying crypto literacy published under the Hausa title ‘Ilmin Crypto a Saukake’ by Abdullahi Mahuta and another book on internet fraud published under the title ‘Zamba a Duniyar Internet’ written by Abu Ubaida, Jibril Yusufu, and Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi.
Another book, The Dallazawa Dynasty. A study of the jihad movement, Islamic civilisation, culture, economy, administration, palace politics, and diplomacy by Waisu Iliyasu, Sani Abdu Fari, Muhammad T.I. Safana, and Zaharadeen Ibrahim has captured researchers’ attention.
The book Traditional Institution and the Challenges of Governance and Security in Contemporary Nigeria by MD Suleman, Sama Ila Suleman, Ibrahim Sani Kankara, and Waisu Iliyasu has answered many questions on our local security challenges.
In contrast with 2025, past years have not witnessed this high number of books launched within a year. However, some of the books that stand out with the level of revelations in them, among those that were published in past years include ‘One Step Ahead: The Life of a Spy and Detective’ written by former EFCC boss, Farida Waziri, and another book ‘Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority’ written by Hadiza Bala Usman. Another interesting book was ‘Aristocratic Rebel: the Biography of MD Yusuf’ by Ayo Opadukun.
The year 2025 has established beyond doubt that the culture of book writing is not dead; it has only fallen into a slumber, and it is already waking up. This is a good sign that in the near future, the reading of published books can fully regain its past glory.
- Danjuma Katsina is a journalist with Katsina Times Media Group, 08020570059, 08035904408
