By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
The Deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Barau I. Jibrin, on Monday, declared the award of scholarship to all undergraduates from Kano North Senatorial District, as part of his efforts to ensure human capital development and invest in the educational emancipation of the youth.
Dr. Jibrin, who represents Kano North at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, made the declaration at Yusuf Maitama Sule Federal University of Education, Kano, where he distributed grand cash scholarship to about 1000 undergraduates from Kano North studying in the Citadel of Higher Learning.
Senator Barau, who recalled that he recently demonstrated the same gesture at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), promised to extend his scholarship goodwill to Kano South and Kano Central Senatorial Districts soon.
He urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity offered to them by remaining focused on studying their books, reminding them that he would have become their benefactor if he had not studied hard to achieve success.
“I have biological children who are still students, and they are focused. I am also a student pursuing my PhD, and I am studying hard. As a student, I am focused. So, why can’t you be focused? Remain focused. I pray for all of you, and I believe God will see you through in all your academic endeavours,” Senator Barau told the beneficiaries.
He further stated that the annual undergraduate scholarship programme will be sustained through the Barau I. Jibrin Foundation (BIJF), as part of his efforts to empower the Kano youths and give them a better future.
Senator Barau also used the occasion to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for granting his request and proposal of upgrading the instruction from Federal College of Education to Yusuf Maitama Sule Federal University of Education, insisting that President Tinubu’s kind gesture hugely boosted human capital development for Kano state and its people.
“We are here today to also celebrate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. President Tinubu loves Kano. President Tinubu loves Nigeria. You may be aware that I started the struggle to upgrade this institution to a university many years ago.
“On behalf of this great institution and the entire people of Kano, I want to thank Mr. President for upgrading this institution from a College of Education to a full-fledged University. We cannot thank Mr. President enough for helping us succeed in the area of human capital development through this university.
“This is a goal we struggled to achieve for over 10 years, but President Tinubu came and granted it to us.
“I also personally appealed to President Tinubu to name the University after our own illustrious son, the late Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule (Dan Massanin Kano), to immortalize him, in remembrance of his selfless service and sacrifice to Nigeria, and Mr. President granted the request.
“I, therefore, urge Kano people to reciprocate President Tinubu’s kind gesture and benevolence to us and the entire North by voting for him again in 2027,” Senator Barau said.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Yusuf Ata, commended President Tinubu for supporting the emergence of Senator Barau as the Deputy Senate President, adding that Senator Barau has used his position and influence to ensure economic emancipation of Kano people and the entire North.
Ata further urged Kano people to rally round President Tinubu as he has ensured massive development of Kano and the entire North through the location of gigantic socio-infrastructural projects in the region.
Ata said apart from many ongoing federal projects in Kano, plans have been concluded to construct 250 housing units in Kano.
According to him, Kano will be the highest beneficiary in another 100 housing units, to be constructed in each of the 774 Local Government Areas across Nigeria, since Kano has the highest number of Local Government Areas across the country.
The chairman of the university’s Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), Comrade Ado Muhammed Abdullahi, thanked Senator Barau for ensuring the upgrade of the instruction at the University and his kind gesture of scholarship to the students.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Abdullahi Tukur Kadage, expressed appreciation to Senator Barau for the numerous projects he singlehandedly carried out for the upliftment of the University, and urged the beneficiaries of the scholarship to study hard so as to become benefactors of the next generation.
The chairman of Kano state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Prince Abdullahi Abbas, said Senator Barau’s kind and consistent gesture towards Kano people represents the ideology of the APC.
Leave a Reply