Produce spiritually trained graduates, Governor Zulum urges Faith based varsities
By Tunde Akanbi, Ilorin
The Governor of Borno State in North East Nigeria, Babagana Zulum, has urged faith-based institutions in the country to produce graduates trained in spirituality and morality.
According to him, such graduates will bail Nigeria out of its current moral decadence of corruption and social vices.
Governor Zulum also challenged Nigerian Youth to imbibe the culture of humility and hard work.
He made these remarks while delivering the 20th-anniversary lecture of the first Islamic faith-based university in Nigeria, the Al-Hikmah University in Ilorin, Kwara state, themed, ‘Two decades of excellence: Al-Hikmah University’s impact on scholarship and educational development in Nigeria.’
Governor Zulum, who said he was the son of a peasant farmer and a commercial driver who was plying Maiduguri-Okene-Ibadan roads, advised the youth to imbibe the culture of respect for parents, sacrifice for humanity, and love for hard work.
The governor also said that shortcuts to anything in life usually end in regret and disaster, adding that, “hard work is good but humility takes you far in life.”
“Hard work is one thing. But humility is the best. When I finished my Masters degree, I went to my village to go to the farm with my parents. I could have remained in Maiduguri wearing babbanriga, but because I have to be obedient to my parents that is why I am what I am today,” he said.
In his address at the 20th anniversary dinner/award night of the university, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Noah Yusuf, said that the most pressing challenge of the university is inadequate funds.
The Vice-Chancellor also said that the spiral effect of the funding challenge is the inability to meet some critical needs of the University.
Professor Yusuf therefore, appealed for support from friends of the university in the areas of hostel Construction the construction of Faculty building, Joint construction of classrooms and offices, Scholarship grants to indigent students, and Research funding for academic staff of the University.
Also speaking, the former Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, described the founder of Al-Hikmah University, Dr. Abdulraheem Oladimeji as a great contributor to quality education in Nigeria.
The two-term former governor of Katsina state said that Oladimeji’s efforts at prioritizing education in Nigeria have contributed meaningful impact on the lives of Nigerian youths.
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