The President of the 8th Nigerian Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki has announced a full scholarship donation of N140 million for 100 students at N350,000 per session for each students of the newly Commissioned Mohammad Kamaldeen University, (MKU) Ilorin, Kwara State North Central Nigeria .
The sponsorship is for the duration of their four years programmes.
Saraki who disclosed this at the event, also donated projects worth millions of Naira towards the university and another donation of N26m for the purchase of the varsity’s vehicle .
According to him, he was proud to identify with the university which he said, would bring honour and prestige to Ilorin, Kwara State and the entire nation.
The former Senate President who is the Waziri Ngeri of the Ilorin Emirate added that the commissioning of the university is a great achievement for every son and daughter of the Ilorin Emirate and described it as a profitable venture.
He expressed delight that his efforts and collaboration with the former Chairman, 8th Senate Committee on Education, Jibril Barau in facilitating the university’s take off has further yielded results .
At the event, eminent Nigerians poured encomiums on the founder of Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria (AISN), the late Sheikh Muhammad Kamalud-deen Al- Adaby for his commitment to the blending of Arabic and Western education which culminated in the establishment of a conventional university- Muhammad Kamalden University (MKU), Ilorin, Kwara State, named in his honour.
The Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq led the pack of the dignitaries that acknowledged Sheikh Kamalud- deen during the official commissioning of the university.
Other speakers at the well attended event included the representative of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Ambassador Ahmad Yakassai, representative of the Osun state Governor, Alhaji Nuruden Adeleke, Malam Yusuf Ali (SAN) and President, Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria(AISN), Alhaji Suleiman Afolabi.
In his remarks, Governor AbdulRazaq who was represented by his deputy, Mr Kayode Alabi described the establishment of the university as “a product of great vision” from Sheikh Kamalud-deen.
The governor said the commissioning of the university further stamped the testament to the commitment of the late Sheik Kamalud-deen to “education and upliftment of human race”.
In his remarks, the Emir of Kano observed that “the university environment is beautiful for education and has all the facilities for take off “.
Bayero praised the foresight of Sheik Kamalud-deen in initiating the teaching of Western education subjects alongside Arabic at his Arabic schools in Ilorin.
Earlier, the President of Society, Alhaji Suleiman Afolabi, had said that the university would require the sum of N215 million for its needs during the 2023/2024 academic session which will commence in January 2024.
The Vice Chancellor of MKU, Prof Rasheed Jimoh, while thanking the diginitaries that attended the occasion and made donations in cash and kind said the university will be ICT- driven and will be committed, “to be an exemplary institution for teaching and research for the production of morally upright and globally competitive graduates and for community service.”
The Emir of Ilorin and Chancellor of MKU, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the Pro- Chancellor of the University, Prof. Shuaib AbdulRaheem and the chairman of the Central Planning Committee of the event, Engr Ahmad Ibrahim, played host to the diginitaries that attended the event from far and near.
The private University is owned by the Ansar-ul Islam Society of Nigeria and was founded by the Late Sage, Sheikh Muhammad Kamalud-Deen Al-Adaby.
