A technocrat and entrepreneur, Umar Buba Bindir, has charged students of Sokoto State University to deploy innovation and creativity to lift the state and Nigeria out of poverty.
Bindir made the call at the Sokoto State University Convocation Lecture as part of the activities lined up for the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Convocation ceremony.
Dr Bindir faulted the tag of Sokoto as Nigeria’s poorest state, saying it does not reflect the state’s human and natural resource endowment.
He argued that the narrative of poverty would persist until students, researchers and policymakers move beyond certificates to building solutions that generate wealth and employment.
Dr Bindir, a former Secretary to the Adamawa State Government, urged undergraduates to identify Sokoto’s comparative advantages through research and translate findings into viable enterprises.
He singled out agriculture as low-hanging fruit, challenging soil science students to study the state’s soil profile and recommend crops with the highest yield and market value.
According to him, universities remain the biggest drivers of modern economies, and Nigeria must emulate global models where research directly fuels growth.
Citing Cambridge University as an example, he said the institution contributes over £300 million annually to the UK economy a figure he put at hundreds of trillions of naira.
“Cambridge University alone contributes more than £300 million to the economy of the country, equivalent to hundreds of trillions of naira,” Bindir stated, adding that Nigeria’s resource base far exceeds Britain’s.
He maintained that with proper harnessing of resources through research, innovation and entrepreneurship, Sokoto and Nigeria could redefine their economic trajectory.
Also speaking, the chancellor of the University and the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Haneem Nuhu Sanusi, also called on Nigerians to think out of the box with a view to embracing entrepreneurship.
According to the Emir, this is necessary if the country is to forge ahead and be at par with her contemporaries across the globe.
He, however, expressed happiness that Nigerians are now waking up with men and women are waking up in terms of national development.
“Women must however strive more to take up the challenge,” urging that they should not be shy.
“What a man can do, a woman can do better If you educate a woman, you educate a whole community.
“Majority of those graduating from our Quranic schools in Jigawa State are women, that means that we have a vary bright future,” he said.
Alhaji Hameem Nuhu Sanusi further admonished women to be innovative and pursue their dreams hence become successful.
Also speaking, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Dr Jabir Sani Maihula, who also represented Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, reiterated the commitment of the state government to accord top priority to education including entrepreneurship.
Dr Jabir Sani Maihula vowed that the state government remains committed to the adequate funding of education at all levels, saying that tertiary education will continue to be accorded top priority.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Mohammed Bello Yerima, said the university is pivoting to entrepreneurship education to produce job and wealth creators.
Professor Yerima disclosed that the university has forwarded new programmes in Artificial Intelligence, Cyber security, Entrepreneurship and Engineering to the National Universities Commission for verification and approval.
