Professor Haruna Musa, the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano (BUK), has urged politicians, business leaders, and youth-games/” title=”Lagos submits bid to host 2026 National … Games”>key stakeholders throughout Nigeria to follow the example set by Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin in promoting educational empowerment.
This appeal was made during a recent scholarship distribution event at BUK, where Senator Jibrin awarded scholarship letters to 1,000 students from Kano South and Kano Central senatorial zones. These scholarships support full-time studies at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma in Katsina State.
Addressing attendees, Professor Musa praised the initiative, highlighting that “education remains the most effective form of empowerment and a vital tool for individual and societal progress.”
He painted a stark picture of Nigeria’s youth landscape, noting that out of a population nearing 230 million, only about 30 percent of young people are currently engaged in formal education or vocational training.
This leaves a vast majority of youths unemployed, unskilled, and without access to education, a predicament he warned poses significant threats to social stability and national development.
“The North-West region, particularly Kano State, is grappling with a rapidly growing youth population whose needs are not being adequately met,” Professor Musa explained, linking this demographic challenge to ongoing security and economic difficulties in the area.
He emphasized that the rising insecurity in these communities is closely connected to the increasing number of idle young people, underscoring the importance of scholarship programs like Senator Jibrin’s in fostering peace and progress.
“I call on all political figures, business sectors, and other stakeholders to replicate the commendable efforts of Senator Barau Jibrin and collaborate to support the youth,” the Vice Chancellor urged.
In his introductory remarks, Professor Mohammed Abdullah, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Senate President, disclosed that Senator Jibrin has funded postgraduate studies abroad for 70 students specializing in cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Forensic Science.
Additionally, 300 students have been admitted into various postgraduate programs at six leading Nigerian universities, reflecting Senator Jibrin’s dedication to nurturing advanced skills and expertise in critical scientific and technological disciplines both domestically and internationally.
