Education

“Enough is enough,” Buhari tells striking varsity teachers

Published

3 years ago

July 12, 2022

PRESIDENT BUHARI URGES NIGERIANS TO HAVE FAITH IN THE ARMED FORCES, VOWS TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONAL TEMPO ON SECURITY

“Enough is enough,” Buhari tells striking varsity teachers

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday called on ASUU members to reconsider their position on the ongoing strike, saying “enough is enough.’’

The union began the strike on Feb. 14.

The president expressed worry that the strike would have generational consequences on families, the educational system and the future development of the country.

Malam Garba Shehu, his media aide, stated that Buhari made the call when he received some governors, legislators and political leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.

The visitors were in Daura to pay Sallah homage to the president.

Buhari noted that the strike had already taken a toll on the psychology of parents, students and other stakeholders, throwing up many moral issues begging for attention.

He noted also that Nigeria’s future rested on the quality of education.

He assured also that the government understood the union’s position, but that negotiation should continue with students in lecture halls.

“We hope that ASUU will sympathise with the people on the prolonged strike. Truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home. Don’t hurt the next generation for goodness sake,’’ he said.

The president called on all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly those close to ASUU leaders and members to persuade the lecturers to reconsider their position and its effect on an entire generation and the nation.

According to Buhari, Nigerian students will be faced with the challenge of competing with others in technology-driven workspaces.

Keeping them at home, he argued, only deprived them of time, skill and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.

“Colonial type education was geared towards producing workers in government. Those jobs are no longer there.

“Our young people should get an education to prepare them for self-employment. Now education is for the sake of education.

“Through technology, we are much more efficient. We should encourage our children to get an education not only to look for government jobs,’’ he stressed.

Buhari said resources should be channelled more into building infrastructure and operations of the health and educational sectors, not to expand the bureaucracy to create job opportunities.

“By this time next year, I would have made the most out of the two terms, and in the remaining months I will do my best,’’ the President assured.

He urged those in political positions and places of privilege to be mindful in helping the many Nigerians that were looking for opportunities.

“If you are greedy, you won’t look around to see what is happening with those who are less-endowed,’’ Buhari noted.

The president told his guests that he had not been to his house in Daura for close to a year because of the demands of the office.

“The observation that I abandoned my base was made by the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar Faruk, at the Eid prayer ground.

“He held the microphone and told everyone that the last time I was in Daura was during the Eid-el-Kabir of 2021,’’ he mused.

President Buhari said he would retire to Daura and not Kaduna, where he has a better house.

“In 10 to 11 months; time, I will come here (Daura). I have a better house in Kaduna, but it is too close to Abuja,’’ he said.

The president explained that his work schedule was so heavy that he sympathised with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away from his family most of the time.

He urged the APC stalwarts to keep working for the good of the people and that of the country.

“ We are lucky people. We need to reflect more on where we are coming from,’’ h said.

The president said relative to the resources available, and compared to the preceding administration, the government had done well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure.

“I wish the person who is coming after me the very best,” he said.

On security, the president said the Northwest had posed more challenges, while some success had been recorded in other regions; the Northeast and South-South.

Buhari also admonished agitators in the South-South to stop vandalising national assets, an action which, he said, also affected their livelihoods.

“I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough. I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making,’’ he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Kebbi’s Gov. Abubakar Bagudu, thanked the president for his leadership role in improving the nation’s economy and the many successes recorded by the APC.

According to him, such successes include two conventions to produce the party leadership and the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“We will work hard to ensure the success of our party. We have reasons to work very hard,’’ he stressed.

He noted that favourable weather conditions supported the vision of ensuring food production and making agriculture a priority with clear results in rice pyramids in various states.

“In spite of attacks by renegades, our country remains self-sufficient in food production. We have seen investments that were not there before you (Buhari) came into power.

“Not less than 20 states now have agriculture processing zones. We have rice pyramids in Ekiti, Gombe and Niger state, while maize pyramids were revived in Katsina and Kano states,’’ he said.

He added that more than 54 rice meals were inaugurated in various states, and 57 fertiliser plants were revived or built afresh.

“All these were achieved because of your commitment and patriotism,’’ the governor told Buhari.

Bagudu also appreciated the president for providing ease of access to governors and political leaders, noting that the opening of the National Economic Council for a more fluid exchange of ideas greatly helped in improving the economy.

APC governors at the lunch were Aminu Masari of Katsina State; Malam Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa and Abubakar Bello of Niger.

Others were Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Simon Lalong of Plateau and Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi.

“Enough is enough,” Buhari tells striking varsity teachers

Education

Zulum opens 48-classroom school

Published

23 hours ago

September 6, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Zulum opens 48-classroom school

Approves meal, stipends to spike enrollment

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has inaugurated the Higher Islamic College, Gajiganna, in the northern part of the state.

The college will blend the traditional Almajiri education system (Sangaya) with the formal education system.

Speaking on Friday in Gajiganna town, Zulum stressed that about 20 similar colleges had been built in different local government areas to provide Almajirai with basic literacy and vocational skills.

The governor said: “our goal is clear: to provide our children, especially Sangaya learners, with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in today’s world.

“In pursuit of this, the institutions we are establishing operate under a curriculum approved by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) which harmoniously blends Islamic scholarship with Science, Mathematics, Technology and Foundational English.

“At the same time, we have remained unwavering in our commitment to revitalising the Sangaya education system—an enduring pillar of Islamic learning that has shaped our society for generations.

“Our reforms have been deliberate and balanced: safeguarding the cherished values of traditional Islamic scholarship while introducing modern subjects and vocational training.”

Governor Zulum also commissioned the Government Day Secondary School, Gajiganna, which will serve as a referral centre for hundreds of pupils completing their primary education in Gajiganna town.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, commended Governor Zulum for delivering over 104 mega schools in six years.

“Your Excellency, to proudly highlight that under your stewardship, 104 Mega Schools have already been completed and delivered across the state, with an additional 35 at different stages of construction, excluding those already advertised and awaiting commencement,” Wakilbe said.

The commissioner added: “This is a remarkable achievement that reflects not only infrastructure but vision, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to generations yet unborn.”

The event was attended by the Senate Chief whip and the senator representing northern Borno, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, members of the House of Representatives, Usman Zannah, Abdulkadir Rahis and Engr Bukar Talba.

Also in attendance were the Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan; APC Chairman, Bello Ayuba; the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Bukar Tijani; the Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mustahpa Mallumbe, among other senior government officials.

Approves one meal/day, stipends to spike enrollment

Meanwhile, Governor Babagana Zulum has directed the provision of one square meal to the students in high Islamic colleges and schools with low enrollment.

According to the governor, the directive is to spike the enrollment in the northern part of the state, which had suffered devastation from over a decade of insurgency.

He said: “We must establish deliberate measures to promote education in northern Borno. This is the only region in Borno State that has not been developed in terms of education. So, both the secondary and primary education board chairmen are here. I want you to put more emphasis on northern Borno. You can see a situation whereby in this town with a total population of about 50,000 people, only 90 students were enrolled in a secondary school.

The Governor added, “We must support the parents of these 90 students from towns like Gajiganna. It is imperative to ensure that these 90 students complete their studies, it would represent significant progress. We will approve stipends of N250,000 for their fathers and N50,000 for each of their mothers. For the students themselves, we are setting aside N50,000 each, which will provide them with financial support for their essential needs.”

Zulum opens 48-classroom school

Education

Billionaire Indimi inaugurated for a second term as Pro Chancellor of the Kashim Ibrahim University Maiduguri

Published

4 days ago

September 3, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Billionaire Indimi inaugurated for a second term as Pro Chancellor of the Kashim Ibrahim University Maiduguri

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Nigerian Billionaire Dr Mohammed Indimi has been inaugurated for the second term as Pro Chancellor of the Borno State government owned Kashim Ibrahim University (KIU).

Indimi and his team were inaugurated monday by Governor Babagana Zulum to continue developing the state owned University which has grown massively since he took charge four years ago as pro chancellor.

Speaking after their inauguration, Zulum, tasked the Governing Council of the University to foster the culture of cutting-edge research, innovation and community development to address the challenges and opportunities of the post-insurgency recovery efforts.

The Governor noted that the inauguration is part of the broader effort to reposition the University as a beacon of knowledge, innovation and moral rectitude, not just for the North-East, but for Nigeria as a whole.

He stressed that the challenges before the new council was significant as the opportunities are myriad adding that “we task you with fostering a culture of rigorous research, innovative teaching and community-relevant curricula that addresses the unique challenges and opportunities of our post-insurgency recovery and development”.

Governor Zulum expressed delight that the student population alone had grown from a mere 300 in the beginning to about 10,000 in the last 6 years.

He charged the new council to prioritize the welfare of both staff and students and uphold the highest standards of academic excellence, transparency and prudent management of resources.

“You are now the legal custodians of this university’s destiny, entrusted with a sacred mandate to provide strategic direction, ensure financial prudence, uphold the highest standards of academic excellence and safeguard the welfare of both staff and students.

“This ceremony is a fulfilment of our administration’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the governance structures of all tertiary institutions in Borno State.

“It is pivotal to repositioning this University as a beacon of knowledge, innovation and moral rectitude, not just for the North-East, but Nigeria as a whole”.

“Section 1(1) (c) of the Third Schedule of the Kashim Ibrahim University Law, 2018, as amended, empowers me to constitute a Governing Council as the supreme governing body of the University charged with the general control and superintendence of the policy, finances and administration of the institution”.

“In particular, I wish to address our Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammadu Indimi. Your legendary philanthropy and unwavering support for education are well-known,” he concluded.

Responding, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr Muhammadu Indimi said he graciously accepted the appointment with the aim of serving his state and promised to provide positive change in the University.

“I accepted this position because I have to support my state. With my able lieutenants, we promise to provide positive change in the University,” Indimi assured.

Billionaire Indimi inaugurated for a second term as Pro Chancellor of the Kashim Ibrahim University Maiduguri

Education

Zulum Tasks University Council on Innovative Research for Post-Insurgency Recovery

Published

4 days ago

September 2, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Zulum Tasks University Council on Innovative Research for Post-Insurgency Recovery

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has tasked the Governing Council of Kashim Ibrahim University to foster the culture of cutting-edge research, innovation and community development to address the challenges and opportunities of the post-insurgency recovery effort.

The governor gave the task on Monday while inaugurating the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr Muhammadu Indimi and members of the Governing Council of the University at the Council Chamber of the Government House in Maiduguri.

He noted that the inauguration is part of the broader effort to reposition the University as a beacon of knowledge, innovation and moral rectitude, not just for the North-East, but for Nigeria as a whole.

“The challenges before you are as significant as the opportunities. We task you with fostering a culture of rigorous research, innovative teaching and community-relevant curricula that address the unique challenges and opportunities of our post-insurgency recovery and development,” Zulum stated.

Governor Zulum expressed delight that the student population has grown from 300 to about 10,000 in the last 6 years.

He charged them to prioritize the welfare of both staff and students and uphold the highest standards of academic excellence, transparency and prudent management of resources.

“This ceremony is a fulfilment of our administration’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the governance structures of all tertiary institutions in Borno State. It is pivotal to repositioning this University as a beacon of knowledge, innovation and moral rectitude, not just for the North-East, but Nigeria as a whole”.

Governor Zulum remarked that his administration is making unprecedented investments in education, constructed 139 new mega schools, rehabilitated many others and recruited thousands of teachers. “We are establishing six centres of excellence and have banned political thuggery to redirect the energies of our youth towards scholarly and vocational pursuits”.

He congratulated the Chairman and members of the Council for their commitment, integrity and passion for the advancement of the institution.

“I offer my heartfelt congratulations to you all. Your selection was not by chance. It was a deliberate choice based on your proven integrity, vast experience and demonstrable passion for education and community development. In particular, I wish to address our Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammadu Indimi. Your legendary philanthropy and unwavering support for education are well-known,” he concluded.

“I accepted this position because I have to support my state. With my able lieutenants, we promise to provide positive change in the university,” Indimi assured.

Zulum Tasks University Council on Innovative Research for Post-Insurgency Recovery