Monday, 9th September 2024, will continue to be a day to reckon with in the attainments of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, as appreciation and praises continue to be showered on him courtesy of his foresight to offer scholarship to 70 Kano State indigenes.
The postgraduate foreign scholarship initiative saw the sponsorship of 70 candidates – 65 males and five females – from the three senatorial districts of Kano State to pursue higher degrees in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Robotics Science in reputable institutions of higher learning abroad.
Speaking at the epoch-making event, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, who began by congratulating the beneficiaries, said the initiative is one of the cardinal programmes of the Barau I Jibrin Foundation (BIJF).
He explained that all the beneficiaries were selected based on merit and were devoid of any form of nepotism, personal relations, or familiarity.
“None of them is personally known to me or related to the organising committee members. It is imperative to note that this programme is designed to showcase our unwavering commitment to the educational development of our youths, who we consider as the pillars of societal development. At the Jibrin Foundation, we give pride of place to the overall development of the youths, who are responsible for reshaping and energising our society.
“What we are doing is a demonstration of the hallmark of our political ideology aimed at building and empowering the youth to secure our future and society.
“Our joy is always to see that we are impacting the lives of the people positively, not necessarily because of political party or geographical affiliations but as a duty to humanity. We shall continue to facilitate programmes and projects that will improve our people’s lives in all circumstances.
“The Foreign Scholarship programme has been designed as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to identify and support the gifted and talented youths from across Kano State to acquire postgraduate degrees in carefully selected fields that will give them competitive advantage to contribute to the socio-economic development of Nigeria,” he said.
Senator Barau, therefore, called on all and sundry to support the efforts of the government in addressing the challenges in our educational system, especially at the basic education level.
“Let me use the opportunity to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assenting to the bill to establish the North West Development Commission (NWDC). He has laid the foundation to address the region’s challenges. He likes us in the North, and he is our hero.
“Please let us continue to pray for our country and support Mr President to implement his lofty ideas for the development of our beloved country. This is our country. Let’s work together to return our country to the path of progress and prosperity,” he said.
Minister to Senator Barau: You are an ambassador of education
The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, has extolled the leadership qualities of the Deputy President of the Senate as well as his passion for the promotion of the educational sector.
The minister, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu said, “I would not have been happy if I were to miss the opportunity to come and see first-hand what a committed individual is doing to support the educational development of his people and by so doing assisting the government in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.
“I must confess that I am not surprised that Senator Barau Jibrin is doing this today, because I have always known him as a great ‘Ambassador of Education’ and a unique politician, always looking for ways to empower the people, especially the youth. I recall his tremendous contributions to the education sector as a frontline member of the National Assembly, when he served as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETfund in the 8th Senate and his support to the infrastructural development of educational institutions in Kano State over the years.”
On his part, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Muntari Dandutse (APC, Katsina South), said that the selection of specialised fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics Technology, Cybersecurity, and Forensic sciences is a testament to Senator Barau’s dedication to addressing the workforce shortages in these critical areas in our country.
“This is a novel initiative that deserves commendation and the support of all. When these beneficiaries return to our country after completing their studies abroad in about 18 months, they will be well-equipped to fill the existing gaps in these vital sectors. Their expertise will significantly contribute to the technological development of our nation.
“To the beneficiaries, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes as you embark on this academic journey. I urge you to be exemplary ambassadors of our country, to take your studies seriously, and to strive for excellence. Your success will not only honour the Deputy President of the Senate, but will also bring pride to Kano State and our beloved nation as a whole.”
Fascinated by the scheme, invited guests contributed about N30 million to support the upkeep of the beneficiaries abroad.
A former Vice Chancellor of the Bayero University Kano (BUK), Professor Muhammad Yahuza Bello, said the fields selected by the Deputy President of the Senate are the foundation of the knowledge economy.
“What India has been generating in foreign currency by exporting knowledge (knowledge economy) is more than what Nigeria has been getting from oil in the last t. Therefore, these are the foundation of what we need to develop this country,” he said.
Dailytrust
