Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has declared that the people of Kano, the North, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) will repay President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s gestures of goodwill and support come 2027.
Senator Barau made this statement on Monday during the distribution of scholarships at his annual undergraduate scholarship scheme, held at the recently renamed Yusuf Maitama Sule Federal University of Education, Kano.
Addressing a gathering that included key stakeholders from the political and academic communities, Barau praised President Tinubu for his decisive role in approving the institution’s upgrade to a federal university, a move that had been pursued for nearly a decade.
“I would like to thank Mr President, the president of our country, the president that we are all proud of, the president who loves Kano, who loves Northern Nigeria, and who loves Nigeria,” Barau said.
“He graciously approved our long-standing request to upgrade this institution to a university, and for that, we remain deeply grateful.”
A decade-long struggle rewarded
The senator, who described the approval as a watershed moment, stated that the campaign to transform the former college into a university had lasted nearly ten years. He credited President Tinubu’s swift action as evidence of his administration’s commitment to education and human capital development.
Using a Hausa proverb, Barau noted, “The rain that beats you is the real rain,” to describe the significance of Tinubu’s support. “We have never asked or canvassed for anything from Mr President, and he said no. Why shouldn’t we love Mr President? We have to reciprocate, and we are waiting for the time to do that, come 2027.”
He further stated, “Whatever we ask him to do, he says, ‘I’ll do it for you.’ Human capital, not natural resources, is the number one factor of production in the world today. If you get it right in education, you have succeeded.”
Renaming of University after Maitama Sule
Senator Barau also applauded President Tinubu for approving the renaming of the institution in honour of the late Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, a revered statesman, former minister, and diplomat from Kano.
“It was painful when the present administration in Kano annulled the decision by the former administration of Dr Ganduje to name a state-owned institution after Alhaji Maitama Sule,” he said. “When I presented a request to President Tinubu to name this institution after our elder statesman, he immediately approved it. This is how he continues to demonstrate love and respect for Kano and our heroes.”
Barau described President Tinubu as the “grandfather of the institution” and himself as the “father of the university,” pledging continued support for its growth and development.
1,000 scholarships awarded
Reaffirming his dedication to educational advancement, Senator Barau announced scholarships for 1,000 students from the Kano North Senatorial District, with a promise to extend the programme across other parts of the state.
He encouraged students to remain focused on their academic pursuits. “Education is the bedrock of every society. If I, as a grandfather and a PhD student, can continue to pursue learning, then there is no reason for any young person to relent.”
He emphasised that sustained investment in education was the surest route to empowerment and community transformation.
Commendations from dignitaries
Other dignitaries at the event also lauded President Tinubu’s commitment to education and regional development.
The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, praised Tinubu for his various interventions in Kano and the North, while the Kano State APC Chairman, Prince Abdullahi Abbas, expressed gratitude for the institution’s upgrade and renaming.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Abdullahi Tukur Kadage, paid tribute to Senator Barau for his “visionary leadership and unwavering support,” recalling that the university was established through a bill sponsored by the senator at the National Assembly.
Also in attendance was Ado Abdullahi, Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), who joined others in showering encomiums on President Tinubu.
As preparations for the 2027 elections slowly begin to gather momentum, Senator Barau’s remarks signal a strong indication of the North’s potential political leanings and the value placed on developmental strides made under the current administration.
