12,000 Nigerians studying through online Islamic University – Philips

The proprietor of Islamic Online University (IOU), Dr Bilal Philips, said on Monday that no fewer than 12,000 Nigerians were presently studying through the institution.

Philips made the disclosure in Kano, when he visited former Kano State Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.

According to him, the Nigerian students are part of the 300,000 students studying in the institution at no cost.

“We are also presently planning to establish the online Islamic University in Nigeria. We are going through all the necessary processes.”

Philips canvassed for the inclusion of the Islamic perspective in the educational process in Nigeria, to enable students understand the Islamic aspects of any course they study.

“By Islamising the teaching processes in the country, it will bring out the good and the bad aspects of any profession, especially the accounting, business administration and other courses”, he said.

He explained that the institution was established to offer access to education, free of charge.

“The aim of the university is also to grant global access to quality undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level in Islamic education for students at virtually no cost.

“Its mission is to be a catalyst for change in the global Muslim nations, to facilitate their contributions to the progress of human civilisation.”

Responding, Shekarau, a former Minister of Education, commended the scholar for promoting Islam across the world, describing such effort as a welcome development.

According to him, bringing Islamic perspective to courses would sanitise government ministries, agencies and other organisations, especially in ending corruption.

“During my eight years tenure as governor, I was the first to make it mandatory for the civil servants to apply the Islamic perspective, in carrying out their functions,” Shekarau said.