Zulum urges faith-based institute to foster morality, hard work

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has urged faith-based institutions in Nigeria to focus on producing graduates who are not only academically skilled but also trained in spirituality and morality.

He expressed his belief that this approach would help combat the country’s growing moral decline, including corruption and social vices.

Zulum made the remarks on Tuesday at the 20th anniversary lecture of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria’s first Islamic faith-based university.

The lecture, themed “Two Decades of Excellence: Al-Hikmah University’s Impact on Scholarship and Educational Development in Nigeria,” marked a significant milestone for the institution.

He urged Nigerian youths to embrace humility and hard work, sharing his personal background as the son of a peasant farmer and a commercial driver who worked on the Maiduguri-Okene-Ibadan road.

Zulum advised youths to respect their parents, make sacrifices for humanity, and develop a strong work ethic.

He warned that shortcuts in life often lead to regret and disaster, stating, “Hard work is good, but humility takes you far in life.”

He shared an anecdote about his own life, explaining, “When I finished my Master’s degree, I went back to my village to farm with my parents.

“I could have stayed in Maiduguri, wearing a ‘babanriga’, but because I had to obey my parents, that is why I am what I am today.”

In his address, the Vice Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Prof. Noah Yusuf, urged the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the institution.

He noted that the university was presenting 2,211 graduands in its 14th convocation, the highest number in its history.

He congratulated the students, their parents, and their families, and encouraged them to consider entrepreneurship as a career option.

“Practice the entrepreneurship skills you have acquired from the university and remember that as Al-Hikmah University graduates endeavour to be employers of labour, not job seekers,” the Vice Chancellor advised.

Also speaking, the former Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Masari, lauded Dr Abdulraheem Oladimeji, the founder of Al-Hikmah University, for his significant contributions to quality education in Nigeria.

Masari noted that Oladimeji’s efforts to prioritise education had made a meaningful impact on the lives of Nigerian youths.