Kwankwasiya, a non-governmental initiative of former Kano state governor, Dr Rabiu Musa kwankwaso, has sponsored 242 first-class graduates to Indian universities for their master’s degrees, BASHIR MOHAMMED reports.
Background
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has been known and touted for long as a self-acclaimed crusader in the education sector, even more at the time he was governor of Kano state. Senator Kwankwaso had recently held his admirers and those supporting his ideology spell-bound when he organised a colourful event to mark the departure of 242 first-class graduates he had sponsored to pursue master’s degrees in various courses in Indian universities.
Kwankwasiya’s exceptional gesture
The 242 beneficiary graduates were part of the initial 370 chosen to benefit from the Kwankwasiya Foundation’s exceptional gesture, which came at a time when no one was expecting. This made one of the beneficiaries’ mother to weep profusely on the podium when she stood to speak on behalf of others parents.
“I love you, I love you, I love you Kwankwaso, for what you have done to our children in the present difficult economic situation. As mothers, we are short of words to say thank you. “Our children have really tasted the sumptuous honey of democracy. Your name, would undoubtedly be written in gold and remain indelible in the sand of time,” the woman sobbed.
Imminent personalities present
The epoch-making event was well attended by eminent personalities including his bosom friend, former Edo state governor, Mr Lucky Igbinedion in company of some die-hard Kwankwasiya supporters, who were at the venue of the occasion to cheer the man they christened as an indefatigable champion of education.
Speaking on the occasion, the former Edo state governor noted that there was no sacrifice that is worth more to make than to empower youths in their teens to pursue higher education in the manner his friend, Senator Kwankwaso did to the 242 graduates he had sponsored to do various courses in Indian universities.
“I am delighted to be here in your midst today to witness this historic event. It will really inspire others to follow in the footstep of the supreme commander of the Kwankwassiya movement. This is the work of a great patriot who, after his exit as governor and senator, still maintains his benevolent posture on education.
“What he really need from the good people of Kano is massive support, goodwill and prayer for him to have the courage, strength and willpower to sustain the tempo. If you have many like him, Kano would stand unbeatable in the field of stiff economic competition,” he affirmed.
Kwankwasiya door remains open
In his speech on the gesture, the fire-brand Senator thrilled his excited audience who had expected him to spit his usual polemic and pugilist vocabulary. He spoke softly and told the parents of the beneficiaries and the people of Kano that the doors of the Kwankwasiya Foundation would remain open to those who are ever willing to contribute their widow’s mite to the development of education..
Speaking further at the ceremony to mark the departure of the graduates, who are the first batch expected to leave Kano for India Tuesday, Kwankwaso said the sponsorship was part of the contribution given to the foundation by well meaning individuals, who had contributed their widow’s mite in seeing to the success of the laudable gesture.
He said the decision taken to effect the gesture was conceived to recognise the stellar performance of the 370 first class graduates which he described as exceptional geniuses, adding that with the flair for supporting excellence gaining credence, it would be counter-productive to allow such a crop of geniuses to be wasting away.
He pointed out that supporting and propping the education was his cardinal thrust when he was in the saddle of authority and that he had effected a similar feat with hundreds of youth benefitting from his robust education policy, which affirms that educating the populace and empowering the youth to move forward in that direction was the best way to justify one’s leadership ability and utmost capacity.
“We are here today to prove to the world that our ghost is still active as far as supporting the youth to move forward is concerned. We have established this noble foundation to keep everyone active. We are ever ready to sustain our previous tempo in the area of encouraging our talented youth to have a sense of belonging.
“We are patiently waiting to retrieve our mandate at the governorship petition election tribunal so as to be able to continue with our effort aimed at empowering the youths in all sphere of human endeavour.
“You are all leaving Kano tonight, enroute to Indian cities where the universities were sited. We will be around to see you off and pray for your success.
“We have paid for all your academic expenses throughout your sojourn in the universities which include expenses for your upkeep and the tuition fee for the two years you are staying there. This we have done to fulfill our responsibility. We have also made every arrangement to ensure that you have a return ticket on the successful completion of your academic period,” he said.
Supporters’ speeches
Speaking earlier, the gubernatorial flagbearer on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, said the historic event was convened to demonstrate to the world and the people of Kano that education had been on the priority list of the Kwankwasiya movement, adding that he was willing to pursue such a good gesture to a logical conclusion, if he succeed in winning his case at the election petition tribunal.
“We are ready to support our talented youths to move forward. We are fully guided and continue to be guided by the noble teachings of our grand commander, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. We have made up our mind to join the governorship race to correct the ills we had noted in the way the business of governance is being conducted,” he stated.
He called on the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of Kano by exhibiting the traits of good conduct and absolute decorum, stressing that as students they were very much expected to prove their seriousness in both character and learning.
With the laudable gesture was eliciting a fusillade of individual opinions, the governor was praised to high heavens by those who spoke to Blueprint at the venue with the students themselves expressing their utmost gratitude for what came to them as a surprise.
A die-hard supporter of the Kwankwasiya movement, Isah Shehu, said the senator had stirred the hornet’s nest in the opposition circles, considering the fact that the philanthropist’s gesture came at a time of stiff rivalry in the political landscape of Kano. He added that history was made, and that could never be disputed.
“I am joining the bandwagon of those who are willing to support people to develop. People like me can and will never be stampeded into choosing a bad alternative.
“Kwankwaso has done much to us and we are forever grateful” he said.
Sounding a note of warning to politicians not willing to live up to their billings (in the parlance of partisan politics), the PDP die-hard supporter maintained that he was not a cynic who did not see light at the end of the tunnel, rather he called on politicians to buckle-up by stopping the politics of propaganda and endless rhetorics.
One of the beneficiaries who spoke to Blueprint on condition of anonymity said that was the time they were all had a sense of belonging, adding that the majority of those who benefitted from the scholarship scheme are from poor family backgrounds that cannot shoulder the enormous responsibility of their children’s education.
It was however, the contention of pundits in the education sector that the senator had, indeed, opened the floodgate for other willing philanthropists to support the drive pointing out that the vast human capital could best be harnessed and exhaustively exploited with the much needed support given.