A beneficiary of Kwankwasiyya educational scholarship program, Ibrahim Garba, has sponsored more than 150 indigent students to study in various institutions in Kano State and other parts of the country.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Mr Garba is one of the 501 beneficiary students who was sponsored to Malaysia for a PhD in Strategic Business management, by former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso in the state.
Mr Garba currently lectures at the Department of Business Administration in Bayero University, Kano.
A Twitter user, Abdullahi Ibrahim, disclosed the sponsorship in his handle, @Kwankwason_tuwita, quoting Mr Garba as saying that his decision to empower youths was aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state
Mr Garba stated that the initiative started with 15 students in 2019 and had so far sponsored 30 students to study various courses in universities in Kano and other neighboring states.
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According to him, 40 students were also enrolled in Islamic schools and more than 65 in various Primary and Secondary schools.
“We usually look for students with good grades in their SSCE, we then buy JAMB forms for them.
“For those who are able to score the required marks for admission among them, we struggle to secure admission for them in institutions of their choice and continue to sponsor them till graduation.
“Last year, we’ve sponsored 15 students, and this year so far, we have sponsored 15 from the little resources we have.
“Hopefully the number will continue to increase. And interestingly, I don’t even know some of these children or their parents. The only eligibility criteria are competence and merit.
“I have already transformed the initiative into a foundation which I called IG Muhammad Foundation (named after me) for sponsoring students in Tarauni Local Government”, Mr Garba explained.
While promising to sustain the legacy beyond its present reach, Mr Garba also explained that his dream is to sponsor the less privileged students abroad, just as he was sponsored by Mr Kwankwaso.
He, therefore, thanked the former governor for initiating the legacy, while calling on him to continue until illiteracy is reduced to the barest minimum in the state.
