Kwankwaso showcases power of education, unveils 300 PhDs at Kano convention

By Bashir Bello & Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

KANO — Former Governor of Kano State and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has hailed education as the most enduring legacy a leader can leave, as beneficiaries of the Kwankwasiyya scholarship programme gathered for their maiden annual convention in Kano.

Speaking at the historic event, Kwankwaso thanked Almighty Allah for the opportunity to witness what he described as “a very historic day for Kano State and Nigeria,” noting that the convention brought together scholars sponsored over nearly 25 years.

“I remember many of you when you were very young, some straight from the villages. Today, I see confidence, professionalism and grey hair,” he said, drawing applause from the audience.

The former governor, who led Kano State for eight years, emphasised that the gathering underscored lessons on leadership, sustainability, and foresight, stressing that true governance is measured by long-term impact on human capital.

He revealed that after government sponsorship of foreign students ceased following the 2019 general elections, he personally sustained the programme through the Kwankwasiyya Development Foundation (KDF). “I realised I had properties I did not need—plots in Lagos, Kaduna, Sokoto, Adamawa and other places. I sold them all and used the proceeds to sponsor 370 young men and women from Kano State to study abroad,” Kwankwaso disclosed.

The programme has previously supported over 3,000 students to study in 14 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, producing doctors, engineers, pilots, ICT experts, and global professionals.

Records from the Kwankwasiyya Scholars Assembly indicate the scheme has produced:

Hundreds of medical doctors and specialists, many serving in teaching hospitals in Nigeria and abroad.

Scores of pilots and aviation professionals, including commercial airline pilots, flight engineers, and air traffic specialists.

Thousands of engineers, ICT experts, and technologists contributing to Nigeria’s digital and infrastructure sectors.

Academics and researchers, with over 300 PhD holders unveiled at the convention.

Pharmacists, architects, economists, lawyers, and development practitioners now working across Nigeria, Africa, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

Kwankwaso emphasised that the foundation tracks and mentors its scholars, integrating them into public service and national development. “That is why we decided to engage you politically—at ward, local government, state, zonal, and, by the grace of God, national levels, for those interested,” he said.

He cautioned against elitism, warning that possession of advanced degrees should not prevent service at the grassroots. “It is not fair for someone with a PhD or Master’s degree to feel too big to serve at the ward level,” he stated, expressing hope for a Scholar-Governor and even a Scholar-President in the future.

Kwankwaso also thanked the incumbent Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for appointing many scholars as commissioners, advisers, and senior aides, and called for proper documentation of all beneficiaries to enhance coordination and digital engagement.

The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, commended Kwankwaso’s foresight, describing the scholarship programme as one of the most impactful human-capital interventions in Nigeria’s history.

Dr. Mansur Hassan, National President of the Kwankwasiyya Scholars Assembly (KSA), called the convention a defining moment and praised Kwankwaso for initiating “the most unprecedented scholarship programme Nigeria has ever witnessed.” He noted that the programme has been critical to sustaining academic standards across tertiary institutions in Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, and Gombe.

The convention also featured plans to establish a Kwankwasiyya Scholars Assembly Research Institute to drive evidence-based governance, innovation, and policy development. Scholars called for the absorption of unemployed beneficiaries in the state’s proposed recruitment of 1,000 professionals.

The event concluded with presentations of awards, goodwill messages from global scholars, testimonies of beneficiaries’ transformative experiences, and prayers for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Kano State, and Nigeria.

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