By Mohammed Lere
The founder of Maryam Abacha American University, Kano, Adamu Gwarzo, has called on Nigerian government to end the ongoing strike by both the academic and non-academic staff unions in public universities.
Mr Gwarzo, a professor, said the private universities cannot address the challenge of access confronting the teeming population of admission seekers in the country.
This is as the university founder said his priority in life is to facilitate how millions of less privileged Nigerians will receive university education.
On strike
On the current strike by the university workers, Mr Gwarzo called on the government to speed up the process of negotiations with aggrieved unions “so that students can resume schools.”
He said; “Private universities alone cannot be sufficient for our teeming youth seeking admission every year. The government-owned universities have to be working, so instead we should support them too from the private sector so as to function well in order to cater for our children’s education.”
“Private universities not money-making venture”
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in Kano on Sunday, Mr Gwarzo said he has so far offered full scholarship to more than 1,000 Nigerians who are currently studying in his university.
He said; “Let me tell you that there is nothing you can give to a child better than education. I have so far offered scholarships to over one thousand Nigerians schooling right now in MAAUN. That is one gesture I have done and I will continue to do.
“My dream is to educate millions of less privileged Nigerians before I return to my creator.”
He said those who think private universities are for profit should have a rethink, noting that it is more about corporate social responsibility than business.
“I want to call on all who think that having a private university is swimming in money to think twice. If you want to be rich, don’t go into setting up a university. That should be something for the people, a sacrifice to humanity. That is my zeal and push,” he added.
Mr Gwarzo also said he named the two institutions after Maryam Abacha for mere likeness.
He said; “She is a mother to me and I have special respect for her. I chose to name the institution after her because of respect and liking. There is nothing monetary connecting the institution with Maryam Abacha or her family.
“It is just like Ahmadu Bello University, Usman Danfodio, Tafawa Balewa University, it is just a name to honour an individual.”
Background
Maryam Abacha American University was first established in Maraɗi, Niger Republic in 2013. It is the first English speaking university in the Republic of Niger and also the first bilingual university in the Sub-Saharan Africa.
It is a university with a population of over ten thousand undergraduates and more than five thousand post graduate students.
The founder replicated the same University in Kano in 2022 which began academic activities in 2022.