By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
The Barau I. Jibrin Foundation, established and owned by the Deputy Senate President, Dr. Barau I. Jibrin, on Wednesday night, strongly denies owing the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA), Katsina state, as a result of scholarship offered to Kano students studying in the University.
Some media reports had alleged that the Deputy Senate President and his Foundation abandoned the students.
But the Barau I. Jibrin Foundation, in a swift reply to the allegations, insisted that there was no left over as all the tuition fees and other financial commitments as sponsored by the Foundation, have long been duly settled.
A statement signed by the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Media, to the Deputy Senate President, Ismail Mudassir: “The Foundation attention was drawn to a malicious, mischievous and concocted publication alleging that beneficiaries of the undergraduate scholarship programme of the Barau I. Jibrin Foundation at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) Study Centres in Kano North Senatorial District are being owed allowances.
“The report is false and misleading and is the handiwork of mischief makers who are unhappy with a programme that has provided educational opportunities to 810 indigent students, enabling them to pursue degree programmes while continuing to pursue other means of livelihood within their respective local government areas.”
The released explained that, through his Foundation, Senator Barau I. Jibrin awarded scholarships to 810 indigent students to pursue degree programmes at the six study centres of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma in Kano North Senatorial District.
” In June this year, when the management of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma invited the beneficiaries to the university’s main campus in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, for basic training on distance learning, His Excellency provided a one-off allowance of N50,000 to each of the 810 beneficiaries.
“The beneficiaries were also transported to the university’s main campus for the training, which lasted four weeks.
“For the avoidance of doubt, there was never any promise of a monthly stipend of N50,000 to the beneficiaries. The N50,000 payment was a one-off allowance specifically provided to support the students during the four-week training programme.
“Specifically, the scholarship programme covers the payment of registration fees for all beneficiaries from Level One through to the completion of their respective programmes.
“We, therefore, urge the beneficiaries to remain focused on their studies and disregard the malicious publication, which is clearly intended to distract them and undermine the scholarship programme.”
Mudashir added that: “The Barau I. Jibrin Foundation remains committed to supporting indigent students and expanding access to quality education in Kano North Senatorial District and beyond.”
Our Correspondent recalls that the Deputy Senate President, Dr. Barau I. Jibrin, few months ago, distributed letters of award of scholarship to 1, 000 Kano undergraduates studying various courses in different study centres of Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina state.
The Deputy Senate President was represented by the chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum, Senator Kawu Sumaila, who is representing Kano South Senatorial Zone at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.
Senator Kawu Sumaila; the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Abdullahi Yusuf Ata, among other chieftains of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and academics, who gathered at Bayero University, Kano, (BUK), for the event all hailed Dr. Barau Jibrin for his kind gesture towards the economic cum academic emancipation of the Kano youth.
Senator Kawu Sumaila, who distributed the scholarship letters, on behalf of the Deputy Senate President, also pledged to offer N20, 000 each to the 1, 000 scholarship beneficiaries, for their transport, amounting to N20 million.
According to Senator Kawu Sumaila, Dr. Barau I. Jibrin, has set the pace for socio-economic emancipation of Kano youths, and the larger, population of the state, through his various and steady empowerment programmes, being sponsored by the Barau I. Jibrin Foundation (BIJF).
He urged the beneficiaries to make adequate use of the scholarship opportunity by studying hard so as to excel in their various disciplines, become successful and useful to themselves and the society.
Senator Sumaila said Dr. Barau’s intention for the scholarship scheme, was to foster academic excellence and provide educational opportunities to deserving students from Kano State.
However, a statement by Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President on Media and Publicity, indicated that the matriculation ceremony for the beneficiaries selected from Kano State will be held on Monday, September 22, at the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State.
Last year, the Deputy Senate President, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, sponsored 70 students to pursue postgraduate studies in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Forensic Sciences, among others, abroad.
Similarly, 300 students have been selected to pursue postgraduate studies in six Nigerian universities: Bayero University, Kano; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Ibadan; University of Lagos; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
