• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

      PRNigeria logo fearured image

      EFCC Arraigns Ex-Convict, Other for Naira Abuse in Lagos

      EFCC Arrests 37 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Ilorin

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Customs Diplomacy: Nigeria, Saudi Arabia Ink Mutual Assistance Deal

      Comptroller General Nigerian Customs Bashir Adewale

      Nigeria, Belarus Forge Alliance to Combat Smuggling, Facilitate Trade

      President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and CG Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

      Tinubu Hails Customs Boss Wale Adeniyi on Historic Election as WCO…

      WTO Lauds Nigeria Customs for Embracing Global Trade Standards

      Nigeria, Rwanda Sign Landmark Tax Treaty to Boost Cross-Border Investment

  • National
    • For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

      Nigerian Dignitaries, Business Leaders Attend Aminu Dantata’s Burial in Madinah Saudi…

      IGP Kayode Egbetokun Police Boss

      Police Rescue Trafficked Ghanaian Youth in Abuja

      Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

      Bashir Adeniyi: A Roadmap to Global Customs Leadership By Tahir Ahmad

      Arewa Discussion Group

      Arewa Discussion Group Launched to Tackle Northern Challenges

    • Government
      • Nigerian Dignitaries, Business Leaders Attend Aminu Dantata’s Burial in Madinah Saudi…

        Dantata laid to rest at Medina Cemetery

        Legendary Business Mogul Aminu Dantata Laid to Rest in Madinah Cemetery

        Tinubu Seeks Visa Waivers, Scholarships as Nigeria Establishes Diplomatic Ties with…

        Malam Yusuf Abubakar Dingyadi

        Dingyadi, PDP Chair’s Vocal Spokesperson, Resigns

        Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar

        Ambassador Tuggar’s Doctrine of Calm in a World on Fire By…

  • Security
    • Nigerian Police Force

      Anambra Police Launch Manhunt After Gunmen Kill 10 in Ogboji Attack

      MATAWALLE, cds, AND pERM SEC OF dEFENCE MINISTRY

      “You Are Now Nigeria’s Frontline Guardians in War Against Terrorism –…

      IGP Kayode Egbetokun Police Boss

      Police Rescue Trafficked Ghanaian Youth in Abuja

      Police Officer

      FCT Police Nab Notorious Kidnappers Linked to Killings, Mass Abductions in…

      Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa

      Okuama 17: Court Orders Military Chief to Produce Detained Monarch in…

  • Features
    • For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

      Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

      Bashir Adeniyi: A Roadmap to Global Customs Leadership By Tahir Ahmad

      IGP Kayode Egbetokun Police Boss

      IGP Egbetokun: Leading the Charge for a Safer Nigeria By Danjuma…

      NDLEA Logo

      Drug Culture in Nigerian Music: When Art Imitates Harm By Arafat…

      Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar

      Ambassador Tuggar’s Doctrine of Calm in a World on Fire By…

  • State
    • For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

      Dantata laid to rest at Medina Cemetery

      Legendary Business Mogul Aminu Dantata Laid to Rest in Madinah Cemetery

      IGP Kayode Egbetokun Police Boss

      Police Rescue Trafficked Ghanaian Youth in Abuja

      Police Officer

      FCT Police Nab Notorious Kidnappers Linked to Killings, Mass Abductions in…

      Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa

      Okuama 17: Court Orders Military Chief to Produce Detained Monarch in…

  • Event
    • NELFUND

      NELFUND Warns Students Against Fake Loan Application Portal

      EFCC Witness: Yahaya Bello Had No Property Dealings With EFAB

      Hon. Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu (RMS), with PRNigeria Ladies in PR I'm Abuja

      Rukayat Shittu Set to Publish Inspirational Book “Cracking the Glass Ceiling”,…

      Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo

      Former Kwara Governor, Chief Adebayo, Dies at 84

      Managing Editor of Image Merchants, Mr Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, PR Expert, Celestine Achi and the Editor-in-chief, Yushau Shuaib presenting the book to PRNigeria center

      PRNigeria Commends New Book on Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home Features Inside the ‘Sprawling’ Vision of Founder of Maryam Abacha American University
  • Features

Inside the ‘Sprawling’ Vision of Founder of Maryam Abacha American University

By
Mohammad Dahiru
-
January 5, 2022
IMPR team in a group pictures with the founder Maryam Abacha American Universit
IMPR team in a group pictures with the founder Maryam Abacha American Universit

Inside the ‘Sprawling’ Vision of Founder of Maryam Abacha American University

By Dahiru M. Lawal

“Our people are backwards and the only way we can close this gap and consolidate on our long lost development is by investing in education,” Profssor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, Founder, Maryam Abacha American University (MAAUN), lamented in a somewhat welcome remark as he advanced towards us and shook hands with the Chief Executive Officer, Image Merchant Promotions Limited, publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, Mallam Yushau A. Shuaib.

Our appointment with the 44 year old bilingual and trained french literature professor was slated for 6pm but at some few minutes to six, the ‘Sarkin Yaki Da Jahilci a Africa’ – Commander of the War Against Illiteracy in Africa – as he is fondly called by admirers and well-wishers, was at hand to receive us.

His off the norm welcome wasn’t odd, because as Alhaji Shuaib and the rest of us alighted from our vehicles, taking in every piece of the University’s sprawling aesthetics and intimidating edifice, we understood at once that the man behind this reality must definitely have been pissed by the state of decadence in our educational sector and this has translated into the fact that not only the massive investment he put up in the Kano Campus was sprawling, but his uncommon vision equally was.

“Being somebody who was raised in France and have seen a lot of developments there, I am convinced that the key to our own progress was education, so, around 2008, i had a mission to establish a University in Nigeria but unfortunately at the time the procedure and bottlenecks of Nigerian government was not suitable so i had to go to Niger Republic where i started the first University and had over 2,000 Nigerian students,” Gwarzo explained as he took the team round one of the landmark private university that is arguably unrivaled in Northern Nigeria.

Seated on the heart of Kano City in the Government Reserve Area (GRA) of more than eight acres of land, MAAUN comprises of an imposing worship center on the other side of the divide with the secretariat and headquarters of the Association of Private Universities in Africa besides it, and a posh, lavishly structured and architecturally detailed staff quarters in about four estate units behind this buildings.

“You’ll notice a proximity between the university staff quarters and the main academic campus. This is key to the kind of quality education we want to impact in our students on the one hand and the welfare of our staff on the other hand,” Gwarzo explained.

Going down memory lane, the simple, easy going and very humble and idealistic billionaire whose educational impacts and poverty eradication interventions has been felt across areas he has even yet to set foot, revealed that the headquarters of the Association of Private Universities in Africa was located in Kano because he had to stand up for Africa at a conference in Mexico where all other regions were represented except Africa.

Read Also:

  • For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice
  • Nigerian Dignitaries, Business Leaders Attend Aminu Dantata’s Burial in Madinah Saudi Arabia
  • Legendary Business Mogul Aminu Dantata Laid to Rest in Madinah Cemetery

Inside the main campus, the well tarred road network and adequately mapped out pedestrian walkway is as inviting as the lush greenery and luxuriantly pleasant flowering layout. The strategically placed lightings were a thing that made the campus come radiantly alive as soon as the sun sets.

The recreation center consisting of a basketball field under construction, a mini football pitch, spectators seat out and an underground dressing room was a pleasant invitation to hang out.

There was no doubt that the imposing buildings were an edifice in their own class of taste. The Senate buildings, Faculty building, lecture theaters and laboratories all stood out not just because of their beauty and spaciousness, but also because of the choice and quality of paintings.

“This vision right here, is all about the need to eradicate illiteracy, we are not driven by profit because our fees will be less than a million, affordable by average Nigerians and we will also institutionalize scholarships cater for need based admissions, everyone shall be covered, no one will be left behind,” the educational reformist vowed as he continued to take us round a tour of the facility by himself.

He disclosed that Maryam Abacha American University shall be commencing progammes in 15 different fields.

“We have the school of management, and we have school of computing, we have school of law and also allied health sciences like nursing, medical laboratory science and physiotherapy,” he said.

When we got to the faculty of law building Gwarzo explained that it was named after the late legendary hausa songstress of the 80s renowned for her song soriyal and ai kai yara makaranta, in order to honour her posthumously for her immense contribution to education in Northern Nigeria.

“We have to derail from the norm of naming monuments after elites alone ordinary people like who have contributed immensely to social development deserve recognition too, that is why we decided to name the building after Magajiya Danbatta,” he explained.

Magajiya Danbatta’s advocacy song was instrumental to the enrollment of Northern children to both western and islamic schools in the 70s and 80s.

While Gwarzo also talked about his plans for the Franco British International- FBI University Kaduna he also hinted on the establishment of another Canadian University in Abuja. So when Alhaji Shuaib curiously asked why he would not just invest his money in real estate or other profitable venture and cool off, he responded that investment in education is not just a sacrifice but something that must be done otherwise we will continue to remain backward.

“In summary,” he said, “it is just to make sure that our children are educated and have a quality education that they can use for the development of our state and the country in general, that’s the vision”

The University, one of its kind, is no doubt spread across a large expanse of land and its deliberate architecture and tall building spread out magnificently to the awe of first timers and even residents. It not only dotted the heart of Kano City, but contributed to the cityscape aesthetics and remarkable landmarks, a premium addition to a blend of quality education.

With all this, it’s not enough to say the vision behind the university is sprawling, but its founder is an enigmatic goal getter who despite status and class difference, has the interest of the downtrodden at the heart of all his moves.

Dahiru M. Lawal writes from Kano

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Image Merchants Promotions
  • Maryam Abacha American University
  • Profssor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo
  • YUshau Shuaib
Previous articleNAF Redeploys AVMs Daramola, Lubo, other Senior Air Officers to Head Branches, Commands
Next articlePolice Rescue 97 Kidnapped Victims in Zamfara State
Mohammad Dahiru
Mohammad Dahiru
Xing

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

Bashir Adeniyi: A Roadmap to Global Customs Leadership By Tahir Ahmad

FACT-CHECK: Did Borno Governor Zulum’s Wife Lift Primary School Mate Out of Poverty in Viral Video?

Fact-Check: Did Saudi ‘Sleeping Prince’ Wake Up After 20 Years in a Coma?

Fact Check: Does Rat Faeces Cure Appendicitis as Claimed in Viral Video?

IGP Kayode Egbetokun Police Boss

IGP Egbetokun: Leading the Charge for a Safer Nigeria By Danjuma S. Musa

FG Officials Arrives S’Arabia for Business Mogul Aminu Dantata’s Burial in Madinah

Police Officer

Police Rescue 29 Captives, Arrest 3 Suspects in Kogi, Lagos, Katsina

NDLEA Logo

Drug Culture in Nigerian Music: When Art Imitates Harm By Arafat A. Abdulrazaq

Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar

Ambassador Tuggar’s Doctrine of Calm in a World on Fire By Umar Farouk Bala

A brief travelogue by Fredrick Nwabufo

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and CG Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

Tinubu Hails Customs Boss Wale Adeniyi on Historic Election as WCO Chair

Recent Posts

  • For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice
  • Nigerian Dignitaries, Business Leaders Attend Aminu Dantata’s Burial in Madinah Saudi Arabia
  • Legendary Business Mogul Aminu Dantata Laid to Rest in Madinah Cemetery
  • Anambra Police Launch Manhunt After Gunmen Kill 10 in Ogboji Attack
  • Protesters Occupy Public Offices, Call for NMDPRA Boss Probe
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
For Aminu Dantata to Sleep Well… By Abdullahi O Haruna HaruspiceNigerian Dignitaries, Business Leaders Attend Aminu Dantata's Burial in Madinah Saudi ArabiaLegendary Business Mogul Aminu Dantata Laid to Rest in Madinah CemeteryAnambra Police Launch Manhunt After Gunmen Kill 10 in Ogboji AttackProtesters Occupy Public Offices, Call for NMDPRA Boss Probe"You Are Now Nigeria’s Frontline Guardians in War Against Terrorism – Matawalle Tells Special Forces GraduatesPolice Rescue Trafficked Ghanaian Youth in AbujaFCT Police Nab Notorious Kidnappers Linked to Killings, Mass Abductions in Abuja, KadunaOkuama 17: Court Orders Military Chief to Produce Detained Monarch in DeltaUnexploded Military Ordnance Recovered in Damaturu by PoliceSeparate IED Explosions Kill Teenager, Injure 2, Destroy Bridge in BornoTroops Eliminate 8 Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists in BornoYouths Applaud Tsenyil’s Confirmation, Back Tinubu’s Regional Development Troops Eliminate 10 Terrorists in Fierce Battle Near Cameroon BorderBashir Adeniyi: A Roadmap to Global Customs Leadership By Tahir Ahmad
X whatsapp