Former Governor of Kano State and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has unveiled over 300 PhD holders produced through the Kwankwasiyya scholarship programme at the maiden annual convention of Kwankwasiyya scholars held in Kano.

Kwankwaso described education as the most enduring legacy any leader could bequeath to society, saying sustained investment in human capital remains the true measure of good governance.

This was disclosed in a statement released and signed by Dr Mansur Hassan, National President of the Kwankwasiyya Scholars Assembly, and issued to journalists in Kaduna on Thursday.

Speaking on Wednesday at the convention, which brought together beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme sponsored over nearly 25 years, Kwankwaso described the gathering as historic for Kano State and Nigeria.

“I remember many of you when you were very young. Some of you looked like you came straight from the villages. Today, I see confidence, professionalism, and even grey hair,” Kwankwaso said.

He noted that the event offered lessons on leadership, sustainability, and foresight, stressing that governance should be assessed by its long-term impact on citizens’ lives.

Kwankwaso disclosed that following the 2019 general elections, when government sponsorship of foreign students was discontinued, he resolved to personally sustain the programme through the Kwankwasiyya Development Foundation.

“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,” he said.

He added that before then, the scholarship programme had sponsored over 3,000 students within four years to study in 14 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

According to Kwankwaso, the initiative has produced hundreds of medical doctors and specialists, scores of pilots and aviation professionals, thousands of engineers, ICT experts, technologists, as well as academics and researchers, including over 300 PhD holders.

Kwankwaso said the objective of the foundation is not limited to sponsoring education but also to track, mentor, and integrate beneficiaries into public service, governance, 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 who are interested,” he stated.

He cautioned scholars against elitism, warning that higher degrees should not discourage 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 said.

Kwankwaso commended the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for appointing several beneficiaries of the programme as commissioners, advisers, and senior aides, expressing hope that scholars would one day emerge as governor and even president.

The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, described the scholarship scheme as one of the most impactful human-capital development interventions in Nigeria’s history, praising Kwankwaso’s foresight and consistency.

In his remarks, Dr Mansur Hassan said the convention marked a defining moment for the scholars, describing the initiative as “the most unprecedented scholarship programme Nigeria has ever witnessed.”

Hassan added that evidence showed several tertiary institutions across Kano and neighbouring states would face academic collapse without Kwankwasiyya scholars. The event also featured award presentations, goodwill messages, and testimonies from beneficiaries. (PUNCH)

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