The inside story of Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s gesture to the overall best-graduating student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, reveals more than just a gift, it is a nod to academic brilliance and a statement about the value of education, according to some commentators on social media.
However, some commentators opined that a scholarship or job offers would have been much better.
At the university’s convocation, Aliyu surprised the audience when he announced that Sherif Abdullahi, a Microbiology graduate with an outstanding 4.92 CGPA, would be fully sponsored to perform the 2026 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
The Punch reported that “Aliyu made the announcement on Saturday during the institution’s 42nd convocation ceremony, held at its main campus.”
The governor, an alumnus of UDUS, said the gesture was in recognition of Abdullahi’s academic excellence. The graduate of Microbiology finished with a 4.92 Cumulative Grade Point Average, which the governor described as “one of the highest.
“This university has profoundly impacted lives both within Nigeria and beyond Africa.
“Its contributions to national and international development cannot be overestimated, and today’s graduates should be proud to be part of that legacy,” Aliyu said.
He also highlighted his administration’s investments in education, including settling N1.845 billion in accumulated tuition fees for Sokoto medical students at home and abroad, appointing four UDUS professors to head key education sectors in the state, and renovating primary, secondary, and tertiary schools.
Vice Chancellor of UDUS, Bashir Garba, praised the Federal Government’s reforms in the education sector.
“The Tinubu administration’s commitment to revitalising public universities has already begun to yield positive results.
“From improved funding frameworks to policy reforms aimed at enhancing academic quality and institutional autonomy, this dispensation is laying a stronger foundation for sustainable growth in higher education,” Garba said.
The convocation ceremony drew an impressive audience, with dignitaries in attendance including representatives of President Bola Tinubu, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Oba of Lagos who also serves as the university’s Chancellor, as well as members of the National Assembly, diplomats, traditional rulers, senior scholars, and alumni. Their presence underscored the national and international significance of the event.
Adding to the highlights of the occasion, three prominent personalities were honoured with special awards. Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruku Yahaya (retd), received a Doctor of Science; renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Aminu Durawa was conferred with a Doctor of Letters; and Professor Dejo Abdulrahman was elevated to the rank of Emeritus Professor in recognition of his enduring contributions to the institution.
