Awolowo’s policy made South West educationally advanced —VC UNI Lokoja

IT had been observed that late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s policy of free education, introduced in the South West region, while he (Chief Awolowo) was the Premier of the region, was what made the zone educationally advanced in the country.

This observation was made by the vice chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Professor Abdulmuminu Rafindadi in his paper presented in an annual lecture and dinner of the Bareawa Old Boys Association (BOBA), a pioneer Secondary School in the north western region, in Dutse, the capital city of Jigawa state, at the weekend.

Professor Rafindadi explained that “the free education programme introduced by the premier of the then western region, Chief Awolowo further catapulted the region in educational development far ahead of the four regions then.”

The vice chancellor maintained that “it is strongly believed that this is one of the factors that give the western region advantage, which it has maintained in term of literacy and educational attainment in the country today.”

According to him, education is the pillar of all development but has in the last 20 to 30 years suffered from neglect and is now in the state of near collapse.

He added that “in the northern states, education is in a worse state when compared to the southern region of the country as a result of poor funding, wickedness in the part of the supervisory authorities while the political ruling class pays only lip service to the educational sector.”

The don expressed hope that “things may change for the better when the efforts and performance of the likes of Alhaji Sule Lamido, the governor of Jigawa State, who, during his service years gave education extra attention through adequate budgetary allocation and implemented.”

Speaking at lecture, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State attributed all the success and achievement of the support and cooperation given by the people of the state.

Lamido also said his performance is part of the training and discipline received at Barewa collage while student, “this is can be done by any of you a student of Bareawa and it is all our pride.”

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