Kehinde Akintola, Author at Sporting Tribune

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Friday disbursed a total of N5 billion in scholarships to 30,000 students from Nigeria’s North-West geopolitical zone, marking a major step in what he described as “an ambitious education intervention programme” in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The beneficiaries, drawn from all seven states in the region—Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa and Zamfara—received between N200,000 and N800,000 each, depending on their course of study. Of the total, 7,000 students came from Kaduna State. The scholarship, which covers tuition fees, books and stipends, was facilitated through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in collaboration with Microvis Microfinance Bank. During the well-attended event, held in Kaduna State, several students jubilantly announced their bank alerts as proof of payment, prompting spontaneous cheers across the gathering. Speaking at the occasion, Speaker Abbas, a former teacher, expressed joy over the initiative, stating that the scholarship programme targets students in critical disciplines such as medicine, engineering, law and technology. “What makes this scholarship programme special is not just its scale, but its focus. We are investing in Nigeria’s future doctors, engineers, lawyers, and innovators,” he said. “This is an unprecedented initiative in our region’s history.” The Speaker further announced the establishment of a modern orphanage in Zaria, which he described as “a project close to my soul.” According to him, the orphanage will not just provide shelter but will also offer education, healthcare and emotional care to vulnerable children. “In Zaria, every child has a home,” he declared. “These children will have a nurturing environment that gives them hope for a bright future.” Encouraging the students to make the most of the opportunity, he said: “This scholarship is not just free tuition or a stipend – it is an opportunity and a responsibility. Whether you become a surgeon, an engineer, a lawyer or a tech expert, do it with excellence and integrity.” Recounting past educational support, Abbas noted that 6,000 students from Zaria had their WAEC, NECO, and JAMB examination fees paid in the 2023/2024 academic year. The figure has now risen to 8,000 for the 2024/2025 session. ALSO READ: 2027: Ndigbo will return Tinubu’s good gesture – Anyim Additionally, grants through SMEDAN have been offered to support educational enterprises for youth and women, blending academic support with entrepreneurship. While most of the intervention efforts have focused on the North, Speaker Abbas stressed his commitment to national inclusion, citing support for schools in Kwara, Ondo, Imo and Bayelsa states. “Every Nigerian child deserves a quality education, no matter where they live,” he affirmed. He also disclosed that more than 110 primary and 40 secondary schools have been renovated in his constituency, with ongoing work in over a hundred more institutions. Further highlighting his commitment to institutional development, Abbas revealed that under the 2025 budget, Zaria would host seven new federal institutions, including a Federal College of Agriculture, a Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Institute, and a School for the Disabled, among others. He added that various infrastructure projects had been executed in universities across the country, such as Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Al-Hikma University, Ilorin; and Federal University, Otuoke, among others. Among his flagship projects is an N80 billion “Education Village” in Zaria, expected to house four new tertiary institutions, including a campus of the National Open University, a Federal College of Education, a Federal College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and a College of Legal Studies. Speaker Abbas thanked President Bola Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for their unwavering support, while also expressing deep appreciation to his constituents for re-electing him to the House for a record fourth time. Governor Sani, represented by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Alhaji Rabiu Yunusa, praised the Speaker’s educational strides and shared a personal testimony of having once been a beneficiary of Abbas’s scholarship. The event also featured goodwill messages from the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, the Minister of Environment, and the Director-General of SMEDAN, among others. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE