Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State, has conferred a posthumous honorary doctorate degree on the late business mogul, Aminu Dantata.
The private university announced the conferment at its 2nd and 3rd Combined Convocation Ceremony held in Sumaila on Saturday.
Other recipients of the honorary doctorate degree were Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil and Abdulmuminu Maishanu, popularly known as A.Y. Shafa.
The institution said the recipients were honoured for their immense contributions to the development of society.
In his keynote address, the founder and proprietor of the university, Sen. Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, said the decision to establish the institution in Sumaila, headquarters of Sumaila Local Government Area, was a deliberate effort to bridge the educational gap between rural and urban communities.
Mr Sumaila, who represents Kano South in the National Assembly, said the initiative was also aimed at curbing rural-to-urban migration by providing access to higher education and other opportunities within rural communities.
According to him, rural-to-urban migration had continued to put pressure on urban infrastructure and people’s livelihoods.
He said the establishment of the university was therefore designed to provide quality higher education closer to rural residents.
“By bringing a university of international standard directly to this rural area, we are reversing that trend, and we are proving that higher education, economic opportunities, and urban development abound, not just in rural communities, but right here in our local communities.
“We are empowering local youth, boosting the rural economy, and creating a sustainable ecosystem where knowledge is strong at home.
“This dream could not have been realised without the extraordinary leadership of our principal officers, as well as the generosity, guidance, and dedication of selfless leaders, reliable elders, institutions and the government.
“We began as a mission to expand access to quality, value-binding higher education in our nation, and today it has matured into a vibrant institution of academic excellence and character development,” the lawmaker said.
Mr Sumaila also commended the former chairman of the university, His Royal Highness Alhaji Jamiru Abdulkarim, saying his leadership and personal guidance had contributed significantly to the growth and development of the institution.
In his address, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf expressed delight over the establishment of the university, saying it aligned with his administration’s educational agenda.
The governor said this informed his administration’s decision to support the growth and development of the institution.
Mr Yusuf disclosed that his government had sponsored the continuation of studies of 85 medical and engineering students at the university.
He recalled that when he assumed office in 2023, the education sector in the state was “in a near-comatose state,” prompting his administration to declare a state of emergency in the sector.
“Today, we are three years down the line celebrating our success in that direction,” he said.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that a total of 1,104 students graduated at the convocation, receiving various degrees earned during the 2023, 2024 and 2025 academic sessions of the university.
