The Emir of Dutse and Chancellor of Sokoto State University (SSU), Alhaji Nuhu Hameen Sanusi, has declared that no nation achieves greatness through wishful thinking, urging Nigerians to adopt a pragmatic approach to development.
Speaking during the institution’s combined convocation lecture for its 4th to 8th ceremonies in Sokoto, the monarch emphasised that Nigerians must urgently embrace production and entrepreneurship to secure the country’s future.
“If genuinely pursued to the letter, these endeavours stand a better chance of earning global recognition for Nigeria and positioning the nation as another destination of hope,” Sanusi stated.
The Emir expressed optimism about the emerging paradigm shift in the national consciousness, noting with satisfaction that Nigerians are increasingly contributing their individual quotas to national development.
Women’s Empowerment Crucial to National Progress
The traditional ruler made a particular appeal to women, urging them to step up and claim their rightful place in society by actively engaging in entrepreneurship, innovation, and productive ventures.
“What a man can do, a woman can do better. If you educate a woman, you educate a whole community,” Sanusi asserted, highlighting that the majority of graduates from Quranic schools in Jigawa State are women, which he described as an indication of a bright future.
Sokoto State Commits to Educational Advancement
Representing Governor Ahmed Aliyu, the State Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Professor Jabir Sani Maihula, affirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to educational advancement, backed by adequate funding.
Expert Urges Shift from Certificate Mentality
Guest speaker and technocrat, Engineer Umar Buba Bindir, challenged students across the federation to embrace creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship as viable pathways out of poverty.
Dr Bindir dismissed the classification of Sokoto as Nigeria’s poorest state, arguing that such rating fails to reflect the state’s rich human and natural resource endowments.
However, he warned that without moving beyond certificate dependency to a more innovative educational dimension focused on developing solutions that generate wealth and employment, the poverty rating would persist.
“Cambridge University alone contributes more than £300 million annually to the UK economy — equivalent to hundreds of trillions of naira,” Bindir noted, adding that Nigeria’s resource base far exceeds Britain’s.
He urged Sokoto students to identify the state’s comparative advantages through research and translate such findings into viable enterprises.
The technocrat identified agriculture as a low-hanging fruit, challenging soil science students to study the state’s soil profile and recommend crops with the highest yield and market value.
VC: University Poised for Entrepreneurial Excellence
The Vice-Chancellor of Sokoto State University, Professor Mohammed Bello Yerima, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to becoming a leader in entrepreneurship education, with the aim of producing job creators rather than job seekers.