By Garba Sidi
It’s well-known that the Jigawa State government paid half of the registration fee to its indigenes each year. That’s how any governor in this state inherited it and continued it. Still, unfortunately, the present governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, came with some injustice in this matter of scholarship. For three years, the money has not been paid.
The government conducted a screening exercise on 28/01/2021. However, after five months, they selected only three schools within the state and disbursed the money to some students, not all and stop till now. Then, they went on to the media and announced that they gave scholarships to all Jigawa state students. It is an injustice.
Sadly all these injustices that happened, neither the Jigawa state assembly nor the commissioner of education uttered a word about the matter. While students are suffering from poverty, and some even dropped their studies because of registration fees. Those House of Assembly members and commissioner of education are busy taking their children abroad to study in expensive schools.
Unfortunately, it looks like there is no Students Union Government in this state. This is because the Union has failed to discharge its responsibility to fight for students’ welfare. Unfortunately, the acting president of this Union is busy travelling from Kano to Katsina, and others state fulfilling the mission of another group he joined some time ago.
Days ago, leaders of Jigawa state schools’ chapters visited the state capital, Dutse. They met with Special Advisor on students matter on this issue of scholarship. His reaction was, if students protest, the government will not ever give scholarships to any indigenes of Jigawa state. That typically showed students have no freedom to struggle for their rights as the constitution of Nigeria gives to anybody.
May Allah bless us with good leaders.
Garba Sidi wrote from Jagawa State. He can be reached via sidihadejia@gmail.com.
