Last year’s global teacher prize winner Ranjitsinh Disale won the award as a result of his work with girls, most of them from poor tribal communities in western India, he was honoured for having “transformed the life chances” of girls at the Zilla Parishad Primary School in Paritewadi, in Maharashtra state, prize organizers reported.
After I met Professor Adamu Abubukar Gwarzo at his newly built university edifice in Kano and interacted more deeply with him about some of his accomplishments in educational sector and the massive scholarships he has been awarding especially in northern Nigeria, it made me believe that he is potential future winner of the global teacher prize. The global teacher prize is an annual US$1 million award by the Varkey Foundation to a teacher who has made an outstanding contribution and impact to the profession and education in general.
Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, PhD is President and Founder of Maryam Abacha American University of Niger, Nigeria, Togo and Franco-British International University also in Kaduna, Nigeria. He is Professor of French Linguistics.
My tour of the new MAAUN Kano campus left me more than impressed and inspired by this young academic, philanthropist and serial entrepreneur. I have personally not met a single person that has achieved so much but remains remarkably humble, we interacted as if we have known each other for decades and his vision for education will certainly touch the lives of millions of people in Nigeria and Africa in general, he doesn’t give himself any airs and graces as may be found commonly with people of his social class .He is an epitome of simplicity and electrifying humility.
I think every young man that wants to excel in education entrepreneurship should find Professor Gwarzo inspiring, how he has achieved so much at such a young age is remarkable and the fact he also never rest on his laurels as he strives to make more inroads by investing in quality education across Africa. This edupreneur and teacher is without a doubt the single most impactful education investor and philanthropist in Northern Nigeria, his impact is felt across every nook and cranny of our educational sector with various interventions. His Maryam Abacha American University of Niger is known for academic excellence and producing graduates with entrepreneurial mindset as is required in 21st Century as well as soft skills for the market place (job market ).
My meeting with Professor Adamu Abubakar opens up many areas of collaboration between our humble centre where we train students on Languages, ICT and Vocational Courses, it was a meeting of
likeminds, that of a mentor and mentee that I believe will continue to blossom for the benefit of youth and women.
I pray we have many Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzos in Kano, Nigeria and Africa as Education should be our number one priority and his massive investment and philanthropy will only help us in bridging the massive challenges we face now, may he continue to succeed!
Malam Rabiu Shamma is the Executive Director at Fasaha English and Computer Academy, Kano.
19/9/2021.
