Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s decision to reward UDUS best graduating student with a sponsored Hajj has drawn both praise and criticism over its relevance to academic excellence.
Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu has announced a fully sponsored trip to Saudi Arabia for Hajj as the prize for the best graduating student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), sparking mixed reactions.
The beneficiary, Abdullah Sheriff, a Microbiology graduate with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.92, was declared the overall best student of the 2023/2024 academic session during Saturday’s convocation ceremony. He was among 119 students who graduated with first-class honours out of 3,561 students, according to Vice Chancellor Prof. Bashir Garba.
While some applauded the governor’s gesture, others questioned its relevance to academic excellence. On Vanguard Press’ Facebook page, Aesha Abdullahi Shateema wrote: “When he comes back from Hajj what will he do for him next? If he won’t support him after returning, then it would be better to just give him money to start a business.”
Others praised the recognition but suggested scholarships or job opportunities would better reward excellence.