Education is never a gamble, Shettima declares at Kashim Ibrahim University convocation
Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that investing in education is never a risk, but a deliberate and strategic commitment to securing Nigeria’s future.
He described the sector as the most potent tool for development, empowerment and societal liberation.
Shettima made the assertion on Saturday in Maiduguri at the combined convocation ceremonies of Kashim Ibrahim University (KIU), Borno State, where 2,294 students graduated across the 2022/2023, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha.
According to the statement, the Vice President said, “No investment in education is ever a gamble. It is a conscious plan for a better, more secure future,” stressing that education remains central to national growth and long-term stability.
He charged the graduating students to see themselves as ambassadors of the institution, warning against ethical shortcuts and moral compromise.
“Wherever life takes you, you carry the name and values of Kashim Ibrahim University,” he said, urging them to uphold integrity, service and excellence.
Reflecting on the impact of insurgency on education in the North-East, Shettima noted that Borno State had paid a heavy price for years of disruption but chose resilience over despair.
He described the graduands as pioneers whose conduct would shape the reputation of the young institution, adding that history would judge the university by what they become.
The Vice President commended the academic and administrative leadership of the university for laying what he described as a solid foundation for learning in the region, while praising Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for translating vision into reality.
According to him, the convocation ceremony was proof that true leadership is measured by the number of lives it enlightens.
Shettima also lauded the university’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi, for standing by Borno State during the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency, noting that his resources had consistently been deployed for the public good.
In a symbolic gesture, the Vice President announced the donation of two electric vehicles to support campus shuttle services, describing them as a modest contribution to improving mobility and the learning environment.
Earlier, Governor Zulum announced automatic employment for 81 best graduating students, alongside postgraduate sponsorships within and outside Nigeria, saying excellence must be rewarded and nurtured.
The ceremony also witnessed the installation of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi II, as Chancellor of the university.
The monarch pledged to work for the accelerated growth of the institution, thanking the Vice President for initiating its establishment and the Borno State Government for the honour.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Babagana Gutti disclosed that the university’s ultra-modern teaching hospital, nearing completion, would be the largest and most equipped in the country, adding that the institution has been ranked Nigeria’s fastest-growing university, with over 50 physical projects completed by the state government.