By Dipo Olowookere
Africa’s richest man, Mr Aliko Dangote, has donated a N1.2 billion ultra-modern business school edifice to the Bayero University, Kano, (BUK), first of such in the northern part of the country.
Christened Dangote Business School, the business mogul disclosed that talks are on to affiliate the school with the popular Harvard Business School, in the United States of America.
This is expected to give the business educational development of Northern Nigeria a new turn.
Speaking to a group at the opening of the School at the new site of the University, Mr Dangote stated that no effort was spared to ensure that the school, building gate was up to international standard and one of the biggest in the sub-Saharan Africa.
Mr Dangote said the Business School, which was commissioned by the Kano State Governor, Mr Abdulzhi Umar Ganduje, was conceived as part of the contributions of the Nigeria’s business mogul towards encouraging world class entrepreneurship education at the highest level in Nigeria.
He described the School as best of its kind in northern Nigeria, adding that the School, as accredited by the Nigerian University Commission, will be the first business school to offer Doctor of Business Administration PhD. program in Nigeria.
Africa’s richest man added that the business school would ease sharing of business information globally and how future African leaders could advance their businesses as well as building capacity which would translate to boosting the continent’s economy.
Mr Dangote traced the journey of the construction of the school to the days of Prof Attahir Jigawa as the Vice Chancellor of the University when he pleaded with him to help in the establishment of a business school that can accelerate entrepreneurship in the country.
He said he agreed to build the edifice because of his conviction that good quality education is the bedrock of meaningful development in the country and only a sound mind can facilitate development.
The school, according to him, will train African Business leaders by carrying out research on how Nigerians can do business in the very particular kind of environment and succeed.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Muhammed Yahuza Bello said with the new business school, the university is now poised to serve the society better through training, research and services.
He said the university adopted the name “Dangote Business School”, because the name Dangote (http://Dangote.com) is internationally synonymous with innovation, entrepreneurship and successes in business and industry and pledged that the school will live by its name and tradition.
Explaining the uniqueness of the school, he stated that the new structure comprises 650 seating capacity auditorium, two theatres, four lecture halls, two libraries, incubation center, two cafeterias, 800kva soundproof generator and borehole among others.
In their separate remarks, Gov. Ganduje, represented by his Deputy, Prof. Hafeez Abubakar, his Jigawa State Counterpart, Gov. Muhammed Badaru Abubakar and the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II showered accolades on Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his several interventions in various sectors in the State and beyond, urging other wealthy individuals to emulate.
Kano Deputy Governor, Professor Abubakar who represented Mr Ganduje said Nigerians have a lot to learn from Alhaji Dangote whose wealth has no influence on his humility and is ever willing to do for his immediate environment and make the society better.
He pleaded with the University authority to grant Mr Dangote opportunity to lecture once in a while in the school, even if it’s an interactive session because he has a lot to offer beyond available in the text books as a successful business man.
Emir Sanusi said what Dangote has done is what he has always advocated for other Nigerians to do and that until Nigeria gets her education right a lot of things may not fall in place as expected.
He expressed his appreciation to Mr Dangote for rising up to the occasion each time he calls on him to do one thing or the other in the interest of the society.
Emir Sanusi urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate him and contribute to the development of their society.
