Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has presented a cheque of N5 million to Israel Zakari Galadima.
The young man from Biu Local Government Area in southern part of Borno State, scored 364 marks to come first in the 2018 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination (JAMB). The presentation was in fulfillment of the governor’s pledge.
Borno’s Commissioner for Higher Education, Usman Jaha, made the presentation at the office of the Registrar, Covenant University in Ota, Ogun State, where Galadima gained admission for Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering. The presentation was witnessed by representatives of the student’s family, principal of his secondary school and some officials from the university and Borno’s liaison office in Lagos.
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Governor Shettima had on Tuesday last week, invited and hosted Galadima and his mother, Jummai Galadima, a Lagos-based banker at the Government House in Maiduguri to celebrate the student he nicknamed ‘JAMB king.’ While hosting them, he announced the approval of full scholarship for Galadima.
Presenting the cheque on behalf of the governor, Jaha called on Galadima’s family to release substantial part of the N5million to the university to cover the tuition fees in advance of five years, in line with the governor’s position.
He also told the student that Governor Shettima’s only request was for him to remain focused and should aim to graduate with first class degree.
The registrar, Covenant University, Dr. Olumuyiwa Oludayo, described Shettima’s passion for education as being “rare to find these days when another person could have simply issued a congratulatory message and stop at that.”
In his response, Galadima said: “I am touched by the gesture of Governor Kashim Shettima and I know that sacrifices were made to support me.
I want to tell the governor and everyone here that by the grace of God, in years to come, I will give back to the people of my state, Borno.
I will definitely do that by the grace of God. I didn’t expect the extent the governor went and I appreciate it. I will really want to pay back .” Borno State.”