The business educational development of Northern Nigeria took a new turn at the weekend when the renowned businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote 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.
Speaking at the opening of the School at the new site of the University, Dangote stated that no effort was spared to ensure that the school building was up to international standard and one of the biggest in the sub Sahara Africa.
Dangote said the Business School, which was commissioned by the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was conceived as part of the contributions of the Nigeria’s business mogul, Alhaji Dangote 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. programme in Nigeria.
The Africa 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.
Dangote traced the journey of the construction of the school to the days of Prof Attahiru Jega 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 crying 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 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 theaters, 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 Dangote for his several interventions in various sectors in the State and beyond, urging other wealthy individuals to emulate.
Kano Deputy Governor, Abubakar 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 Dangote opportunity to lecture once in a while in the school, even if it’s 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 not units Nigeria gets her education right a lot of things may not fall in place as expected.
He expressed his appreciation to 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.