By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
Eighty-four Bauchi indigenous students who graduated from the Igbenidion University, Okada have thumped-up the state government for settling their tuition fees of over N139 million which they have been awaiting for eight consecutive years to now get their degree certificates.
The amount included the refund to a number of twenty (20) students out of the 84 who have already personally paid their tuition fees and collected their certificates from the Igbenidion University, Okada in Edo state after their graduation in 2018.
The Igbenidion University graduands were in 2013/2014 academic session offered scholarship scholarship by the Bauchi state government under its special intervention programme to study professional courses such as medicine, pharmacy, and engineering, among others, to address the manpower needs in the vital sectors of Bauchi state.
One of the scholarship benefitting graduands, Pharmacist Isa Mohammed Shamsudden while commending the Bauchi state government, said that this Thursday, 30th April, 2026 is not just day of celebration for them as university graduates, but also a day of their profound liberation
Shamsudden who stood on behalf of 84 Okada graduands from the state held in state of agonizing captivity for nearly a decade, said “Your Excellency, you refuse to let the whole decade of our lives be in vein. In a display of real magnanimity and fatherly concern, you choose to look into our plight and act by authorizing the final clearing of this long standing debt and securing the release of our certificates”.
He noted with delight that the Governor has redeemed their loss years, restored their professional dignity, and proven that no citizen of Bauchi state is forgotten under his leadership, adding “As we finally hold this document that represents eight years of waiting life time of efforts, we recognized the product of your visionary leadership.
Pharmacist Isa Mohammed Shamsudden prayed that Allahu Subhanahu Wata’ala will continue to bless Governor Bala Mohammed with divine wisdom and the strength to continue with the transformative journey for the good people of Bauchi state
Also speaking, Bauchi commissioner for Higher Education and Regional Development, Hon. Hadiza Abdulkadir Kango recalled a promise by the state government under its special intervention programme when it sponsored indigenes to study medicine, pharmacy, engineering and other critical disciplines at Igbenidion University, Okada in Edo state.
She said however that because of an outstanding balance owed to the university, their certificates were withheld, with some waited for five years, and even longer to others where their were doctors and engineers who could not register or practice the profession, young people who has done everything right but could not move forward through no fault of their own.
Meanwhile, efforts were made by the ministry, memos were written, previous administration obtained approval and made part payments. Certificates came out in small batches, but the matter was never fully put to rest. The complete settlement remain out of reach until now.
The commissioner told the Governor, “Your Excellency, the moment you approved the financial settlement of the outstanding balance, I personally led a delegation to Igbenidion University, Okada, where we sat with the institution’s management, negotiated and paid them the balance tuition fees to secure the release of the graduands certificates.
According to her, the first batch of 16 certificates were released on the 16th August, 2025, twenty-one more certificates were collected on 8th December, 2025 and 44 more were retrieved on 16th January, 2026, while six other students have paid the university based on agreement that on receipt of funds from Bauchi state government, they would be refunded.
“Additionally, one other medical student paid her fees, totalling seven students awaiting refunds. We thanked and we will ensure they are reimbursed. Thirteen others have collected their certificates individually over the years. We trust them too, we are working with the university management to streamline their records”.
The state commissioner of education, Hon. Abdulkadir Mohammed Ibrahim noted in a remark that the said students were opportune to be sent to the Igbenidion University, which in those days considered as one of the best private educational institution in the country
Hon. Abdulkadir Ibrahim who holds the traditional title of ‘Chika-Soron Bauchi’ while appreciating the government for its magnanimity in paying the balances of the outstanding fees to enable the graduands have their certificates.
“We pray that Almighty to guide you and see you through, because as leaders of tomorrow, this tomorrow will be on the other side, so please make good use of these certificates, because they are certificates in both character and learning”, Chika Soro said.
Earlier in a welcome address, Bauchi commissioner for Higher Education and Regional Development, Hon. Hadiza Abdulkadir Kango has revealed the state government’s readiness to settle the debt of over N139 million tuition fees of 84 graduands of Igbenidion University, Okada in Edo state sponsored by Bauchi in the 2013/2014 academic session.
Hon. Hadiza Abdulkadir Kango explained that the state sponsored 84 students studied professional courses such as medicine, pharmacy, and engineering, among others, under the Bauchi Special Intervention Programme, have their degree certificates withheld for eight consecutive years after their graduation in 2018, only to be bailed out by the Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed led administration.
Hon. Hadiza Kango explained however that the recovery process was carried out in phases, with 16 certificates released in August 2025, another 21 in December 2025, and 44 more in January 2026, and commended Governor Bala for approving the settlement of the debt and rescuing the graduates from eight years of uncertainty.
Presenting the degree certificates to the Igbenidion varsity scholarship graduands, Governor Bala Mohammed reminded the beneficiaries that the degree papers is not the only evidence of educational qualification to show, but it must manifeste in their attitudes, behaviors, actions and reactions in the environment they are going to serve or live.
“Education should always manifest not by the mere degree or certificate acquired, but should demonstrate in the complete change of behaviors, attitudes, in a way one live perfectly with another as a result of the education acquired”, the governor said.
The Governor who was represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Auwal Mohammed Jatau, noted with concern that the Igbenidion Varsity graduands from the state faced challenges ranging from none settlement of overdue obligations to the subsequent prostrative delay in receiving their hard-earned credentials.
Mohammed recalled that the Bauchi state government had during the 2013/2014 academic session under its special intervention programme sponsored students to study in critical areas such as medicine, pharmacy, and engineering, among others, with the initiative designed to build capacity and address the manpower needs in the vital sectors of the state.
The Governor regretted that the students outstanding tuition balance of over N139 million owed by the varsity led to withholding their certificates, saying “We acknowledged that the certificates are legal instrument of qualification that the students have worked exceptionally hard to achieve. I’m only an exponent of such a proposition that education is a vital key to unlock the World, and is the only passport to freedom”.
He confidently told the scholarship benefitting graduands that today they were awarded a special key with which they can unlock the world, as well as a red passport symbolizing that they are now free as birds in the air, expressing concern that the delay in rec
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