The incoming vice Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman has dedicated his academic achievements to his mother , who against all odds enrolled him into the western education.
Ogbo noted that , the part of Ankpa he hails from abhors western education and prepare young children for Quranic education, popularly know as makaranta.
He acknowledged the wisdom of his mother to have pulled him out of the trap to enrol him in the government primary school, at a time , it was nearly a taboo to do so in his community.
Professor Ogbo made the adulation to his mother,amid sobbing while speaking at the 5th combined convocation of kogi state polytechnic held on Saturday inside the reconstructed 1000 seat lecture theater in the main campus in Lokoja.
He further disclosed that before the decision of her mother to take him to primary school, he had traversed many villages far from his community in search of Quranic education, at the rime when his age grades from enlightened communities have gone far into their education.
He explained that the singular foresight of his mother to have removed the cobweb from his eyes and sent him to school was the tonic for the entire communities to embrace western education.
Ogbo who is today , a professor of political Science, and has served as Rector , kogi state polytechnic and now Vice Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba attributed all his achievements to his mother who created pathway for his greatness.
He said, although his mother not educated and a petty trader dared the storm and sent him to primary school, with his acceleration to secondary and universities.
According to him” I’m from Angwan Ogebe in Ankpa metropolis. This part of Ankpa were averse to western education. They prioritized Quranic and Islamic knowledge above western education.They could go to any length to acquire Quranic education. This tradition was envogue when I was born. When I was of age to go to school, I was taken to Mallams to acquire Quranic knowledge .I was taken from one community to the other in search of an experience Islamic scholars.
” I must confess that God inspired my mother to see a broader future for me as she went out of tradition and enrolled me in primary school.
” Her singular foresight has made me to achieve many firsts in my community of Angwan Ogebe. I happen to be the first to earn a Degree, Masters , PHD and first to become a professor.
” Her ingenuity was a tonic for the community members to wholeheartedly embrace western education with every family now sending their children and wards to school, making Angwan Ogebe today to be a force to reckon with in terms of educational attainment within the Ankpa metropolis, thanks to an illiterate mother who knows the importance of Education” He declared.
