Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has renewed his administration’s drive to expand opportunities for women’s education, announcing a ₦50 million boost for the Women’s Adult Islamic School in Maiduguri.
The pledge was delivered on Sunday during a colourful Qur’anic graduation ceremony for 65 women who completed the weekend adult class at the Shehu Umar Ibn Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi Model Islamic School. The event, held at the Shehuri Central Mosque inside the Shehu’s palace, drew community leaders, government officials, and families celebrating the milestone.
Governor Zulum, represented by the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Hon. Babagana Malarima, praised the school’s founder and teaching staff for their commitment to shaping women through Islamic scholarship.
He noted that their devotion complements the state’s broader mission to uplift women through inclusive education.
Malarima also applauded the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Dr. Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, whose long-standing support for education and peacebuilding continues to strengthen learning institutions across the state.
“The government will stand firmly with institutions like this—schools that nurture moral values, deepen knowledge, and empower our women,” Malarima assured, reaffirming the administration’s readiness to assist the model Islamic school.
In a goodwill remark, former Borno First Lady and wife of Nigeria’s Vice President, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima—represented by Borno’s First Lady, Assoc. Prof. Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum—highlighted how Islamic learning transforms the lives of women. She explained that such education fortifies them spiritually and equips them to be nurturing mothers, supportive partners, and active contributors to community progress.
She urged the graduates to hold fast to the virtues they acquired—discipline, patience, and an unending quest for knowledge.
The ceremony underscored the state government’s ongoing push to strengthen women’s literacy and broaden access to Islamic education, marking yet another stride in Borno’s educational renewal.
