Former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has hosted over 300 PhD graduates trained under the Kwankwasiyya scholarship programme at the maiden annual convention of Kwankwasiyya scholars in Kano.

Kwankwaso described education as the most lasting legacy any leader could offer society, stressing that sustained investment in human capital remains the true benchmark of effective governance.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the National President of the Kwankwasiyya Scholars Assembly, Dr Mansur Hassan, and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Thursday.

Addressing scholars drawn from nearly 25 years of the scholarship initiative, Kwankwaso described the convention as a historic milestone for Kano State and Nigeria.

“I remember many of you when you were very young. Some came straight from the villages. Today, I see confidence, professionalism and even grey hair,” he said.

He noted that the gathering highlighted the importance of leadership, foresight and sustainability, adding that governance should be assessed by its long-term impact on citizens’ lives.

Kwankwaso revealed that after government sponsorship of foreign students ended following the 2019 general elections, he personally sustained the programme through the Kwankwasiyya Development Foundation.

“I realised I owned properties I no longer needed—plots in Lagos, Kaduna, Sokoto, Adamawa and other places. I sold them and used the proceeds to sponsor 370 young men and women from Kano State to study abroad,” he said.

According to him, prior to that period, the programme had sponsored over 3,000 students within four years to study in 14 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

He explained that the initiative has produced hundreds of medical doctors and specialists, scores of pilots and aviation professionals, thousands of engineers, ICT experts and technologists, as well as academics and researchers, including more than 300 PhD holders.

Kwankwaso said the foundation’s vision extends beyond sponsorship to mentoring, monitoring and integrating beneficiaries into public service, governance and national development.

“That is why we have chosen to engage you politically—at ward, local government, state, zonal and, by the grace of God, national levels, for those interested,” he stated.

He warned scholars against elitism, stressing that advanced academic qualifications should not distance them from grassroots service.

“It is not fair for someone with a PhD or master’s degree to feel too big to serve at the ward level,” he said.

Kwankwaso also commended Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for appointing several beneficiaries of the programme as commissioners, advisers and senior aides, expressing confidence that scholars would eventually rise to positions such as governors and even president.

Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, described the scholarship initiative as one of the most impactful human-capital development programmes in Nigeria’s history, praising Kwankwaso’s consistency and foresight.

In his remarks, Dr Mansur Hassan said the convention marked a defining moment for the scholars, describing the initiative as “the most unprecedented scholarship programme Nigeria has ever witnessed.”

He added that many tertiary institutions across Kano State and neighbouring states would face serious academic gaps without Kwankwasiyya scholars, noting that the convention featured award presentations, goodwill messages and testimonials from beneficiaries.