*****The First African UNESCO Laureate Prof Aremu Commends FG On Approval of Minaret University To Operate in Nigeria.
By Victor Bieni
The First African UNESCO Laureate who also Africa Chairman Board of Trustees of Unity of Nations for Climate Change Council Unaccc an official partner of United Nations and other organizations world wide and Vice-Chancellor, Crown University International Chartered Inc., USA & Founding member of the University’s Board of Trustees of Minaret University Ikiru Nigeria, Prof Sir Bashiru Aremu, has commended President Tinubu’s led Federal Government on recent approval granted to Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State and 10 others new Universities to Operate in Nigeria.
The First African UNESCO Laureate Prof Sir Bashiru Aremu commended The Amir,( The National Leader of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Nigeria) Alhaji Alatoye Folorunso Azeez, the Missionary in charge,Maulvi Adnan Tahir, the Naib Amir Finance and Admin, Alhaji Mufadhil Bankole, the Vice Chancellor designate, Professor Abdullah Abdur Rahman, the immediate Former Amir, Professor Adenle Moshood Fashola and other management members of the Jamaat.
The First African UNESCO Laureate Prof Sir Bashiru Aremu, H.R.H Duke of The Kingdom Of Atlantis, Singapore made this remark in a press statement personally signed by him today Saturday, March 8, 2025 which was made available to some group of Journalists in Osogbo, Osun State capital by UNESCO Laureate’s Executive Assistant On Media Publicity and Communication Matters, Comrade Sir Bieni Victor Emenike as Aremu applauded the roles played by Federal Government, NUC & Muslim group Founding fathers on achievement of such great feats.
You could recall that recently the Federal Government has granted provisional licenses for 11 new private universities to operate in Nigeria as widely announced by Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who made this public following the Federal Executive Council’s meeting, which was chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja. UNESCO Laureate has Commended development for the inclusion of Minaret Int’l University, Ikirun, Osun State as one of newly approved Universities licensed to operate in Nigeria.
UNESCO Laureate used medium to thanked all those who made it possible for the approval of Minaret Int’l University, Ikirun, Osun State amongst other 10 Universities to operate in Nigeria; the Founding fathers, Universities Board of Trustees, the Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa for his magnanimous support, the management of Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) for their roles as a regulatory body to had ensured that the newly approved universities successfully completed the Commission’s rigorous 13-step assessment process before being granted their licenses and most importantly, President Tinubu for expanding the access to higher education and improving educational infrastructure across the country.
The statement by UNESCO Laureate, Prof Sir Bashiru Aremu reads in parts: ” I must commend the roles played by all critical stakeholders for the approval of Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State. According to reports, The newly approved universities included amongst others are: New City University, Ayetoro, Ogun State; University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State; Eranova University, Mabushi, Abuja; Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State; Abubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara State and Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State”.
Others are Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State; Monarch University, Iyesi-Ota, Ogun State; Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City, Edo State; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos State and Kevin Eze University, Mgbowo, Enugu State. These 11 universities have met all the necessary requirements of the NUC and have been awarded provisional licenses to commence operations”.
“Once again, I say a big congratulations to every critical stakeholders that helped for the actualization of this great vision; the leadership of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Worldwide-Founding fathers of the licensed Minaret Int’l University, Ikirun, Osun State. Most importantly, I commend FG, President Tinubu for the approval; the University management, and members of the Board of Trustees for their commitment to the goals of the Institution”.
“MIU is committed to its mission of being a World-class tertiary institution for intellectual and manpower development. I must also thank the NUC and Minaret University to had fulfilled the criteria of a world-class institution, promotion of quality higher education. No doubt , NUC plays vital roles in development of universities as a regulatory body charged with accreditation of both public and private universities as well as academic programmes in Nigerian Universities”.
“Once again, i must commend the timely approval of Minaret University by the Federal Government. I appreciate the leadership of NUC on roles as a regulatory body charged with development of Universities in Nigeria, the Ahmadiyya Jama’at Muslim group for their support towards the actualization of this great feats as a gesture towards the fulfilment of the institution’s mission and vision statement; a development which has helped to promote Islamic culture in educational institutions, to produce manpower resources and generate employment opportunities for all Nigerians”.
NUC is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) charged with the responsibility of advising the Government on the financial needs of the universities, handle the planning of a balanced and coordinated development of University Education in Nigeria. The National Universities Commission is a government Commission for promoting quality higher education situated in Abuja and established in 1962 as an advisory agency in the cabinet office. It became a statutory body in 1974. NUC is the government regulatory agency to accredit Universities (Public & Private) and academic programmes”.
“MIU’s mission is now established a world-class tertiary institution for the intellectual and manpower development of human resources for sustainable socio-economic development nationally, regionally and internationally. The university will be committed to allowing all qualified candidates both home and abroad; based on merit and equity, through a work-study methodology and without any sectarian or racial discrimination”.
“The Founding fathers of Minaret University are Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Muslim Group in Nigeria who pioneered Muslim missionary education in Nigeria that was established in 1916 with the opening of the first Muslim primary school, Talim-ul-Islam Primary School Elegbata in 1921 at Lagos Island, inaugurated by the late Mr. Henry Carr, the then Colonial Education officer for the Lagos Colony. The group were amongst those who pioneered Islamic and Western education for teeming Nigerian and Muslim children across gender, race, and religion which commenced, thereby laying a good educational foundation. Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Nigeria were the first to venture into secondary education followed in early 1950s and 1970s across the country with a special programme called “The Nusrat Jehan Scheme”.