By Richard Abu, Abuja

The Nasarawa State University, Keffi Monday carried out environmental sanitation at Mokwala and Yelwa communities of Keffi town as part of activities lined up for the celebration of her 8th combined convocation ceremonies which was done by the staff of the university in collaboration with staff of the Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority.

During the event, the university is to also celebrate her 25 yeas of existence.

Earlier, there was an inter – denominational church service at the Chapel of Salvation on Sunday. .

Speaking at the venue of the sanitation, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sa’Adatu Hassam Liman represented by the Vice Chancellor administration, Professor Halima Doma Kutigi, stressed the need for the sanitation exercise which she said became necessary to expose the students of the university to the practical sanitary conditions apart from the theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom.

Professor Kutigi who is the chairman, health sub-committee.for the combined convocation said Keffi town has hosted the university for the past twenty five years and stressed the need to do the sanitation as part of its social responsibility to the town.

Furthermore, she said that the exercise was to expose students to practical health education and sanitation.

In his speech, the Director General of the Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority, Dr. Musa Isa Bello, pointed out that the agency has decided to collaborate with the university in the areas of sanitation so that the students will imbibe the spirit of keeping the environment clean.

By Wumi Tewogbade, Abuja

A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Wednesday adjourned to April 16, 2026, a suit filed by the National Association of Private School Owners (NAPS) against the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) over alleged multiple taxation, while urging all parties to explore amicable resolution through dialogue.

The court, after preliminary proceedings, emphasized the need for restraint and constructive engagement among the parties, noting that dialogue remains a viable path toward resolving the dispute without prolonged litigation.

NAPS had approached the court challenging what it described as overlapping and multiple tax demands imposed on private schools by both the FCTA and area councils, particularly AMAC.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the sitting, counsel to the association, Alexander N. Ogbo, confirmed the adjournment and provided insight into the substance of the case.

According to him, the dispute arose from what ought to be an institutional policy matter ordinarily handled by area councils in their dealings with schools, but which has now seen intervention from the FCTA through its agencies.

He explained that the development has resulted in multiple taxation, with schools receiving similar demands from AMAC, other area councils, and departments of the FCTA on the same issues.

“This overlap is creating institutional conflict and disrupting the smooth operation of schools, including their academic activities,” he said, adding that the situation has become increasingly serious.

Ogbo stressed that the core issue before the court is the challenge against multiple taxation, noting that private schools are caught in the middle of competing authorities.

“As the saying goes, when two elephants fight, the grass suffers. In this case, the schools are the grass, while the ‘elephants’ are the FCTA Health Department and AMAC,” he stated.

He further called on the FCTA and area councils to harmonize their responsibilities and establish a unified regulatory framework that would provide clarity for private school operators.

“Schools are not opposed to regulation; we simply need clarity. At the moment, there is confusion as to whether to comply with AMAC or the FCTA’s Public Health Department,” he added.

On the role of the court, the counsel noted that it is providing a neutral platform for all parties to present their cases and clarify procedural concerns, particularly regarding demand notices issued by the FCTA’s Health Department.

He also reiterated the association’s openness to settlement, emphasizing that dialogue remains the preferred option if the authorities are willing to engage constructively.

In her remarks, President of NAPS, Rukayat Agboola, maintained that private schools recognize regulatory oversight but insisted that such processes should be streamlined through the appropriate authority, particularly the Education Secretariat.

She said the association prefers that all directives concerning schools be channeled through a single regulatory body to avoid confusion and duplication.

Some members of the association who spoke to journalists described private schools as critical partners in national development, contributing to education and employment, and cautioned against treating them as revenue sources.

They decried what they termed excessive and multiple levies, including a controversial child-based tax reportedly pegged at five per cent of tuition fees per term, warning that non-compliance could affect school accreditation.

The plaintiffs are seeking judicial intervention to halt the alleged multiple taxation and compel the relevant authorities to streamline their regulatory and fiscal responsibilities.

Al-hikmah University in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, established by a business mogul, Alhaji Abdulraheem Oladimeji, in 2005, today, has over 11,000 students.
Without formal education, Oladimeji founded the institution in a way that baffles human understanding.

In this interview, the 84-year-old narrates in clear and unambiguous English language how his attempt to have formal education flopped, his adventures in the business world and how he gambled to invest in establishing a university which now pays off. Excerpts:
You lacked formal education, yet founded a university that now has in its employment doctors and professors. How do you feel about this?
Well, I feel fulfilled and honoured that we are finally here today. I will say my investment in the education sector was divine after one of my sons dreamt of me establishing an Islamic university while in Saudi Arabia for Hajj in 1994. This coincided with my desire to impact my family and humanity through Islamic and Western knowledge. I had planned to establish a plastic factory and had imported all the equipment and machines with almost all the buildings completed. As a businessman, this was initially difficult because return on investment in education is not instant. But I wanted to use it to serve humanity.
How have you been able to run the university despite your educational limitation?
I am a very detailed person who Almighty Allah complemented with talents, wisdom, creative courage and intelligence in my approach to issues. Then, I have the ability to pray. There will always be challenges from the staff and students, especially from changes in leadership. Vice Chancellors are supposed to spend five years, but we had to let one go after two years when we found his performance unsatisfactory. From the VC, DVC to Bursar, these are key positions in the university that must be manned by capable hands if you don’t want to run into trouble.
How did the process begin?
I started with AbdulRaheem College of Islamic Foundation which was affiliated to the ABU Zaria, International Islamic University in Sudan and later Islamic University in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. This then propelled us to get our own university license during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. I also have AbdulRaheem College of Advanced Studies in Igbaja for remedial studies, for people wanting to gain admission into undergraduate degree studies in the university.
Did you have funding challenge while establishing Al-Hikmah University?
Yes. You see, I only had the desire for education but didn’t make my findings on what it entailed; whether one was going to make money or just spend it. I spent N100 million to obtain the license although government returned the money after six months when they became convinced we could pay salaries. We were also required to have a 10,000-acre land. This was unlike my previous business investments whereby one started making money almost instantaneously. The government barely supported us in the construction of our buildings, so we hit a brick wall and the only solution was for me to sell half of my property abroad. But I was happy to do so because I used it to fulfill my heart’s desire.
Any regret thus far?
None whatsoever, I still have a lot of properties in Nigeria and abroad and my children are now doing great things in life. I’m grateful for that.
Some people say you’re difficult to work with. How true is this?
I don’t like hypocrisy and I don’t engage in it, that is where people got the notion that I am difficult to relate with. Those saying that are hypocrites and they find me difficult to manipulate. It is our hypocrisy that got us to this point in Nigeria. If I wasn’t cautious, the university wouldn’t have progressed. Like I said, some VCs lasted only two years but look at what then-VC, Prof Noah Yusuf, did, look at the grounds that were broken under him. We are on the verge of birthing our medical school. Then-Katsina State Governor, Malam Aminu Bello Masari, spent two days with us, not as a state guest but as our guest. So, it is normal for some people to say those things about me because I refused to allow them take advantage of me.
Any plans to return to school?
What am I still looking for beyond what God has given me? This is enough. My teachers must be extremely patient otherwise we will fight all the time. I am a very busy person. During Prof Oloyede’s tenure, two professors from the University of Ilorin used to come home but they stopped because I was always attending to people from morning till around 3pm.
What was growing up like, for you?
I am the last child of my late parents. My father – Malam AbdulRahman Yusuf Oladimeji – was a Lagos-based businessman who later relocated home because of age and started petty businesses. He was a farmer, hunter, herbalist and trader. My mum, Hawau, was the first Iyalode of Igbaja and traded in chickens. I lost them both as an infant and then lived with my uncle.
When did you leave Igbaja for Lagos?
At about ten years old. The opportunity to travel to Lagos came in 1948, but prior to that, I was following my uncle to the farm. The Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) wanted a place to start an elementary school and they approached my uncle who obliged them. Preparation for my resumption was on top gear when my uncle changed his mind after he witnessed the beating of a student by one of the teachers on our way to the farm. Because of this single incident, he revoked the land offer after he stopped the punishment. I was too beloved to him to be subjected to such punishment because of western education. So, he gave out my uniform which had already been sewn. The community intervened and after a lot of pleading, he agreed to give the church another land in a different location. Suffice it to say that the initial piece of land is today the Igbaja Campus of Al-Hikmah University School of Preliminary Studies.
So, what happened in Lagos?
I started menial jobs with a popular food seller, Mama Sikira, in Isalegangan, Lagos Island, but came back to Igbaja following some untoward experiences. After a while, I returned to Lagos to work with the business enterprise of Pa Gabriel who hailed from Oro in Kwara State. I was on a wage of 70 kobo and, later, it was increased to 80 kobo. After a short stint, I came back home before I relocated to Lagos around 1950 as a trade apprentice, this time around with one Alhaji Usman Alabi, a popular businessman better known as Sumonu Wosonle. I was with him for eight years without pay but learnt a lot from him. By the time I became independent in 1963, he gave me £180 which was N360 based on our agreement. But it was in form of liabilities (bad debt) and I was left with the challenge of recovering them.
Was there any attempt or effort to return to school during this period?
Yes, but the attempt was not successful. While still with my boss, I wanted to go back home but was denied and I felt unhappy, so I wanted to communicate. My attempt to find someone to help write a letter was not successful. I became angry and resolved to learn how to read and write, at least. I enrolled in an evening lesson costing one penny a month to learn ABD, the Yoruba alphabet. After graduating from the Yoruba class, I had the challenge of funding to proceed to learn the English alphabet which cost two pence but I didn’t get the support.
Did the dream perish at this point?
No, I was eager to at least read and write even without formal education. So, I came up with the idea to organise evening lessons for children in Yoruba alphabets in front of my master’s shop after we had closed at the price of one penny per pupil.
I partnered another friend to teach English alphabets at two pence each. As the one who came up with the idea, provided space and resources, I demanded that he paid me one penny from his two.
This was a win-win situation for me all with the support of Almighty Allah. The success of that lesson was underscored by the way it was embraced by about 50 pupils in the first month. Moreover, the initiative was to use the opportunity to grasp the English alphabets from my partner whose teaching period comes after mine.
After I finished, I will sit in his session and also learn, that was it.
SOURCE: VANGUARD