By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his education policies, particularly the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
Dogara gave the commendation while delivering a special public lecture titled “Empowering the Future Generation: The Founders’ Vision and Legacy” at the Federal University of Lokoja as part of activities marking the institution’s 9th convocation ceremony.
He described the President’s education initiatives as a major step toward promoting inclusivity and equitable access to higher education across the country.
“Education remains our most powerful weapon against poverty, ignorance, and underdevelopment. It is the idea of planting seeds of hope, creating pathways to opportunity, and refining human potential,” Dogara said.
The former Speaker lauded the NELFUND programme for removing financial barriers to tertiary education by providing interest-free loans to indigent students.
“NELFUND, designed to eliminate financial constraints for Nigerian students, has disbursed ₦99.5 billion to fund tuition and upkeep allowances. This initiative has given hope to many whose dreams would have been cut short due to lack of funds,” he added.
Dogara also highlighted President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that it prioritizes inclusivity and equity in education, especially for marginalized groups such as women and persons with disabilities.
He charged the graduating students to apply their knowledge in solving national problems, emphasizing the need for innovation, entrepreneurship, and ethical leadership.
“The solutions to Africa’s problems must be African-led, though globally informed. Whether you become engineers, doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, or public servants, always ask: how can I apply global knowledge to solve local challenges?” he advised.
Dogara urged the graduates to embrace lifelong learning and become ambassadors of the university through integrity, creativity, and service to humanity.
