Onyeama, embassy reveal how Zulum saved Nigerian medical student in Egypt

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, alongside the Charge d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo, Bashir Ibrahim Ma’Aji, has revealed how Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, saved the education of a female Nigerian medical student from Bauchi State, by offsetting her unpaid fees with $8,000.

Gov Zulum made the intervention last October when he was in Cairo to enter into agreements with institutions towards the construction of a new teaching hospital in Maiduguri.

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Mrs Lu’ubatu Aliyu (23), a student on scholarship of Bauchi State Government, had finished her studies about four years ago from Ain Shams University, Cairo, but her certificate was withheld due to non-payment of the balance of the fees.

Miss Aliyu was among 23 students awarded scholarship to study medicine by the Isa Yuguda administration in 2012.

Mr Ma’Aji explained that Lu’ubatu’s certificate was withheld because the succeeding government in Bauchi State did not meet her financial obligations.

He disclosed that succour came the way of Miss Aliyu when Gov Zulum visited Egypt and offset the fees.

He explained that, “Aliyu completed her studies about four years ago, but due to the challenges from her sponsor, she had to leave the certificate for about four years. And luckily for us, last October, Zulum was in Cairo on official assignment, and in our usual discussion with him, he asked us about the challenges Nigerian students faced in Egypt.

“We appealed to him to come to the rescue of Dr Lu’ubatu Aliyu who had graduated and passed her medical studies but could not get her result due to financial difficulties.

“The governor graciously accepted the appeal of the embassy and sent us $8,000 to facilitate the collection of her result.”

Yesterday (Tuesday) in Abuja, Mr Onyeama presented Lu’ubatu with her degree certificate. The presentation was made in the presence of Ma’Aji.

The minister said resolving the certificate issue of Lu’ubatu highlighted the very positive things that Nigerian embassies, missions and diplomats were doing to assist distressed Nigerians in foreign countries.

He said, “We extend our gratitude to Gov Zulum for his very timely and very generous intervention to help the Nigerian Embassy to address the situation.”

Dr Aliyu expressed gratitude to God and appreciated the Nigerian Embassy and Gov Zulum for the assistance in ensuring she became a certified medical doctor.

She said, “Alhamdulillah! I will like to thank His Excellency, Gov Zulum. Your Excellency, thank you very much. Today, you have stopped the entire waiting for my collection of certificate, the MBBS certificate.

“I really appreciate what you have done for me and I will never forget this effort sir. I pray the Almighty Allah to restore peace in Borno and the entire nation, Nigeria.”