The Association of Kano state sponsored students India ( AkaSSI) has written an open letter to Governor Umah Ganduje.
In the letter dated 1st April, 2017 and signed by Ibrahim Aminu Shehu, the students sent on scholarship abroad by the Kano State Government said they are facing untold hardships. Their situation is so bad that they might be forced to turn to begging on the streets.
"On be half of the entire students studying in 5 respective universities within India, permit me to write this letter without following an official protocol. Because we lack any official way to deliver our complain to you. Sir, we have sent several letters through your SAs, Media aids, commissioners and scholarship board. All efforts were puts but to no avail.
We have no option rather than to send it openly, so that it could reach your table as early as possible through media.
In fact, our monthly upkeep allowances, have not been remitted for 13 months. Consequently we have found ourselves in an untold hardship, between the devil and deep blue see, we have no ward to explain the degree of our hardship. Actually, we might turn from students to street beggars, by considering the level of our poor parents who can't afford to helps us due to the current situation of economic recession in Nigeria. Some of us lost their parents, so they are orphans.
Moreover, India is over populated country were someone could find it difficult to have part time job that will help him to earn for a living.
We are currently surviving under huge debt, from near by Shope clarks, and university.
Fortnight ago, we stormed the international secretariat of our school seeking for their help as they have been the one offering a little help so far but they said now things are no longer within their affordability.
They said " we gave advance payment some months ago, you signed to refund it immediately after getting your upkeep. But you don't receive it till now.
"We can't add you any thing, more so, no body will have his degree certificate unless he clear his dues, what so ever the case may be"
They added that; "In the history of this university they haven't witnessed foreign students that are internationally disgraced and left to their fate like us"
More so, some of us have started their final year Project research, but they are facing massive hindrance and obstacles because it needs financial contributions.
As I'm writing this letter, I have no sure of how, and where I can manage to have a lunch tomorrow, like wise my friends.
We are lurking to follow some of the streets, just to avoid the public embracement as well as harassment by our debtors. As now India is a country where you can't say what will happen to you for sure even when at peace with everyone.we are afraid of local attack by the debtors if the condition persist.
Your Excallency, you met us on 22nd August 2016 at Oberoi Hotel New Delhi, were you promised to send us some of our 5 months backlog allowances as soon as you get back to Kano, we relaxed and keep expecting to hear from you till now
Since then we are trying hard to contact scholarship board on daily bases. Unfortunately, the Executive Secretary Scholarship board( Prof. Fatima Umar) and co. are refusing to pick up our calls as every time ,or with unwelcoming words of response if we are lucky enough they answer the call.
We hope this letter will reach your desk as early as possible so that you can be able to rescue our lives.
At the end we urge all the concerned authorities to temper the justice with mercy.
Signed
Ibrahim Aminu Shehu
On the 14th of April 2017 (Good friday) at the Lighthouse Camberwell. It promises to be fun-filled and a laughter galore.
