London Bridge is falling down” was a popular traditional English nursery rhyme in those days. Well, the bridge held its own, after all. But all-girls Queen Amina College in Kaduna is going down. It wasn’t so called originally. It was owned by the Catholic Mission that also set up the nearby, still standing, Saint Gerald Hospital also in Kaduna. The government took over the school in the wake of the 1970s mania against mission schools and renamed it Queen Amina College in memory of the 16th century warrior queen of old Zaria. The school had a reputation for excellence and up until the early 2000 received exchange students from other northern states. My cousin’s daughter was a beneficiary of that student exchange programme. We were proud of her and the college. That was several years ago. Today the story is disgustingly different. The school is in ruins and guess the source of this ruination. It may shock you, it’s the same government that said the Catholic owners meant no good.
Let me allow the old girls of the college tell the story through one of theirs Mrs Hariratu Maina Mohammed. In their “urgent appeal” to “Members of CATIN” to stop Kaduna State government from selling the college’s staff living quarters and undeveloped plots to rich individuals, they said, “We write to express our profound concern over the Kaduna State Government’s decision to sell Queen Amina College’s Staff Quarters and other available lands meant for development. This action stands to have severe repercussions not only for the dedicated staff but also for the students, and it threatens the future of this historic institution.
“Queen Amina College is already struggling with severe overcrowding. Each dormitory houses an average of 180 as against 20 to 30 students that it used to be, with three girls often forced to share a single 6-inch spring bed—conditions worse than sardines in a can. It was so disheartening when we met some students spreading and sleeping on their wrappers on the floor. Sanitary facilities are woefully inadequate, and no new dormitories have been built for decades, despite the continued surge in student population. The dining hall is dilapidated and far too small, forcing students to eat in shifts, while most times eating outside under trees, resulting in significant delays. The kitchen, meanwhile, is crumbling and barely functional. These deficiencies in basic infrastructure are compounded by the absence of modern amenities critical to the students’ development and well-being.
“One would expect the government to prioritize expanding school facilities to alleviate these pressing issues. Yet, instead of acquiring additional properties around the school to support future growth, the government is reducing the available space by selling essential staff quarters and other available lands. This decision is not only shortsighted but also poses a security risk, as it brings outsiders closer to the students, potentially compromising their moral development. The negative impact extends to the teaching staff. Teachers are already enduring inadequate accommodations, and many commute long distances, dampening their morale and dedication. The proximity of teachers’ quarters once provided immediate access in emergencies, fostering a safe and supportive environment for both students and staff. This critical support system is now under threat. The removal of staff accommodations increases stress and distance for teachers, ultimately detracting from the quality of education and support they can provide.
“The question remains: how does this policy support the education and empowerment of the girl child? The sale of these quarters undermines the very foundation of an environment that should inspire and uplift. Policies should be tailored to address local challenges, not mimic foreign models that disregard our unique circumstances. If the government cannot secure more land to support the growth of Queen Amina College, it should not deprive the school of space dedicated to its development for over fifty years. There is ample land in Kaduna for new estates; there is no justification for sacrificing the future of our school in this way. We implore you to visit Queen Amina College and witness these conditions firsthand. Our hope is that you will see the urgent need for your intervention to protect the voiceless students, many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds and depend on this institution for a brighter future.”
The story isn’t finished yet. Shehu Sani, a former senator and polytechnic lecturer and strong civil liberties advocate from Kaduna, has this to say, “In Kaduna State, most of the lands belonging to public schools attended by children of the poor have been caved out and shared to individuals to build their mansions.These were schools that were either built by the colonial masters or by the late Sardauna of Sokoto Ahmadu Bello. Most of these schools have been reduced to blocks of classrooms with no enough conducive learning environment. Schools like Technical College, Malali established by Sardauna, GGSS Kawo, Government College Kaduna, Sardauna Memorial College, Rimi College, Kaduna Teachers College and many more have their teachers quarters or staff quarters ridiculously auctioned to rich people who have the means to go elsewhere and build their mansions. It’s unconscionable and sad to see wealthy people whose children are in expensive private schools now taking over lands belonging to public schools for themselves and their children. In some cases, they even build shopping malls on lands designated for public schools.
“Many staff quarters and public school lands in Kaduna were also shared to politicians as political favours or compensation for political loyalties.There was the case of a whole L.E.A primary school that was auctioned to a businessman to build his showroom. Most principals, headmasters and teachers in Kaduna live very far away from their schools because their official quarters have been allocated or generously given to one political loyalist or another. Most of the lands belonging to the schools built by the colonialists, Sardauna, Balarabe Musa or Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar that produced some of the best men and women in Nigeria are now balkanised. Even Barewa College, Zaria old boys have been in court with a business man who claimed that part of the school land was sold to him. Principals, teachers and headmasters were evicted from their official quarters on the grounds that they were unable to pay a huge sum to purchase their houses using such jargon as “the right of first refusal”.They know that a teacher doesn’t have millions to purchase his [accommodation] and as such he has to evacuate or be ejected.
“Old boys and old girls associations nationwide must wake up to their responsibility and resist any attempt to cave out their old schools and share their lands to polit. I’m glad that the case of Queen Amina College has sparked outrage against the Kaduna state government.There is enough land to build palaces.”
There we have it. To grasp the seriousness of this revisionism, we must remind ourselves that Kaduna is one of 19 states in the North that is the least educationally developed. With a population of out of school children nearing 7 million, do you wonder the region is the breeder of young terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and baby killers? And as the government is complicit in de-educating its people, tell me what future does our North have?
