In a speech that has ignited debate across the nation, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, declared that Western education is merely a formality and not a prerequisite for achieving success in life.
Addressing a gathering of farmers and artisans in Bauchi, Governor Mohammed urged young people to embrace discipline, shun self-destructive behaviors, and focus on self-improvement through practical skills and personal conduct.
“Try to be focused and turn a new leaf. Stop drinking and stop taking what will destroy your brain,” the governor admonished in a video posted by Bashir Usman on Instagram and shared by SaharaReporters.
Governor Mohammed used himself as a reference point, suggesting that success is achievable through determination and moral discipline, even without extensive formal education.
“Today, Bala did not go to school but he became somebody,” he said, speaking in the third person to underscore his point.
He further emphasized that Qur’anic and informal education can be just as powerful—if not more—than Western education when it comes to real-world success, especially in sectors like agriculture and trade.
“Western education is a formality, but if you have Qur’anic education, you have the knowledge of what it takes. You’ve helped yourself in knowing what you want, especially in farming—that is true education,” he asserted.
Highlighting the dignity and wealth that can come from blue-collar professions, Mohammed pointed to transportation, particularly truck driving, as a proven path to prosperity.
“Any rich person you see today started from driving. From the onset, it is a job that brings prosperity. All the rich people you see today started as drivers of trailers. Don’t overlook self-trading jobs. I don’t know anyone who got rich from car washing, but drivers did,” he stated.
The governor’s remarks have triggered mixed reactions online, with many praising his encouragement of discipline and entrepreneurship, while others criticized what they perceived as a dangerous undermining of formal education in a region and country still battling high illiteracy rates.
Critics argue that while practical skills and moral discipline are crucial, access to quality formal education remains a cornerstone for social mobility and national development, especially in Northern Nigeria where educational attainment still lags behind.
Nonetheless, Governor Bala Mohammed’s speech has once again spotlighted the enduring tension between formal academic systems and the often undervalued world of informal, skill-based knowledge and traditional learning in Nigeria.
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