Daily Trust
By Senator Andy Uba
One of the greatest achievements of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was his impact in education, especially in Igbo land.
How Ndi Igbo closed the education gap between them and Yoruba people who encountered western education ahead of them by 1960 can be view as a miracle and you cannot possible remove the impact of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe from this achievements.
Zik returned from America to Nigeria in 1930s and led the most provoking education growth in Igbo land.
Zik mobilized Ndi Igbo to pursue education and human capital development. The striving for higher education in Igbo land was through the great Zik.
In 1938, Zik facilitated moving to America by 8 Nigerians for the pursuit of University education. According Zik, ‘The Eight Argonauts’ were to go to America to win the Golden Fleece back to Africa. On November 28, 1938, seven out of eight left to United State after, including Nwafor Orizu, who joined them same year. It is worthy to note that the ‘eight argonauts’ as Zik referred to them, returned and fueled new drive for higher education and Nationalism in the country.
The Igbo drive for higher educational advancement, began in the 1930s and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe played a key role on this and we must acknowledge it.
He started with giving lectures, mobilizing Ndi Igbo to embrace education. Zik started with calling for wealthy individuals and communities to give scholarships for bright students.
