Nigerian Businessman with No Formal Education Establishes University, Reveals How He Achieved Feat

CURSORY: The founder of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin has opened up about how he founded the university despite having no formal education.

Ilorin, Kwara state – Al-Hikmah University, located in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, is one of the popular private universities in Nigeria. What many may not know, however, is that the university was established by a man who had no formal education: Abdulraheem Oladimeji.

In an interview published by Daily Trust, the 84-year-old business tycoon narrated how he established the foremost tertiary institution.

When asked how he felt about founding a university even though he lacked formal education, the businessman said investment in the education sector was divine.

He further revealed that his initial idea was establishing a plastic company which turned into a successful private university.

His words:

“Well, I feel fulfilled and honoured that we are finally here today. I will say my investment into the education sector was divine after one of my sons dreamt of me establishing an Islamic university while in Saudi Arabia for Hajj in 1994.

“This coincided with my desire to impact my family and humanity through Islamic and Western knowledge. I had planned to establish a plastic factory and had imported all the equipment and machines with almost all the buildings completed.”

He said the process was initially difficult because the return on investment in education is not instant.

Oladimeji said he started with AbdulRaheem College of Islamic Foundation, which was affiliated with the ABU Zaria, International Islamic University in Sudan and later, the Islamic University in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

“This then propelled us to get our own university license during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I also have AbdulRaheem College of Advanced Studies in Igbaja for remedial studies, for people wanting to gain admission into the undergraduate degree studies in the university,” he said.

After spending N100m to obtain the license ( which was later returned), Oladimeji said he had to sell “half of his property abroad” to meet up with the university’s financial needs. “But I was happy to do so because I used it to fulfill my heart’s desire,” he said.

The business man revealed that he missed formal education because he didn’t have the financial ability.

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