A simmering land dispute between the Federal Ministry of Education and alumni of Federal Government College Kano has escalated into a full-blown confrontation, with over 4,000 old students signing a petition against a proposed concession deal as the association’s president insists an awareness rally and litigation will go ahead despite a direct appeal from the Minister of Education.
Following a tense, four-hour meeting with the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, on May 7, 2026, the National President of FGCKOSA, Shoyinka Shodunke, emerged unbowed, rejecting the Minister’s plea to suspend planned actions over the land swap and concession arrangement at the college.
Instead, Shodunke revealed that the alumni body has mobilized massive opposition to the plan, presenting a petition signed by more than 4,000 concerned old students as evidence of the widespread discontent.
“The People Have Spoken” – President Stands Firm
In a direct rebuke to the Ministry, Shodunke declared that the awareness rally scheduled for May 9, 2026, would proceed and that the association’s pending legal action would not be withdrawn.
“Over 4,000 of our members have signed a petition rejecting this concession. That is not a small disgruntled faction; that is the voice of the alumni,” Shodunke told the Ministers. “We have been excluded, ignored, and now they want us to stand down? The answer is no. The rally will hold. The case continues.”
Shodunke also reiterated the alumni’s formal offer to match the infrastructure proposal made by the commercial enterprise, stressing that preserving the school’s land for future generations is non-negotiable.
The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA), led by President General Michael Magaji and including BOT members and senior leaders, stood firmly with FGCKOSA. USOSA raised alarms over the commercialization of Unity School assets, lack of stakeholder consultation, threats to the legacy of the schools, reduction of academic and recreational spaces, and potential security risks.
USOSA demanded the immediate suspension of the concession plan, pointing out that alumni associations have consistently delivered projects worth hundreds of millions of naira across Unity Schools without ever needing to commercialize school land.
Dr. Alausa acknowledged the developmental role USOSA has played over the past 20 years, thanking alumni for helping bridge infrastructure gaps caused by low funding. However, he maintained his support for the concession as part of the Ministry’s infrastructure renewal strategy.
