Turkish Schools will Build Bridges between Nigeria and the World

Kerim Balci
Kerim Balci


Date posted: November 23, 2011

Nigerian Minister of Federal Education Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai also spoke at the inauguration of the conference organized with the participation of several scholars from Africa and other countries and the sponsorship of 6 Nigerian Universities.

Kerim Balcı, Abuja – November 19, 2011

Turkish ambassador to Nigeria Rıfat Köksal has said that seventeen Turkish Schools, a Turkish University and a Turkish Hospital, which will be opened officially in spring, will help Nigeria build bridges between not only with Turkey but also with all the other countries that also have Turkish Schools.

In the Nigerian capital Abuja, Köksal, giving a speech at the inauguration of conference entitled “Studying Fethullah Gulen’s ideas and activities: establishing a culture of co-existence and mutual understanding”, has emphasized that both countries have multi-cultural histories and he said this multi-cultural diversity should not be seen as a threat but a value.

Nigerian Minister of Federal Education Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai also spoke at the inauguration of the conference organized with the participation of several scholars from Africa and other countries and the sponsorship of 6 Nigerian Universities. She said she had no doubts that this event will provide Nigeria with the necessary solutions to its problems.

Dr. Kabiru Suleiman Chafe from the local committee of organization said: “Gulen’s ideas have found themselves a home under the name of Nigerian Ministry of Education.” Meanwhile Gulen has sent his message saying; “Nigeria, which is one of the key countries of Africa with its population and geography, can also be a model of peace and co-existence with its diversity of ethnicity, culture and faith. Gulen also thanked the Nigerian Statesmen and scholars for their help to the volunteers of education. He concluded his message saying: “I believe humanity has the needed kindness within and i am of the belief that one day we will reach to the point led by this kindness.”

Asso. Prof. Sakah Saidu Mahmud from the Nigerian State University of Kwara read his article concerning “Gulen’s ideas to solve the ethnical clashes in Nigeria”.

Head of the Abuja Regional Integration and Progress Center Hamidu Bobboyi delivered a presentation about the relationships between Ottoman Sultans and the people of the region forming today’s Nigeria.

In the three sessions of the conference’s first day there were names like Prof. Mohammad Rayyan from Jordan, Johnson McMaster from Ireland, Assoc. Prof. Fatmir Shehu from Malaysia and Prof. Leonid R. Sykiainen among the speakers.

Disclaimer: The original article is in Turkish. Slight deviations from the original meaning may have occurred due to difficulties in translating phrases and idioms. PII volunteers translated the article.

Source: Zaman Newspaper http://www.zaman.com.tr/haber.do?haberno=1203911&title=turk-okullari-nijerya-ile-dunya-arasinda-kopru-kuracak

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