By Haruna Usman, Birnin Kebbi
The Umaru Shinkafi Legacy Foundation (USLF), established in 2016 to uphold the enduring legacies of the late Umaru Aliyu Shinkafi (Marafan Sokoto), has successfully concluded its first Regional Essay Competition.
In commemoration of the 9th anniversary of his passing, the competition targeted undergraduate students who are indigenes of Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara States, and are currently enrolled in tertiary institutions across the northwestern region of Nigeria.
Since its inception, USLF has implemented a series of impactful annual initiatives, including Ramadan charity programs, nationwide scholarships for underprivileged students, and two high-level security summits.
The 2025 essay competition marks another milestone in the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to promoting education and youth development.
At the close of submissions on June 30, 2025, a total of 610 entries were received from students across 25 tertiary institutions in the Northwest.
Following a rigorous review process led by Mallam Mahmud Jega, Abubakar Idris, a Dental Surgery student at Usmanu DanFodio University, Sokoto, emerged as the overall winner.
He will be awarded a brand-new tricycle. In his compelling essay, Idris recounted his personal experience as a former kidnap victim, offering a poignant and powerful perspective on the region’s security challenges.
Hafiz Sani Galadima, a Nursing Sciences student at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, secured second place and will receive a motorcycle. The third prize of ₦1,000,000 has been awarded to Asiya Muhammad Dansanda, a student of Educational Economics at the Federal University, Gusau.
In total, 15 winners were selected to receive cash prizes ranging from ₦800,000 to ₦100,000.
In a statement released by Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, President-elect of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and CEO of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, she congratulated all the winners and reaffirmed USLF’s commitment to promoting intellectual development and meaningful public discourse among young people in the region.
The official prize presentation ceremony, along with prayers for the deceased, took place on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at Umaru Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto with important dignitaries in attendance.
The late Umaru Shinkafi, in whose honour the Foundation was established, served Nigeria as a former Minister of Internal Affairs and Director-General of the Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO). His legacy of public service, national security leadership, and intellectual depth continues to inspire generations.