Education as a Moral Force: Lessons from Waziri Junaidu and Ibn Khaldūn, by Engr. Bello Gwarzo Abdullahi, FNSE
The synthesis of knowledge, ethics, and civilisation that the 14th-century Muslim luminary Ibn Khaldūn articulated in his Muqaddimah finds renewed relevance in the teachings of Alhaji Sheikh Waziri Junaidu, the revered late Wazirin Sokoto. Ibn Khaldūn’s philosophy underscores the moral and social context of knowledge—how education, depending on its grounding and purpose, can either elevate a people or accelerate their decay. This timeless insight resonates in Waziri Junaidu’s vision of education as both a moral compass and a civilisational force.
When Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, conferred an honorary doctorate on him, Waziri Junaidu seized the occasion not to celebrate himself but to caution a drifting nation. He reminded Nigerians that education must transcend the hollow pursuit of certificates and career advancement. True learning, he declared, is a moral and cultural catalyst that refines character, tempers ambition, and uplifts the collective conscience. His call remains urgent today, in a country where formal education often produces technical expertise without ethical conviction.
He warned against the obsession with credentials devoid of character. To him, genuine education must be rooted in the spiritual and cultural soil of society—where faith, intellect, and virtue converge to form both capable and conscientious citizens. When this moral foundation erodes, knowledge mutates into a tool of exploitation, birthing a class of educated elites who are intellectually armed but morally bankrupt—individuals who weaponise learning for personal gain rather than public good.
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This tragic reality defines much of Nigeria’s present political experience. The dysfunctional behaviour of many political appointees—manifested in corruption, arrogance, mediocrity, and moral indifference—stems directly from how they were educated and the way they were recruited. Our educational system, once a crucible for discipline and service, has degenerated into a credential market. Universities now prioritise certification over cultivation, and our recruitment processes reward proximity to power over merit and integrity. The consequence is a governing elite lacking both intellectual depth and ethical compass, presiding over a nation starved of moral leadership.
Both Ibn Khaldūn and Waziri Junaidu foresaw such decay. They envisioned education not as a mechanical exercise in literacy or skill acquisition, but as a process of moral renewal—a means to align intellect with conscience and reason with revelation. When that harmony is lost, societies descend into the chaos of clever opportunists replacing wise leaders. Nigeria’s leadership malaise today is a direct reflection of this imbalance.
In Islam, learning has never been divorced from worship. It is ‘ibadah—a sacred duty undertaken to understand, serve, and reform. The first Qur’anic injunction, “Iqra” (“Read”), established this divine bond between knowledge and responsibility. To learn, therefore, is to be entrusted with the duty to lead justly and act righteously. Education without that spiritual and moral consciousness becomes hollow—producing individuals who may know how to govern, yet lack the integrity to do so.
For universities in Muslim societies—particularly in Nigeria—the way forward lies in reclaiming this sacred vision. Our institutions must re-anchor learning in ethics, integrating modern knowledge with indigenous wisdom and faith-based values. Education must once again become a service to humanity, not a ladder for status. It should produce critical thinkers guided by moral conviction, scholars grounded in humility, and leaders driven by justice.
The leadership crisis afflicting Nigeria is, at its core, an educational crisis. Until character becomes as important as competence in both our classrooms and our corridors of power, we will continue to recycle self-serving elites who see governance as conquest rather than stewardship. Reforming education, therefore, is not merely an academic priority—it is a national imperative.
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Waziri Junaidu’s enduring admonition still rings true: knowledge without virtue is perilous. Only when education restores its moral essence can it truly transform society. The urgent task before us is to reconstruct our educational and leadership frameworks to reflect our cultural and spiritual heritage—cultivating a generation that embodies integrity, compassion, and wisdom.
Education must once again stand as a moral force—one that shapes not only what we know, but who we are. Only then can Nigeria reclaim its moral centre and fulfill its promise as a society led by knowledge, guided by conscience, and anchored in justice.
Engr. Bello Gwarzo Abdullahi, FNSE
bgabdullahi@gmail.com
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