The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Northern governors to publicly celebrate Nafisa Abdullah Aminu, a 17-year-old student from Yobe State, who recently emerged as the global best in English language skills at the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals held in London, United Kingdom.
The call was made in a statement issued on Wednesday, 6th August 2025, by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
Nafisa defeated over 20,000 students from 69 countries, including the United Kingdom, in the global English language competition, earning Nigeria global recognition in the academic field.
Describing her victory as “humongous, cerebral, and arcane,” MURIC said the feat deserved national recognition and a reward equal to, if not greater than, what Nigerian athletes have received in recent times. The group cited the monetary gifts and national honours bestowed on the Super Falcons and D’Tigress by President Tinubu as precedents that should also apply to academic achievers like Nafisa.
“It is good to encourage our sportsmen and women, but it is better to prioritise education by giving bigger rewards to those who excel in that field. Only thus can indolence be shunned by Nigerian youths,” the statement read.
MURIC also linked Nafisa’s success to the need for renewed investment in education, especially in northern Nigeria, where an estimated 80 percent of Nigeria’s 20 million out-of-school children reside.
The group urged Northern governors to use Nafisa as a beacon of hope by showcasing her achievement to inspire other children. Specifically, MURIC called on the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, to appoint Nafisa as the state’s Education Ambassador and honour her with a symbolic parade to encourage learning.
“Let her ride in an open jeep around the capital to show Yobe children that it pays to be educated,” Akintola added.
MURIC emphasized that celebrating academic excellence is essential for changing youth narratives, combating the “school is a scam” mentality, and addressing the ongoing decline in academic performance, as reflected in the recently released 2025 WAEC results where only 38.32 percent of students obtained credits in five core subjects including English and Mathematics.
Professor Akintola concluded by urging President Tinubu to “reshape the destiny of our young ones” through appropriate national recognition of Nafisa’s outstanding achievement.
