Former Vice President of Nigeria and Founder of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Atiku Abubakar, has described education as the ultimate game changer and urged the Class of 2025 to embrace patience, courage, and integrity as they step into the next phase of their lives.

This was contained in a press release signed by Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, following Atiku’s appearance on Deep Dive with Akachukwu, a podcast produced by AUN’s Communications and Multimedia Design department.

Reflecting on his formative years, Atiku shared a gripping account of a childhood marked by hardship, resilience, and a relentless quest for education. “My father was jailed for resisting my enrollment in school,” he revealed. “We started from nothing — sitting on the bare ground, writing with our fingers. That’s how far I’ve come.”

While many might assume that his difficult upbringing inspired the founding of AUN, Atiku clarified that it was actually the influence of American Peace Corps volunteers who taught him in 1961 that sparked the vision for the institution.

“The AUN story is different,” he said. “It was the Peace Corps who ignited the vision.”

Describing AUN as a “world-class citadel of learning,” Atiku noted that the university stands as a legacy that will endure for generations.

He recounted his journey from a modest background in Jada, Adamawa State, to establishing Africa’s first development university, a testament to vision, willpower, and unwavering determination.

In an emotionally charged mentoring session with the graduating students, Atiku shared deeply personal experiences that underscored the virtues of patience and courage.

“I’ve faced tribulations. I’ve been hunted, but I never wavered,” he declared. “Patience is not weakness. It is a weapon of the wise. When we resisted military dictatorship, they offered me a governorship without an election — I rejected it. In 1999, I earned it the right way and became Vice President.”

He paid tribute to his political mentor, the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who he described as the embodiment of courage.

“His blood pressure was normal on the day of his scheduled execution. That’s a soldier. That’s courage,” Atiku said.

Recounting a chilling assassination attempt in Kaduna, he said: “I hid my wife and children in a wardrobe and stepped forward to confront the attackers. They shot at me but missed. I stood up and demanded, ‘Why did you fire?’ That’s what courage looks like.”

Addressing aspiring entrepreneurs among the graduates, Atiku emphasized the importance of values.

“Build with integrity. Keep your business independent. Don’t rely on the government. Avoid unnecessary confrontation, but never compromise your values,” he advised.

He also hinted at plans to publish a memoir detailing his life journey, from civil service and business to politics, offering future generations a window into his path and principles.

The ceremony was graced by notable personalities, including Senator Ben Obi, Chairman of AUN’s Board of Trustees, who hailed Atiku’s integrity and national vision, calling him “a true nationalist” instrumental to the success of the Obasanjo administration.

Former Governor of Adamawa, Senator Bindow Jibrilla, also commended Atiku’s sustained commitment to education and national development.

The event reached a symbolic climax as Atiku personally decorated 12-year-old global chess prodigy, Mary Zira — an Adamawa native discovered at the Queen V Chess Academy and now a student of AUN Academy — reaffirming his passion for nurturing young talent.