Former Vice President and founder of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Atiku Abubakar, has opened up about how his father was jailed — his early struggles and the pivotal role education has played in shaping his life, during a heartfelt address to the AUN graduating Class of 2025.

In a podcast series produced by the university’s Communications and Multimedia Design department, Atiku shared that his father was once jailed for opposing his enrollment in school.

“My father was jailed for resisting my enrollment in school,” Atiku revealed.

“We started from nothing — sitting on the bare ground, writing with our fingers. That’s how far I’ve come.”

Despite the hardship, Atiku emphasised that the establishment of AUN was not merely a reaction to his childhood experiences. Instead, he credited his inspiration to the American Peace Corps teachers who taught him in 1961.

“The AUN story is different. It was the American Peace Corps who taught me in 1961 that truly ignited the vision,” he said.