Years ago, a barefoot almajiri boy wandered the streets of Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State, in search of Qur'anic education and daily survival.
Today, that same boy, Ahmad Isa from the Gaya local government area of Kano State, is a university graduate who has completed his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. This journey continues to inspire hope, unity, and faith in the power of compassion.
Ahmad, a Hausa/Fulani by origin, arrived in Dutse as a child with little more than determination and a strong desire to learn. Like many Almajiri children, their lives were harsh. Rather than begging, he ran errands and worked in households to earn a living, attending Islamiyya classes before and after his daily chores.
His life took a decisive turn when he met Mr Alan Maiyaki, a Federal Government civil servant from Edo State who had been posted to Dutse. Beneath Ahmad's quiet and humble disposition, Maiyaki noticed honesty, resilience and a deep hunger for education.
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Moved by the boy's sincerity, he made a life-changing decision to enrol Ahmad in primary school.
Explaining his motivation, Maiyaki said his upbringing and professional experiences shaped his actions.
He recalled that his mother spent 35 years teaching in public schools, instilling in him the value of education.
He also cited his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) experience and the influence of Dr Amina Mohammed, then a Senior Special Assistant to a former Nigerian president on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and now Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Maiyaki noted that in 2006, while serving as an NYSC member in Niger State, he received an award for MDGs advocacy and later worked as a Knowledge Development Facilitator at NYSC orientation camps across the country. During a training session in Keffi, Nasarawa State, Dr Mohammed encouraged corps members to pursue the MDGs actively.
"At that moment, I resolved to contribute to Goal Two--achieving universal primary education. Enrolling Ahmad in school was my own way of doing that. Today, he is a graduate," Maiyaki said.
With consistent guidance and support, Ahmad successfully combined Qur'anic education with Western schooling.
He completed his primary education at Nuhu Muhammad Junior Secondary School in Dutse and later graduated from Dutse Capital Secondary School with impressive results. He scored 217 in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination on his first attempt and gained admission on merit.
In 2019, Ahmad was admitted to the Federal University Dutse, where he studied Criminology and Security Studies. He graduated with a Second Class Upper (2:1) degree.
Ahmad recalled that during his 100-level, his benefactor constantly encouraged him to remain focused and disciplined, assuring him that his background would not limit his future.
Today, Ahmad proudly wears the khaki uniform of the NYSC. He served in Zaria, Kaduna State, and received his certificate of national service on Thursday, December 18, 2025, marking the culmination of a remarkable journey from the streets to national service.
His mother, Halima Isa, expressed profound gratitude to God, describing Ahmad as the first graduate in the family and her youngest child. She said he lost his father at the age of two and was sent away to acquire Islamic knowledge.
"I never imagined my son would acquire a Western education because none of his siblings went to school. Today, I am the mother of a graduate. It sounds unbelievable," she said.
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Ahmad's Islamic teacher, Malam Hassan Yalwawa, said the boy was sent to him at the age of five to study Islamic knowledge.
He described Ahmad's success as clear evidence that Almajiri children can excel academically if given proper support and guidance, praising Maiyaki's intervention as an actual demonstration of patriotism and national unity.
Beyond academics, Ahmad also acquired vocational skills. He learned tailoring during his secondary school and university years and now owns a tailoring shop on Hakimi Street in Dutse, where five apprentices are currently being trained.
Observers say what makes Ahmad's story especially remarkable is not only his rise from poverty to academic success, but the bond that made it possible--a Kano-born almajiri and an Edo-born civil servant united by compassion, selflessness and belief in a better Nigeria.
