Barewa College

Title: Barewa College: History of a School and the Nation
Author: Udu Yakubu
Year of Publication: 2021
ISBN: 978-978-48948-0-4
Pages: 335  

Very few secondary schools in the entire world have had the uncommon privilege of training and producing five heads of state, and a large chunk of the core of political and business leaders in their countries. In Nigeria, and indeed Africa Barewa College, Zaria stands alone in such rare historical position. It has significantly impacted and shaped the development and progress of its regional community and the nation.

Barewa College: Hiistory of a School and the Nation tells the story of the origin, pedagogical foundations, and development of a school that has been in existence for 100 years.  But the story of Barewa College is much more than that of just a school. It is the story of educational development in Nigeria, and how a single school coming from an educationally disadvantaged region, became the foundation for the expansion of education in the north.  More importantly, the school has been a cornerstone of political and economic advancement in the country.

This book captures the vision of the founders of the school, the twist and turns in its evolution, and practical dimensions of its roles and impact on the Nigeria nation. Concomitantly, it is the story of Nigeria through the prism of a college’s history. Either way, the two critical elements of the narrative -Barewa College and Nigeria- can only be understood by a reading of one in the contexts of the other.  It is a profound rendering of history that recommends  itself to those who have been directly associated with the college, but a lot more to every Nigeria and to students of history everywhere.