Former Vice President and founder of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Atiku Abubakar, has stated that patience is not weakness, but a weapon of the wise.
Abubakar made allusion to his perseverance in his political sojourn since joining politics.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, stated that he was among those that resisted military dictatorship in the country. He said he was offered governorship without election by the military, but he declined the offer.
He stated that in 1999, his patience paid off, as he earned it the right way and won the Vice President election.
The former Vice President stated this while reiterating his conviction that education is the most transformative force for personal and national development.
He stated this while addressing graduates of the America University of Nigeria, AUN, class of 2025.l on Saturday.
Addressing the graduates, The PDP chieftain said, “My father was jailed for resisting my enrollment in school.”
Abubakar made this disclosure in a podcast series produced by AUN’s Communications and Multimedia Design department.
Speaking of his early childhood, he said, “We started from nothing. Sitting on the bare ground, writing with our fingers. That’s how far I’ve come.”
However, Abubakar revealed that contrary to popular assumptions, AUN was not a direct response to his childhood struggles.
He said, “The AUN story is different. It was the American Peace Corps who taught me in 1961 that truly ignited the vision. ”
He also emphasized the importance of patience and courage, sharing personal anecdotes from his journey
“I’ve faced tribulations. I’ve been hunted, but I never wavered.
“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,” the e said.
The former VP also recounted learning courage from his mentor, the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. He stated that Yar’ Adua faced a death sentence with unflinching bravery.
“His blood pressure was normal on the day of his scheduled execution. That’s a soldier. That’s courage,” he said.
The former Vice President also detailed surviving an 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.”
The founder of AUN also aspired entrepreneurs among the graduates.
He said, “Build with integrity. Keep your business independent. Don’t rely on government. Avoid unnecessary confrontation, but never compromise your values.