By Maryam Umma Abdulsalam
Students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, turned out in large numbers for the Busha Campus Invasion held at the Samaru Campus, an event aimed at introducing students to opportunities in digital finance, cryptocurrency and the Web3 ecosystem.
The programme featured educational sessions, interactive activities and competitions, with participants winning cash prizes, merchandise and a brand new laptop.
At the end of the event, Muhammad Arafa Muhammad, a student of Mechatronics Engineering, emerged as the overall winner of the Kahoot game, receiving ₦25,000 and Busha merchandise. Adeniyi Victor Ademola of Civil Engineering won ₦15,000 and merchandise, while Halima-Sadiya Abubakar Abdullahi, a Human Anatomy student, received ₦10,000 and merchandise.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of an HP laptop to Emmanuel Oluwagbenga Joseph, a student of Automotive Engineering, who emerged winner of the graphic design contest organised before the day of the event.
Emmanuel Oluwagbenga Joseph
Speaking during the event, the host, popularly known as MBolaCrypto, explained that Busha differs from Zano, a blockchain-focused project whose conference was held in ABU the previous week.
According to him, while Zano is a privacy-focused blockchain platform, Busha is a financial technology application that allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, save funds, access lending services and carry out other financial transactions.
He noted that the event was organised to expose students to opportunities available in the digital economy, particularly within the cryptocurrency and Web3 industries.
“I have earned from the Web3 space and have seen many students benefit from it through jobs, career opportunities and other forms of engagement. Events like this help create awareness and expose students to those opportunities,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr. ABU, Abigashi, a student of Theatre and Performing Arts, said he supported the initiative because of its potential to empower students.
“I strongly believe in creating opportunities for students. As students are learning, they should also be earning. After testing the platform myself and seeing how it works, I discovered it was something worth supporting,” he said.
Abigashi added that he spent about two weeks evaluating the platform before endorsing the programme.
A representative of Busha, Wisdom Iyekeotin @wizzyTSG, described the outreach as the company’s first major campus engagement in Northern Nigeria. He explained that the initiative is part of a nationwide tour aimed at creating awareness among students about opportunities in emerging digital industries.
“The future belongs to young people. They are the next entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders. We want to expose them to opportunities that can help them create wealth and build careers in the future,” he said. Wisdom also commended the enthusiasm of ABU students, describing their participation and eagerness to learn as impressive.
Participants section at the event.
The event attracted students from various departments across the university and concluded with prize presentations, networking sessions and discussions on the growing role of digital finance and technology in creating opportunities for young Nigerians.