However, not everyone was happy about my choice of Malaysia, because some people (even within the academy) felt Malaysia had nothing to offer however, I knew what I wanted and took the opportunity. My choice was the University of Malaya (UM), an institution with over 100 years of scientific knowledge production.Īs a public servant in Nigeria, I was granted a study leave.

Thus, my search for a quality and affordable place to study led me to Malaysia, a growing hub of higher education in Asia. Nonetheless, I was determined to pursue my dream. I knew it would be difficult financially.

When I made up my mind in 2010 to further my studies abroad, particularly in one of the western countries considered the “choicest” by Nigerians, it was a huge task. Academics in the institution have conducted extensive researches that produced several engineering and scientific patents, which translate to Malaysian pride. Additional research centres had been established, while the institution had maintained a place among the 200 best universities in the “QS World University Rankings” across the globe. I also found this resourcefulness replicated in the public universities, in particular at UM. I thought this must be the result of leadership ingenuity. I had been in Malaysia only a year before, but I could not fathom how, in just a few months, gigantic infrastructural developments had replaced the ubiquitous palm tree plantations across the countryside.

Sheikh malam suleiman