By Baba Adamu and Zakiyya Dangana Rabiu
Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has approved the release of N3bn TETFUND high impact fund aimed at the provision of enabling learning environment at the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK).
Engineer Sule disclosed this while delivering a speech on the occasion of the sixth combined convocation ceremony of the university, in Keffi, on Thursday.
This is just as the Governor promised to build on the legacies of his predecessors towards taking NSUK to enviable heights. Using the opportunity of the event to highlight some of the achievements recorded by his administration, Engineer Sule emphasized that education remains the most enduring legacy that can be given to the children of the state, especially in view of the challenges confronting the nation.
According to him, “No amount of investment and sacrifice can be too much to provide quality education to our people.”
He explained that it was for this reason that his administration has accorded priority attention to education by allocating, not less than 26 and up to 35 percent of the state’s annual budget between 2019 and now.
“It may interest you to note that, in view of our passion, we continue to make personal donations for education. The Nasarawa State Government has approved the allocation of bail out funds to enable the institution pay staff salaries during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as donated the fertilizer blending plant to the faculty of agriculture of this institution.
“In addition, we facilitated the establishment of the faculty of engineering and college of medicine and health sciences which will commence full academic activities this year,” the Governor stated.
Other areas of intervention by the Engineer Sule administration include construction and upgrading of primary and secondary schools through collaboration with UBEC and SDG, taking over responsibility of feeding students across all boarding schools, as well as enhancing capacity building and improve the quality of hardware and software that will facilitate the delivery of set objectives in ICT driven educational system.
While appreciating the vision and doggedness of the founding fathers of the institution, especially Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who established the university in 2001, Engineer Sule noted that, from its humble beginnings, NSUK has grown to become one of the most enviable institutions in the country.
“I must also recognise and appreciate the support that the university has continued to enjoy from successive administrations since 2007. I therefore pledge to build on the enviable legacies of my predecessors, to sustain the strides thus achieved,” he said.
He however pointed out that the success of the university cannot be complete without mentioning the selfless contributions of the former VCs, particularly the pioneer VC, Prof Adamu Baike, who is presently the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the NSUK governing council.
The Governor congratulated the graduands, urging them to use their knowledge and skills acquired as potentials for accelerating their career development, as well as add value to the technological, industrial and socioeconomic development of the country.
Engineer Sule equally congratulated the six distinguished Nigerians confered with the honorary doctorate degrees of the university, stressing that the gesture was a manifestation of their enormous contribution to the development of education in the country.
In a goodwill message, special guest of honour at the event, Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, commended the university for attaining this feat, twenty years after it was established.
According to the Vice President, NSUK has come a long way, as being demonstrated by the quality of its alumni that have continued to excel in almost every field of human endeavour, which include the immediate past VC of the institution, Prof Mohammed Akaro Mainoma, who is also the current president of the ANAN and Hajiya Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, the current Minister of State for the FCT.
Prof Osinbajo commended Senator Abdullahi Adamu for his bold vision to establish the university, commitment of succeeding administrations, as well as the dedication of the university’s administrative and academic staff.
He particularly commended Engineer Sule, who is the visitor to the university, for excellently building on the legacies of his predecessors.
“Let me also commend the VC, the entire academic and administrative staff, whose hard and sometimes thankless work, has culminated in the momentous celebration of academic excellence and attainment that are here for today,” he said.
He congratulated both the graduands and six Nigerians confered with honorary doctorate degrees of the institution, urging the graduands to view their attainment as a portal leading them to their careers that will define the fate of families, of industries, nations and the world at large.
Earlier in a welcome address, Vice Chancellor of the NSUK, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, said the sixth combined convocation of the institution marks a significant milestone in the history of Nasarawa State university because it coincides with the university’s 20th anniversary.
In paying glowing tributes to the founding fathers and critical stakeholders of the university, the VC said the aim of establishing the university was essentially to provide the avenue for the indigenes of the state to pursue and acquire university education that will prepare the graduates and equip them with adequate skills needed for the development of the state and country at large.
…Tells Graduands That No Govt in the World Gives Jobs to All Her Graduates
By Baba Adamu
Nasarawa state Governor and Visitor of the state’s own University (NSUK), Engineer Abdullahi Alhaji Sule has admonished graduands of the university to enroll in different skills acquisition programs in their communities to earn a living, describing the step as having the potentials of making them future employers of labour, instead of relying on governments for white Collar Jobs, arguing that no government in the world, even in the best of economies, provides jobs to all her graduates.
“You must therefore think outside the box, to start thinking of how to fend for yourself, because the truth of the matter is there are no jobs anywhere to give”, the governor told the graduands.
Governor Sule who addressed the graduands through his deputy, Dr Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe, while speaking at the 6th combined undergraduate convocation ceremony of the University which took place on Wednesday, 30th March, 2022, reminded the graduands that ready-job opportunities which used to be provided to fresh graduates on completion of their degree programs in the past are no more obtainable anywhere, as number of graduates in Nigeria today has multiplied by more than 100 folds, thereby making it extremely difficult or almost impossible for all tiers of governments to provide jobs to the nation’s teeming and street-roaming graduates.
The Governor who congratulated the graduands who were bestowed the University’s degree after being found worthy both in learning and character, also congratulated the Vice Chancellor, all the academic staff, and the management for seeing through the graduands and impacting the knowledge and discipline that they have come out with.
He hailed the Founding Father of the University, Distinguished Senator Abdullahi Adamu, for his vision and foresight in establishing the University’s which at one time the National Universities Commission rated as the best state University in the country.
He commended both the past and present managements of the University for the wonderful achievements they have recorded within the short span of twenty-years, and for their discipline and prudence in the management of the meagre resources they generate internally.
Gov. A.A. Sule who also thanked both the NUC and TETFund for the support they accorded to the university, called on them to continue to give the NSUK further support, so that the university can continue to stand tall among other universities.
He urged the graduands to, as ambassadors of the university, represent it wherever they found themselves. “You should conduct yourselves as those that did not only pass through the university, but as those who went through an institution, and the institution went through you”, he added.
NSUK has a history, it has a character, and, as its ambassadors therefore, you must at all times exhibit those characters in whatever you do. You must always demonstrate this in your behaviour, commitment and dedication.
He called on the University’s potential graduands to, as they await their graduation period, prepare for it, and while in preparing for it, “you must remain dedicated, disciplined, law abiding and always avoid all forms of vices to qualify for the University degree.
On the establishment of Faculty of Engineering and College of Medical Sciences which the Vice Chancellor is passionate about, the governor promised to make sure that the two Faculties become a reality.
He paid his respect to the University’s pro-chancellor and pioneer Vice Chancellor, Professor Adamu Baikie, who he described as a dogged fighter, erudite scholar, a man who believes in education, a reason why his commitment in the development of this institution is transparent. We therefore consider ourselves lucky to have this icon of scholarship as our father.