By Hajj Wazz Messiah Adam
Nigeria’s President of Japan Alumni Association, Professor Muhammad Dauda, has been appointed Director of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development, University of Maiduguri.
A letter conveying the appointment, signed by the Registrar of the University, Tijjani Bukar, dated 29th, December, 2020, partly read, “I write to inform you that the Vice Chancellor, Professor Aliyu Shugaba, has approved your appointment as Director – Centre For Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development”
“The appointment which is for the initial period of two years, takes effect from 1st December, 2020. As a Director, you will be responsible to the Vice Chancellor for the day-to-day administration of the Centre”, the letter further read, adding that, “your duties are contained in the objectives and functions of the Instrument establishing the Centre”.
Prof. Mohammed Dauda, who is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering with diverse research interest in Advanced Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Technology/Emerging Technologies, such as Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing), hails from Potiskum in Yobe State.
He obtained his Bachelor of Engineering Degree (Mechanical) from the University of Maiduguri in 1990, bagged Masters of Science Degree (Mechanical) from the University of Lagos in 1994 and a Doctor of Engineering Degree from Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan in 2002.
He started his Career in 1992 as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maiduguri, where he rose through the ranks to a full Professor in 2012. He is a COREN Registered Engineer, Fellow and Corporate Member of many professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FNIMechE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (MASME), etc.
In recognition of his hard work, Prof. Dauda has won many merit awards and academic honours including the Japanese Government Scholarship (MEXT), Ford Foundation Teaching Innovation Award; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Research Award; Materials Research Society of Japan (MRS-J) Best Research Award, UNESCO/People’s Republic of China Great Wall Fellowship.
Prof. Dauda was a former HOD of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maiduguri, the Pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Programme (AMT-P), Jalingo, a Research and Development Centre under the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), as well as a former Director of Engineering Infrastructure at the NASENI Headquarters, Abuja. His vast knowledge and experience emanating from the combination of training he received from within and outside the country coupled with his years of academics and industry practice makes him a great mentor for students and staff, start-ups, innovators and inventors, etc.