Education
Praises, attestations as tenure of Vice Chancellor, Saadu Zungur University Ends
Praises, attestations as tenure of Vice Chancellor, Saadu Zungur University Ends
By: Mohammed Kaka Misau
Professor Auwalu Uba, the Vice Chancellor of Sa’adu Zungur University Gadau, Bauchi state was appointed on 20th December 2017 after serving as the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi from 2016 to 2017.
Born in Hardawa, Misau local government area of Bauchi, the young, Auwalu Uba attended Hardawa Government Primary school before he went to Government Secondary School Misau where he spent three years and then transferred to Government Scuence Secondary School Azare. He was among the pioneers of science secondary school Azare during the administration of late Tatari Ali.
He proceeded to School of Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, got admitted after a year and graduated in 1987 with bachelor’s degree in microbiology.
After graduation, Prof. Uba did his compulsory one year NYSC at General Hospital Katsina in Katsina state, after which he got appointment with the University of Maiduguri teaching hospital where he started his career.
Prof. Uba took up appointment with the University of Maiduguri as a graduate assistant and rose to the rank of lecturer II. From there he transferred his services to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi where he rose through the ranks up to the rank of Professor in 2007.
Commenting about five years stewardship of the VC, Director, Center of Excellence for Research and Innovation in the University, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Karamba described him as an exemplary leader to the core, a Professor of microbiology per excellence.
According to him, the vice Chancellor is the architect of the new Bauchi state university who has established an unbreakable system with all strategic committees in place, among others.
On his part, Abubakar Baba Yakubu, a student with the department of Public Health, faculty of basic medical sciences of the University, and president of the students representative council said that the VC is referred to as the modern architect of Bauchi state university Gadau due to his developmental strides in the institution.
“For the whole of my life I have never seen a leader like him, he always consider us, the students as his biological children, we call him Baba (father) because of his kindness and support to everyone of us”, he said.
Also speaking, the Dean School of science of the University, described Professor Auwalu as one of the best VCs in the country, adding that so many positive changes have been recorded since his assumption of office about five years ago.
“He has recorded tremendous successes particularly in the area of accreditation, before now, this faculty of science, we were expecting so many courses to be accredited, luckily enough since he came on board, so many courses such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, botany, zoology, microbiology, science Laboratory, technology, computer science and many other courses were fully accredited.
In an interview with our Corresspondent, the Vice Chancellor whose tenure is elapsing on 20th December, 2022 said just like any Vice Chancellor, the position carried many challenges.
“Just like every other Vice Chancellor in Nigeria, my tenure has been a challenging one because it’s a position that requires a lot of looking inward and outward”, he said.
The other one is the challenge of funding which is not peculiar with Sa’adu Zungur University Gadau alone and the reality is that the service charges we are collecting from the students are grossly inadequate and the govt cannot cater for everything, it is trying its best but the reality is that we are far being where we need to be in terms of funding.
And then, the environment also with this security challenges you have to be highly vigilant, we do face a lot of challenges. And like I said in the beginning of my conversation with you, bringing up a university or overseeing the affairs of a university for staff that are growing you have to grow with everybody, you have to teach almost everybody the job, but Alhamdulillah they are learning and we have gone far. I think these are some of the basic challenges that we faced.
According to him, “you know the problem with the Nigerian university is funding, funding has been a great challenge”, he said.
Professor Auwalu further explained that one of the challenges he encountered was heading the university that was just starting.
“I took over a university that was just about five years old, so the staff are growing with the university, they are learning the job so you have to be a coach for everybody, trying to bring everybody on board”, he added.
The Vice Chancellor while describing the scenario as a sweet experience, said it has made him learned a lot.
“Because of this position, I have learned a lot about people, I wouldn’t want to say it has not been difficult but Alhamdulillah, this is where we are, by God’s grace my tenure is coming to an end on 20th of December, 2022, but it has been a challenging period”, he confessed
Professor Auwalu who said his assumption was that the deanship of students’ affairs is the most difficult position in the university system not knowing that the VC manages everybody in the university and as such, has the most herculean task.
He said having a large students population living in a campus where there are limited accommodation space has been a challenge that most universities have to live with.
Professor Auwalu expressed delight that the management of the University under his leadership has been able to work harmoniously with the host communities where 80 percent of the students in Gadau lives.
“For Misau we don’t have problem but for Bauchi campus, we have zero campus. So we always have to intervene, this is one of the major challenges”, Professor Auwalu revealed.
He said understaffing has been the problem bedeviling almost every university in Nigeria, adding that over 90 percent of public universities are understaffed.
“Public universities are understaffed, particularly academic staff. That is why for every discipline, whether arts, humanity, science, medicine, engineering there is what we call, the students – teacher ratio and in almost every university, that has been exceeded and we are not different from them”, the University Don said.
He said that the the management of the Bauchi state owned University are striving hard to train many people to occupy those positions but are hindered by the limitation of funds.
“We can’t employ all the compliments of all the academic and non academic staff that we may need but we are managing, we compliment that shortage by what we call visiting lecturers that usually come from other universities and they teach and we pay them on monthly bases”, the Vice Chancellor revealed.
The VC who said that the university has been living harmoniously with its host communities, added that the management has been up and doing regarding its corporate social responsibility.
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The Vice Chancellor who recalled that the university had in 2019, carried out a rehabilitation work on a clinic in Yuli, added that, as a result, the village head of Yuli honored him with the traditional title of Dan-Madamin Yuli.
“In 2020, we purchased and distributed drugs to communities in Gadau, Misau, including the general hospital Misau, in Mada and in Yuli also, we assisted them with drugs and that they appreciated”, he said.
To further cement the relationship between the university and the host Communities, Prof Auwalu said, in most cases youth from the area are given preference in the area of employment as casual workers, most especially security.
“More importantly, when it’s time for admission, they bring their request and whoever that is qualified is given admission and this gesture has created peaceful living with our host communities, they are involved in everything that we do”, he noted.
The Vice Chancellor said he has in 2019, brought on board post graduate programs into the university where it run 19 out of 39 post graduate programs ranging from PGD, masters, Academic masters, professional masters and PhDs.
“As I am talking to you now, I just came back from a seminar presented by one of my PhD student, we have graduated so many masters students, we run 39 masters and PhD programs that cut across the faculties of arts, faculty of science, faculty of management sciences and the faculty of social sciences as well as faculty of education”, he added.
The VC who pointed out that the university is yet to start post graduate program on agriculture because it has not graduated the first set, equally said that the university has not started in the faculty of law but plans are under way.
“We have not started with pharmaceutical sciences because we have not graduated any set, we have not started in basic medical sciences for short of academic staff, so this is the run down of PG academic programs, we have 39 PG programs”, he said.
Professor Auwal who described the relationship between the management, staff and students of the University as very extremely cordial, said 98 percent of the Staff, students and the management are on the same page.
He said that the university has inculcated the idea of peaceful co-existence between the students most especially between different ethnic religious groups.
“Just last week I saw the NUBASS president wrote on his social media handle that he has visited the fellowship of christian students and they received them. I can tell you that the last Quranic recitation competition final that I attended in the university, the Muslim students invited their christian counterpart and they attended and all of us were there and we were very happy, so we live peacefully and cordially here”, the VC said.
Praises, attestations as tenure of Vice Chancellor, Saadu Zungur University Ends
Education
Borno State Scholarship Board Defends 2025 Budget Before State Assembly Committee
Borno State Scholarship Board Defends 2025 Budget Before State Assembly Committee
By: Our Reporter
This morning, the Borno State Scholarship Board, led by its Executive Secretary, Malam Bala Isa, appeared before the Borno State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation to defend its 2025 budget proposal.
The budget defense session was chaired by the Committee Chairman, Engr. Mohammed Gambomi Marte, representing Marte Constituency, with support from other committee members, including Hon. Mohammed Kawajjafa, representing Hawul Constituency.
During the session, the Scholarship Board outlined its proposed budgetary allocations and key initiatives aimed at improving access to education for Borno State students. The discussions emphasized the importance of continued scholarship programs to enhance educational opportunities and human capital development across the state.
Borno State Scholarship Board Defends 2025 Budget Before State Assembly Committee
Education
THREE NEW PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF BOSU RESUME OFFICE
THREE NEW PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF BOSU RESUME OFFICE
By: Our Reporter
Three newly appointed Principal officers of the Borno State University, have been presented with their letters of appointment.
The presentation which was performed by Professor Emeritus Abubakar Mustapha on behalf of the Pro – Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Alh. Dr. Muhammadu Indimi follows approval of their appointment by Visitor to the University and Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum on recommendation of the University’s Council.
Those appointed are Hajiya Jallaba Musa Sheikh as Registrar, Malam Kyari Dunoma Dunoma as Bursar and Dr Hamsatu Kadala Ali as the University Librarian.
Their appointment is for a period of five years with effect from 16th December 2024.
The new Registrar Hajiya Jallaba M. Sheikh is an indigene of Maiduguri Metropolis. Until her appointment she is the Director and Head, Admissions office, University of Maiduguri.
The new Bursar, Kyari Dunoma Dunoma, hails from Manguno Local Government of Borno State. Until his present appointment, he was a Deputy Bursar at University of Maiduguri.
The new University Librarian, Dr Hamsatu kadala Ali on the other hand, hails from Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State. She was acting Librarian Federal University Gashua for five years. Until her present appointment she was the Head of Department Library and Information Science, Federal University Gashua.
In their separate remarks both Prof. Emeritus Abubakar Mustapha and the Vice-Chancellor BOSU, Prof. Babagana Gutti, congratulated the new appointees and urged them contribute their quota in the progress and development of the University.
The outgoing Registrar, Zanna Mustapha Kashim commended all that sat for the interview as they have all done well and urged the new appointees to help management build a verile University.
The new appointees in their separate acceptance remarks pledged to put in their best to move the University forward.
THREE NEW PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF BOSU RESUME OFFICE
Education
2 DIVISION COMMAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS HOLD QUIZ, DEBATE COMPETITION 2024/2025 ACADEMIC SESSION
2 DIVISION COMMAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS HOLD QUIZ, DEBATE COMPETITION 2024/2025 ACADEMIC SESSION
By: Polycarp Okoye
Headquarters (HQ), 2 Division Nigerian Army (NA), organised quiz and debate competition for Command Secondary Schools within 2 Division Area of Responsibility (AOR) for 2024/2025 academic session. The event was held at the Division’s Auditorium from, Monday 18 – Thursday 21 November, 2024. It afforded participating schools and students the opportunity to compete amongst themselves, featuring varied questions from different academic fields, including Information Communication Technology (ICT), current affairs and general Knowledge.
While declaring the one week event open, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Major General Obinna Onubogu, noted that exposing students to quiz and debate competitions amidst their academic activities, remains a major driving factor that challenges their thinking mechanism, while redoubling developmental processes with appropriate and effective career prospects for achieving desired result. He said that, quizzes and debates, are empirically proven to reinvigorate continuous and effective education system that give students a break from the normal traditional classroom learning, and prepare them to excell in practical and realistic circumstances. He added that the academic competitions would serve as strong interactive and motivational platform for students to imbibe team spirit, acquire knowledge, and embolden their speech and communication skills.
General Onubogu, further said, that the competition was aimed at exposing students to critical thinking, and make them appreciate the importance of extensive research for improved innovation and intelligence. “This event, is therefore another forum through which schools can expand their students’ frontier of knowledge; making them even famous amongst their peers”, he said. He implored all students to utilise the opportunity to develope themselves, and as well earn glory to their respective schools and families.
The GOC, expressed deep appreciation to the Acting Chief of Army Staff (Ag COAS) Lieutenant General Olufemi Oloyede, for his unwavering support towards the competition; while applauding the Director, 2 Division Education Services (DDES), Colonel AO Sofoluwe, as well as teachers and organisers of the event for their priceless contributions to human capacity development. He
urged the panel of judges to be fair and firm in order to ensure a balanced, honest and realistic result.
The participating students at the competition, represented Command Secondary Schools (CDSS) Odogbo, Mokola, Akure and Ijebu – Ode. Others were, CDSS Ede, Esan – Ekiti, Saki, and Ibadan. Students in the senior category, competed in English language, Mathematics, Phisics, Chemistry, Biology, General paper, and current affairs; while those in the junior category, slogged it out in English language, Mathematics, Basic Science, Basic Technology, Agricultural Science, General knowledge, and current affairs. After three days of intense intellectual battle, winners in the different categories emerged.
For the junior category, CDSS Akure and Ijebu – Ode came 3rd and 2nd runner ups with 139.95 and 141.1 points respectively; while CDSS Ede came first with 143.65 points. In the senior category, CDSS Mokola and Odogbo finished 3rd and 2nd positions, with 73.61 and 73.70 percentages respectively; while CDSS Saki, took the day with 77.50 percent. Winners in the two categories were duly rewarded with appropriate trophies, awards, and cash prices to motivate them, and increase commitment for improved future performances. Their teachers and organisers equally received cash gifts as appreciation for the efforts they invest in training the children.
The DDES, who delivered vote of thanks, appreciated God for sustaining the committee in its various engagements towards preparing for the event. He further thanked the GOC for his unwavering support; saying the competition was inspired by his (GOC’s) burning interest to ensure that NA schools across 2 Division AOR, and beyond, are well positioned to meet up global standards. Colonel Sofoluwe, also appreciated the Schools Commandants, organising committee members, panel of judges, and teachers for their contributions towards the success of the event. Principal Staff Officers, Units and Formations Commanders, as well as Officers and Soldiers of the Division’s HQ witnessed the competition.
2 DIVISION COMMAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS HOLD QUIZ, DEBATE COMPETITION 2024/2025 ACADEMIC SESSION
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