…As Engineer Sule donates N1m each to 33 first class graduates.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, chairman, and CEO of the Dangote Group, the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa, has said he will build the Aliko Dangote Sugar Research Centre at the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK).
This was made known by the outgoing Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, while delivering a speech at the 7th Convocation ceremony of the university, in Keffi, on Saturday.
Professor Gambari, who was among the dignitaries conferred with the institution’s honorary doctorate degree, identified infrastructure as a critical challenge facing the development of not only universities such as the Nasarawa State University but Nigeria as a whole.
“My recent experience serving as the Chief of Staff to the President has given me a unique perspective on the grand challenges facing Nigeria. I can tell you all that the infrastructural challenges facing this university is more or less written large all over Nigeria.
“In spite of this, Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari has made tremendous contributions to fill in the infrastructural development gap in this country. He has commissioned only in the last couple of days several bridges, roads and other infrastructural development. In a sense, he can be referred to as Mr Infrastructural President.
“And in addition to that, he has really contributed significantly in addressing other challenges particularly diversifying the economy putting our petroleum industries into a much more private sector oriented and regulatory mechanism that is clear to all.
“And above all, he has laid the foundation for sustainable development of democracy in our country through the passage of the electoral act and also showing leading by example by conducting an election that has produced our incoming president,” he stated.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, chairman, and CEO of the Dangote Group
Prof Gambari assured that, as an alumnus of the institution, he will use his social capital to address the challenges of infrastructure at the NSUK.
“In this regards, I have good news. Having spoken with Alhaji Aliko Dangote, he has now agreed to build the Aliko Dangote Sugar Research Centre here in NSUK,” he said.
This is just as Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule announced a personal Fondation of one million Naira each to the 33 students that graduated with first class degrees as starting package.
Engineer Sule wooed graduates of the university with first class and second class degrees, especially those from the faculty of education, to join the state’s education system as his administration seeks to employ additional one thousand teachers.
“We have just conducted and completed our baseline survey of our education sector. In addition to the 2500 and 3000 that we have employed, we are also seeking to employ another 1000 teachers to strengthen our educational sector.
“I want to call on those from the faculty of education to show interest in that and you will be given special preference, especially those of you with first class and second class to be part of our education system and grow it,” the Governor said.
He equally called on graduates from the faculty of agriculture and environmental sciences to look within the state and to exploit the growing opportunities created by his administration as a result of attracting major agricultural companies into the state.
“I want to also call on those from the faculty of agriculture and environmental sciences to understand that today, we have the Dangote Group that is building the sugar plantation and in addition we have the SaroAfrica also that is looking at 20, 000 hectares as well as the Azman and Nigeria Flour Mills,” he stated.
Engineer Sule used the opportunity to aporeciate Alhaji Aliko Dangote for not only accepting to be the chairman at the convocation lecture but also sending an ambassador to make a commitment for the construction of the Aliko Dangote Sugar Research Centre.
“We want to thank you Sir for your commitment and for all that you are doing for not only Nigeria but Africa. We want to specifically thank you for this additional commitment,” he added.
He congratulated the distinguished Nigerian statesmen, including business Mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who have just been conferred with doctorate degrees at this occassion, saying this indeed, is the manifestation and eloquent testimony of their contributions towards the development of Nigeria, humanity and the world at large.
The Governor also congratulated the graduating students that include governors-elect of Sokoto and Taraba states.
“It’s imperative to emphasize that education remains the most enduring legacy we can give to our children in view of the myriad challenges facing our people. I make bold to say that, no amount of investment and sacrifice can be too much to provide quality education considering its obvious importance in tackling the menace of insecurity and other vices. It’s for this reason that we have sustained our commitment to education sector since our assumption of office,” Engineer Sule said.
He challenged the graduates of the institution to be good ambassadors of the university.
“It’s my believe that the knowledge and skills which you have acquired during your studies will be necessary tool towards accelerating your career development and add value to the technological, industrial and socio-economic development of our country.
“I charge you to bear in mind that the certificates you have received today are more than mere meal tickets. In other words, you are leaving this arena with your letters of credence as ambassadors of NSUK to any part of the world.
“It behooves on you therefore, to fly the banner of honour and integrity of your Alma mater as worthy ambassadors at all times no matter the circumstances,” he stated.
Guest speaker at the event, Professor Brunon Holyst, a world class criminologist, also a recipient of the university’s honorary doctorate degree, delivered a lecture titled: ‘The new approach to criminology: A global perspective.
Earlier in an opening remarks, Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, disclosed that the institution graduated over 5, 984 students in various displine with 33 first class students, with 1, 677 post graduate students.
While acknowledging the tremendous contributions of Engineer in the development of education in the state, the NSUK Vice Chancellor however appealed for more support to the institution.
