University of Maiduguri appoints former Bauchi Assembly Speaker, Ambassador at -large

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Former Bauchi Speaker, Hon. Abubakar Suleiman

By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi

University of Maiduguri has appointed the former Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman as Ambassador-at-large.

In a letter sent to the Speaker by the University sited by Journalists in Bauchi on Friday, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Aliyu Shugaba said that University decided to appoint the Speaker because he is one of its most accomplished Alumni. 

According to him, the University which is one of the Seven second generation institutions of higher learning and first University in the North East subregion, established in 1976, has witnessed tremendous growth both physically and in the area of academic programmes. 

He stated that the University has 127  academic programmes, 89  departments spread in one medical college, 16 faculties, 23 institutes, academic centres, units and two schools including the purposely-built and well equipped Muhammadu Indimi International Centre.

Professor Shugaba also stated that students enrollment has risen to over 70000 enrolled into various postgraduate, undergraduate, diploma, certificate and remedial programmes in which National University Commission (NUC) recently recognized Unimaid as most populated University in Nigeria with highest students population and 6000 academic and nonacademic staff.

According to him, “The University through sheer determination and careful planning and commitment to teaching, learning and research has today become an important key player in learning and scholarship globally and has produced great men and women of distinction in various sectors in Nigeria, prominent among them are the Vice President of Nigeria His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima and the President of the Senate, Senator Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan.”

He added that, “However that the rapid expansion and growth that the University of Maiduguri has undergone in the last 48 years of its establishment, poor funding from the Federal Government without corresponding upgrade in facilities coupled with rising inflation in the Country are seriously threatening the actualization of the vision and mission of the University.”

“In order to arrest this worrying situation, the University Management has found it necessary to relaunch the University of Maiduguri Endowment Fund which was initiated by the then Vice Chancellor of the University Late Professor Muhammad Nur Alkali in 1986.” The letter reads in parts.

The University said that with his appointment of the Speaker, it expect him to assist in helping it in successfully accomplishing the laudable goal of relaunching of the University of Maiduguri Endowment Fund in order to enhance the University’s ability to meet the various huge challenges of training qualified manpower needed for national development in the 21st Century.

Responding to the appointment, the Speaker expressed his gratitude to the University for finding him worthy of the appointment which he said he proudly accepted.

According to the Speaker, the feat he has attained in his life, is connected with quality education and training he had received from Unimaid, saying it’s centre of excellence in learning and character.

He assured the University of his readiness to render any service or assistance toward attainment of its goals because that’s the biggest way he can payback to his proud alma mater.

The Speaker also commended the Vice Chancellor of the University for his foresight, laudable initiatives and focussed leadership which will in a short and long run, make UniMaid ahead of all Universities not only in Nigeria but Africa as contained in a statement by Abdul Ahmad Burra, Spokesperson to the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly.