NEWS:MAU Convocates 12,866 Graduands as Pres Buhari, Gov Fintiri Assures Support, Collaboration with University

Barnabas Augustine

23/20/2021
 

The Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola has convocate twelve thousand eight hundred and sixty-six graduated students at the 24th, 25th and 26th combined convocation ceremonies held at the convocation ground of the institution.
Among the graduands at the 24th, 25th and 26th combined convocation for the award of Certificates, Diplomas, First and Higher Degrees and Prizes are: one hundred and thirty one First Class graduating students with forty-four from 2017/18 academic year, fifty two from 2019/20 and thirty four from 2020/21 academic calendar.
 

Speaking at the ceremony, President Muhammaadu Buhari has charged the graduands to use the great knowledge they acquired at the institution not only to fulfill their desire but contributes to the development of the nation.
Represented by the State Minister for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, while congratulating the graduands for successful graduation at the university, President Buhari said that the career and future of the graduands cannot be overemphasized having they groomed to face and conquer the challenges they may encounter in life.
 

He disclosed that his administration signed into law the conversion of Modibbo Adama University of Technology to conventional university based on the yearning of the institution and the citizenry. Urging the the authority concern to maintain the standard of the institution before it was converted to conventional university.
The President stated that the commencement of medical department at the Modibbo Adama University is in line with his administration's policy of tackling health challenge in the country while assuring that his administration will give the necessary support to the universality to progress.
 

President Muhammadu Buhari chrged the university management and the staff to serve the institution with greater zeal with the resources at their disposal and the graduands to take the advantages of the various entrepreneur skill initiated by his administration to become self reliant.
 

While delivering his speech, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri disclosed that since its establishment  in 1981, Modibbo Adama University has maintained standard and has been a centre for research and development. He assures his administration's continue partnership with the University in the specialized areas of research and development.
 

Governor Fintiri said his administration's ccommiment to research gave birth to launching of the state agribusiness.
 

"Today, we are set to launch the Adamawa State Agribusiness Support Programme (ADAS), which is a product of research that will fix the infrastructure of the demand side of the agricultural value chain in the State and unlock opportunities for shared prosperity for our people" Governor Fintiri said.
"We have also announced our debut into Nigeria’s Capital Market with a unique product which is the Agricbusiness Bond, the first of its kind in Nigeria. I call on everyone interested in doing business in Adamawa State – the University community, the business community - especially our hardworking sons and daughters to take full advantage of pioneering in the areas of opportunities that abound in the ADAS Programme. This is a game-changer and we hope to optimize it to the fullest as a government".
 

The Governor revealed that it was due to his administration collaboration and exploiting the intellectual resources within the university from the Centre for Peace and Security Studies that it found a unique individual, Dr Jamila Sukeiman who was to  moderate and negotiate a Peace Accord that greatly reduced the hitherto perennial farmer-herder conflicts in the Numan Federation.
 

Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri stated that his administration has prioritized Education second to security in his eleven point agenda. He disclosed that many reforms were embarked upon to restore the lost glory of education sector in the state. Maintaining that his administration has  paid scholarship to indigent students, made education compulsory and free in public primary and secondary schools across the state, paid WAEC and NECO fee to all SS 3 students public schools in the state among others.
 

In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor. Modibbo Adamawa University, Yola, Prof. Abdullahi Liman Tukur thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent to the bill converting the university to conventional one which he said was a request made by the prominent Sons and Daughters of Adamawa led by the state Governor, Ahmadu Unaru Fintiri. He thanked Governor Fintiri for the support he is rendering to the Federal institution in his state.
 

Prof. Tukur appealed to the Federal Government to convert Federal Medical Centre Yola to Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital to facilitate the training of the medical students, a special waiver be given to the university to recruit more academic staff, dualized A13 Federal Highway from Jimeta bridge to Girei to check the menace of traffic on the highway and intervene in construction of office blocks, lecture theaters, students hostels among others that will meet the expansion scope of the university.
 

He appealed to Governor Fintiri to fulfill the promise made by his predecessor to construct ten kilometre road within the university and two hundred bed capacity female hostel.
 

In his address, the Chancellor Modibbo Adama University, Yola, HRM Okuku Uwa Umoh Adiaka III, paramount ruler of Obot Akara LGA of Akwa Ibon State commended the management and staff of the university for maintaining high standards at all time; congratulated the graduating students for successful passing all courses in the university, encouraged them to be up to date in living in a world of global challenges, face the realities of the nation's challenges with solutions not complaints and learn to use skills they learnt during their study.
 

On his part, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Wazirin Dutse, Alh. Bashir M. Dalhatu commended the Senate and Management of the university for their tireless efforts in keeping the academic calendar despite the challenging situation of 2020 ASUU strike and COVID 19 pandemic.
 

There where goodwill messages from the various Vice Chancellors of Universities in the North East.