th 0795-3089 6 May, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 18 EnoughEnough ofof StrikesStrikes — President Buhari tells University Unions resident Muhammadu enormous financial and other sector, government would not Buhari (GCFR), has related challenges facing the r e l e n t i n i t s e n v i s i o n e d Padvised university-based unions to be more sensitive in their pursuit of demand for improvement in the university system and to think out of the b o x i n o r d e r t o p r o f f e r implementable strategies that could take the education system beyond the usual funding rhetorics. In the Visitor’s Address read by the Executive Secretary, N a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t i e s Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, mni, MFR, FNAL, President Buhari noted that since inception of his a d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n 2 0 1 5 , education had been given appreciable priority and would continue to invest substantially in education. President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces He said that despite the in this edition Obong University Holds 3rd Combined Convocation ––Graduates 298, 3 rst class Pg. 11 Nigerian Folklore Society Holds Annual Congress Pg. 8 6th May, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 18 determination to ensure that In his own words: “I would like to constraints and challenges in the education was revitalised in the seize this opportunity to appeal to university system and will leave country. the leadership and rank and file of no stone unturned to change the all university-based unions to be narrative”, he said. This he said was in line with government’s awareness that He applauded the effort of the education was germane to management of ABU towards gaining access to global enhancing capacity through civilization in the 21st Century Distance Learning and affiliations which Nigeria was also striving with some Federal and State to be an active player. Colleges of Education as well as Polytechnics. This, he said, would President Buhari, lamented that help resolve the crises of access for despite the successes recorded in candidates who desired to the last four years of his undertake university programmes administration, Government was outside the existing university's disturbed by the incessant strikes Prof. Abubakar A. Rasheed structures and catchment. and threats of strike actions by Representative of the Visitor the various university-based He noted with pride that the more sensitive in their pursuit and unions. While explaining that University had adequately key into demands for improvement in the industrial action by way of strike the Federal Government's effort of university system. It is only when was inexorably inimical to the revitalising and developing there is peace and stability that the health and progress of any railway transportation in the nation is able to consolidate the university system, he noted that Country through its collaboration Representative of the visitor, Prof. Rasheed (4th left) and the Governor of Kaduna State Mal. Nasir El-Rufa'i (4th right) and other dignitaries in a group photograph with the two honorary awardees Aliko Dangote (3rd right) and Alh. Hassan Sunmonu (6th left) i t w a s w o r r i s o m e a n d gains and successes recorded in with Central South University, disheartening about the grievous the advancement of the cause of C h a n g s h a , C h i n a f o r t h e loss in time and learning hours higher education in the country. production of skilled manpower in such situations had brought to Government is fully aware of the the railway sector. The graduands the nation. Page 2 A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 6th May, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 18 of the 3+2 programmes, he He further stressed that they 81 had first class; 2,043 second recalled, would be more amply s h o u l d r e m e m b e r t h e class upper division; 6,885 second e q u i p p e d w i t h m o d e r n investments of their parents, the class lower division; 1,502 third technological skills to re- u n i v e r s i t y a n d i n d e e d class honours; 114 pass degrees as engineer the fast developing Governments at all levels to their well as 178 unclassified degrees railway sector. education, by working hard to (from Faculties of Law, Medicine, become useful not only to Pharmaceutical Sciences and The Visitor also commended the themselves, but their parents, Veterinary Medicine). University for the Conferment of communities and the nation at Honorary Doctorate Degrees on large. According to Professor Garba, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON, they all represented fine young Africa's foremost businessman Addressing the Congregation, men and women, and even older and Alhaji Comrade Hassan the Vice-Chancellor, Professor ones that have done well to earn Adebayo Sunmonu, OON, Ibrahim Garba, disclosed that a their degrees and diplomas in Africa's foremost trade unionist. total of 15,787 were graduating diverse fields of knowledge in He described the awards as well from the University in the various disciplines. R-L: The Chancellor, HE, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, Obi of Onitsha; Representative of the Visitor, Prof. Rasheed; Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba and the Pro-chancellor, Adamu Fika at the convocation lecture, behind the Pro-chancellor is the DCC, NUC, Ibrahim Usman Yakasai deserved and in recognition of 2017/2018 academic session. their numerous contributions to He congratulated the graduands, the development of humanity. Giving a breakdown of degrees on behalf of the Governing obtained, the Vice Chancellor Council, the Senate, Management, The President charged the highlighted that 4,984 were in S t a ff a n d S t u d e n t s o f t h e graduating students to be good Higher Degrees comprising (359 University for their Academic ambassadors of the prestigious Ph.D; 15 Mphil; 3380 Masters). L a u r e l s a n d w i s h e d t h e m University by deploying the For the Diploma category, it has successes in their future careers. knowledge and skills they 5 5 M B A - D L a n d 1 , 1 7 5 acquired for national growth and Postgraduate Diplomas. Responding on behalf of the development. honorary awardees, the Chairman The first degree category has of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, 10,803 garduands; out of which Page 3 A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 6th May, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 18 Alhaji Aliko Dangote in his Dangote called on the Federal funding challenges facing the acceptance speech, said ABU G o v e r n m e n t t o c o n s i d e r university system. was an institution famed for its allocating special funds to incredibly thorough academic traditions, quality of faculty and the enriching experiences of life within its walls. “Today this University has lived up to its billing as a melting pot for ideologies by honouring a r e n o w n e d s o c i a l i s t a n d champion of employees' rights, Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu and myself for being a leading capitalist and investor in Representative of the Visitor, Prof. Rasheed, flanked by the Chancellor, HE, e m p l o y m e n t g e n e r a t i n g Nnaemeka Achebe (right) and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba (left) at the entrance of site 2 of the ABU campus enterprises. This profound honour clearly reflects a universities to enable them He acknowledged that the Federal thoughtful mix of both unique improve on research and upgrade Government alone could not endeavours, which is also indeed their infrastructure. Such shoulder the entire burden of Representative of the Visitor, Prof. Rasheed, cutting the tape to open one of the hostel blocks built by the Dangote Foundation a good connection for national intervention, he said, was funding tertiary education due to development,” he said. imperative, given the perennial competing needs of other sectors requiring priority attention. This, Page 4 A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 6th May, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 18 according to him, remained He recalled that some years ago, areas where Public Private as Chairman of the National Partnership (PPP) could bridge Committee on Job Creation, the the gap. R-L: Representative of the Visitor Prof. Rasheed; Governor, Kaduna State, Mal. Nasir El-Rufa'i and the Chancellor, HE, Alfred Achebe in a Recession after the convocation The business mogul, opined that the private sector must go beyond the payment of 2% Education levy and be ready to join hands with the State and Federal Government to expand funding for tertiary education in Nigeria. The Chairman, Dangote Group, noted that he was passionate about two things namely- education and entrepreneurship, stressing his belief in the fact that they both go hand in hand. Page 5 A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 6th May, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 18 Photo Gallery: Ahmadu Bello University 41st Convocation Ceremony Quarter Guard for the Visitor Prof. Rasheed (right) and VC Prof. Garba at ABU site II Profs. Rasheed and Garba middle is DCC Ibrahim U.