We’ll make IBBUL centre of academic excellence – VC

 

Barely three months after assuming office as the fourth substantive vice chancellor of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai (IBBUL), Professor Abu-Kasim Adamu, says his administration would not relent until the institution becomes a world-class citadel of learning, Abdulsalam Mahmud reports.

Bacground

The management of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL), in Niger state, has reaffirmed its commitment towards realising the vision of the school becoming a world-class centre of excellence to be driven by people, partnership and technology (PPT).

Vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Abu-Kasim Adamu, disclosed this at a two-day workshop on “Business Plan Development for Student/Graduate,” organised by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development (CIED) of the university recently

The VC who was represented by deputy vice chancellor (DVC) academic, Dr Mohammed Aliyu Paiko, appreciated the organisers of the workshop, saying the institution was committed to blazing the trail not only by the inclusion of entrepreneurship studies in its curriculum, but by providing practical demonstrations.

He stressed the importance of acquiring entrepreneurial skills aside possessing various schools and academic certificates.

In a lead paper titled, “Requirements for Accessing Existing Student/Graduate/Youth Entrepreneurship Support Fund in Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),” the guest speaker, Malam Mas’ud Ibrahim Tulu, said the CIED at the university is recognised by CBN as one of the foremost entrepreneur training institutions in the country.

Tulu who is the branch controller of the apex bank in the state, while harping on the benefits of imparting youths with relevant entrepreneurial skills, however, called on youths to key into any of the bank’s intervention programmes in order to become self-reliant.

Earlier in his welcome remark, the outgoing director of the centre, Dr Mohammed Mawoli, appreciated the management for supporting the centre, noting that the challenge is usually not the lack of business idea and skills, but lack of adequate funding.

He appealed to the participants to utilise the new knowledge they might have gained at the workshop, with the opportunities offered by CBN to become employers of labour instead of job seekers.

Developing ICT infrastructure

The management of IBBUL has reaffirmed its readiness to partner with Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) towards the development of the institution’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, to enhance learning and research.

To this end, a team from IBBUL has undertaken a visit to the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) in Abuja as part of efforts to deepen partnership and also strengthen existing relationship between the two institutions.

The team, led by the VC was received by the general manager operations, Engr Ibrahim Danjuma, who expressed confidence that the August visit would soon yield good fruits.

Welcoming the VC and his delegation, Danjuma, thanked the management of the institution for honouring and according the NIGCOMSAT management a warm reception when they visited the school few months ago.

He said that NIGCOMSAT identified IBBUL for collaboration in order to make her ICT service-delivery more robust, so that the institution could join the league of high ranking universities in the world.

He listed areas of possible collaboration with the university to include NIGCOMSAT ICT Infrastructure, Campus Area Network with high speed broadband, Learning Management System (LMS), School Information Management System (SIMS), Telemedicine Solution, Printed Circuit Board and Manufacturing Plant.

Responding, the VC said their visit would afford them a first-hand knowledge of NIGCOMSAT’s activities, and also seek areas of patronage and partnership.

He emphasised the importance of ICT in the realisation of the world-class vision of the university, which he said could only be achieved through collaboration with reputable ICT organisations.

He assured that the management would look into critical areas of partnership with the agency that would make IBBUL a reference point in the area of ICT development.

The IBBUL team was later taken round a few installations such as, Internet Service Providing Room, Satellite Control Centre, Internet Learning Facility for Distance Learning (e-Learning), and the Innovation and Development Center (IDC).

Earlier, a team from NIGCOMSAT, led by the assistant general manager, marketing and development, Mrs Olufunke Fagbeja, had visited the school management in Lapai.

Nurturing beneficial relationship

IBBUL and the Nigeria Postal Telecommunication (NIPOST) have both agreed to consolidate on the existing relationship between them. The agreement was reached when the vice chancellor received in his office, a delegation from the telecommunication, led by the Abuja zonal manager, Mr Victor Edogale.

The VC said continuous partnership and collaborations between NIPOST and IBBUL would certainly add value to both organisations, while also facilitating the quest of making the university a cosmopolitan community.

He disclosed that management will provide a befitting office accommodation for the telecommunication within the university for efficient service-delivery to staff, students and other customers.

In a remark, Edogale appreciated the school management for the opportunity and support offered their organization, and assured of prompt and efficient services that will meet the expectation of its consumers. He  added that NIPOST had not only expanded, but had since diversified its services.

VC tasked historians on developmental conversation

Nigerian historians have been challenged to always engage in positive thinking during critical discussions and conversations in the process of conducting archaeological documentation and archival research.

The vice chancellor threw the challenge at a public lecture on “Military and Nigerian Politics (1966-2019),” which was organised by the university’s Centre for Historical Research and Documentation (CHRD).

Represented by the deputy vice chancellor ((DVC) academic, Dr. Mohammed Aliyu Paiko, the VC disclosed that one of the core values of IBBUL was to drive positive thinking and conversation for meaningful development.

He applauded CHRD for organising the programme and for selecting a topic of great significance. He said the centre had challenged other relevant bodies and academic institutions by championing the discussion.

The guest speaker, Dr Hannatu Kaka Ali of the Department of History and War Studies at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, said the paper was not aimed at apportioning blame for the Nigerian civil war, but to bring out its historical significance.

In her lecture titled, “Nigerian Civil War: Fifty Years After and its Lessons”, Ali posited that a war that was supposed to end with truthfulness and remorse thereby reforming the country, ended with suspicion and distrust among the major actors.

Dean of Faculty of Education and Arts, Dr Salawu Mohammed Lawal, said the lecture was coming at a time when the country was facing grave security and developmental challenges.

Welcoming guests and participants, the coordinator of CHRD, Dr Sheshi Sidi, observed that since independence, Nigeria has been engulfed by several challenges that have militated against good governance and accelerated nation-building.

Sidi who is also the head of the department of History and International Studies, charged participants to identify and address the counter-productive issues that have hindered sustainable democratisation in the country.

DVCs challenged to inject new ideas

Following the ratification of appointments of Professor Mohammed Saba Mohammed as the new Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) and Dr. Mohammed Aliyu Paiko as the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) by the Governing Council of the university at its 47th regular meeting, the two principal officers have fully assumed duty.

Speaking at a symbolic handing over ceremony during the 86th regular senate meeting, the vice chancellor enjoined the new DVCs to collaborate with other members of the senate to accelerate the university’s developmental drive.

“The responsibility of taking IBBUL to greater heights is a task that must be accomplished with the support of both the principal officers and other relevant stakeholders,” he said.

Adamu, urged the DVCs to justify the confidence reposed in them by injecting new ideas that would help in the actualisation of the noble vision of the school.

Fire Service begins operation

Meanwhile, the institution’s Fire Service unit has begun operation, with a charge on the officers to be proactive in responding to emergencies on the campus.

Receiving the officers in the management meeting room, the VC said it was the duty of the personnel to respond to any emergency on the campus so as to save life and property.

Adamu, while thanking the Niger state government for donating a fire fighting vehicle to the university, recalled that 14 staff members of the institution had undergone a fire-fighting training organised by the Niger state Fire Service, and were presented with certificates after their passing-out-parade..

Management makes key appointments

In a bid to ensure efficiency, probity, professionalism and accountability, the management of IBBUL approved the appointment of more directors to man the affairs of some directorates.

Dr Mohammed Salihu Niwuro is to take charge of Institute of Maritime Studies, thereby taking over from Dr Mohammed Aliyu Bello, who was appointed the director academic planning. Before his new appointment, Niwuro was the coordinating director, School of Preliminary Studies, and a senior lecturer in the department of Political Science.

Also appointed is Dr Abubakar S.I Gudugi, who now takes over the director of Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneural Development. Before now he was the director, Students Industrial Working Experience Scheme (SIWES). He is of the department of Crop Production.

Gudugi takes over from Dr Mohammed Abubakar Mawoli who is now Dean, Faculty of Management and Social Sciences.

Similarly, Dr James I. Galadima is now coordinating director, School of Preliminary Studies of the University. He is to take over from Niwuro. A senior lecturer in the department of Mathematics, Galadima was one time the director of Institute of Maritime Studies.Dr Abdulkadir Abubakar takes charge of SIWES as director. He takes over from Gudugi. All appointments take immediate effect.Mahmud writes from Minna


Pix caption: IBBUL delegation on a visit to NIGCOMSAT office in Abuja

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