Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has charged the state-owned university,Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai,IBBUL, to play a leading role in the country’s agricultural transformation through specialized researches that will improve the practices for increased value chain benefits in the sector.
Governor Sani Bello stated this while delivering his address, as the visitor of the university, at the 3rd combined convocation ceremony held in Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai on Saturday.
The Governor assured the University of his administration’s commitment to creating favourable business and investment climate that will trigger massive inflow of domestic and foreign investment in the agricultural sector of the state through private sector participation, supporting the small farmers with necessary incentives and to make agribusiness attractive to the youths.
“IBB University must, as a matter of expediency, begin to look inwards to expand its collaborations with the Federal and State Ministry of agriculture to export the expertise of the gown to the town towards modernizing our agricultural sector”, he added.
The Governor urged the management of the varsity to continue to train students to be of acceptable global standards in entrepreneurship skills and ensure that the graduates emerging from the institution were ready candidates for the increasingly competitive labour market, and more importantly, as job creators.
“You must rise to the challenge of meeting the manpower requirement of both the public and private sectors in the State; that is the strategic option in the 21st century.
He commended the management of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University for exposing its students to entrepreneurial skills such as agribusiness, fashion, cosmetics, solar energy, information communication technology, cashew and Shea processing, and many more.
Governor Sani Bello noted that, with the exposure of the students to entrepreneurial skills, it will ensure that the university not only providing education for the sake of acquiring certificates, but also for the provision of knowledge and skills which will empower the youths to become champions of their generation.
“Our government will, in spite of the difficult economic realities, continue to commit resources to the provision of adequate manpower, capacity enhancement, the motivation of teaching and non-teaching staff in all our institutions of higher learning”, he added.
He appreciated all agencies and individuals that were partnering with the government in taking this University to greater heights.
The Governor congratulated the students for completing their courses as well as those awarded with honorary degrees urging them to remain good ambassadors of the institution.
Governor Sani Bello appreciated Professor Muhammad Nasiru Maiturare, the outgoing Vice-Chancellor (VC) of IBBUL for bringing his wealth of experience to bear in last 5-years he came on board which has tremendously transformed the institution.
“On behalf of the Government of Niger State, I say thank you and wish you well in your future endeavours”, he said.
Delivering his address, Prof. Maiturare announced that out of the 3, 212 graduands; 23 had 1st class, 700 graduated with 2nd class upper, 1, 990 had 2nd class lower as 29 graduated with a pass.
For the Postgraduate School, the VC announced that 91 graduated from the school with 58 bagging masters’ degrees and 33 postgraduate diplomas.
The VC said that for 2017/2018 set, Yansahwu Adio of French Department emerged as the best overall student while for 2018/2019, Maryam Gomina of Physics Department emerged the overall best student.
He then solicited for an increase in subvention given to the institution even though he appreciated the prompt and timely release of the fund to the institution.
Highlights of the convocation included the awards of honorary degrees to distinguished Nigerians that have contributed to humanity; Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu was conferred with degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa), Justice Maria Sanda Zukogi was conferred with a degree of law (LLD) (Honoris Causa), while Late Governor Abdulkhadir A. Kure, founder of the IBBU was posthumously awarded a degree of Science Sc.D (Honoris Causa) which was received by his wife, Senator Zainab Kure.
