Varsity to Set Up N50bn Endowment Fund for Medical Research

–         Group applauds Tinubu’s economic policies

Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja 

Chancellor of the European University Abuja (EUN), Nicolas Ukachukwu, disclosed at the weekend that the institution has assembled a group of investors for N50 billion research endowment fund to make it a centre of research.

Ukachukwu made the disclosure while at the median matriculation of the EUN on Saturday in Abuja.

Before the first set of matriculants will graduate in five years, he stated the school would have become a research centre in Nigeria.

“We set up this university to be a centre for research and the N50 billion endowment fund will be on special categories of research and particular special disciplines.

“So, we’re going to now be able to research things that actually can help on the technical side, on the medical side, on other areas where you can take a particular study, a particular case from zero to the end.

“Like medicine, you know, there’s a journey from the time you discover it to the time you take it to clinical tests, to the time when we will not take it to admittance and it becomes a drug you can be able to put in the market.

“It takes a lot and it requires a special skill and centre and equipment to make it happen and then that’s what we want to achieve here in different disciplines,” he said.

He assured that whatever money is invested in the project will yield profits.

“I can’t call people, including myself for us to put down together N50 billion there. I’m a businessman, so whatever business I start I take it to the point of profitability,” he said.

In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of EUN, Prof. Emmanuel Ibezim, advised the students to be focused and of good character.

“Let me remind you that admission is but a first step, a starting point. What really matters is what you do with the opportunity before you.

“The university will provide you with knowledge, skills, mentorship and an enabling environment. But excellence will ultimately depend on your commitment, character and choice.”

Meanwhile, a group known as Working People United (WPU) has thrown its weight behind the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu, saying they will guarantee a sustainable and stronger Nigeria.

The group also promised to engage in enlightenment and mobilise millions of Nigerian workers for the president’s re-election.

The Interim National Coordinator of WPU, Comrade Williams Akporeha, made the promise at the unveiling of WPU  in Abuja.

Akporeha said President Tinubu had launched very hard but necessary economic policies which will make Nigeria stronger and sustainable in the future.

“Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu has taken bold and decisive steps to reposition Nigeria for sustainable growth and shared prosperity.

“The reforms and policies introduced by this administration demonstrate courage, foresight, and commitment to building a stronger Nigeria.

“There have been several pro-working people achievements of President Tinubu since his assumption of office. Beyond wages, the administration has introduced several pro-people and pro-poor initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic reforms and support vulnerable Nigerians.”

According to him, “Working People United, therefore, stands as a platform to enlighten Nigerians about these reforms, to promote constructive engagement between government and citizens, and to mobilise and advocate for policies that will move the nation forward.

“Our goal is to mobilise millions of workers, artisans, traders, farmers, professionals and everyday Nigerians to support the continuation of policies and programmes designed to rebuild our economy and strengthen our national institutions for a greater Nigeria,” he emphasized. 

On why the movement was established, he said, “WPU was established with a clear and patriotic mission: to galvanise and mobilise Nigerians across all sectors of the economy to actively participate in shaping the future of our country and to ensure the continuation of leadership that prioritises national development, economic stability, and the welfare of the masses.”

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Madagascar, Mauritius and Mozambique, Amb. Yamaha Osemobo, said he joined the group because of their support for Tinubu’s good policies.