Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has expressed his commitment to the newly-elected executives of USOSA, the umbrella association of Unity Schools alumni, under the leadership of Professor Chidi Odinkalu, who was voted as President-General in Abuja at the weekend.
In a congratulatory message released by his media office, the Turaki Adamawa noted that his confidence in Odinkalu’s leadership was as a result of his long term awareness of the professor’s passion for education.
Atiku is Grand Patron of the Federal Government College, Okigwe, alumni association.
Odinkalu was until his new appointment, Secretary of the same association.
“Most of my philanthropic investments are in the area of education, particularly with my founding of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) while Odinkalu is a teacher who has spent a great deal of his time teaching around the world and doing advocacy.”
The former vice president noted that Odinkalu’s emergence could not have come at a more critical time, when education in our country faces huge challenges especially in the insurgency-ravaged North-east.
He added that the country’s Unity Schools in particular were in danger of going into extinction as centres of excellence and losing the essence of their founding.
“One of my children attended Unity Schools back in the day. Sadly, they are not what they used to be. But I have faith that, with a new leadership of the association in place, advocacy can be used to reverse the rot,” he said.
The former vice president also congratulated other elected members of USOSA, reminding them that a tree does not make a forest and assuring them of his support in their commitment to ensure education for all.
“Alumni of Unity Schools are the last vanguard in the battle of the unity of Nigeria,” Atiku said.
