Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday called on Nigerian youths to shun self- seeking politicians that may likely use them to cause violence during the next year general elections.
He urged them to conduct themselves peacefully so as to have a hitch free poll.
Speaking at the 34th convocation ceremony of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, yesterday, President Buhari said the present federal government is committed to the successful conduct of the next year general elections and would not accept any act of any kind that may hinder its success at the end of the day.
About, 12,108 students were handed scrolls at the event. Out of this figure, 10,330 are first degree /diploma graduands, while remaining 1,778 graduands had higher degrees/ post graduate diplomas.
Also, 103 students bagged first class division, 2,553 second class division, 1,660 third class division and 36 students graduated with Pass respectively.
However, President Buhari reminded the youths of huge investment committed to their university education by their parents and guardians adding that, “all these should be considered by staying away from being used by self- seeking politicians to cause any violence during the next year general elections”.
Represented at the occasion by the Director of Quality Assurance of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Mr. Noel Nuhu, Buhari said other countries of the world would be watching during the next year general elections, hence it is very important to counsel our youths to shun any move that may likely show them of being used by politicians to cause any violence during the polls”.
Buhari also used the occasion to call on the universities to continue to have a flair for research development rather than their personal development.
He said “no country can develop when there is a low human capital development, hence our universities should be up and doing to develop its research so as to garner this opportunities for the overall development of the country”.
While calling on wealthy Nigerians to continue to support the government in the development of education, President Buhari said such support would assist the government to move education forward in the country.
He also advised universities lecturers to see the students as their children and wards stressing that, they should shun all forms of sexual harassment being meted out to the students so as to enable them to be future leaders.
Also, a former Ambassador to United Nations, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, in his lecture entitled “Education for Peace, Democracy and Development” at the event said “as Nigeria goes to poll next year, Nigeria is in dire need of a national leader as president.
“Nigeria is broken politically, strategically, morally and completely bankrupt as poverty level has increased and Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world.
“The euphoria that greeted 2015 general elections is certainly different from the 2019 and that is why we must join hands together to get it right this time around. Nigeria is more divided now than ever”.
He said “it is only a political leadership with sound understanding of social, political, economic and ecological challenges essential for the peace and overall well-being of the society and which also has the willpower to rise above selfish interests in the pursuit of the peace and overall wellbeing of society and country will be able to surmount these challenges”.
Gambari added that, there is a need for government to credibly deter, disrupt and dismantle threats to the peace, democracy and development. The government needs to douse the tension across the country and make the Nigeria people’s confidence in their government increased”.
In his remark, the vice chancellor of the University, Professor Sulyman Age Abdkareem, lauded the federal government efforts at advancing the educational development of the institution.
He said such development has improved the academic development of the institution. According to him, “prior to 2017, the University had 15 patents, six of which humbly are mine and since I assumed office, we have added another eight”.
He said “more than before, researchers are now being sensitised and encouraged to carry out their investigation to patent-filing stage”.
Abdulkareem therefore said that, the management of the institution would continue to uphold its academic growth and stability so as to boost standard of education in the country.
