Saturday Letter2
Anybody who finds himself/herself at the helm of affairs of any organization or institution will like to do good things that will be remembered.
Though, there are some that do not care about their legacies, we can say that the desire of any good leaders is to perform wonderfully. At this junction, we will say that University of Maiduguri is fortunate to have a leader that has the desire of leaving a good legacy. This is no other person but Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, the incumbent Vice Chancellor of University of Maiduguri who assumed office on 3 June, 2014. Professor Njodi ensures that every sector of the university feels his impact.
The achievements of the vice chancellor have earned him recognition and many awards. One of the notable achievements of the vice chancellor is the provision of houses for staff, enhancing revenue generation and exploring options of investment in revenue generating ventures and sustenance of existing and introducing new programmes including staff training and development, maintenance of discipline, ensuring the full accreditation of academic programmes and quality control, development of E-library and improving the existing synergy between the governing council and senate, stabilization of the university calendar and admission process, among others. With this development, students of the university now enjoy long vacation from June to October of every year, something “strange” to the students. This has also made it possible for parents/ guardians and students alike to plan ahead.
It is also during the tenure of professor Njodi that a business mogul Dr. Muhammad Ndimi embarked on the construction of a new site for center for distance learning as well as international conference center in the university.
The desire and commitment of the vice chancellor towards ensuring the development of the university has made it possible for him to make judicious use of the funds allocated to the university by TETFUND. One of the projects that became visible in the university under Njodi’s is the senate complex of the university, new male hostels, professorial quarters, new faculty of art building, NUCC (New Unimaid Computer Center), Aisha Buhari’s hostel, among others.
Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi was honored by President Muhammad Buhari with the international productivity order merit (NPOM) award in 2017 for his dedication to service. Student bodies and many associations have also appreciated the giant strides of the vice chancellor by giving him different kinds of awards.
Amina Muhammad Abba-Sanda, Maiduguri
