Top dignitaries from the North- East and the South-East have converged to celebrate the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Gombe State and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi as the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) conferred the Distinguished Alumnus Award on him.
During the event which held at the Kanem Suite in Abuja Sunday, the Vice Chancellor of UNIMAID, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba, said Prof. Njodi as an alumnus of UNN and UNIMAID had made a tremendous impact in his service to humanity, adding that it’s the tradition of UNN to continue to support their alumni to ensure they excel.
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Prof. Shugaba also said the gathering represented a collaboration between the North East and the South East, noting that both universities have age-long collaborations that are further solidified by the gathering holding in Abuja at the Kanem Suites, a hospitality facility of UNIMAID.
Extolling the celebrant, the UNIMAID head said the former VC, who is being celebrated, is a lion that imbibed the spirit of resilience while he headed the university at the peak of the insurgency from 2014 to 2019.
“He served out his term and handed over to me after the due process that led to the emergence of his successor which is my humble self. He then found himself in another position as the SSG of Gombe state, and he has lived up to expectations,” Prof. Shugaba said.
Speaking, Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Charles Igwe, said the event was memorable as two institutions were celebrating just one individual.
He said Prof. Njodi had done his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in UNIMAID but proceeded to UNN for a doctorate degree.
He described him as a great teacher, researcher, lion and detribalised Nigerian.
He said the Distinguished Alumnus Award was flagged off by UNN in 2020 to celebrate UNN alumni that have excelled in their fields.
During the event, the first and second editions of the ‘Outlook of Human Capacity Development’, a book authored by Prof. Njodi at the end of his five year tenure at UNIMAID were presented. There was also a compendium on his stewardship at the university by a committee of friends titled, ‘Good Beginning, Happy Ending’.
In his remarks after the award, the recipient, Prof. Njodi, lauded the management of UNN for their sustainable academic patterns.
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