Paul Omokuvie, Bauchi
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Gashua, Professor Andrew Haruna, has described the emergence of Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North) as Senate President of the country as a good development for the university.
Haruna, who disclosed that he and Lawan were colleagues at the University of Maiduguri, said he was optimistic that Lawan’s coming as Senate President would bring a turnaround in the fortunes of the university and the entire community.
Speaking with journalists at the weekend, Haruna stated that contrary to rumours making the rounds, his relationship with Senator Lawan had been cordial and full of mutual respect.
The Vice Chancellor, who has led several research projects, both locally and internationally with world-renowned institutions such as Dino Leventis Foundation, University of London, SFB Special Research in the Savanah North East Nigeria between Johann Wolfgang Goethe lnstitut, described Lawan as an astute politician who loves his people.
He said: “For me, we are proud of him. Lawan and I have been colleagues at the University of Maiduguri. Most of my colleagues and friends with whom we finished from the same school are now prominent sons of Yobe State. I also taught most of the elites here. The last honour I can do for them is to develop the university and by extension the community.”
The Vice Chancellor, who was a member of the 2014 Constitutional Conference, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his appointment three years.
He said: “I considered my appointment as a challenge and a clarion call to contribute my quota to the development of education in Nigeria, especially in the North-East geopolitical region.”
Haruna, a professor of Linguistics assured that his goal is to ensure that the mission and vision for establishing the university were realized.
He said he was ever willing to collaborate with the Senate President and other well-meaning and prominent sons and daughters of the area to move the university to greater heights.