The Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, is to be entirely repositioned, the vice chancellor (VC), Professor Mustapha Abdullahi has said, even as the ABU 1985 medical graduates have promised to give necessary assistance to the institution.
Prof. Abdullahi stated this at the occasion of the ABUMED ’85 homecoming and silver jubilee reunion of the set, with the theme, ‘The Role of Alumni in the Development of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria’, which held at the Post Graduate School Auditorium in Zaria.
Represented by the dean of Post Graduate School, Prof. Joshua Adebayo, the vice chancellor said, “The University has maintained its standard, and for other areas that require improvement, efforts are being intensified to do so.”
He called on well-meaning individuals and alumni of the ABU to render assistance where possible, noting that, “Government funding alone may not be adequate.”
The guest speaker at the occasion, Mallam Muhammed Haruna, was of the opinion that the alumni needed to be conversant with the vision of their alma mata’s founding fathers.
He said, “The first step for an alumnus to take towards restoring the university to its past glory is to become an active alumnus, not just registering as a member of its alumni association through its branches and chapters at home and abroad.”
Haruna, while commending the initiative of the ABUMED ’85, advocated the need to have accurate figures of students, staff and faculties of the university since inception and statistics, he said, should be posted on its websites.
Earlier in his remarks, Dr Usman Mamman, a surgical specialist in Digestive Surgery, Milton Keynes in the United Kingdom, who spoke on behalf of the ABUMED ’85 graduates, had expressed gratitude to God for the reunion, which, according to him, was conceived in June, 2010 and was motivated by the desire to contribute to the development of the medical school.
He said, “A cursory look at our members indicates to me that all have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavour and tributes must necessarily be paid to the medical school.”
Dr Mohammed Shehu, dean Faculty of Medicine ABU, Zaria, took a roll call of ABUMED ’85 graduates, whom he said numbered 59. He also spoke on the past, present and challenges of the future of medicine.
Dr Shehu lamented the challenges being faced by the faculty, adding that, “The faculty has remained on the same site and same size, except for some dilapidation here and there that requires urgent attention.”
Although he said the faculty has received significant support from the university administration in maintaining the structures, more would be needed.
Other speakers at the occasion included, the chief medical director of the ABU Teaching Hospital, Shika, Dr Lawal Khalid and the acting director, Directorate of University Advancement, office of the vice chancellor, Dr Nasir Bello.
The ABU Medical Students Association, through its president, appealed to their most senior doctors to assist them in the many ways he enumerated, while advocating that the Faculty of Medicine should be made a College of Medicine, in order to accommodate more students.
Twenty-three of the ABUMED ’85 graduates were present at the homecoming and silver jubilee reunion, while eight of the set were said to have died.
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