The Federal Government has appointed chancellors and Governing Councils of some Federal universities, who are expected to be the moral compass of the various universities to which they are assigned.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday said they would be expected to play a role in cementing relationships between communities in the country.
“You will recall that following the approval of the Mr President, I inaugurated Visitation Panels to all tertiary institutions in April 2021.
“The panels are currently rounding off their assignments and will soon submit their reports.
“You will also recall that I also recently inaugurated the Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
“The inauguration of the councils is intended to strengthen these institutions for effective service delivery for national development and global competitiveness,” the minister said.
Adamu said that the appointment was intended to also replace deceased chancellors of some Federal universities.
He said that the chancellors would be presented to the University community at an investiture ceremony or during the next convocation ceremony when the investiture would precede the conferment of degrees at convocation.
According to him, the chancellors shall in relation to the university take precedence before all other members of the university and when he is present shall preside at all the meetings of convocation held for conferring degrees.
He listed the chancellors and their assigned institutions as follows:
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, HM Obi Ofala Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha
Alex Ekwueme University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, HRM Oba Aremu Gbadebo. Alake of Egbaland
Bayero University, Kano Oba Ewuare 11, Oba of Benin
Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State – HRM King Joshua Igbugburu, the Ibenanawei of Bomo Kingdom
Federal University Gashua, Yobe, HRM Prof. Joseph Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, among others.
Adama said that following the expiration of tenures of governing councils of 13 federal universities and Inter-University Centres (IUCs) on May 8, the Federal Government also approved the re-constitution of their councils to avoid any vacuum in the governance of the institutions.
He said the councils, which were intended to reinvigorate governance through appropriate policies and guidance to the institutions, would be inaugurated on July 15. (NAN)