Senate to Create Another University from ABU.

For the benefit of younger generation, University of Sokoto,Maiduguri ,Markudi, Kano etc were once upon a time ABU Satalite campuses just like ABU college of Agric, Kabba, which is set to be upgrade to a full fleged University.

The Senate has set in machinery to create another University from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria with a bill to upgrade the institution's college of Agriculture, Kabba to a University.

To this effect, a public hearing on the bill was organised on Thursday by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, chaired by Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano).

Speaking during the public hearing, the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki said the institution when established would be known as Federal University of Agriculture, Kabba, Kogi State.

He said the institution when established would produce the needed manpower for the attainment of food security in the country. "It will produce manpower with capabilities not to only understand agricultural need of Nigeria as a nation but also to exploit existing agro- infrastructure and improve on it to develop new ones, "he said.

He said the moves to upgrade four Federal Colleges of Education (Kano, Zaria, Akure and Oweri to Universities was to address the problem of paucity of qualified teachers in the country. Also speaking, Senator Barau said the upgrading of the ABU college of Agriculture to university will provide the holistic development of Agricultural education, knowledge and skills that will help the country into accelerated growth, enhance annual income and generate employment in the agricultural sector.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/education/senate-moves-to-create-another-university-from-abu/206485.html



It is on record that the bill for the upgrade of the College of Agriculture, Kabba, to a full- fledged university was sponsored by Sen. Dino Melaye.


The public hearing as touching the bill was held yesterday and the update was on this thread which made front page yesterday courtesy of Seun, lalasticlala and mynd44...a big thanks for that gesture.
https://www.nairaland.com/3928368/dino-melaye-promoting-establishment-federal

Okun people were fully mobilized for the public hearing and the speakers also did a very good job in that regard.They include :
1. Senator Dino Melaye(Proposer of the bill)
2. Michael Lewu,(Oluku Club Kabba)
3. Ambassador Fadumiyo (ODA President),
4. Prof. Jerome Gefu (ABU Zaria),
5. Engr. Emmanuel Ajibero (KDU President),
6. Prof. Adebola (Baiyero University).
A big thumb up to Uncle Ben Kabba Owoleke for his contribution.

I love this, it is a very good development for us!

"We are not goin to achieve this only by law making, we have gone spiritual about it. So, University of agri. Kabba will be establish in the name of the father, of the son and of the holy ghost" --Sen. Dino Melaye

Dino trying so hard to stop the recalling.

I think it will be nice threatening our lawmakers with a recall, once in a while like this for them to come to their senses.

SENATOR BARAU JIBRIN CONGRATULATES KOGI WEST CONSTITUENTS FOR HAVING MELAYE AS THIER REPRESENTATIVE.

By Gideon Ayodele

The Chairman Senate committee on Terttiary Institutions and TETFUND, Senator Barau I. Jibrin has described the people of kogi west senatorial district as fortunate to have sent a person like Senator Dino Melaye to the senate to represent them at the senate. He made this statement today at the public hearing on the Federal University of Agriculture, Kabba (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2017 (SB. 402), a bill sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye.

Senator Barau stated that the present administration has hammered on diversification of the Nigerian economy into agriculture, which demands that more institutions purely established for agriculture to help the back to land policy of the Federal Government to ensure the workability of the diversification process. Commending Senator Dino Melaye for initiating the establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture, kabba, Barau said that the institution will provide the holistic development of agricultural education, knowledge and skills that will help the country into accelerated agricultural growth, enhance annual income and generate employment in the agricultural sector. He added that the college is well established with a state of the art infrastructure and when upraded, will have the needed infrastructure required for the take-off of the new University.

The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki earlier in his opening speech said that the Bills presented for the Public Hearing will provide the necessary legislative framework for the transition to the proposed tertiary institutions into full-fledged universities. He noted that setting up of universities by Government is a very costly venture and rather than establish new ones, the existing ones with strong facilities and personnel should be upgraded to universities.

Several submissions were made by various bodies, institutions and academians in support of the need for the upgrading of the ABU (DAC), Kabba into a full- fledged university.
Among them is Professor (Wg See) Adebola R.A, the Dean, faculty of Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University, Kano.
Professor Adebola submitted that the Federal University of Agriculture, Kabba when upgraded will be the Stanford of Nigeria to actualize the policy drive of the new Federal Agricultural Promotion Policy ( APP), a university focusing on translational research and innovation and not only on growing crops but embracing the whole value chain and guiding principles of APP.

In his conclusion he said that the Federal University of Agriculture, Kabba ( NIGERIAN STANFORD)is long overdue but gratuitous better late than never.
He thanked specially the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Senator Barau Jibrin and the indefatigable, dynamic, committed and highly dedicated senator representing Kogi West, Sen. Dino Melaye for his laudable initiative.

Senator Dino Melaye in his contribution stated that the upgrading of the ABU DAC, Manna to a full fledged University will not only add value to the Agricultural plans of tthe present administration, but that the existing facilities and infrastructure in the college makes it a low hanging fruit for the present administration to pluck in the present times when the country is in recession. He disbursed the minds of individuals who might be objecting to this noble venture from all forms of sentiments and tribal/regional segregation and focus on things that will rather promote the unity and development of our country Nigeria. And to encourage every course that grooming actualising the developmental plans of the present administration. He further stated that following the present administration's plan to diversify the Nigerian economy into agriculture, there is even more need to have, if possible nine (9) more universities of Agriculture as the upgrading of ABU DAC, Kabba to a specialised university of Agriculture will bring many benefits to the nation, especially in food security and sufficiency, generation of employment for the teaming youths, generating foreign currency through export, promoting the image if the country through collaborative researches with international Institutions, help the present administration to fulfill one of its three cardinal promises to the nation of improving national economy, amongst others.

He thanked the Senate Committee on Terttiary Institutions and TETFUND for the Public Hearing and the positive expectational results that it will bring to the host community and its environ when finally approved.

SPEECH PRESENTED BY AMBASSADOR BABATUNDE PAUL FADUMIYO THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF OKUN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (ODA) AT A PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE KABBA (ESTABLISHED ETC.) BILL, 2017 (SB 402) ON 20TH JULY, 2017 AT THE SENATE CONFERENCE ROOM 027.

INTRODUCTION: On behalf of the Okun people in Kogi State, I wish to thank all Distinguished Senators for making this historic event possible. Specifically, ladies and gentlemen, permit me to pay glowing tributes to our Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye, who is presently representing all the good people of Kogi West Senatorial District in the 8th Senate and in the 8th National Assembly.

Anyone who knows the social and political psychology of the Okun people and who has followed overtime their advocacy and agitation for the establishment of a university in their territory by either a government or an individual or a group of individuals will be able to appreciate the importance that is attached to this epochal bill and this public hearing. Okun People at home and abroad have been fasting and praying since this bill was introduced on the floor of the Red Chamber, the Senate of the Federal Republic. In essence, we wish this Committee speedy and fruitful deliberation to day and even after, till the Bill is passed into law as an Act to establish a Federal University of Agriculture in Kabba. A History of Our Struggle for a University in Okunland:

2) Distinguished Senators, ladies and gentlemen, this Bill for the establishment of a Federal University of Agriculture in Kabba is based on history – and a long history for that matter.

It seeks to build on an existing foundation – a foundation laid by the great Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and the Premier of Northern Region when in 1962 he established the Ahmadu Bello University College of Agriculture in Kabba.

During the first republic, similar colleges were established in other parts of the North and in other parts of Nigeria. Among these were those in Abeokuta, Akure, Makurdi, Umudike. All but that of Kabba have since been upgraded to full-fledged Universities of Agriculture.

In the same vein, the Okun people have never allowed any opportunity to pass without raising the imperative of upgrading the ABU College of Agriculture in Kabba to the same status as its other compares. Many representations were made to both the State and Federal Governments on this issue.

Our association, the ODA, which is the umbrella socio-cultural organization binding all Yoruba people in Kogi State in 2005 discussed the issue with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President. A promise and assurance were extracted from him that if ever the Federal Government Policy of no new Federal Universities was reviewed, the ABU College of Agriculture, Kabba would be upgraded to a full- fledged University.

When in 2011 former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, established nine (9) new Federal Universities pressures were mounted on both Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, the then Governor of Kogi State and the then President to give the college a positive consideration for upgrading. Unfortunately, the college lost out, Although the people of Okun land on whose territory the institution is based, were pained, they never lost hope.

We continued in our prayers and here we are today, through the legislative ingenuity and resourcefulness of Senator Dino Melaye, the issue has again been thrusted to the public domain for discussion and most hopefully for affirmation. Existing Facilities in the College:

3. Distinguished Senators, ladies and gentlemen if this Bill is passed into law for implementation, a fairly solid rudiment of infrastructural facilities, can be taken for granted at its present site in Kabba. Starting the operation of the institution with the facilities available there now will save the government, the hassle of looking for millions of naira for its take-off. In addition, the facilities available in Kabba and other towns around will lend considerable relief to the commencement of the institution.

4) In the college alone, facilities a bound there, that have been grossly under used for a longtime. Large and standard classrooms that could sit 200 students at a time exist there. Also available there is a large lecture theatre and a large Assembly Hall. Other facilities available include large laboratories, an imposing administrative block which could accommodate the Vice-Chancellor’s office, student affairs office, academic office and the bursar's office.

5) Works Department: There is a maintenance workshop in the college which could take care of the repairs and maintenance of the university’s vehicles and other gadgets.

6) Expanse of Land: About 500 hectares of land are available for the university at an ideal site and scenery in the town.

7) Other Stock of Facilities: As part of the stock of facilities available are the agricultural unit, the livestock unit, the horticultural unit, the engineering unit, the mechanical and carpentry workshop, as well as the coffee and citrus, cocoa, palm oil plantations. These would provide ideal facilities for the faculties of science, agriculture, veterinary medicine and engineering of the new university.

8 ) Hostel Accommodations: To accommodate the students, three large hostels exist there to form the nucleus of the hostel accommodation. But besides the above, there are other facilities in Kabba town that would ease the accommodation needs of the stud

It was not only the Federal University of Agriculyure Kabba(FAUK) that was on the Public Hearing bill on thursday.....

* Adeyemi University Status Reversal Hope Comes Alive, Passes Senate Bill Public Hearing*

The Adeyemi Federal University of Education , AFUED, which was sometimes put on hold in August 2015 after the public announcement by the immediate past President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has today received a full sigh of hope for reversal of the status.

This hope came alive as the adeyemi University bill and its establishment, named SB 399, was successfully passed unhindered at the Senate committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund.

In his own remark while declaring the public hearing opened, the Senate president, ably represented by the Deputy Chief Whip of the House , Senator Francis Alanumeta, a distinguished Senator from Edo state, said that the bill, which came along side other bills in the same line, seeking establishments of Federal universities of Kano, Owerri and Zaria, named SB 397, 398 &400 alongside the bill seeking the upgrading of Federal college of Agriculture Kabba to a University of Agriculture, is a bill that the Senate supports as the affected Colleges of education already have existing facilities both human and materials for a successful take off such that the federal government will have less to spend in this time of economic recession.

Meanwhile, in his address of welcome, the chairman Senate committee on tertiary education, Senator Jubril Barau, assured the audience that all opinions on the matter for discussion will be heard, irrespective of the perspective. He further stated that the minority will always have their say while the majority will in turn have their way. After the public hearing, it was indeed jubilation galore for the representatives of the four age long colleges of education whose respective bills on the upgrade to federal universities of education did not receive canter memorandum.​

It is therefore hoped that very soon, the Senate committee report will be ratified by the house and consequently sent to the president for executive approval and sign-in to law.

It would be recalled that earlier in 2016, the respective bills have equally sailed through the processes in the green chamber.

Earlier, the presence of Senator Dino Melaye to the conference hall witnessed a loud ovation being one of the sponsors of the bills under consideration and also acknowledged as one the highly profiled senator of the federal republic of Nigeria with the highest number of sponsored bills.

While addressing the August gathering, Melaye in his usual dynamic manner, pulled his weight behind the bill and dramatically affirmed that he would even go spiritual, beyond being political in seeing the successful signing of the proposed bill into law.

Leading the delegation of the college to the red chamber is the college Provost, Prof Olukoya Ogen, accompanied by the eminent Council chairman, Prof Nathaniel Ohazurike and Dr. Folorunso Balogun who equally lend their voices in support of the bill through their memorandum.

Also present are the representatives of the paramount ruler of Ondo kingdom, the Lisa and Sasere of the kingdom, who both, through their paper presentation affirmed that the reversal of the adeyemi University which was put on hold will certainly restore the joy of Ondo kingdom.

Also present at the public hearing include the Chairman of COEASU, Dr. Tope Oziegbe, COEASU secretary, comrade Olaolu Olaniyan, comrade Smart Olugbeko, Members of the COEASU university status committee Dr. Felix Alao, Dr. Michael Ogunboyede, Mr. Joel Edafe, the MIS Assistant Director, Dr. Kehinde Adenegan, representative of SUCCOEN, comrade Jimoh Liasu, Mr. Richard Adegbesan and as well as the NASU & NACEATON, representatives, comrade Henry Akingbola, comrade Oluwatosin Babatunde and Comrade 'Dele Akinnate.

Sheey dis is d next thing For us??

Vanity upon Vanity