Medical varsity to gulp $650m
From Bukola Olatunji in Abuja, 02.11.2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010

A group of Nigerians in the Diaspora have come together to establish the first American University of Medical Sciences in the country.



The institution is billed to cost $650 million and will be sited in Abuja.

The promoter, Dr. Ifeanyi Obiakor, who led other members of the Planning Committee to the National Universities Commission (NUC) yesterday, said $100 million will be invested in the teaching hospital, while the rest will go into the university proper.

Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie, said the commission has been encouraging experts in the Diaspora to come home and invest.

Since the country is moving from all-purpose to specialised universities and having seen what the promoters of the proposed university are doing in New York, Okojie said they were invited to come and make their contribution.

Chairman of the Planning Committee and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Nimi Briggs, said the university, which is expected to take off within two years, will be world class, with curricula that are comparable to any in the world.

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Finally a Nigerian establishes something for his community, good job.

Why must it still be in Abuja?

deluxecad:

Why must it still be in Abuja?

Good question!

My guess is that the Nigerian government is involved in the funding. Anything the Nigerian government is involved in will be based in Abuja. That's the mentality of the Nigerian ruling class.

deluxecad:

Why must it still be in Abuja?

SOME of my Igbo brothers are so silly. They prefer to invest in Lagos and Abuja than at home. What is wrong with establishing the uni in Igboland, assuming the promoter (Dr. Ifeanyi Obiakor, clearly an Igbo man) has a significant involvement in the financial aspect (presumably so)? Atiku built his own American university right in his village and people from all walks of life still attend. If your uni is exceptional, people will attend from wherever. What do these Igbos who prefer to invest outside Igboland drink? Kai-kai or burukutu?

mekuszyx:

SOME of my Igbo brothers are so silly. They prefer to invest in Lagos and Abuja than at home. What is wrong with establishing the uni in Igboland, assuming the promoter (Dr. Ifeanyi Obiakor, clearly an Igbo man) has a significant involvement in the financial aspect (presumably so)? Atiku built his own American university right in his village and people from all walks of life still attend. If your uni is exceptional, people will attend from wherever. What do these Igbos who prefer to invest outside Igboland drink? Kai-kai or burukutu?

It has nothing to do with home-based or not.
It has more to do with profit and benefit. Abuja and Lagos are more Urban, modernized and more recognized.
The location is going to pave way for more recognition from the outside world.
Your brothers know what they're doing, you're the one that's so silly.

FL Gators:

It has nothing to do with home-based or not.
It has more to do with profit and benefit. Abuja and Lagos are more Urban, modernized and more recognized.
The location is going to pave way for more recognition from the outside world.
Your brothers know what they're doing, you're the one that's so silly.

Crap. Atiku has an American university tucked away somwhere in Yola-one of the most outlandish places in Nigeria. The last time I checked many foreigners are teaching there and that uni is one of the best in Nigeria. Yola is not as developed as the cities in Igboland. My brothers are just sick, am sorry.

Yola is not as developed as the cities in Igboland. My brothers are just sick, am sorry.

hows the security situation in the east compared to Lagos or Abuja?

paddy_lo:

hows the security situation in the east compared to Lagos or Abuja?

Poor security is a non-terminal problem. It can be resolved with ease. Moreover, how many cases of kidnapping have you heard from the East since this year? Is Lagos really safer than the East? Check the cases of robbery and other violent crimes in Lagos versus the East.

It was probably easier to raise funds for it because it is to be located in Abuja and not let say Owerri.