‘Adamawa people showed greatness to establish varsity’

By Onimisi Alao, Yola

The Pro-Chancellor of Adamawa State University, Awwal Tukur, has said he did not know how great Adamawa people were at doing worthwhile things until he became Pro-Chancellor of the university.

Tukur told newsmen close examination had revealed to him the deepness of thought and sincerity that went into the conception and building of the university, which is located in the northern Adamawa town of Mubi.

“I did not know we were such great people. When I got to the university and saw the quality of conception and of the establishment, I said that sincerely, some people have done a marvellous job here,” he said.

He added such realisation informed the decision to award a honourary doctorate degree to Boni Haruna, the man who was Governor and whose administration established the university in 2002.

Awwal recalled the university began to go downhill after a few years of its establishment owing mostly to internal crises, forced occupation and destruction of facilities by Boko Haram insurgents, resulting in inability to convocate eight consecutive sets of students.

Reinforcing his admission of how little he knew of the university and its conception until things began to go wrong, the pro-chancellor told newsmen at his residence in Yola all he knew about the university before he became its pro-chancellor, in 2019, was in the negative.

“Before I became Chairman of Council, I had never stepped into Adamawa State University. I was just hearing of problems and problems, of crises killing the university,” he recalled.

He said reviving the university had been a refreshing experience, explaining, “I went to a resoundly conceived place that was down. A lovely place that once thrived but had gone to the dogs.

“Through prudent management of resources and cooperation from everyone within the university and in government, we have got the place up and running again.”

Tukur spoke during the week a couple of days after ADSU held its 5th-13th combined convocation and certified over 11,000 students spread over nine graduating sets.

He said the convocation was a practical sign that things had largely stabilised.