17 October, 2011 - National Universities Commission

Chief (Barr) Nyesom WikeMinister of State for EducationProfessor Okojie, who lamented theunhealthy trends observed in the governanceof some private universities in the country,advised proprietors to desist from interferingin the day-to-day running of the universities.The Executive Secretary urged all keyplayers in the industry, particularly thoseinvolved in the implementation ofGovernment’s Transformation Agenda to doso with all sense of responsibility andpatriotism. Congratulating the honoraryaward recipients, Professor Okojie notedthat, considering their enormous service toeducation and humanity, honouring all ofthem at the same time, was a disservice tothem.In his speech, the Proprietor and PresidentBoard of Trustees of the University, His Excellency Prince Bola Abdul Jabbar Ajibola, SAN,CFR, recalled the humble beginning o the University, which, according to him, had growninto a renewed Institution of moral and academic excellence. He said that the University hadused NUC academic benchmarks to intensify efforts to ensure its growth and expansionfollowing the constructive criticisms the Commission made during its repeated visits to theUniversity.He felicitated with Vice-President Sambo, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence AlhajiMohammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Emir of Kano, His Eminence Alhaji Ado Bayero, formerPresident and the Turakin Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari,Governors of Sokoto and Zamfara States, Alhaji Aliyu Magartakarda Wamako and AlhajiAliyu Abdul-Azeez Yari Abubakar respectively, and business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote,on their nominations for the award of honorary doctorate degrees of Crescent University, inrecognition of their contributions toeducation and other aspects of the Nigerianeconomy.In his address, the Vice-Chancellor,Professor Hassan Kehinde AdebayoOkeleye, noted that Crescent Universityhad maintained its promise of deliveringall- round education; listing some of theachievements of the University to include,the attainment of either full or interimaccreditation status in all its sixteenacademic programmes, establishment oflinkages and exchange programmes withother institutions of higher learning aroundthe globe, the completion of a 500-bedspace male hostel, a central mosque and anEntrepreneurship Centre and Workshop.HE, Prince B.A.J. AjibolaChairman BOT, Crescent UniversityPage 2