An 18-member think tank led by Prof Tanimu A Abubakar of Department of English and Literary Studies on plans for Ahmadu Bello University to migrate to a postgraduate institution has been inaugurated with Vice- Chancellor Prof Ibrahim Garba urging the team to assiduously work towards accomplishing the landmark project.
The think tank, whose members were drawn from faculties, institutes, centres and other units of the university, is mandated to develop a position paper on the necessity for ABU to migrate to a postgraduate university.
It is also to build a consensus on the implementation of migration policy, develop a workable action plan to guide the implementation of the migration policy as well as make additional recommendations that would facilitate the migration of ABU to a postgraduate institution.
The Vice-Chancellor said the migration of ABU to a postgraduate university became necessary, in view of the rate at which professors were emerging, which called for a
reorganization that would make senior academics to remain relevant in the system.
Responding on behalf of other members, Chairman of the Think Tank, Prof Tanimu A Abubakar, described the project as a “very profound and courageous decision” taken by the administration of the university, assuring that the team would do everything humanly possible to justify the confidence reposed in them.
Prof Abubakar said it was high time the University rethought over its future in the face of global competition among universities, recalling how ABU missed several opportunities at its doorsteps in the 1980s which would have made the institution better than what it was at present.
Also speaking at the inauguration included Prof A Z Hassan and Dr A R Sanusi who said the university was dragging feet on the idea to expand using the available technology, saying all the in-house unions should be involved for the success of the project.
Prof Abubakar is assisted by 17 other eminent academics from various units of the university, including the Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Prof S Z Abubakar; Director, Research and Innovation, Prof Sani Ibrahim; Director, Distance Learning Centre, Prof A Z Hassan; and Dean, ABU Business School, Dr. A R Sanusi.
They also include Prof Raymond Bako, Faculty of Education; Dr Abubakar Muhammad Madaki, Faculty of Law; Prof Maryam A M, Department of Microbiology; Prof Sa’ad A Ahmed, College of Medical Sciences; Prof Yusuf A Ahmed, Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT); Prof Adamu Ahmed, Directorate of University Advancement; and Prof M F Ishiyaku.
Others are Prof Sani Abdullahi, Prof M A Sulaiman, Faculty of Education; Prof H O Kwanashie, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Dr Adele Gargida, Faculty of Environmental Design; Prof K J Osinubi, Faculty of Engineering; and Prof M K Isa, Faculty of Administration.
