General TY Danjuma (rtd), former chief of army staff (1975-1979) and former minister of defence (1999-2003), has beaten even his own record of philanthropy at Ahmadu Bello University’s fundraising ceremony yesterday: he donated N2.2 billion to be deployed to different areas of development within the university.
Specifically, the donations are to be used in the Faculty of Science for the building of an administrative block, a library, an auditorium and a lecture hall as well as for landscaping.
Danjuma, who received the honorary Doctor of Science degree for his contribution to the development of the nation, said that northern Nigeria is on fire and all northerners must come together to save the region.
Gen. Danjuma said, “I give credit to Sir Ahmadu Bello and all those whose foresight and sacrifices gave birth to this institution, whose contributions to the growth of Nigeria cannot be quantified.”
He also praised the vice-chancellor and the members of staff of the university for sustaining the tradition of excellence for which the university had become famous.
“I bear witness to the fact that many of the products of this university have since become worthy ambassadors of the school and of Nigeria. It is for this reason that I am committed to playing whatever role I can in aiding and facilitating the achievements of this university for her noble objectives.
“The university’s impact on the nation is considerable. Its impact on the northern states is greater,” he added.
Gen. Danjuma further said: “ABU has come a long way, starting as it did with a population of 423 students and maturing into what it is today with a student and staff population of over 50,000.
It gladdens my heart to note that ABU is the most cosmopolitan tertiary institution of learning in Nigeria both in terms of staff and student profiles.
I understand that most local government areas in Nigeria have student(s) in the university and, similarly, all states of the federation have representatives in the staff profile of the university.
“I congratulate the institution on being the only truly federal university in the country. The university’s impact on the nation is considerable. Its impact on the northern states is even more. Some of our greatest nationalists are products of this institution.”
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