The Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, had approved the appointment of the Emir of Kazaure, Jigawa State, HRH Najib Hussaini Adamu (CON), as the first Chancellor of the Akwa Ibom State University.
In a statement issued yesterday and made available to leadership in Uyo, the?? Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said that the official installation of the Emir would take place at the University Campus, Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin LGA, tomorrow.
Mr. Umanah described Alhaji Najib Adamu as an astute administrator, banker and lawyer who, until his appointment, was the Pro-Chancellor of Katsina State University.
Akpabio’s vision for a technologically driven and industrial economy, according to Umana, informed the commencement of the university “to rapidly facilitate the transformation of Akwa Ibom into an industrial society.”
He noted that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had approved the commencement of academic activities at the institution and actually handed over the approval certificate to the state governor on October 5, 2010.
The state government had inaugurated the university’s governing council on September 23, 2010.
He further stated that major changes in concept and scope of operation of the university had become imperative, given the socio-economic realities on ground, and in order to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Akwa Ibom people.
Although the philosophy of a technically-biased university was retained, the policy thrust of government shifted to the establishment of a conventional multi-campus institution.
He recalled that, on September 10, 2009, the law establishing Akwa Ibom State University of Technology and Akwa Ibom State College of Agriculture was repealed by the State House of Assembly, and that on September 15, 2009, the bill establishing the Akwa Ibom State University was passed to take a retrospective effect from June, 2009, and was subsequently signed into law by the state governor.