How Abu Zaria is fast becoming Nigeria’s Harvard
Described as the largest university in Sub-Saharan Africa, Ahmadu Bello University – ABU Zaria is the first University to be established in Northern Nigeria in 1962. The University which boasts of over 500,000 graduates is indeed one of Nigeria’s finest in the aspect of research and human development.
Located in the heart of the Northern emirate – North of the Sahara, South of the Limpopo, East of the equator and West of the Mahaha, ABU Zaria is inarguably a household name in intellectual production. With two major campuses (Samaru and Kongo), 96 academic departments, housed by 12 faculties and 12 research Institutes, the intellectual dexterity and creativity of her products is never contested.
Tragically, some universities around the world may have diverted from their core mandate(s), ABU Zaria, however, over the years has been pushing hard to achieve her core objective which is aptly captured thus, ‘To advance the frontiers of learning and break new grounds, through teaching, research and the dissemination of knowledge of the highest quality…’
In Nigeria today, and beyond, ABU Zaria has far become a pacesetter, a trailblazer and frontrunner which other institutions emulate in knowledge production and advancement. Recently, it was announced that a team of students from ABU won the Enactus National Championship and was also declared winner of the Lekoil Environmental Sustainability Challenge in the competition.
As reported by some of our media outlets, the team won the challenge through an innovative project tagged Baggega Hope Rising, which uses the water filtration process of separating physical and chemical impurities, such as lead and other heavy metals from underground water sources. Compensated for their victory, the team represented the country in the Enactus World Cup tournament held at the United Kingdom.
Also, sometime last year, the ABU Zaria school engineering team won the shell eco marathon competition held in South Africa after claiming glory at home to represent the country at the continental level. These victories, among others place the university above her counterparts in knowledge distribution. Perhaps, with the level of her alumni, research, teaching and contribution to both regional and national development, ABU Zaria should be tagged the new ‘Nigerian Harvard’.
A feet, perfectly attained in a clime where government is turning a blind eye on the country’s educational system and where peanuts are budgeted for intellect acquisition and redistribution. Technologically, ABU Zaria is among the eight universities offering distance learning in Nigeria (UI, OAU, UNILAG, UNIMAID, LAUTECH, UNIABUJA, Modibo Adama, Yola) are the other seven universities.
The moment you set foot onto Abu Zaria – the second largest university in Africa, its surrounding is easy on the eye and also, a feast for the eye. For the first time, bearing in mind the area where the university is situated, you maybe perplexed by the melodious social scene it offers. That, however, reveals that the principle of federal character as enshrined in the constitution is flawlessly respected by the institution.
In each department, every state is ably represented as the admission criterions are well spelt out. Far away from the northern region, ABU Zaria is helping lame dogs over a stile in terms of quality education. Apart from ABU Zaria breakthrough in academic research, it has successfully produce billionaires who are not only successful in their businesses, but also are policies influencers. Technocrats who are doing fine in their chosen career parts, sound academics who have made major academic discovery and political office holders bestowed with high intellect. Only schools, such as Harvard can boast of such notable alumni list at the world stage.
In a similar fashion, advancing a mental trip to her infrastructural development, apart from lecture theatres and laboratories being constructed around the University, the new center of excellence donated to the University by the Central Bank of Nigeria is a point of major significant improvement in the great citadel of learning.
Located at ABU main campus, Samaru, ABU center of excellence was commissioned on Friday, 8th, Dec 2017 and the edifice is built to house ABU business school (departments of Business Administration, Accounting, Insurance and Economics). It is undoubtedly, a feet worth applauding even though it may not be the first in the country.
Without a mission to flatter excessively, in few years to come, ABU Zaria will be far ahead of other first generation universities in Nigeria and it may take centuries to catch her up while for other universities, catching her up may, as well, be like a cold day in hell. From whatever foot the shoe is on, ABU looks like a university that is ready to compete with both her Africa and world counterparts. Not only in the beautification of its campus or its infrastructure, but also in its academic outputs.
It is not a rocket science that ABU Zaria is fast becoming a pacesetter in the academic environment, as where there is smoke, there is fire. Accolades, therefore, should be given to her alumni network who are working tediously and tirelessly to see that the University becomes a force to reckon with. ABU current developmental stride is not a product of a single individual since a tree cannot make a forest and it takes two to tango.
Meanwhile, the ABU phase II project is currently ongoing and it will serve as a spring ball for ABU Zaria to be rank highly among the best in world. By sustaining the current growth tempo and continually putting her shoulder on the wheel, in the nearest future, ABU Zaria will certainly distinguish itself among world class Universities. Nothing of importance can be done in a short period of time because Rome also wasn’t built in a day.
Sodiq wrote this piece from Lagos.
