By Ngozi Nwankwo
Kogi State has again, on Monday, received a recognition letter from the National Universities Commission for establishment of Kogi State University, Kabba.
The Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed while giving the approval, commended the governor of Kogi State, Gov Yahaya Bello for his interest and investment on education, adding that, this would make it two universities the governor established under his administration.
Rasheed said Kogi states now gets three universities which include; Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba , Confluence University of Science and Technology, and the newly approved, Kogi State University, Kabba
He said the Kogi State University, Kabba would be 62nd state universities and the 265th universities in the country.
According to him, the commission had on June 19, received a letter on the formal presentation of gazetted documents establishing the university.
“I write on behalf of the NUC to inform his Excellency that with effect from June 26, 2023, Kogi State University, Kabba has been established as the 62nd state universities and 265th university in Nigeria.
“By this, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) are being notified of the establishment of the university,” he said.
He, however, appealed to the governor and his team to ensure quality education and also take full responsibility of the institution.
The NUC boss used the opportunity to announce his plan to go back to the classroom as a university lecturer.
“Honestly this will be my ‘last born university’ because it will be the last university I will approve of as I will be resigning as the Executive Secretary of the Commission. I still have three years and one month in the office but I will be voluntarily resigning because I need to return to the classroom in Bayero University, Kano” he said.
While appreciating the ES, gov Bello said that the university would be cited in the Kogi West Senatorial District for fairness, equity and justice.
He said that the university was established to satisfy the age-long desire of the Okun people of the state.
Bello said the state had set out modalities to ensure the university starts on a good note, as resources had been set aside for its take-off.
“In Kogi State, education is our heritage and education is what we are proud of, both within the state, across the country and globally.
“When I came on board, we had only one university. We ran to the commission and we established the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara.
“But something is necessary because we have a senatorial district in Kogi West and because we want every part of the state to be carried along.
“We deemed it necessary to situate the university in Okun land for the sake of our brothers there.
“With over 600 professors in Okun land, we decided to establish the university immediately,” he said.
