The hope of producing the next substantive Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Gashua, from indigenous contenders within the institution has been dashed as the Governing Council of the University technically ruled them out from vying for the exalted seat.
According to the Governing Council’s, new criteria which were adopted on Wednesday through voting, any contender for the office of the Vice-Chancellor must be 7-years as Professor.
However, neither Prof. Maimuna Waziri of Gashu’a nor Prof. Shettima Abdulkadir of Nguru meets this requirement. They are believed to be the major contenders for the office of the Vice-Chancellor of FUGA before these new criteria knocked them out.
The extant laws governing the running of the University stipulates that minimum of 5-years as a professor is required before appointing anyone as Vice-Chancellor. But the governing council deliberately chose 7-years which is the maximum just to block the chances of the two indigenous Professors to emerge as VC.
Since the establishment of the University, an indigene of Yobe has never held the position of Vice-Chancellor, a development that is provoking many citizens of the State.
Currently, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, registrar and the chairman of the governing council are all from Bauchi State making it the first to have such a lopsided appointment.
A source revealed that the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Andrew Haruna, is allegedly working round the clock to ensure that an indigene of Yobe did not emerge as his successor.
Professor Shettima Saidu Abdulkadir (Shettiman Malamai, Nguru Emirate) had served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Federal University Gashua (FUGA) by the Governing Council of the institution and Professor Maimuna Waziri succeeding against all odds to become the second female Professor from Yobe State.
READ ALSO: Maimuna Waziri: Yobe’s second female Professor
Maimuna Waziri, Yobe’s second female professor was born in 1966 at Gashua town in Bade Local government area, Maimuna started her academic career at University of Maiduguri as a Graduate assistant in 1987 shortly after her graduation from Bayero University Kano, where she bagged a Bsc Degree in Chemistry.
She has Master’s degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Ibadan and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from University of Maiduguri.
Her love for the teaching profession made her to continue with her lecturing at the department of chemistry in the University of Maiduguri where she rose to the rank of senior lecturer.
Despite being a scholar in Physical Chemistry, Maimuna in 1997 was called upon to serve her State as Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development and later Commissioner for Commerce and Industries from 1998 to 1999.
She also served as a Special Adviser to the Governor on Industrial Development from 1999 to 2001 and Director of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Damaturu, from 2001 to 2007.
Professor Waziri was part of the team saddled with the responsibility of establishing the Yobe State University and when the university took off in 2007, she joined as a senior lecturer at the department of Chemistry and at the same time appointed the Director, School of Basic and Remedial Studies as well as the Dean, Faculty of Science from 2007 to 2009.
READ ALSO: Federal University Gashua appoints Prof Shettima as DVC (Admin)
Shettima Abdulkadir Saidu is a Professor of Research and Senior Mentoring Scholar at International Centre for Information Technology and Development(ICITD).
He is an astute toxicologist, educationist and administrator. He attended the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria for his B. Sc., M.Sc. and PhD in Chemistry/Pharmaceutical Chemistry in addition to Postgraduate Diplomas in Education and in Public Administration.
He served as the Deputy Rector and Acting Rector/Ag. President, Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, Nigeria.
Shettima served as an Associate Professor and Head of Chemical Sciences Department at Federal University, Kashere, Nigeria.
Before his new appointment, Prof Shettima was the Rector/President, Nasarawa Polytechnic, Provost, FCE (Technical), Potiskum, Nigeria.
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