Bauchi varsity centre gets $95,000 foreign support
Story from Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Sa’adu Zungur University (SAZU), formerly Bauchi State University Gadau (BASUG), has received a significant boost for its Centre for Law and Religion Studies with a $95,000 grant from international organisations. This funding aims to enhance the centre’s mission of promoting scholarship and dialogue on issues related to law and religion.
A statement from the university’s Public Relations Officer, Awwal Hassan, shared with newsmen in Bauchi over the weekend, announced the development. The funding results from a partnership between the university and leading international organisations, marking a substantial step forward for the centre’s research and educational efforts.
Former Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Academic of the University, Associate Professor Ahmed Salisu Garba, who is currently the acting Vice Chancellor of Al-Muhibbah Open University (AOU) Abuja, expressed optimism about the grant’s impact. He noted, “In August 2023, the Centre applied for a grant from the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights at the University of Oslo. Our proposal was defended in November 2023, and we were awarded $60,000 to be utilised over three years starting from 2024.”
The grant will facilitate the admission of 15 academic staff from SAZU and other Nigerian universities for training in 2024. The programme will include mentorship from five professors experienced in law and religion studies and five foreign experts. Participants will engage in ten online meetings and a four-night face-to-face meeting, culminating in the production of original academic papers to be published in international journals.
Additionally, the centre has sent a proposal to the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University, USA. This proposal aims to promote the teaching of law and religion studies in Nigeria in collaboration with the University of Ilorin, Al-Muhibbah Open University, Abuja, and the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NAILS).
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Professor Ahmed Salisu highlighted the upcoming seminar scheduled for August 2024, which will host 71 Deans of Law from Nigerian universities, the Director-General of the Nigeria Law School and his deputies, and seven international experts from the UK and USA. This seminar will be funded by a $25,000 grant approved for the centre.
Moreover, the Centre received an additional $10,000 from Professor Nazila Ghanea, the current United Nations Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief, from the University of Oxford. This award, originally from Notre Dame University, Indiana USA, will support students involved in freedom of religion cases and the centre’s related operations.
The partnerships and funding from international organisations underscore the growing recognition of SAZU’s Centre for Law and Religion Studies. These grants highlight the importance of continued support and investment in law and religion studies, particularly in a religiously diverse country like Nigeria.
With this new funding, the centre is well-positioned to make significant strides in promoting knowledge and understanding in this critical area of law, solidifying its reputation as a leading institution for law and religion studies in Nigeria and beyond.
Proofreading by Sakinat Abubakar Musa, Editor at Neptune Prime
