Nigerian University Lecturers Get Support From Alumni Association in US

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Abdulrasheed Na’Allah has maintained the commitment of the university authority to the protection of life and properties of students and staff of the institution. Professor Abdulrasheed made this commitment during the support project of the Love and Light University of Abuja Alumni Association, USA, branch.

Professor Abdulrasheed stated that among many infrastructure project in the University, security tops the priority of the institution, “Security is number one, we are very alert. I am determined that the kidnapping incidence of November 2021 never again repeat itself, we are doing everything possible to make sure that such incidence does not happen again in our institution” Professor Abdulrasheed assured. On November 2, 2021; gun men invaded the staff quarters of the University of Abuja, abducting six persons, including two professors, a deputy registrar and three family members.

In response to the challenges of the University, particularly regarding security and welfare of teachers and students, one of its Alumni registered in the United States of America- Love and Light University of Abuja Alumni – made cash donations to individual lecturers suffering impact of the prolonged Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU industrial strike as well as the families of the kidnapped victims.

While making the cash donations to 50 lecturers of the institution, Tracy Kanu-Ejim, representative of the US based University of Abuja alumni association reiterated the associations’ commitment in supporting university. “Our mission here is two folds: first is to carry out an act of goodwill towards the academics of this university who have endured a protracted strike without pay in this period of harsh economic realities. We want to appreciate your great spirit of sacrifice and encourage you to continually in the intellectual development of your students. ” Tracy said the gesture was to help cushion the effect of the ASUU strike on lecturers. The alumni selected 50 lecturers from the list of 600 who received cash donation of fifty thousand naira (50,000) each. “We had 54 beneficiaries, 50 lecturers randomly selected on faculty by faculty basis and four families who were victims of the unfortunate kidnapping, a total of 54 lecturers were selected.” Tracy said.

In just 2 years of its operation, the alumni association had committed over $50,000 in supporting charity works.

Tracy called on the government to attend to the demands of ASUU in order to end the prolonged industrial action, urging government to honour agreements reached by ASUU. “We wish to appeal to the government to find more amicable ways of resolving disagreements without disrupting the educational stability and development this nation. Government should develop the political and economic will and adhere to good governance principles in addressing such conditions that reproduce disputes” She said.

In her remark; Safiya Ismaila Yero, University of Abuja head of alumni relation eulogised the kind gesture of the America arm of the alumni association “We are very grateful to the Love and Light Uni-Abuja alumni Association, USA for their generous support”.