THE newly-elected Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau (FUGUS), Prof. Muazu Gusau, has taken over the leadership of the institution with a call for support and prayers from staff and students.

Gusau made the call at the taking-over ceremony, held at the university’s Faculty of Education Auditorium, by the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mr. Yissa Ezekiel, on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Prof. Gusau, who took over from Prof. Magaji Garba, is the third vice-chancellor of the institution, since its establishment, and the first to have emerged through an election process.

The new VC appealed to the state government to redeem its pledge to pay compensation to the landowners, where the school is situated, and to assist in the perimeter fencing of the 1,438-hectare land, in order to protect the institution from intruders, especially insurgents.

Gusau promised to carry along every member of the university community, as well as pursue the accreditation of all courses offered by the university so that it would excel.

Earlier, while handing over the mantle of authority, the outgoing Vice-chancellor, Prof. Magaji Garba, who was represented at the event by the DVC (Academic), Prof. Balkisu Shinkafi, recalled many successes recorded in his five-year term.

Prof. Garba charged his successor to continue with the implementation of the institution’s five-year strategic development plan (2017 – 2022) to improve on teaching, research, and community development.

He said that he had developed the school’s Students’ Handbook, trained 200 teaching and non-teaching staff within and outside the country, and ensured the full accreditation of 15 out of the 28 courses presently offered by the university, while the remaining 13 courses had attained interim accreditation.

NAN recalled that during the selection of the new VC, a total of 25 professors applied, and 19 were selected for screening and interview, from which Prof. Muazu Gusau emerged victoriously. (NAN)

– Feb. 10, 2021 @ 12:55 GMT