The Minister for Higher Education and Research from the Republic of Niger, Mamodu Djibo on Friday, 18th February, 2022 led a powerful delegation from the French speaking country on a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas to seek collaboration between BUK and Nigerien higher institutions on research, staff and other academic linkage programmes.
The delegation included the Vice Chancellor of Dan Dicko Dankulodo University, Maradi, Professor Mamman Sani, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Dr Farah Maiga, Director of Education and Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education and Director of Evaluation of Monitoring of Programmes, Dr Abdussalam Korone.
Others were Burema Sumana, the Director Protocol Office of the Ministry and Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, the President and Founder of Maryam Abacha American University of Niger (MAAUN).
The Minister said it was of paramount importance for the Nigerien universities to work together to design a veritable work-plan that will drive an effective collaboration on training, research and exchange programme. He said his Ministry is ever ready to implement a proposal that will suit both parties.
He said that Bayero University has been one of the best institutions in Nigeria known for its quality of staff and graduates, that’s why the Ministry deemed it fit to come to the University to kick-start the process of signing an MoU.
Also speaking, the President of MAAUN, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, said BUK’s status as a famous citadel of learning has been well acknowledged especially with its quest to pursue academic excellence.
He praised the University for its resilience towards ensuring that the famous Hausa/English, English Hausa Dictionary authored by Paul Newman and Roxana Newman was published.
The President pledged to sponsor the publishing of another book on Hausa-French translation in Bayero University, Kano.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas welcomed the Nigerien delegation and expressed the University’s readiness to enter into collaboration with the Universities in Niger. He explained that BUK has been having collaboration with some Universities in Niger, adding that this visit would strengthen the already exited relationship.
The Vice Chancellor noted that the collaboration would be beneficial, stressing that it can lead to publishing English and French journal by both parties.
He commended the President of MAAUN for his scholarship scheme of N10m to sponsor 50 students to study French, adding that the scheme had since started.
The Vice Chancellor told the delegation that on Monday next week a committee would be constituted to be saddled with the responsibility of actualizing the publishing of a dictionary of Hausa-French.