Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
Chief (Dr.) David Sabo Kente has on behalf of awardees, appreciated the Kwararafa University for awarding them with Honorary Doctorate Degrees.
He stated this while speaking with Journalists in Elim Top Suits, shortly after been conffered with Honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Service, during the 2nd and combined convocation ceremony of the Kwararafa University Wukari, Taraba State.
“I am highly happy with the award today, basically because it is coming from my local community.
“I have rejected many honorary doctorate degree by three institutions including the prestigious Benue State University, but because this one is coming from my locality and first community University in Africa, I feel highly honored to take the award.
“On behalf of myself and two other awardees thank the Kwararafa University for awarding us Honorary Doctorate Degrees.
“The Igala people are part of Kwararafa Kingdom so giving us this award together with the Ata Igala HRM Mathew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche, is a good honor.
He call on the awardees to know that the award comes with challenges of developments in the University and the Kwararafa Kingdom at large.
On challenges facing the University, Chief (Dr.) David Sabo Kente said:
“During my acceptance remarks on behalf of awardees, I encourage them to bring in their wealth of experience and substance to bear so that we can assist the University. Lucky, after my remarks, one of the awardees, Engr. Andrew Yakubu was able to make available the sum of Ten Million Naira for one of the programs.
He disclose that two of his friends have donated Borehole to him and he has donated the Boreholes to the University.
“I have a Borehole allocated to me by a friend, I will just give it to the University, by next week, drilling will begin. Also Hon. Yakubu Chiroma donated a Borehole to me which I will donate it to the University.
On the current hardship faced by Nigerians, he said,
“The current security situation in the country has made things very vulnerable, economic activities that are not supposed to affect some minor things have all affected our economy.
“For me, errors have been made, we all know the processis on how the subsidy was withdrawn and has affected every aspects of life.
“Most of those who live outside Nigeria in the past one year, a liter of Petrol in Ghana is 1,400 for the past Ten years, while in Nigeria, it is now that we are approaching 1,200, it is not the best, but I will tell you that we are still better of than some African Countries.
“A liter of Petrol in Gambia is between 1,300 -500. Even though we made errors in the withdrawal of the subsidy, I will tell you that we are still better than some African Countries, but again now that we going for 1,200 per liter, I am assuring you that in other African Countries, they may be going for 2,000 or more per liter because part of their supply is from Nigeria, you know what it means, if you increase the major component of transportation, it affects everything in our life.
“This is a Thirty Two rooms hotel (Elim Top Suits), we are no longer selling because people are no longer travelling, but with time, we will get use to it. Nigerians are always getting use to things.
According to him, what the country need is a good team.
“If President Ahmed BolaTinubu will constitutes a well package team we can do better and wonderfully well.
“Let President Ahmed BolaTinubu go for the best team not minding where a person came from and we will have a better result.
“I have Scholarship in the University. Currently, the only garden in the University was build by my Foundation.
According to him, when he was Heading the Education Endorsement Fund at the North East Development Commission (NEDC), he located a project of Fifty classrooms, Ten Units power generation at the junior staff quarters amongst others at the University.
He call on people of Kwararafa Kingdom both at home and in the diaspora to join hands together and support the University.
“The University is a Community University not own by Wukari, it is own by entire Taraba community.
“It is a University own by Taraba State and entire Kwararafa Kingdom.
“The University was first promoted by Taraba Investment, then the Local Governments of Southern Taraba came in and now is like Wukari University.
Chief Dr David Sabo Kente advise people to subscribe to the University.
“All people of Kwararafa Kingdom living in Kogi, Plateau, Nassarawa, Benue and other states should think of investing in the University. University is a big investment, it may not be in terms of Naira and Kobo, but in terms of human and educational development.
He encourage all Kwararafa Kingdom descendants and well wishers to join hands with us to develop the University.
The awardees are, Engr. (Dr.) Andrew Yakubu, former Group Managing Director, NNPC and Pro Chancellor Kwararafa University, was awarded with Honorary Doctorate of Science Degree, Chief (Dr.) David Sabo Kente (DSK), was awarded with Honorary Doctorate Degree on Public Service (DPS) and the paramount traditional ruler of Igala and Chairman Kogi State Traditional Council, HRM Mathew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche, was awarded with Honorary Doctorate Degree of Letters.
There were goodwill messages from people from various parts of the country to appreciate and celebrate recipients.