Formal Hand Over Of The Muhammadu Indimi Centre For International Studies At The University Of Maiduguri On 07/04/2022

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REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE FORMAL HANDING OVER OF THE MUHAMMADU INDIMI CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI IN BORNO STATE ON THE 7^TH OF APRIL, 2022

PROTOCOLS

“Barka da Ramadan, Barka da Azumi.” I am very pleased to be back in Maiduguri today at this very important event to mark the handover of the Centre for Distance Learning and International Conference Center and other facilities donated by Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammadu Indimi. This is my 2^nd visit to Maiduguri in just under two months. When I told Mr President I was coming to Borno, he asked me, “what are you doing in this Borno sef?” (General laughter).

I must say that I am always impressed by the energy, character and resolve of the great people of this city and Borno State.

I also bring you the very warm greetings of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari who last December, commissioned this facility which we are today formally handing over to the University of Maiduguri.

Alhaji Indimi is one of Nigeria’s foremost businessmen and an investor of international repute. And there are many very wealthy and successful Nigerians, what stands him out is that he is also a leading light in philanthropy in Nigeria. His concern for others and his passion to support others are evident not only all-around Borno State but also across Nigeria, Africa and internationally as well.

We are proud of his achievements and will continue to look to him to mentor, guide and teach others in business and philanthropy so his positive traits and habits can be multiplied for the benefit of the citizens of our nation and beyond.

But his actions show that the investment he most cherishes is investing in people. This donation from Alhaji Indimi is part of a broader portfolio of investments in people that he has spearheaded over the years. The project in Bama some years back providing housing to IDPs was especially timely given the upsurge in the needs of IDPs as the situation in Borno has evolved through the efforts of this administration.

Education is the spark behind every girl and boy child to maximize their individual potentials. Alhaji Indimi’s work through his foundation continues to focus on education as a core area.

He supports hundreds of students for various Degree Courses and Master’s degree programmes in Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering, Computer Science, Petroleum Engineering, and Business Finance, both in Nigeria and abroad.

He built the Muhammadu Indimi Business Centre at the famous Lynn University, USA and also donated the Muhammadu Indimi Faculty of Mineral & Petroleum to the International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan.

Alhaji Indimi’s choice of education as a core area for his philanthropic efforts is an inspired one. Knowledge is the key to lifting millions of our people out of poverty, it is the lifeblood of economic empowerment and development, it is the guarantee of a better life for our people.

Education has become a great equalizer between the developed and developing world. 20 years ago, no one imagined that Nigerian firms would be competing with firms in Silicon Valley in the technology space. We are excited about the fact that Nigeria produced 5 of the 7 unicorns in Africa (start-up companies valued at over $1 billion), namely Flutterwave, Opay, Andela, Interswitch and Jumia.

These companies achieved the coveted Unicorn status despite the perceived disadvantages of our region globally. Imagine what we could do if we have a more committed focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs. Nigeria could conceivably dominate the technology space as we dominate in Nollywood and the music scene. The knowledge economy of the 21^st century emphasizes the need for all of our children to have an education so we can have many more unicorns.

Barely two weeks ago Gov. Zulum, former Governor Shettima and I were celebrating the 5th year of the establishment of the Learning Centre here in Maiduguri. We saw children who barely five years before were in IDP camps many without parents. As of that day, they were teaching us how to write codes, how to program robots, develop websites and other products of their education in technology. Such is the power of education.

The University of Maiduguri has trained many great Nigerians including the current Senate President, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd, and our very own, His Excellency Prof. Babagana Zulum.

For UNIMAID to keep up with the fast pace of development in the world it needs enhanced investment. That investment cannot only come from the Government. The forward-thinking and innovation to imagine, conceive and build a centre that allows for students in Maiduguri to interact and take lessons from Shanghai, Houston or Paris is exactly what is needed for this institution to keep pace and in certain respects lead the continued educational innovation we are experiencing.

This Center will also allow for students to be enrolled in the University of Maiduguri from Abuja, Lagos or even Johannesburg, expanding the enrollment base of the University and providing increased options for students to learn and interact.

The Buhari administration is also continuing to invest in our universities. UNIMAID is in phase 2 of the Energizing Education Programme funded through the Rural Electrification Agency. The Federal Government through REA (in partnership with the World Bank) is in the advanced stages of establishing a 12MW Solar Hybrid Power Plant to power UNIMAID and its Teaching Hospital. The project will also include a training centre and is modelled around similar projects that have already been completed at Bayero University Kano (BUK), the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi (FUAM), Usman Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS) and the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (FUNAI).

Additionally, I am pleased to announce that through the Economic Sustainability Plan approved by Mr. President, NNPC, REA and Yola DISCO are partnering with my Office and the Office of the Governor of Borno to deploy 30MW of Solar Power to critical areas of Maiduguri. This will be 6 Solar Plants of 5MW each to augment grid supply and protect against energy sabotage.

Let me also say that the efforts of the Federal Government and private persons can only be truly useful where the State government is serious about the development. I am proud to say that my brother, Governor Zulum, has by his great achievements here, shown exactly that seriousness. He has built several mega schools, massive commercial centres, over 8000 housing units, and the first flyover in Borno State, but what is most heart-warming is that all of these are at very low cost. Well done indeed.

Let me again commend. and congratulate Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi on the completion of this landmark project and the successful handing over of the International Learning Center to the University of Maiduguri.

Congratulations to the University of Maiduguri, the worthy recipient of the Centre for Distance Learning and International Conference Center and other facilities, and congratulations also to the good people of Maiduguri and Borno, and all those who will benefit from this facility and all other facilities being donated today.

God bless the University of Maiduguri.

God bless Borno State.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.