The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and former Governor of Katsina State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, has urged Nigerian universities to intensify the deployment of technology to equip graduates with relevant skills for global competitiveness.
Masari also stressed the importance of moral uprightness and institutional resilience as key pillars for Nigeria’s educational advancement and national development.
He made the call at the 17th convocation ceremony of Al-Qalam University, Katsina, where he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Administration in recognition of his contributions to public service, education, human capital development and leadership.
According to the TETFund BOT Chairman, a strong orientation towards technology has become inevitable for the survival of higher education institutions and the nation at large.
“In today’s world, a deliberate tilt towards technology is not optional; it is inevitable. The growing number of graduates produced annually by our universities demands a paradigm shift that will ensure they are adequately equipped with relevant skills to compete in an increasingly dynamic and interconnected global environment,” he said.
Masari added that Nigerian youths must be encouraged to embrace modern technology and leverage its mastery to develop innovative solutions in agriculture, security, service delivery, healthcare, mineral exploration and other critical sectors driving national development.
In his acceptance speech, he expressed gratitude to the university community for the honour and paid tribute to the visionaries behind the establishment of Al-Qalam University.
Speaking on the nation’s political climate, the former governor urged political leaders to exercise caution and embrace leadership driven by purpose, patriotism and national interest as the country moves towards another season of political activities and elections. He warned that recent global events had shown that even advanced democracies could experience political instability when competition is unchecked, stressing that patriotism must outweigh personal ambition.
Also speaking at the event, Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, described education as the most powerful tool for sustainable development.
He disclosed that his administration has invested over N6 billion in scholarship awards for no fewer than 174,451 students in tertiary institutions within and outside Nigeria.
Governor Radda noted that the investment, alongside the provision of educational infrastructure and skills development programmes, was aimed at preparing youths academically, morally and economically for global competitiveness.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Al-Qalam University, Prof. Nasiru Musa Yawuri, announced that the institution graduated a total of 1,109 students across various disciplines.
He disclosed that 18 students graduated with First Class honours, 280 with Second Class Upper degrees, and 507 with Second Class Lower degrees.