The Vice- Chancellor, Kwara State University, Malete, Professor Muhammed Mustapha Akanbi (SAN) has stressed that communities which serve as hosts to institutions of higher learning in Nigeria have a lot to gain from having such institutions in their domain.
The Vice Chancellor stated this when the Chief Imam of Malete Community, Dr. Abdullahi Ibrahim Salahudeen paid him a courtesy visit.
Professor Akanbi noted that while higher institutions have the potential of positively and negatively influencing their hosts, the duty of host community leaders is to strategize and obtain maximum benefits from such Institution especially for their youths.
The Vice-Chancellor disclosed this in a statement signed by the Ag. Director, University Relations, Hamidat Sulyman Yusuf.
He called on community leaders to exhibit responsibility by galvanising their citizens to key into the potentials of higher institutions by developing themselves academically, morally, and mentally:
“it’s time for host communities to prepare to gain from institutions in their vicinity, by keying into the potentials of the institution, the communities must develop to meet up with the growth of the institution so as to fit into the development trends of the institution” he advised.
The Vice-Chancellor added that KWASU has a duty to ensure that all the surrounding communities benefit from the Institution, stressing that the University will work with all stakeholders to ensure that host communities are carried along in its activities to encourage mutual growth.
Professor Akanbi equally used the forum to call on institutions of higher learning to give room for self-expression by students, stating that most remarkable and renowned achievements made world wide are due to opportunities and encouragement given to research of students of higher learning.
He explained that KWASU students will be allowed to actualise their full potentials through the provision of an enabling environment to allow them think outside the box.
Professor Akanbi added that he would look into the provision of a conducive and comfortable accommodation for KWASU students on campus so as to ensure the production of sound and confident graduates.
He expressed his appreciation to Malete community for sending a representative to congratulate him on his appointment as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of KWASU, promising to work hand in hand with them to achieve the goal of uplifting the Institution and its host communities.
Responding, the Chief Imam of Malete Community, Dr Abdullahi Ibrahim Salahudeen expressed the readiness of the various groups and people in Malete to support the Vice Chancellor in achieving his goals.
He thanked the Vice-Chancellor for his plans to impact more on the host communities.
