THE Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed forces President Mohammed Buhari has assured that the establishment of the Nigerian Army University will be a lasting solution to their contemporary technological problems challenging the future of his troops.
To the President, this 46th federal University taking off next month will actually serve as a standby brain box for the sorting out of at least half of the challenges the Army is faced with at this contemporary disposition.
Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu said that the turning of the sod for the take-off of the main campus of the University which took place Tuesday in Biu was going to bring lots of opportunities for the young ones to be educated.
After the turning of the sod, Buhari congratulated the Chief of the Army who doubles as chair of the governing council of the University Lt General Buratai on his sense of mission and persistence in creating a first-class institution which would take care of the challenges of the contemporary manifesting mostly now in technology.
Buhari noted that it was his belief that issues of insecurity, corruption and many others are tied to education which is the panacea for development adding that an uneducated mind is a potential for imprisonment.
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On who will enter the institution, the President hinted that the University is for everyone, unlike the Nigerian Defence Academy NDA which is for only people who wish to become soldiers.
He revealed that when the University is finally completed, areas like artificial intelligence, weapons and armour technology, welding and robotics and many other needy areas which are of priority to the Army will be well researched into and developed in line with the 21st-century technology-driven economy.
“This shall in the long run address this reliance on foreign technology and others. It’s imperative that this is done in equipping people for better training in the military. It will also evolve into a well-set leadership institution which is a great virtue.
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima expressed satisfaction that such a University is being established in the history of the country adding that it will provide the platform for cross-fertilisation between the military and the academia.
He said that the choice of Biu for an institution which would be seventy-five per cent civilians and twenty per cent military at takeoff would go a long way in contributing to the educational needs of the young people in the state and the entire region which has been badly affected by the nine-year-old insurgency war.
Shettima assured that his government will do all it can to support the young University as it is taking off on a massive five thousand hectares of land with a certificate of occupancy already issued and a brand new licence from the National University’s Commission NUC.
He commended General Buratai for doing a good job even for the future adding that his reign as the Army chief has brought tremendous advantages for Borno and the entire north east which was once under threatening siege of the insurgent boko haram.
Army chief Lt General Tukur Buratai said that the world army today is all information technology complaint as such the Nigerian Army should not be left out in the developmental train preparing for the future.
He told the gathering that the creation of the Army University was to enable the army to be self sufficient in its peculiarities using technologies that would easily suite the officers and men.
It was their intention to contribute to the well being of the entire Army and any other services that would need their support.
Chairman of the interim committee set up to nutured the institution Major General Mathias Efeoubochan rtd commended the Army chief for insisting on only excellence adding that he is seeing a rewarding future from the existence of the University.
He revealed that it was not very easy at first especially from the various hurdles encountered but was excited the University has come to stay after two years of tugging along.
Vice Chancellor Professor Ilya David however said that the institution represents the future of Nigeria’s self reliance in technology many years from now.
He said that the University which will commence teaching and learning on 12th November will take off with five faculties and thirty nine programmes but when it reaches its full capacity it should be boasting of about fourteen faculties and a hundred and thirteen departments.
He called on the federal government to work on the roads which would be vital in easing the movement of the University Community to and from the main campus to anywhere of the country.
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