Nigerian Varsities have Ability to End Insecurity Through Research, Says UNIABUJA VC

By Kuni Tyessi in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah has disclosed that through research in the nation’s ivory towers, the incessant cases of insecurity will be a thing of the past.

The VC who reiterated that insecurity is a researchable issue, said every challenge of human endeavour needs research and needs its people to bring solutions.

Na’Allah who made this known, recently at its maiden undergraduate Research Day, themed, ‘Promoting National Development through Research’, said people have given up on the issue of insecurity with the belief that there’s no solution because universities are yet to research on it.

He added that for research to thrive, parent’s, industries, parastatals and even the government need to collaborate effectively with universities, adding that world over, no single government can fund research 100 per cent.

According to him, “Of course, there is a relationship between research and insecurity. If you invest in research, you will also need security to do its work. Even insecurity is a researchable issue. What is insecurity? What should we do to resolve it?

“Every problem of human endeavour needs research and needs its people to bring solutions. If people say its insecurity and so there’s no solution, tell them to go to hell. Has it been researched? Have universities found out how to end Boko Haram? Why did it even happen in the first place? Researchers would have found out and brought solutions.

“No single government can find research 100 per cent allover the world. If you go to the best universities in the world, research is a collaboration between parents, industries, parastatals among government. Everyone is involved and we want everyone to be on board.”

In his remarks, the guest speaker, Dr. Salisu Abubakar, said research, apart from improving the nature and existence of humans, also serves as a very important constitutional approach to education.

Meanwhile, eight final year undergraduate students of the university qualified for the research grant in which the sum of N2, 229, 800 was awarded by the VC.

In another development, the University of Abuja is partnering with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, (NIHOTOUR) to establish Travel-Tourism and Hospitality department under its faculty of Management Sciences.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdul Rashid Na Allah who made the disclosure at a one-day Seminar on ‘Tourism and Hospitality Legislations for Improved Revenue Generation and Development: Lessons from China’, organised by the trio of NIHOTOUR, UNIABUJA and the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, said the hospitality travel tourism industry in the country desire skilled and high-level manpower that can deliver quality services of international standards.

Prof. Na Allah who spoke through Associate Prof. Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, Director Institute for Legislative Studies of the University, noted that training and impactful vocational skills are what the tourism industry desires to be able to explore and tap into the country’s vast tourism potentials for the socio- economic benefits of Nigeria and its people.