By Uzair Adam Imam
Prominent Saudi universities have expressed interest to build a strong collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU), stating that the university has attained a considerable standing in teaching and research, the Consul-General, Royal Consulate General of Saudi Arabia, Kano, Khalil Ahmed Admawi, has disclosed.
The Consul-General made the disclosure today, 18th November 2021, when he paid a familiarisation visit to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he had an interaction with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, in his office.
This was made public in a release signed Thursday, 18th November 2021, by the Public Affairs Directorate, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Mr. Admawi, who led a three-man delegation to the University from the Saudi Consulate in Kano, said it was a “great pleasure” for him to have visited Ahmadu Bello University for the first time.
He added that long before his coming to Nigeria to serve as a diplomat he had been hearing about ABU’s greatness as clearly manifested in the quality of products produced by the institution over the years.
The Consul-General also explained that his visit to ABU was primarily to acquaint himself with the institution, and to subsequently link many Saudi universities with Ahmadu Bello University for possible collaboration on various academic fields.
Admawi, who expressed immense appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor for the warm reception accorded him and his entourage, further said that the visit would open more doors for different academic linkages between ABU and Saudi academic institutions.
Receiving the Consul-General, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, recalled the kind of relationship ABU had with the Gulf countries at its early years of existence.
Prof. Bala further said that such collaboration ceased to exist with the death of Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, who founded the University in 1962.
“Thereafter, ABU has been trying to resuscitate such collaborations with the Gulf countries. It is my hope that your visit will eventually revive the collaborations not only on Islamic Banking but also on other academic fields”, he said.
The Consul-General and his entourage were later conducted round some places within the University, including Department of Arabic, where he briefly interacted with the Head of Department, Prof. Jafar Abdulmalik and other staff members of the Department.
A renowned Islamic scholar at the Faculty of Education, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Dr. Abubakar Mohammed Sani Birnin Kudu, and Malam Ahmad Idris Yunus, a staff at the Consulate, were part of the Consul-General’s entourage.