A delegation from the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai-Niger State, Nigeria has today 2nd March 2017 paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor and extended a hand of collaboration to Makerere University. The four-man delegation from IBBU was led by the institution’s Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad M. Maiturare and received by the acting Vice Chancellor and Principal College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS)-Prof. Edward Kirumira, as well as the Principal College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)-Prof. Bernard Bashaasha.

The delegation’s visit to Makerere University was facilitated by the Ugandan High Commissioner to Nigeria-H.E. Nelson Ocheger who also accompanied the team. H.E. Ocheger thanked the Office of the Vice Chancellor for receiving the delegation on short notice and shared that the visit was based on IBBU’s intention to promote organic agriculture in Nigeria as well as other countries where Nigeria has diplomatic missions.

“I have already informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and other Ministries about IBBU’s intentions. The delegation has also just returned from Iganga where they intend to start a pilot project” shared the High Commissioner.

In his remarks, Prof. Maiturare thanked H.E. Nelson Ocheger for making the contact with Makerere and the acting Vice Chancellor for granting his delegation audience. He shared that although IBBU was state-owned University founded on 12 years ago, it is actively involved in cutting edge research in agriculture and other disciplines. He congratulated Makerere upon the recently concluded 67th Graduation and noted that the almost 15,000 graduands surpassed IBBU’s entire student population!

He commended the institution for maintaining her number three position in Africa and noted that it was a pleasure for IBBU to interface with Makerere in terms of research as well as the foreseeable staff and student exchanges. “We therefore extend a hand of collaboration to Makerere University and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship.

Prof. Edward Kirumira warmly welcomed Prof. Maiturare and the IBBU delegation to Makerere University and shared the Vice Chancellor-Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu’s apologies for not being able to personally meet the team. “The Vice Chancellor is currently away on official duty,” he added.

He commended the High Commissioner and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for facilitating the visit, observing that this would foster Internationalization of the collaboration. “This initiative by the Ministry of Foreign affairs will create ownership of the collaboration and make it easy to bring other Government agencies on board. We look forward to a strong tripartite collaboration” added Prof. Kirumira.

The acting Vice Chancellor further encouraged the IBBU delegation to take advantage of the research already conducted by the Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (IMHDSS) “a lot of research has been conducted at the household level, which findings will provide a lot of useful information to your pilot project” concluded Prof. Kirumira.

The delegation is slated to visit the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and interface with administrators and researchers. They also expressed interest in interfacing with the leadership of the Actuarial Science programme at Makerere University.

Article by Public Relations Office