Ahman Pategi University

2023: NEW YEAR MESSAGE

Like a November wind, the year 2022 has howled away giving way to the breeze of a new dawn and a new year. As a University, therefore, we have every reason to be grateful to the Almighty God for His blessings and for witnessing another beginning.

While we look back at 2022 as a year of definitive steps signposted by the first matriculation and diploma graduation ceremonies, among other milestones, we have a future to work towards in order to consolidate on the previous gains and make giant strides while going forward.

I enjoin staff and students to be more dedicated to their primary assignments. Excellence should be your watchword as you keep your eyes on the ball and strive to be the best versions of yourselves.

There are two approaches to dealing with challenges: the eagle and the duck. The eagle approach is that the eagle soars above the strong winds. The duck approach, however, explains how the duck only quacks and complains. In 2023, everyone should decide to be an eagle, not a duck. It is axiomatic that every situation changes when we change our perspectives.

Thus, I encourage you to burst into the academic year afresh with positive mental energy that releases endorphins in your brains and gives you natural high spirits. This energy will make you face your studies with renewed focus and do your job with passion and determination.

With each year, like the development of a child, Ahman Pategi University is getting stronger and there is no doubt that the good will get better.

It is evident that we have recorded a string of successes in discharging the mandate of the University but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. This is because we are still at the beginning of the race to the future.

On behalf of the Proprietor, the BOT, the Governing Council, the Administration and the Senate, I congratulate you on the New Year and appreciate you for your efforts in deepening the vision and mission of the University.

I pray that 2023 be marked with seriousness, service, success and serenity for all as staff and students. As Winnifred Wygal prayed, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

This year, let's join hands again to make a difference, a positive one!

Prof. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji

Vice Chancellor

posted on 1st of January, 2023.

FULL TEXT OF VICE CHANCELLOR'S SPEECH AT WORLD PEACE DAY 2022

THE VICE CHANCELLOR OF AHMAN PATEGI UNIVERSITY, PROF. MAHFOUZ A. ADEDIMEJI HAS TODAY DELIVERED A SPEECH TO MARK THIS YEAR's UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE AT AHMAN PATEGI UNIVERSITY

International Day of Peace

Today (i.e. September 21), various governments, institutions, organisations and people across all countries will mark the International Day of Peace. In our world ravaged by war and enmeshed by conflict, at least devoting a day to promote and project such ideas and ideals bordering on peace is undoubtedly a right stone cast in the right direction.

The International Day of Peace was established in 1982 by Resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly, sponsored by the United Kingdom and Costa Rica. It was first observed on September 21, 1982 and since then every third Tuesday of September was annually commemorated as the International Peace Day.

In 2001, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 55/282 which declared September 21 as an annual day for peace. According to the Secretary General António Guterres of the United Nations, “Racism continues to poison institutions, social structures, and everyday life in every society. It continues to be a driver of persistent inequality. And it continues to deny people their fundamental human rights. It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments, and… the linkages between racism and gender inequality are unmistakable.”

The Day is inaugurated each year at the United Nations headquarters in New York with the ringing of the Peace Bell. The Peace Bell is made from coins donated from children from all continents except Africa (imagine) and the inscription on its sides reads, “Long live absolute world peace”. The bell is rung as “a reminder of the human cost of war.” Since 1982 when the Day was first commemorated, various themes have been focused on over the years. The theme of this year's Peace Day is "End Racism, Build Peace".

As we draw attention to the International Day of Peace, it is important to stress that world peace begins from individuals. One cannot make peace with others without being at peace with oneself. The Chinese philosopher, Confucius, said aeons ago: “If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nations. When there is order in the nations, there will be peace in the world.” In this regard, as Mahatma Gandhi, the man of peace, counselled, you should “be the change you wish to see in the world.”

The world stands in unison in the celebration of the International Day of Peace today and it is especially important for us as Africans to embrace the concept of “ubumtu” given its relevance to the theme of partnership.

As I wrote in the EDUPEACE column of the New Telegraph of January 20, 2015, “Ubumtu is a concept in Bantu languages and it is common in the Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. According to Jannie Malan, it means that “every single human being only becomes a true human being by means of relationship with other beings.” This relationship engenders maintaining peace at six levels, which are the individual, familial, local/ societal, national, regional and global domains.

Simply put, “ubumtu” means “I am because we are”. What affects me affects us and what affects us affects me. We are in it all together and together we must make it better. We are all involved in this world and together, we must be partners in peace or else we perish. In other words, without peace, everything is in pieces.

Happy Peace Day!

posted on 21st of September, 2022.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO RAIN

I am delighted to welcome you to the Rain Semester of the 2021/2022 academic session of our fledgling University. It is auspicious to start on a note of gratitude to the Almighty Allah for His innumerable blessings that we cannot count. We thank God for making us meet in peace, not in pieces.

I must also thank you for your commitment and dedication to duty, which contributed to the achievements recorded so far. No doubt, your names are etched in gold in the annals of the University.

After a month's break following a very long semester, I believe you are all turbocharged for the commencement of academic activities today.

As the University resumes, I want to encourage you to keep your spirits high and dare the challenges. After every storm, calm returns and every cloud has a silver lining.

Earlier today, I shared two articles with you on success. I urge you to read and internalise them. There is no gain without pain and before success, there is selfless service or sacrifice.

Efforts are ongoing at the highest level of university governance to address a major issue of concern and other ancillary issues. I enjoin you to be hopeful and prayerful. Everything shall be all right.

Once again, I welcome you to the Rain Semester, and I wish you abundant showers of blessings 🌧️🌧️💦.

Peace.

Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, fspsp

Vice Chancellor

posted on 9th of May, 2022.

NEW YEAR MESSAGE: DO THE RIGHT THING

As the year 2022 begins, it is auspicious for us as a university to thank the Almighty God for making the dream of the University a reality last year and for making us part of its foundation team. It only takes special grace to belong to the pioneers!

Definitely, 2021 shall remain unforgettable in the annals of Ahman Pategi University as it marked the approval, the licensing and the beginning of academic activities in the University. The journey so far is simply remarkable.

Like every human activity, the beginning is always challenging and the University was not spared of its own challenges last year, in spite of the best of efforts to overcome them. Yet, challenges are natural and they bring the best out of us ultimately.

The year starting today offers us another opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves as staff and students to the lofty ideals and mandate of the University. It is an opportunity to blaze the trail and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with renowned universities not only in Nigeria and Africa but also the world at large. Together, we can do it!

I want everyone of us to begin the year with hope and enthusiasm that good things will be better and the teething challenges will be surmounted. Definitely, the University cannot be greater than the quality of its staff and students and it is in this respect that everyone of us has a role to play.

During the days of Prof. Jerry Gana's chairmanship of the Mass Mobilisation for Social Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), a government agency, he charged Nigerians to do whatever they did well. Based on his mantra, I urge you that if you are a leader, lead well; if you are a lecturer, lecture well; if you are an administrator, administer well; if you are a manager, manage well; if you are a farmer, farm well; if you are a cleaner, clean well; if you are a gardener, garden well;if you are a security officer, secure life and property well and if you are a student, study well.

There is no room for mediocrity in the university and it is expected that everyone of us will embrace the new year with renewed energy and more dedication to duty. Let us clean our corners well and always do the right thing at the right time. When we all do the right thing, everything shall be all right.

At Ahman Pategi University, the future is now and it is gratifying that you are part of the unfolding future. I, therefore, urge you to double your efforts and make your marks in your primary assignments as staff and students.

On behalf of the Proprietor, Hon. Aliyu Ahman-Pategi, the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, I welcome you to the year of determination. We must be determined to succeed after the foundation year well spent in 2021.

Thank you and God bless you all.

Prof. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji

Vice-Chancellor, APU

posted on 1st of January, 2022.