The Dean, faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Ibadan, Professor Mohammed Kuta Yahaya on Thursday, 11th July, 2019 delivers the 459th inaugural lecture of the university amidst well-wishers.
The inaugural lecture titled ‘’Voice for the Voiceless Hungered Angered’’ was delivered at the faculty of Science Lake Side Theatre of the University.
Speaking with journalists at the event, the former Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar GCFR commends the university of Ibadan for embracing Prof. Yahaya, he said, ‘’ I thank the University of Ibadan for embracing professor Yahaya. This shows how University of Ibadan is for all Nigerians and as a result of this, there is need for all of us just to be our brother keepers as Nigerians whether we are from the North, South, West or East’’.
Etsu Nupe HRM. Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar CFR, while responding to journalists question on how relevance the lecture could be to our nation, said, ‘’As we can see the theme of the lecture ‘Voice for the Voiceless Hungered Angered’ the content of the lecture will actually go a long way to care for the voiceless. If the topic is being be put to use by people, it will go a long way to solving the social and economic problems we have in this country.
On his part, the Niger state deputy governor, Ahmed Muhammad Ketso said ‘’It is very rare to see a man in Nupe land to have demonstrated this kind of academic excellence. Professor Yahaya has demonstrated and acknowledged his academic excellence for the younger ones to emulate’’.
‘’I urge everyone that have graced this occasion to emulate his academic excellence and, I pray that almighty Allah would guide and protect him for us’’, the Niger state deputy governor said.
Former Secretary General of the Federation, Alhaji Yayali Ahmed while describing the inaugural lecture and its significance, said ‘’the lecture was an excellence and fantastic one. The significance of the lecture is that, a premier University like the University of Ibadan has identified the talents and impacts of professor Yahaya and they gave him the opportunity to prove himself. This shows that Nigeria is united irrespective of where we all came from’’.
In her statement, a FUTMINA lecturer and sister to Prof. Yahaya, Professor Safiya Yahaya said ‘’inaugural lecture is the whole journey through out the academic life of an academician. Prof. Yahaya has just demonstrated his academic excellence in his academic pursuit. He has made his immense contributions to the development of humanity’’. It has really being a struggle as a northerner in the University of Ibadan but today; It is really a success story’’, she said.
Speaking further, she said ‘’My advice to the university communities is that, there are observations we go through in the process of academic, base on that, he was able to made recommendations. Therefore, Universities should make use of these recommendations to benefit the universities and its entire community’’.
In her own plight, the wife of the professor, Hajara Yahaya said ‘’Am so happy, feel great and fulfilled today. For him to have delivered this inaugural lecture is an honour because what we are celebrating is once in a life time as we feel honored in the family’’.
Describing her husband ‘’ my husband is a go-getter. He will always encourage one to push forward to achieve the best. He has always being there for us even when he is there at some point in time’’, she said.
In his remark, Professor Yahaya said ‘’ my inaugural topic is addressing the topical issue that is affecting our nation and development aspirations. If the observations and recommendations are noted by policy makers and government at all levels, it will contribute to major policy shift in our development paradigm and I believed there is a chance that we can make a difference in the life of our country if we can look beyond our territory in the sense that policy initiation and activities should be gender sensitive, should be youth friendly and should address issues of concern to our country. We have a challenge and our efforts to address those challenges are not enough but we can do better’’ he said.
Talking about what triggered the inaugural topic, he said ‘’my training and background will represent the vital voice for those who don’t have voice. Globally, there is a continuous neglect of extensions that constitute the vital voice for agriculture and development. So, today what I have done is to bring extension and communication to the front runner so that people will know what extension can do and what communication can amplify. I have demonstrated this in my scholarship engagement through my model of the integrated multimedia and development communication model that is the most cited throughout the world which could help some development challenges in health, agriculture and human development in general since the federal government policy of diversification is rare, we have seen how communication has helped other development initiatives, and I have no doubts in my mind that If we can implement the model in Nigeria, we could achieve the same. Given the current realities of our challenges in Nigeria as a nation, I have set the motion to address some of the issues using Communication strategies that am recommending. Some of my doctoral students are doing research in those areas and they have been doing well’’.
He however stressed that the reasons why there are rejections from the policy holders is primarily because they don’t involve extension and development communication scholars to give them the hypothetical position and postulations on how to make it work better but now that I have said it , I think the government can think twice, he said
Professor Yahaya thanked everyone who has graced the occasion and for all their supports.
The inaugural lecture had in attendance, Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari ably represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Muhammad Umar, the former Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar GCFR; his wife, Fatima Abubakar; former SGF, Alhaji Yayali Ahmed; Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi; Etsu Nupe, HRM. Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar; Niger state governor ably represented by his deputy, Ahmed Muhammed Ketso; JAMB registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede; Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka; Prof. Ayo Banjo, Prof. Safiya Yahaya and host of Niger state indigenes who graced the event.