By MUSTAPHA YAURI

Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, says it introduced the “Lunch with the Vice-Chancellor Programme” to create a platform that would nurture the next generation of leaders for Nigeria.

Malam Auwalu Umar, Director, Public Affairs Directorate of the university, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Zaria.

He quoted the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, as saying that the maiden edition of the programme was designed to produce leaders who embody knowledge, character, and a deep sense of responsibility.

Ahmed urged the students to seize the opportunity to learn, question, and be inspired, stressing that the future of Nigeria rested in their hands.

The vice-chancellor explained that the initiative aligned with the vision of the institution’s founding father, the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto.

According to Ahmed, the late Sir Ahmadu Bello envisioned ABU not only as a centre of learning but also a training ground for leaders with empathy, global outlook, and responsibility to nation-building.

“It is our hope that the beneficiaries of this forum, intended to be held twice yearly, will rise to that noble expectation,” he said.

The vice-chancellor added that the forum would also provide an avenue for an open and sincere interactions with the students to strengthen the ABU’s family spirit.

Ahmed commended the keynote speaker, Mr Muhtar Bakare, Chairman of Alternative Bank, for sharing inspiring lessons of resilience, and expressed gratitude to Ahmed Zakari and Company for sponsoring the programme.

In his keynote, Bakare told the students they had access to opportunities previous generations could only dream of, through the internet, artificial intelligence, and willing mentors.

He urged them to embrace curiosity and interdisciplinary learning as a path to becoming visionary leaders.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Occasion, Amb. Shuaibu Ahmed, an ABU alumnus and Senior Partner at Ahmed Zakariyya and Co, hailed the programme as a sign of humility and empathy by the vice-chancellor.

He advised the selected students to make the best use of the opportunity to learn from experts and seasoned professionals. (NAN)