The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has described his appointment as Chancellor of Kashim Ibrahim University, Maiduguri, Borno State, as an honour received with deep humility and profound gratitude.
In a statement following the announcement, the revered monarch said the conferment of an honorary Doctorate in Letters alongside the chancellorship was not only a personal recognition but a tribute to Nigeria’s enduring heritage of learning, culture and nation-building handed down by past generations.
The Ooni paid special tribute to Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, noting that his visionary leadership was instrumental to the establishment of the university. He stressed that education remains the most powerful tool for building resilient societies, expanding opportunities and shaping a future anchored on innovation, dignity and progress.
According to him, universities must go beyond the award of degrees to nurturing character, inspiring creativity, sharpening critical thinking and unlocking the vast human potential required for economic growth and social transformation.
Expressing his vision for the institution, the Ooni pledged to work closely with the university’s leadership to position Kashim Ibrahim University as a premier centre of knowledge, first-class research and cutting-edge innovation, capable of providing practical solutions to Nigeria’s complex challenges.
He further envisaged the university as an epicentre of ideas and excellence that would advance peace, strengthen enterprise, empower the next generation and contribute meaningfully to the development of Nigeria and the African continent in the 21st century.
The monarch also expressed profound gratitude to the Visitor to the University and Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum; the University Council; the academic community; the Shehu of Borno; and the people of Borno State for the confidence reposed in him, assuring that together they would build a lasting legacy of scholarship, service and transformative leadership for generations to come.
