AUN at 19th unveils DeWayne as 6th president

From Umar Dankano,Yola.

The American University of Nigeria, Yola(AUN) has inaugurated it’s new president, Dr.Dewayne Frazier as the sixth (6th) since the establishment of the institution in 2004.

Unveiling the new president of the institution, chairman of the Board of Directors,Senator Ben Obi said as part of the contributions of the former Vice president Atiku Abubakar in giving back to the society,the idea of investing in educational sector was hatched and became in to fruition as AUN.

Senator Obi at the Founder’s day ceremony of the University held in Yola,the Adamawa state capital weekend the concept of the former vee pee,Atiku is a dream of his vision in the drive for development University for African and global growth.

In his remark, the keynote speaker, Dr. Steven Titus commended  the founder and former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar for establishing the only development university in the heart of Yola.

Dr.Titus who couldn’t hide his feelings said commitment to the development of education must have been the driving force behind the evidenced large measure taken by Atiku in his locality.

He therefore enjoin others to emulate the gesture motivation,values and generosity of the founder for the laudable contributions.

Earlier in his address, founder of the  University of (AUN), Atiku Abubakar who turned 77years old Saturday said to have dedicated the achievements of the institution founded 19 years ago to human development.

Atiku Stated that AUN has attained far reaching milestones  that requires a pause  for a stock taking of its performance.

“AUN is 19 years old, although students actually began to study here 18 years ago. Whether we put the university’s age at 19 or 18, it is a good time to take stock of what we have been doing, what we have achieved, and how we can get better. 18 is somewhat universally regarded as the age of maturity”.

” At this age it’s believed that adults assume or are given responsibilities expected of those with the capacity for independent thought, reason, or judgement”.  

“In added to this capacity for independent living, the adult engages in self-reflection, such self-reflection can suggest a change in tactics, method, or direction aimed at improving one’s life and the lives of those impacted by the adult’s actions and inactions”. Atiku recounted

He Noted that as Socrates remarked long ago “An unexamined life is not worth living.” It’s not enough to simply go through the motions of living or, in this case, of running an educational institution day-by-day.  

‘We have to step back, take stock, ask ourselves some very important questions, and try to answer them honestly”.

“AUN was never intended to be just another university, there was a vision and purpose that set it apart and gave it true meaning and relevance.

 “It is important that that vision is realized and that the university serves its purpose for generations to come and the  vision is  to build a development university providing American-style education, which emphasizes critical thinking and problem-solving. 

“A development university, unlike the traditional (ivory tower notion of) university sees itself as an active partner in economic development and the process of nation-building,” he said

Delivering his acceptances speech AUN President,Frazier, who is an experienced educator with over twenty five years of dedication to positively shaping young minds promised to pursue the targeted goals.

 He as a leadership and political science professor pledged to drive the vision of the founder in realizing the dreams of a development university to drive the growth of Nigeria and Africa.

The new president promised to ensure the realization of the founder in leaving an enduring legacy of quality education in Yola and environs.   

“AUN will prioritize innovation, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and creating opportunities for groundbreaking research and world class teaching. 

As your president, “I will strive to build strong collaborations with our alumni, community partners, and industry leaders, forging meaningful connections that will benefit not only our students but also society as a whole”.

“We will work together to address the challenges of our time and make a positive impact in our local and global communities. I am filled with excitement and optimism for the future of this university. I am confident that, together, we will achieve great things and continue to be a beacon of knowledge, enlightenment, and progress.

“I am committed to upholding the values and principles that have been the foundation of this university. Values such as Excellence, Integrity and Services that permeates through the entire campus,” he said.