PUBLIC LECTURES

GSU Alumni organised 4 different public lecture series to disseminate information about the state of the nation and enlighten the public. On 24th May 2014, at the occasion of the formal inauguration of the Association the first lecture was delivered by Mal. Salihu Bappah from ABU on the topic: The Role of the Alumni in the Development of the University System in Nigeria. On 25th April 2015, the second lecture was delivered by Mal. Nasir Bello also from ABU on the topic: The Power to Lead, the Power to Change: Alumni Relations and Higher Education in Nigeria. On 7th April 2018, the third lecture was delivered by Prof Abdullahi Ashafa from Kaduna State University on the topic: Repackaging Nigerian Universities Alumni Associations for the 21st Century University System at the occasion of the GSU Alumni Association hosting of the 2018 CAANU 1st Quarter Meeting. On 1st August 2019, the fourth lecture was delivered on the topic: The Identity and Role of the Alumni in Promoting Inter-Faith Peaceful Relations in the University System by Alhousseyn Ba (the CEO of One Africa Social Media Network) from the State of Michigan, United States of America

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES

The Alumni commenced counselling services in 2015. This special programme aims to guide and assist prospective University students on the SSCE, subject combinations and UTME/DE admission requirements. It is used to be lecture based programme with both the students and counsellors (teachers) as participants with emphasis on male and female Senior Secondary I-III students. Similarly, the service is also rendered to GSU students who faced academic or socio-economic challenges.

THE ALUMNI INTERVENTIONS

In Promoting in the University and Defending its Integrity the Alumni have played a vital role in defense of the good image of the University and promoting its ideals. The Alumni intervention was decisive whenever the government and some individuals wanted to do things that in the opinion of the Alumni could be injurious to the image and prestige of the University. This was particularly the case in 2016 when there was a move to rename GSU as “Modibbo Bubayero University” and in 2018 when the Gombe State House of Assembly came up with a bill to rename GSU as “Shehu Usman Abubakar University.” After consultations with relevant stakeholders who had no prejudices against the persons of Modibbo Bubayero and the late Emir of Gombe, Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Usman Abubakar, the Alumni wrote a memo to the House of Assembly and copied the Gombe State Governor, among others, drawing their attention to the financial and other implications of the proposal to rename GSU and why the move should be reconsidered. The Alumni intervention yielded positive results. The Alumni have also played a crucial role in defending the University against self-centered individuals, thereby stabilising the University. This has manifested even through the Alumni involvement in the running of the University in-house staff unions. The Alumni have donated in piecemeal over 100 podiums (lecture stand) to the University. The podiums have been used during lectures and tutorials in the University lecture rooms, halls, theatres and laboratories. At the beginning of every academic session, the Alumni repaired the podiums found to be in bad shape, and supply more podiums to the lecture rooms, halls and theatres that have no such facility. The Alumni equally constructed and erected signboards with the inscription of vision and mission statements of GSU at the first and second gates of the University. Another signboard with wildlife inscription was erected at the entrance of the University Zoo. In addition to the reconstruction and re-erection of some signboards, art-work characters which had fallen off in the inscription of the Administrative Block of the University have also been reconstructed and fixed to continually serve their virtual purpose in the University. The Alumni also reconstructed pedestrian slap over culvert as well as constructed a drainage and a walkway in the University. The Alumni have also equally donated at different time several copies of books to the University Library. Mathematics Text Books have also been donated for use by staff and students in the School of Basics and Remedial Studies (SBRS) of the University. The Alumni have also been involved in publication to promote the University administration. The first was in 2013 when the Alumni published a felicitation letter for the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mahadi, CON on his recognition as one of the Top Northern Professionals by Leadership Newspaper Group Limited. The publication appeared on page 31 of the Leadership Newspaper of 23rd September 2013

The second followed the completion of Prof. Abdullahi Mahadi’s tenure as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor and the appointment of Prof. Ibrahim M. Umar to succeed him. The Alumni published in the Daily Trust Newspaper letter of appreciation to Prof. Mahadi for being the successful tenure and letter of congratulations to Prof. Umar on his assumption of duty. The publication appeared on page 74 of the Daily Trust Newspaper of Monday, 20th October 2014. The Alumni also conceived the idea of publishing a book in honour of Prof. Mahadi at the end of his tenure titled GSU @ 10: Essays in Honour of Professor Abdullahi Mahadi, OON. Few articles were received from interested persons/academics and thus the book project could not see the light of the day. At the end of the tenure of Prof. I.M. Umar as the second GSU Vice-Chancellor, the Alumni (Usman Isah Ya’u and Abdulkadir Adamu) also wrote a book on his administration titled A Call to Serve: Tenure Account of Professor I.M. Umar as the Vice-Chancellor of Gombe State University (2014-2019)

ALUMNI LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND PARTICIPATION CAANU PROGRAMMES

Over the years the a number of Alumni attended capacity building training and programmes which truly widened their horizons and deepened their understanding of the workings of Alumni Associations in Nigeria, thereby making them better informed on the best way to discharge their duties and run the association. They learned a lot from the experiences of others on the strategy they adopted to woo members, stakeholders and friends of the University as well as grant-awarding organisations to assist GSU, thereby harnessing their goodwill for the betterment of the University. The first was the Alumni leadership training workshop at the Directorate of University Advancement of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria from 16th to 19th February 2016. GSU Alumni Association is affiliated to the Conference of Alumni Associations of Nigerian Universities (CAANU), an umbrella body that brings together all Nigerian Universities Alumni Associations for the purpose of discussing the prospects and challenges of the Nigerian university system on a broader scale, and seek collaborative efforts of important stakeholders, governmental and non- governmental organisations to better the condition of the Nigerian Universities. Since 2017 GSU Alumni have been actively participating in CAANU Quarterly Meetings at different Nigerian Universities. GSU Alumni even hosted the 2018 CAANU 1st Quarter Meeting from 6 to 7 April, 2018. It is the first State University in Nigeria to host the CAANU Delegate Conference and the second in the North-East after the 2016 hosting by the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. It is noteworthy that at the University of Agriculture, Makudi CAANU Convention in 2018, the GSU Alumni President, Usman Isah Ya’u was elected as the CAANU North-East Zonal Vice- Chairman (2018-2022)

SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH ALUMNI MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS

The Alumni Exco have identified with a number of Alumni members and stakeholders based on their professional callings have attained higher levels and, or given administrative responsibilities in the University and others given political appointments or elected into political offices by showing them solidary through visitations, writing congratulatory letters, organising civic receptions (get- togethers) and, or printing and giving of them alumni souvenirs, wall-clocks and portrait. For example, on 25th April 2015, a civic reception was organised in honour of Hon. Muhammed A. Bello, and Hon. Maigari Jungudo for being the first Alumni elected into the Gombe State House of Assembly; Salisu Musa Gwani and Hamza Yuguda for being appointed as the Bursar of Legal Nafada, and the Manager of GTBank Gombe Branch, respectively; and Abdullahi Ali Amtai for being appointed as the Special Assistant to Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, OON. On 6th December 2018, the Alumni also paid a courtesy visit and congratulated to His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abdul-Kadir Haruna Rasheed, the Emir of Dukku and Pro-Chancellor/Chairman, Governing Council of GSU on his Coronation and Presentation of Staff of Office on 3rd November, 2018. The Alumni presented an artist work portrait of the Emir to commemorate his coronation as the Emir of Dukku. Another alumni elected into State Assembly in 2019, Hon. Musa Buba was also visited and a congratulatory letter written and delivered to him at Talesse, Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State. On 11th February 2018, a civic reception was organised to celebrate Dr Haruna Saidu (the first Alumni to obtain a PhD.); Mal. Ibrahim Ali (the first Alumni to pass, in one sitting, ICAN exam and was thereafter inducted); Mal. Sani Shekarau and Mal. Lawan Yakubu (on their appointment as Acting Chief Security Officer and Deputy Chief Security Officer of the University, respectively) and Mr Solomon Garba (for being appointed Assistant Director of General Studies of the University). On 15th December 2018, the Alumni also organised a reception in honour of their stakeholders: Prof. Ibrahim Waziri Abubakar and Prof. Nereus Y. Tadi, for their meritorious intellectual accomplishments as the first and second domestic staff to be promoted to the rank of Professor in the University. The Alumni Exco also congratulated members and stakeholders given important positions at Departmental, Faculty and Central University Administration levels. Alumni members who contested and won elections and assumed leadership positions in ASUU, NASU, NAAT, ANUPA and other in-house unions in the University had been supported in the process. The Alumni involved in the running of these staff unions have played remarkable roles in harmonious industrial relations in the University. The Alumni Exco have also been attending the wedding and naming ceremonies; funeral and burial events; condolence and sympathy visits to numerous Alumni members, stakeholders and friends of the University