Ex-NUC Boss: Why I Accepted BUK Over University That Wants To Give Me N20m Monthly.

The immediate past Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, has opened up on how he declined the proposal of a university offered him N20 million.

Rasheed, a former Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), had last week announced his instinctive resignation from NUC, three years before the expiration of his tenure.

He had said openly that he wanted to proceed to lecture at BUK.

He was BUK VC when he was appointed to head the universities regulatory body by retired President Muhammadu Buhari.

But speaking at a reception governed by the university to welcome him back, Prof. Rasheed said he left the position so he will continue lecturing until his retirement age.

“I once left for six years to lead the defunct New Nigeria, but resigned voluntarily for the university, this time also, I left NUC for the university so I can retire there, despite having more than three more years to the end of my tenure,” he explained.

The don also said on leaving the NUC, a private university offered to be paying him a monthly salary of a million Naira if he agrees to work with it, but he declined because of BUK, which is so dear to him.

Asked why Nigeria noticed the proliferation of private universities, Prof. Rasheed said the country still needs even more public and private institutions to cater to the annual admission need of the country.

“The ones we have should be expanded, while new ones need to be established because they are never enough,” he added.

Also speaking at the occasion, the BUK VC, Prof Sagir Adamu Abbas, who described Rasheed as the architect of modern BUK, said his presence at NUC has helped the university to achieve its present status.

“As the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Rasheed has helped BUK in many ways, including in connecting us with high-profile personalities in Abuja. That is why it is heartbreaking for many of us when he decided to resign before the expiration of his second tenure, but we have to respect his decision. We are delighted to have him back at BUK,” Prof Abbas added.

Edited by Damilola Adeleke