By Anita John 
The Katsina State governor, Dikko Radda, has pledged to finance the renovation and equipping of the Central Chemistry Laboratory at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in memory of the late president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Radda made the commitment during a meeting with a delegation from the university, led by vice-chancellor Professor Adamu Ahmed, at the Government House in Katsina.
An alumnus of ABU himself, Radda described the project as a worthy initiative and said the university had long been a source of national pride.
He stressed that graduates had a duty to support the institution that shaped their careers, adding that strengthening higher education should be seen as an investment in the country’s future rather than an act of goodwill.
The governor said his administration was committed to raising standards in tertiary education through research collaborations, infrastructural support and partnerships that could help Nigerian universities compete globally. He also welcomed the decision to link the laboratory upgrade to Yar’Adua, describing it as a fitting tribute to one of Nigeria’s most respected leaders.
Professor Ahmed told the governor that the laboratory project was conceived to immortalise Yar’Adua, who studied chemistry at ABU before going on to national leadership. Despite challenges, he said the university had continued to earn recognition, with Times Higher Education ranking it as Nigeria’s best public university in 2025.
He also asked for government support in rehabilitating the university’s internal roads as part of events to mark ABU’s 63rd anniversary, and highlighted the role played by Katsina indigenes, including members of Radda’s cabinet, in supporting research and mentoring students.
The vice-chancellor praised the governor for sustaining the tradition of support extended to ABU by Yar’Adua and argued that his administration had deepened that legacy.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was Nigeria’s president between May 29, 2007 till his death on May 5, 2010. Before that, he served as governor of Katsina state from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007.
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