By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Kashere (FUK), Professor Umaru A. Pate, has reaffirmed the commitment of the university management to support the Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS) in the construction of a chapel on the university campus.
Professor Pate made this known in Kashere on Thursday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed university chapel.
He was represented at the event by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Abubakar Umar Gurama.
Speaking on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gurama said one of the core priorities of the university leadership is to create a conducive environment that guarantees religious freedom and promotes peaceful coexistence among staff and students.
He urged members of the Fellowship of Christian Students to use the chapel as a centre for spreading the gospel and to remain steadfast in worship, prayers, and service for the overall growth and development of the institution.
According to him, Nigeria is currently grappling with security challenges, expressing hope that collective prayers would help overcome insecurity and restore peace, enabling Nigerians to worship freely without fear.
Professor Gurama also disclosed that the university management would make a financial donation through the FCS account to support the chapel project.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Kashere, Professor Williams O. Aderounmu, commended the leadership of the FCS for their commitment to the project.
He assured them of his personal financial support as well as that of the Governing Council to ensure the successful execution of the multimillion-naira project.
Professor Aderounmu described FUK as one of the fastest-growing universities in Nigeria and encouraged the FCS to sustain the momentum, attributing the institution’s progress to the dynamic leadership of the Vice-Chancellor and his management team.
Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Santaya Kela, expressed appreciation to the university management and FCS members for their participation in the groundbreaking ceremony, describing it as significant to both students and the institution.
Professor Kela emphasized that the chapel, as a place of worship, should be treated as a holy sanctuary and properly maintained.
He further appealed to members of the public and well-meaning individuals to generously support the project.
Similarly, the FCS Staff Adviser and the President of the FUK Chapel expressed gratitude to the university authorities, particularly the Vice-Chancellor, for allocating land for the project in 2022 shortly after he assumed office as the university’s third Vice-Chancellor in 2021.
They described the chapel as a project of faith and called on individuals and organizations to support the multimillion-naira initiative, expressing confidence that contributors would be abundantly blessed.
