Eminent Nigerians, academics, policymakers, and community leaders on Thursday converged to celebrate the 60th birthday of Professor Muhammad Akaro Mainoma, a respected scholar, administrator and former Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
The event, held as a colloquium in Abuja, doubled as a platform for intellectual reflection on Nigeria’s development challenges and an occasion to honour Prof. Mainoma’s academic and leadership contributions.
Delivering a keynote address, former Director-General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Umar Bindir, lamented Nigeria’s inability to fully harness its intellectual and human resources for national growth.
He said despite decades of policies and programmes, the country has failed to eliminate poverty, create sustainable jobs, and establish world-class institutions.
“Our leaders have always launched visions — from the Green Revolution to Vision 2010 and Vision 2020, but the real question remains: why have we not answered the fundamental issues?” Bindir asked.
He urged Nigeria to learn from countries like Malaysia and South Korea, where consistent investment in research, education and industrial policies transformed their economies.
Bindir also highlighted the neglect of local innovations, recalling his personal frustrations in commercialising agricultural technologies in Nigeria, compared to the ease of doing so in Asian countries.
He called for stronger collaboration between universities, industry, and government to bridge what he described as “the valley of death” in Nigeria’s industrialisation process.
Former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, praised Mainoma’s achievements, describing him as “a patriot, mentor and nation-builder whose legacy extends beyond Nasarawa State to Nigeria and beyond.”
He commended the celebrant for his dedication to knowledge, ethics, and public service.
The Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Professor Sa’adatu Liman also paid tribute to Mainoma’s leadership, noting that the university grew from 50 to over 300 postgraduate programmes under his administration.
“Prof. Mainoma expanded the scope of learning, upgraded infrastructure and set standards that continue to guide the institution today,” she said.
The occasion also witnessed the unveiling of four books in honour of Prof. Mainoma. These included Mentoring Academics in Nigeria: Mentor’s Approach; Mainoma’s Leadership: Achievements in Nasarawa State University; My History— an autobiographical work detailing his early life and education; and Diamond Memories of a Secretary General, capturing his reflections on service and leadership.
A close associate of Mainoma and first Professor of Capital Market Studies, Uche Uwaleke described the celebrant as a visionary leader whose impact transcends the academic community.
Uwaleke, who is the Pioneer Director of the Institute of Capital Market Studies, NSUK, described Mainoma as one of the leading researchers in accountancy who has graduated a significant number of professors and PhD holders in Nigeria.
According to Uwaleke, many of Mainoma’s mentees are in various universities in Nigeria, with some being former Vice Chancellors.
In his response, Mainoma expressed gratitude to God, his family, colleagues, and friends for their support throughout his journey.
The celebrant shared personal anecdotes from his childhood, including how he enrolled himself in primary school, and emphasized the role of perseverance and mentorship in his success.
“I want to be remembered as someone who devoted his life to knowledge, service, and mentoring the next generation,” he said.
Chairman of the event organising committee, Dr. Usman Gur Mohammed said Mainoma was not only the class leader, but he was also among the key leaders who led student demonstrations in the Kongo Campus of ABU.
He said, “So as a student, he demonstrated leadership by not leading our class for the entire period; he also led us in requesting the right, especially to clean water, which was alien to students of the Institute of Administration ABU at that time.
“Today Professor Mainoma is one of the leading researchers in accountancy who has graduated a significant number of professors and PhD. holders in Nigeria. Many of his mentees are in various universities in Nigeria; some are former VCs and VCs.
“He is a patriotic and progressive Nigerian who is daily thinking of how to improve socioeconomic development of Nigeria.”
The event ended with prayers for Mainoma’s continued health, wisdom, and service to Nigeria.
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