Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, NSF, Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua has expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for approving the renaming of the Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, to the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Senator representing Katsina Central said the decision is a national recognition of his late brother’s contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Senator Yar’Adua, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Army, described the President’s action as more than a symbolic gesture.
“This gesture by the administration is more than a name on a building. It is a national recognition of my late brother, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and the role he played in Nigeria’s democratic journey,” he stated.
He recalled that the late General Yar’Adua, who died in 1997, was a soldier, statesman, and democrat who believed in strong institutions and national service.
According to the lawmaker, General Yar’Adua stood for a Nigeria “where merit and courage matter more than tribe or background.”
He said naming the university after him would serve as a daily reminder to students of the values of sacrifice, vision, and commitment to nation-building.
“By naming this University after him, Mr. President has ensured that future generations of geologists, engineers, and technologists will be reminded daily that leadership is about sacrifice, vision, and commitment to nation-building,” Senator Yar’Adua said.
On behalf of the Yar’Adua family and the people of Katsina Central, the Senator thanked President Tinubu and the Federal Government for the honour.
He expressed hope that the institution would live up to its new name by producing graduates who will advance Nigeria’s energy sector.
“May this institution live up to its new name by producing graduates who will power Nigeria’s energy future and defend the values of democracy that General Shehu stood for,” he added.