The African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja on Saturday matriculated 102 new students for its 2023/24 academic session.
The Acting President, AUST, Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu, in a speech at the ceremony, advised the new students entrants to take advantage of Information Communication Technology (ICT), in tackling challenges bedeviling Nigeria.
Onwualu noted that ICT knowledge was being applied to every sector of the economy and called on the students as well as youths in the country to embrace it.
According to him, part of the reason Nigeria is still grappling with credibility of elections is the failure of youths to embrace ICT.
He opined that if ICT was properly utilized in the country’s elections, there won’t be credibility issues.
He said that governance was facing same fate of credibility because it was not technologically-driven.
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“If governance is technologically-driven, it will be easy to monitor what the politicians are doing.
“Technology is the way to go. My happiness is that we have the opportunity to train these young ones for another three to four years from now. They are going to be leaders in the technology world.
“We are expanding our facilities so that we have a new generation of technology entrepreneurs. No matter the field of science or engineering, business or whatever you want to do, it has to be technologically-driven.
“We have even changed our curriculum in such a way that no matter the course you are studying at AUST, you have to be good with ICT, artificial intelligence and others,” he said.
Similarly, Dr Usman-Bello Abdulmalik, Acting Dean, School of Science and Science Education, advised the matriculants to remain committed to academic excellence in order to achieve their goals.
Abdulmalik, who is also the Chairman, Senate Ceremonial Committee, advised the students to be focused and avoid distractions.
He particularly cautioned them against joining bad groups as such evil gangs could derail their future.
