From Muawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
The Governing Council of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) has approved the appointment of Professor Mohammed Khalid Othman as the new substantive Vice Chancellor of the institution.
The announcement was made by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, His Excellency Ali Abubakar Jatau, shortly after the 36th Special Meeting of the Council held at the Grand Amber Hotel and Suites, Dutse, Jigawa State.
The development was contained in a statement issued by the Director of Information and Protocol of the University, Nasiru Abdul.
According to the statement, the appointment followed the consideration of the Report of the Joint Council/Senate Selection Board on the Appointment of a Substantive Vice Chancellor.
Jatau explained that Prof. Othman’s emergence came after a rigorous and transparent selection process involving 17 shortlisted applicants.
He disclosed that at the close of the application period, 28 candidates had applied for the position, while a Search Team identified three additional contenders.
“The 17 shortlisted applicants, who were invited for the interview, participated in the rigorous selection process after which the selection board submitted the top three performing candidates to the Governing Council to select and approve one of them as the Vice Chancellor,” Jatau stated.
Born on July 22, 1962, in Bindawa Local Government Area of Katsina State, Prof. Othman is an accomplished Agricultural Engineer and alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
He attended Bindawa Primary School between 1970 and 1977, Government Secondary School, Funtua, from 1977 to 1982, and the School of Basic Studies, ABU Zaria, from 1982 to 1983.
He obtained his first, second, and third degrees in Agricultural Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1988, 2001, and 2007, respectively.
Prof. Othman has had a distinguished academic career, rising through the ranks from Assistant Lecturer to Professor, and serving in various capacities as a teacher, researcher, and administrator.
He was a former Executive Director of the National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and until his appointment, served as an internal member of the FUDMA Governing Council representing the Senate.
