By Ezekiel Dontinna
In recognition of the significant contributions in research and development as far as biodiversity is concerned in the last 20 yrs, the Senate of the University of Jos, has upgraded the AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute to the Centre of Excellence (APLORI Centre of Excellence).
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya, disclosed this when he received in audience the Team led by Dr Anathiosio Paul Leventis, on a courtesy visit to the University Management in Jos, the Plateau State capital Friday.
While congratulating the Management of the Centre, the Vice Chancellor, said, “when we came on board, having seen the kind of strides that the Institute actually made over 20 years, we felt that it is time now to allow it to grow.
“And that was the reason why we made a proposal to the Senate of the University of Jos to say that, having worked for 20 years as an Institute, it is now time for it to become a Centre of Excellence.
“Indeed, we believe that it is a centre of excellence because of what it has produced. Whenever I think about AP Leventis’ 20th, I think about the likes of Dr. Paul here today, and many other people.
“So we took that on board, and today we are happy to say that the AP Leventis, I mean the APLORI, which is the AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, is now a Centre of Excellence excellence”, he enthused.
Earlier, the Sole Benefactor of APLORI Centre of Excellence, Dr. Anathiosio Paul Leventis, expressed satisfaction that their institute has formed an integral part of the University of Jos.
This, according to him, was to everybody’s satisfaction and success in terms of its work, research and impact on the biological sciences within the university and in Nigeria as a whole.
“So, none of this could have happened without the leadership and the collaboration and the support that you give to their work and the fact that you manage the institute through its operating officers to allow them to exercise it as a degree of independence, which closely integrated within the university and supports everything it does.
“So it’s a very good and a healthy combination that you allows them to work within the university with all of the departments of the university appropriately. Of course, but also with external technical parties that it has to collaborate in terms of its specialization.
“The reason for the recognition as a Center of Excellence is to add factor in the University’s operation in the way that it reflects itself and to the country and internationally, because, this institute, of course, has links all over the world in the area of ornithology and biological sciences”, he reiterated.
Leventis, therefore, noted that it would be a system in tackling problems that affects the world now in terms of global warming and other aspects and loss of biodiversity in all and the university had to take a lead on.
On his part, the Board Chairman, APLORI Centre of Excellence, Sir Philip Hall, thanked the University of Jos for the long partnership saying, “whenever we have had some small problems, the University of Jos has always been there to support us, giving us all the assurances, all the support that we have ever needed.
“We have come a long way in those 20 years and it was wonderful to celebrate it earlier this year. For those that don’t know, over the 20 years we have graduated 177 Master’s students.
“Out of these Master’s students, over 50%, that’s over 80 of them, have gone on to get PhDs and that is all over the world I might add. We have a APLORI graduates now in prominent positions literally throughout Africa, and worldwide as far as New Zealand working now and of course in the UK and in Scandinavia”, he disclosed .
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Jos, Professor Rahila Gowon, appreciated the symbiotic relationship the University has with Dr. Levertis adding that, the symbiotic accepted the nuances of the university working in Nigeria, to subject the center into source verification.
“It’s a beautiful idea of such a relationship. We are grateful. I’m in the humanities by profession, but I have a passion for conservation.
“I have a hobby and I have a passion for conservation. APLORI does not only affect us in the University, it also enhances and affects us in various individual ways in the families”, she assured.
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