PHOTO: Pantami Commissions MAAUN School of Computing… Says as Minister, he still Supervises PhD Candidates
TECHDIGEST – The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami has officially commissioned the School of Computing named after him at the Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), in Kano State.
Pantami who disclosed his commitment to the Nigerian Academia, confirmed that he still teaches and supervises various postgraduate students despite being a serving Minister.
He stated this while expressing an appreciation message to MAAUN for honouring him.
He said, “I am only here to appreciate the University for naming a faculty after my humble self, i.e. the School of Computing.
“That my background is in computing, my first degree was Computer Science, MSc. Computer Science, MBA Technology Management, still related to Computer Science, my PhD. is Computer Information System and I thought Courses at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University for over a decade, I was a programmer in Computer Centre, later I was transferred to academic line, I was graduate assistant, I was an assistant lecturer there, I was Lecturer I before I was given a higher position at the Islamic University of Medina when I left Nigeria for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and even there I was in Faculty of Computing and Information System.”
“When I was brought back to Nigeria to serve as a DG of the National Information Technology Development Agency, is another institute of computing and it is another center for computing and even during that period I have been engaged with Academia like the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT), I served as Champion of Massachusetts, the best university in the world.
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“In addition to few other institutions that I engaged with while at NITDA including Open University, I led a team that developed their curriculum syllabus and many more for all the computing courses including postgraduate courses. So because of that throughout my life in academic circle, you’ll discover in one way or the other is computing.”
Prof. Pantami further said, “And the same as a Minister of Communication and Digital Economy is still part of Computing and I still teach. Last year I thought a course in computing fundamentals of cybersecurity, this year I am still teaching and still supervising postgraduate students, and I am supervising PhD.
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“Candidates in the area of computing and cybersecurity. So we are not in office just to partake in administrative work only but we are still engaged with academia and still teach and supervise projects for PhDs among many other activities, I still write, I published papers, I write books! I feel very honoured that this Faculty of Computing is named after my humble self ISA ALI PANTAMI”.
On his part, the founder of MAAUN, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, revealed why the School of Computing is named after the Minister.
“I came to know much about NITDA and its activities when Pantami was the head there, he achieved a lot in developing Nigeria’s Digital Economy and promoting technological aspects for the country to dive into the development that can yield a positive result in respect for Nigeria to compete with the global economy. His activities are bringing more image to Nigeria not only within the country but also in the diaspora,” he said.
The Maryam Abacha American University Nigeria (MAAUN) in Kano, had in May 2022 announced the naming of its School of Computing after Pantami, a professor of cybersecurity and Nigeria’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy.
The President and founder of the University, Prof Gwarzo had told PRNigeria that the move is part of the institution’s effort in recognising Professor Pantami’s sterling performance as Minister in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As a performer who has paid his due in public service and transformed the country’s digital economy remarkably, he is surely worthy of emulation by upcoming generation, so, being the field in which he has excelled, we thought it wise to name our school of computing after him.” Gwarzo said.
MAAUN is a privately funded University located in the ancient city of Kano, dedicated to providing students with best academic, social and personal experiences.
Its school of computing offers course in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Software Engineering and Computer Science.
Recall that in February, Image Merchants Promotions Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential instituted annual Prizes/Awards for Best Graduating Students in Public Relations and Digital Economy at Bayero University Kano (BUK).
The awards which were named after a former Head of Department of Mass Communication at the university, Professor Bashir Ali and Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami would run for 10 years from 2022 to 2032.
The awards were instituted to motivate and inspire students to develop interests in Public Relations practice and innovations in digital activities that are key sectors of today’s globally evolving economy.
