Obasanjo, in Gombe, tasks students on nation-building
From Auwal Ahmed and Emmanuel Ande, Gombe
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday began a two-day official visit to Gombe State with a call on the students of the state-owned university to apply the knowledge acquired for the nation's advancement.
Obasanjo told the students to consider themselves lucky to have gained admission from among the several thousands that applied for consideration.
"Your education should develop the innate ability in you so that you can serve your parents, state and the nation," he advised. Obasanjo said any education which failed to address those issues was defective.
While commending the state government for establishing the institution, Obasanjo called on the students to aim high.
"Not all of us will be presidents, but you do not have to be President to make meaningful contribution to your country," he said. Obasanjo described the university project as a worthy venture, adding that although the country had about 75 universities, the same number was still needed to cope with admission demands.
The President had earlier paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar, and is expected to commission or inspect about 40 projects during his visit to the state.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, a presidential jet became the first aircraft to land at the newly built Gombe State Airport.
The aircraft, with registration number 5N FGN, landed at 4.37 p.m. to the delight of state government officials who came to witness the occasion.
The pilot of the plane, Group Capt. Umar Omeiga, told journalists that it took him and his team 40 minutes to fly from Abuja to Gombe.
He said the airport was like any other one in the country and expressed delight at its flat terrain. The airport is one of the projects to be inspected by Obasanjo during his state visit.
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