During the unveiling, Professor Shedrack Best stated that the facelift aligns with his administration's commitment to elevate Plateau State University onto the global stage. “Since my appointment as the Acting Vice Chancellor, I have closely observed everything from the point of entry. One of the earliest things I mentioned was that I did not like the appearance of the university. I believe that a university is a place of knowledge, intellect, and an enlightened community, and the front of the university should convey its pedigree and dignity.”
He further remarked, “I was not pleased with the presence of an electric transformer located where we are standing, so we began discussions on how to address it. The owners of this transformer, despite it being on university land, charged me eight million naira to relocate it. I negotiated with them, and while they were unwilling to budge, I eventually paid seven million naira. I will not pay the remaining balance,” he joked as he proceeded to cut the tape announcing the new signature. He believed it was a fair deal, noting that since the university pays the electricity bill, there was no need to be overcharged for moving the transformer, which has now made way for the new signage.
The Vice Chancellor noted, “When you come to Plateau State University, whether you're leaving or arriving, this will announce the university. Let me also thank those who worked hard to make this possible—from those who facilitated the relocation of the electric transformer to the management of NESCO. After many months, I believe this work could have been completed earlier had the transformer not been in its original location. I want to thank them and the technical team in the Directorate of Works and Physical Facilities.”
Professor Shedrack Best expressed appreciation for the committee led by Architect Richard, who conceptualized the design. He stated, “The entire design, bill of quantity, and construction is one hundred percent internal. 'I commend the technical team from the Directorate of Works for creating this edifice for PLASU. It confirms that, given the right support, we have people who can make PLASU beautiful, and I will continue to promote these efforts.”
Reflecting on his assumption of office, he mentioned that his administration aimed to improve the university's appearance. “When you look around, you will see that we have made significant changes; we removed the tree that obstructed the view of the university's name and gate. This ensures you can clearly see that this is Plateau State University without struggling to read the signage.”
He continued, “We have taken down the tree, restored the university's name prominently, illuminated the area—only those who visit at night will truly appreciate the lighting—and we have installed new flags.”
Professor Shedrack Best sincerely thanked his management team for their support in making these changes possible. He urged Architect Vivian’s team from the Directorate of Works and Physical Facilities to maintain cleanliness around the grassy areas to prevent attracting cows, emphasizing, “If cows start coming here, lured by the grass, it will diminish the value and quality of what we have achieved.”
He stated, “We must distinguish ourselves from surrounding communities as a university. When visitors come here, they should come to learn something. We cannot import inferior habits and bring them to the university; instead, they should learn from us how to live decently in a modern world.”
At the Faculty of Law, where a new statue of 'Lady Justitia' was unveiled, Professor Shedrack Best remarked, “We have also made efforts to clean the surroundings after erecting the statue. This work was also done entirely by our internal staff at the Directorate of Works and Physical Facilities; we did not contract anyone else.”
While unveiling the Lady Justitia statue, he highlighted that the previous statue was too small, stating, “We needed to create a statue that would not only represent the Faculty of Law but also Plateau State University.” They sourced sculptors to create an imposing statue, resulting in the current 'Lady Justitia', who symbolically represents blind justice, unaffected by bribery. “We hope to train judges in this faculty who will uphold the ethics of the legal profession without engaging in corruption.”
Leading his management team, the Acting Vice Chancellor, accompanied by the university coach Agwom Yohana, inspected the sports complex. He expressed dismay at its condition, describing it as non-existent and unbefitting of a university. He directed the school coach to develop a master plan for a sports complex that reflects the stature of Plateau State University.
In a closing remark, the Registrar of the university, Yakubu Ayuba, expressed gratitude to Professor Shedrack Best for his foresight and commitment to transforming Plateau State University, affirming the administration’s pledge to support him in ensuring the best for the institution.
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