Date: 2014-03-23

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed was over weekend honoured by Valparaiso University, Indiana, US for achievements in education and culture as part of the 50th Anniversary of its Graduate school which also featured the maiden Lecture Series by Presidents of Nations. Valparaiso also announced the appointment of Governor Ahmed into the Advisory Council of its Graduate School. ?

Receiving the award from the University's representatives, Ms. Linda Oyewepo and Chief Abbey Badejo in Washington DC, Governor Ahmed regretted his inability to attend the anniversary celebration in person and thanked Valparaiso for the recognition. He pledged to upscale the state's education reforms, as human capital development is pivotal to his administration's determination to create sustained prosperity for the people of Kwara State.

Governor Ahmed also stressed his administration's preparedness to partner the 115- year-old university in agriculture, vocational education, and healthcare, which he said, are key priorities in the government's Shared Prosperity program. He added that the state government will also build strategic partnerships with Valparaiso through the state-owned Kwara State University, Malete. Governor Ahmed was in Washington DC for a symposium organized by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on Peace and Security for Northern States' Governors during which economic and political solutions to insecurity in the region were explored.

Dr. David Rowland, Dean of the Graduate School, who had earlier conveyed news of the award in a letter to Ahmed, said the Kwara State Governor was recognized as a prestigious honoree for promoting education and culture. Rowland expressed the hope that Governor Ahmed will contribute to positioning Valparaiso University as a resource center for the study of West African/Nigerian commerce and culture in the academic and political community.

The Dean added that the Lecture Series by Presidents of Nations is part of Valparaiso's African Initiative and is designed as a platform for Presidents of Nations to share their experience and visions for the future, particularly in Africa. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo delivered the maiden Lecture of the Series last February.

The Valparaiso recognition brings to three the number of awards conferred on Ahmed this month having received nods for Achievement in Public Service and Excellence from the Commonwealth Democracy Initiative (CDI) and the GLEEHD Foundation at an earlier ceremony in London.