UDUS Postgraduate Union Hands Over as Maji Highlights Welfare, Research Interventions

The Postgraduate Students' Union of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, UDUS, has handed over its leadership to a new executive, with outgoing President, Dr Jamilu Ibrahim Maji, highlighting interventions on hostel welfare, research facilities, security and delayed academic progression during his administration.

Maji handed over to the newly elected President, Nasir Abdullahi Sani Danbatta, on Friday, 11th September 2026, during the Union's inauguration and awards presentation held at the Abdullahi Fodiyo Library Complex.

Danbatta, who was sworn in by a staff member of the University Legal Unit, pledged to provide purposeful and inclusive leadership, with focus on postgraduate representation, research, innovation and academic excellence.

According to Maji, the Union was established on 11th December 2024, when a five-man committee was formed following concerns raised by postgraduate students on the need for a structure to represent their interests. He said the committee worked to unite postgraduate students, build relationships with University authorities and develop a constitution for the Union.

Maji said the Union engaged the authorities on accommodation issues, including overcrowding in postgraduate hostels and challenges of water and electricity. He noted that the engagements contributed to a reduction to four students per room, while the Union continued to push for further improvements.

On security, he recalled an incident when an unidentified person was found within the postgraduate hostel premises around 1 a.m., prompting the Union to raise concerns with relevant authorities, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration and Chairman of the University Security Committee, Prof. M. M. Maishanu. According to him, the authorities responded by removing and relocating shops previously approved within the hostel to outside the hostel facilities, thereby securing the hostel from unsolicited intruders.

Another achievement, he said, was the securing of a Postgraduate Research Common Room at the Abdullahi Fodiyo University Library after approaching the University Librarian, Dr Kudirat Abiola Adegoke, over inadequate research facilities.

The administration also sought to address cases of delayed academic progression. Maji said the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Development, Prof. Aliyu Jibril, collected relevant academic details of affected students, including coursework, research topics, supervisors and stages of progression, and engaged relevant departments and supervisors, an intervention which helped some students move through stages of their programmes.

He noted that the outgoing administration leaves behind unfinished work, including a request for the provision of postgraduate procedures and academic calendar pending necessary legal and administrative reviews. He urged the new executives to complete the process, preserve relationships built with University authorities and sustain efforts on postgraduate welfare, security and academic progression.

The ceremony also featured awards to University officials and staff recognised for their contributions to postgraduate students. Recipients included the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bashir Garba; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. M. M. Maishanu; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Development, Prof. Aliyu Jibril; and the University Librarian, Dr Kudirat Abiola Adegoke, alongside other staff.

In his handover remarks, Maji urged the new executives to embrace responsible use of media platforms, remain security-conscious and exercise patience in dealing with students and University authorities.