Dear fellow Gombe State University Alumni Family Members, As the new elected National President of the Gombe State University (GSU) Alumni Association, on behalf of the elected Executive, members and the Board of Trustees, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the GSU Alumni Association Site/Portal. The GSU Alumni Association exists, wholly and solely, to help our alumni and, by extension, the University itself, succeed. The Association has been working over the last few years to greatly expand our outreach to members and to our Alma Mater. The world gets more complicated with every passing day. GSU staff Alumni members and get in touch with one another easily by virtue of being in the same environment which houses the National Secretariat, but we seem to have lost touch with those outside that close circle. The GSU Alumni Association can help you stay connected to those friends and to the vast resources available in the University, from the faculty that taught and guided you to our libraries, seminars and symposia, web sites, social media and an extraordinary variety of “stay connected” programs designed with you in mind. They are all designed to support you as you pursue your post-academic life and career. The GSU Alumni family is huge with members in every state including the Federal Capital Territory and many countries, many of whom continue to be engaged in the life of the University and to contribute to its successes. The GSU Alumni Association goals, alumni sporting events, career advisory services, and social media resources available are all designed to help you be as successful as you can possibly be. After all, your success is our success. At the same time, I would challenge you to think of ways you can give back to the University in any way you can. Thus, your giving back must not be monetary, though that is, of course, always welcome. There are many ways to give back, from career and academic mentoring to volunteering time at on and off-campus events to simply attending academic and social events. The Association's events are built around a variety of University academic and social activities. By attending them, we will be able to build our professional network and mentor the prospective alumni and friends. Our career workshops have proven particularly useful as they prepare participants for their (future) careers. It is rightly said, “The seeds we’re planting today will grow and become mighty oaks and their branches will run over the earth.” Please keep in touch to empower our students with the skills they need to walk across the graduation stage and take those next steps to their successful careers. Thank you for using this site, and please come back often. I encourage you to explore all that we have to offer to stay connected and make yourself and GSU Alumni Association stronger. And any time you find yourself in GSU or Gombe and its environs, please do not hesitate to stop by GSU Alumni Secretariat. The staff here will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and fill you in on what is happening around the campus. Together, we will promote a positive image of the University, its students and Alumni through communication, service and leadership. With warmest regard, Adamu Jibir, Ph.D. National President

The Gombe State University Alumni Association shall be a viral association that promotes the welfare and wellbeing of its members and supports the Gombe State University Management in providing the enabling environment for teaching, learning, research, and community service for society development.

The Gombe State University Alumni Association shall complement the efforts of Gombe State University Management in the sustenance of high academic standard and the training of good students and manpower that will expand the frontier of knowledge, and add value to society thereby making a difference in whatever they do.

The Alumni National Secretariat, commissioned in 2014, has been effectively run over the years, with the Alumni President being in-charge. Yakubu Ahmed (the Administrative Secretary), Hassan Adamu Damji (the Clerical Assistant) and Aishatu Bello Sabo (the Cleaner) have been the secretariat staff involved in the proper upkeep of the Secretariat. Secretarial services have been satisfactorily provided to enhance the wellbeing of the growing number of Alumni members, stakeholders and visitors, who come to watch news, read newspapers, drink water and use other facilities in the Secretariat on daily basis. Alumni souvenirs: mufflers, jotters, key-holders, biros, stickers and tags have been distributed to Alumni members and stakeholders within and outside the University. Alumni identity card has also been printed and given to every registered member. From the Alumni database at the Secretariat, there is (before the outbreak of the Covid-19 in March October 2020) a total of 6,374 registered members, working in different sectors of the economy and society of Nigeria and beyond. The Alumni Association has a vehicle (Sienna) which has been put to good use in the course of rendering services for the wellbeing of members/stakeholders and the development of the Association. It has been used for day-to-day activities related to but not limited to attending wedding and naming ceremonies, courtesy/solidary and condolence/sympathy visits; attendance of funeral and burial of families related to the Alumni members, stakeholders and even would-be alumni (students) who lost their loved ones, as well as visiting sick members. This show of solidary somehow foster the spirit of togetherness among the Alumni members and stakeholders

In Promoting in the University and Defending its Integrity The Alumni have played a vital role in defense of the good image of the University and promoting its ideals. The Alumni intervention was decisive whenever the government and some individuals wanted to do things that in the opinion of the Alumni could be injurious to the image and prestige of the University. This was particularly the case in 2016 when there was a move to rename GSU as “Modibbo Bubayero University” and in 2018 when the Gombe State House of Assembly came up with a bill to rename GSU as “Shehu Usman Abubakar University.” After consultations with relevant stakeholders who had no prejudices against the persons of Modibbo Bubayero and the late Emir of Gombe, Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Usman Abubakar, the Alumni wrote a memo to the House of Assembly and copied the Gombe State Governor, among others, drawing their attention to the financial and other implications of the proposal to rename GSU and why the move should be reconsidered. The Alumni intervention yielded positive results. The Alumni have also played a crucial role in defending the University against self-centered individuals, thereby stabilising the University. This has manifested even through the Alumni involvement in the running of the University in-house staff unions. The Alumni have donated in piecemeal over 100 podiums (lecture stand) to the University. The podiums have been used during lectures and tutorials in the University lecture rooms, halls, theatres and laboratories. At the beginning of every academic session, the Alumni repaired the podiums found to be in bad shape, and supply more podiums to the lecture rooms, halls and theatres that have no such facility. The Alumni equally constructed and erected signboards with the inscription of vision and mission statements of GSU at the first and second gates of the University. Another signboard with wildlife inscription was erected at the entrance of the University Zoo. In addition to the reconstruction and re-erection of some signboards, art-work characters which had fallen off in the inscription of the Administrative Block of the University have also been reconstructed and fixed to continually serve their virtual purpose in the University. The Alumni also reconstructed pedestrian slap over culvert as well as constructed a drainage and a walkway in the University. The Alumni have also equally donated at different time several copies of books to the University Library. Mathematics Text Books have also been donated for use by staff and students in the School of Basics and Remedial Studies (SBRS) of the University. The Alumni have also been involved in publication to promote the University administration. The first was in 2013 when the Alumni published a felicitation letter for the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mahadi, CON on his recognition as one of the Top Northern Professionals by Leadership Newspaper Group Limited. The publication appeared on page 31 of the Leadership Newspaper of 23rd September 2013. The second followed the completion of Prof. Abdullahi Mahadi’s tenure as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor and the appointment of Prof. Ibrahim M. Umar to succeed him. The Alumni published in the Daily Trust Newspaper letter of appreciation to Prof. Mahadi for being the successful tenure and letter of congratulations to Prof. Umar on his assumption of duty. The publication appeared on page 74 of the Daily Trust Newspaper of Monday, 20th October 2014. The Alumni also conceived the idea of publishing a book in honour of Prof. Mahadi at the end of his tenure titled GSU @ 10: Essays in Honour of Professor Abdullahi Mahadi, OON. Few articles were received from interested persons/academics and thus the book project could not see the light of the day. At the end of the tenure of Prof. I.M. Umar as the second GSU Vice-Chancellor, the Alumni (Usman Isah Ya’u and Abdulkadir Adamu) also wrote a book on his administration titled A Call to Serve: Tenure Account of Professor I.M. Umar as the Vice-Chancellor of Gombe State University (2014-2019).

Over the years the a number of Alumni attended capacity building training and programmes which truly widened their horizons and deepened their understanding of the workings of Alumni Associations in Nigeria, thereby making them better informed on the best way to discharge their duties and run the association. They learned a lot from the experiences of others on the strategy they adopted to woo members, stakeholders and friends of the University as well as grant-awarding organisations to assist GSU, thereby harnessing their goodwill for the betterment of the University. The first was the Alumni leadership training workshop at the Directorate of University Advancement of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria from 16th to 19th February 2016. GSU Alumni Association is affiliated to the Conference of Alumni Associations of Nigerian Universities (CAANU), an umbrella body that brings together all Nigerian Universities Alumni Associations for the purpose of discussing the prospects and challenges of the Nigerian university system on a broader scale, and seek collaborative efforts of important stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental organisations to better the condition of the Nigerian Universities. Since 2017 GSU Alumni have been actively participating in CAANU Quarterly Meetings at different Nigerian Universities. GSU Alumni even hosted the 2018 CAANU 1st Quarter Meeting from 6 to 7 April, 2018. It is the first State University in Nigeria to host the CAANU Delegate Conference and the second in the North-East after the 2016 hosting by the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. It is noteworthy that at the University of Agriculture, Makudi CAANU Convention in 2018, the GSU Alumni President, Usman Isah Ya’u was elected as the CAANU North-East Zonal Vice-Chairman (2018-2022).

GSU Alumni organised 4 different public lecture series to disseminate information about the state of the nation and enlighten the public. On 24th May 2014, at the occasion of the formal inauguration of the Association the first lecture was delivered by Mal. Salihu Bappah from ABU on the topic: The Role of the Alumni in the Development of the University System in Nigeria. On 25th April 2015, the second lecture was delivered by Mal. Nasir Bello also from ABU on the topic: The Power to Lead, the Power to Change: Alumni Relations and Higher Education in Nigeria. On 7th April 2018, the third lecture was delivered by Prof Abdullahi Ashafa from Kaduna State University on the topic: Repackaging Nigerian Universities Alumni Associations for the 21st Century University System at the occasion of the GSU Alumni Association hosting of the 2018 CAANU 1st Quarter Meeting. On 1st August 2019, the fourth lecture was delivered on the topic: The Identity and Role of the Alumni in Promoting Inter-Faith Peaceful Relations in the University System by Alhousseyn Ba (the CEO of One Africa Social Media Network) from the State of Michigan, United States of America.

The Alumni Exco have identified with a number of Alumni members and stakeholders based on their professional callings have attained higher levels and, or given administrative responsibilities in the University and others given political appointments or elected into political offices by showing them solidary through visitations, writing congratulatory letters, organising civic receptions (get-togethers) and, or printing and giving of them alumni souvenirs, wall-clocks and portrait. For example, on 25th April 2015, a civic reception was organised in honour of Hon. Muhammed A. Bello, and Hon. Maigari Jungudo for being the first Alumni elected into the Gombe State House of Assembly; Salisu Musa Gwani and Hamza Yuguda for being appointed as the Bursar of Legal Nafada, and the Manager of GTBank Gombe Branch, respectively; and Abdullahi Ali Amtai for being appointed as the Special Assistant to Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, OON. On 6th December 2018, the Alumni also paid a courtesy visit and congratulated to His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abdul-Kadir Haruna Rasheed, the Emir of Dukku and Pro-Chancellor/Chairman, Governing Council of GSU on his Coronation and Presentation of Staff of Office on 3rd November, 2018. The Alumni presented an artist work portrait of the Emir to commemorate his coronation as the Emir of Dukku. Another alumni elected into State Assembly in 2019, Hon. Musa Buba was also visited and a congratulatory letter written and delivered to him at Talesse, Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State. On 11th February 2018, a civic reception was organised to celebrate Dr Haruna Saidu (the first Alumni to obtain a PhD.); Mal. Ibrahim Ali (the first Alumni to pass, in one sitting, ICAN exam and was thereafter inducted); Mal. Sani Shekarau and Mal. Lawan Yakubu (on their appointment as Acting Chief Security Officer and Deputy Chief Security Officer of the University, respectively) and Mr Solomon Garba (for being appointed Assistant Director of General Studies of the University). On 15th December 2018, the Alumni also organised a reception in honour of their stakeholders: Prof. Ibrahim Waziri Abubakar and Prof. Nereus Y. Tadi, for their meritorious intellectual accomplishments as the first and second domestic staff to be promoted to the rank of Professor in the University. The Alumni Exco also congratulated members and stakeholders given important positions at Departmental, Faculty and Central University Administration levels. Alumni members who contested and won elections and assumed leadership positions in ASUU, NASU, NAAT, ANUPA and other in-house unions in the University had been supported in the process. The Alumni involved in the running of these staff unions have played remarkable roles in harmonious industrial relations in the University. The Alumni Exco have also been attending the wedding and naming ceremonies; funeral and burial events; condolence and sympathy visits to numerous Alumni members, stakeholders and friends of the University. The simple gesture of showing solidary has no doubt foster good sense of unity and interpersonal relations among the Alumni members and stakeholders.