By Divine Sam
Former Abia State lawmaker Jerry Uzosike has urged Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, to champion a bill for establishing a conventional university in Abia. Uzosike emphasized the need for a university that offers professional courses such as medicine, law, and engineering, rather than one focused solely on Nigerian languages.
In his comments, Uzosike noted that Abia is the only state without a conventional federal university. He highlighted the decline of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, after non-agricultural courses were eliminated. He also reflected on the missed opportunity of converting a military language school in Isuikwuato into a broader military university, which could have boosted local development. Uzosike believes Kalu has the capability to attract a conventional university to the state.