Public relations experts have commended Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State for his role in facilitating the establishment of the University of Public Relations and Leadership (UPRL) in Gudi, Akwanga Local Government Area of the state.

The experts gave the commendation at the 2026 Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nasarawa State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) on Saturday in Lafia.

Justin Green, president of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, who spoke virtually, described the initiative as historic and a game-changer for leadership development in Africa.

Mr Green said the university was being established through a partnership among NIPR, the Global Alliance, the Nasarawa State Government and the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

The state government donated 100 hectares of land for the project and presented the conveyance of approval for the site.

Ike Neliaku, president of NIPR, also commended Mr Sule for translating the vision into a tangible achievement, saying the university and other projects of his administration had placed Nasarawa on the global map.

Mr Neliaku said the initiative was sending a message that Nasarawa was no longer at the margins of history but had become part of the process of creating history.

He said the leadership component of the university would help address underdevelopment and raise a new generation of credible leaders, while the Global Alliance would provide global faculty and technical support.

Mr Neliaku urged Mr Sule to ensure that his successor in 2027 built on the achievements of his administration and improved on them for the benefit of the people.

He also congratulated the newly elected officials of the institute in the state and wished them a successful tenure.

In his goodwill message, Mr Sule said his administration had revived the state’s solid minerals sector, which he said was dormant despite the issuance of more than 400 mining licences by the Federal Government.

The governor said he discovered on assumption of office in 2019 that none of the licensed companies was operating due to insecurity, poor road access and inadequate infrastructure to mineral-rich areas.

He said he approached former President Muhammadu Buhari for assistance, resulting in military support and the establishment of security outfits in the affected areas.

Mr Sule said the state government complemented the security intervention by constructing roads and other critical infrastructure leading to mining sites.

“We provided security and infrastructure to the areas endowed with mineral resources before we put structures on the ground to ensure that any company mining in the state must process and add value to the mineral before exporting it,” he said.

He said the government was also working to ensure that some mineral resources were processed into finished products within the state.

On his legacy, Mr Sule said he would rather be remembered for the peace and development achieved under his administration than physical infrastructure, which could become obsolete with technological advancement.

“I want to be remembered for the peace being enjoyed under my administration, where mining can now go on in places that were hitherto facing security challenges,” he said.

The governor said he also wanted to be remembered for building institutions that would produce certified technicians required for modern development and reduce dependence on technicians imported from other countries.

 (NAN)