ABU, NIPOST Introduce New Stamps

Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, and Nigerian
Philatelic, a subsidiary of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), have introduced
new postal stamps to mark the institution’s 50th anniversary.

Samples of the stamps were made public during the signing of
a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two organizations in Zaria,
recently.

The four different stamps that carry various inscriptions
were designed by the Department of Fine Arts of the Faculty of Arts of the
university as part of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha said: “the
whole process started when Nigerian Philatelic came with a proposal to the
university.

“They seek collaboration between the company and the
university so that we can come up with some new things ahead of our 50th
anniversary celebration which we went through and accepted.

“The whole idea is not limited to what will accrue
financially out of the venture but selling the university within and outside
Nigeria is also very essential to us.’’

Describing the venture as very vital, Mustapha said the ABU
was not the first university to partner with NIPOST.

He said the initial idea was to produce postal stamps in all
denominations but was later scaled down to four different stamps.

The stamps consist of the picture of the late Premier of the
defunct Northern region, Sir Ahmadu Bello to be sold at N50, and ABU’s crest
which will also go for N50.

Another stamp carries ABU’s Senate building inscription and
attracts N90 and Shika brown ship to cost N100.

The General Manager, Nigerian Philatelic, Mr Duro
Somo-Jocobs lauded the efforts of the Vice Chancellor for accepting their
proposal as well as the Fine Arts Department for the design.

He observed that the university had carefully picked some
areas through which people would know more of its existence.

According to Somo-Jocob, reputation is not all about what
you have done but it is all about how many people knew about what you have
done.

“ABU has really done the right thing in the right
direction.”