The Ukrainian Ambassador in Nigeria, His Excellency Ivan Kolostenko, has donated some books to the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) aimed at strengthening educational and cultural ties.
At the formal presentation of a collection of Ukrainian books under the Ukrainian Bookshelf initiative, an international cultural and educational project associated with Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, the Ambassador through the books donated revealed the enormous Ukrainian literature, history and cultural heritage accessible to institutions and communities around the world.
The President of AUST, Prof. Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, FAS, expressed appreciation for the visit and welcomed the opportunity to deepen relations between Ukraine and the University. He described education as an important avenue for building connections between nations and expressed hope that the engagement would lead to broader and sustained academic collaboration.
Mr. Daniil Shevehuk, Press Attaché, explained that the Ukrainian Bookshelf initiative was designed to provide international audiences with access to authoritative materials on Ukraine’s history, culture, people and contemporary experiences.
The collection presented to AUST covers a broad range of subjects, including Ukrainian cuisine, regional traditions, daily life, castles and fortresses, national history, the Holodomor, the occupation of Crimea, information warfare and the experiences of Ukrainians during wartime.
Mr. Shevehuk noted that the materials were intended not only to introduce readers to Ukraine’s cultural heritage but also to promote greater understanding and educational exchange between Ukraine and partner countries.
The University formally received the collection, which is expected to be made available through the AUST Library for the benefit of students, faculty and researchers.
Speaking on the significance of the donation, Prof. Onwualu noted that the materials would be particularly valuable to AUST’s diverse student community, which includes students from Nigeria and other African countries. He identified potential applications of the collection in courses and academic areas including; African Peoples and Culture, General Studies, history, comparative leadership, government and public policy.
The Chief Librarian, Mrs. Onyebuchi Ekpolomo, also welcomed the donation, noting that the books would provide students and researchers with authoritative source materials and additional perspectives for academic work.
She explained that access to professionally produced and institutionally sourced materials could complement information obtained online and support more informed research. She further expressed interest in future donations covering science, technology and engineering, in line with AUST’s academic focus.
In addition to the books, Ambassador Kolostenko presented the AUST President with a bulawa, a traditional Ukrainian symbol historically associated with leadership and the Cossack tradition. The Ambassador explained the significance of the Bulava and its association with elected leadership, trust, democratic traditions and the relationship between Ukraine and Nigeria.
Accepting the symbolic gift, Prof. Onwualu expressed his appreciation and reflected on similarities between traditional symbols of leadership in Ukraine and Nigeria. He also shared a personal connection to Ukraine, recalling that his niece studied medicine in the country and subsequently became a medical doctor.
He described the experience as another example of the contribution of Ukrainian education to the development of Nigerians.
The engagement also provided an opportunity to explore possibilities for extending cooperation beyond AUST. Prof. Onwualu expressed interest in connecting the Ukrainian delegation with other Nigerian universities, including an institution where he serves as Chairman of Council. The discussions highlighted potential opportunities for broader academic, cultural and institutional exchanges involving Ukrainian and Nigerian higher education institutions.
Also present at the meeting were the ; Vice President, Academic, Prof. Abdulhakeem Bello; Dr. Vitalis Anye, Dean, School of Engineering; Mrs. Onyebuchi Ekpolomo, Head, Library Services; Dr. Anthony Anyakora, Head, Consultancy Services, AUST; Prince Obioha Sampson Atulomah, Head, Media Services/PR; Mr. Abiodun Bidemi, Head, Information Technology; Prof. Badmus; Dr. David Afolayan, Acting Head, Mechanical Engineering; Ms. Blessing Iweha, Administrative Assistant, Media Services and Public Relations Unit; and Ms. Juliet Okocha, Administrative Assistant to the consultancy unit while Mr. Daniil Shevehuk, Press Attaché, and Mr. Davyd Hahiia, Second Secretary to the Ukraininan Ambassador joined the Ambassador on this short but epoch-making event.
The visit marks another step towards strengthening international academic and cultural engagement and creating opportunities for knowledge exchange between AUST, Ukrainian institutions and the wider Nigerian higher education community.