May 03, (THEWILL) — The Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Ihugh, Prof. Qrisstuberg Amua, has projected that they will make a minimum of ₦37 million every one to two months from the production and sales of its branded organic soaps, made from locally sourced abundant biomass wastes.
Prof. Amua, who was one of the recipients of an award, made the disclosure at the 2026 Annual Merit Award organised by the Chemical Society of Nigeria Benue State Chapter held at the Moses Orshio Adasu University, Senior Staff Club, Makurdi, the state capital.
While commending the state chapter of the association for finding him worthy of the award, the professor of Inorganic/Bioinorganic Mechanichemistry eulogised the contributions of the founding fathers of the association, explaining that as the Chief Academic Officer of UAST Ihugh, he has disaggregated the traditional B.Sc. Chemistry programme into NUC-approved variants, including B.Sc.Medicinal Chemistry, B.Sc. Industrial Chemistry, B.Sc. Environmental Management and Toxicology.
Others, he listed to include B.Sc. Agricultural Chemistry, B.Sc. Applied Geochemistry, B.Sc. Biochemistry, B.Tech. Agrochemical Technology, which he noted makes learners appreciate and understand the benefits of chemistry better.
According to him, instead of marketing the features of chemistry, he has gone into promoting the benefits of chemistry to project a wider and broader appreciation of the course and all its variants; hence UAST Ihugh has gone into the production and sales of its UAST™ branded organic soaps using different raw materials including bamboo biochar, bamboo ash, bamboo leaves, orange peels, papaya sap, tumeric rhizomes, among others.
“An entrepreneurial venture that is projected to earn the university not less than 37 million Naira in not more than every two months.
“The University’s Institute of Foundation and Entrepreneurship Studies (IFES) under the Directorship of Prof. Terver Sombo, in conjunction with the Department of Applied Chemistry and that of Chemical Technology, are also gearing up to commence the production of novel UAST” organic toothpastes and highly potent UAST” branded soil amendment inputs created from biomass waste as well”, Prof. Amua said.
He, therefore, urged the Society and individual chemists in particular to step into more practical applications of chemistry for a better life, which will benefit the society practically.
In his speech, the President of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN), Prof. Rufus Sha’Ato, encouraged members to be resilient and committed to their chosen career, stressing that opportunities for chemists are uncountable in the society and not limited to teaching, as has been perceived by certain people, especially learners.
The CSN President stated that chemists have played defining roles in every sector of human endeavour, including the food, clothing, housing, pharmaceutical, transportation, oil and gas industries.
Prof Sha’Ato noted that Chemists succeed even better in leadership positions because of their training from critical theoretical thinking and analysis to laboratory research work, which requires patient, resilient, focused and visionary thinking as exemplified by late President Musa Yar’Adua, former German Chancellor, Dr Angela Merkel, late former British Prime Minister, Dame Margaret Thatcher, among others.
On his part, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academics from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), Prof. Raymond Wuana, urged members and the society at large to produce, apply and use chemical products responsibly to preserve the human environment.
In their separate remarks, the spectroscopy ancestor, Prof. John Igoli, Director of CEFTER, MOAUM Prof. Mrs Ogbene Igbum, former Acting VC MOAUM, Prof. Simon Ubwa, who was represented by Dr Ungwanen John Ahile, Dr G.H. Atoo, the Dean of Science, Prof David M. Tyona and former chairman of the chapter, Dr Sylvester Tongu, all praised the leadership of CSN Benue Chapter under Dr Asemave Kaana.
Benue chapter Chairman, Dr Asemave Kaana, on his part, expressed happiness for the chosen awardees, saying they earned it through their professional acumen, good leadership credentials, dedication to the Chemical Society of Nigeria, academia and national development and urged them to do more for the overall benefit of the society.
In his remarks, the chairman of CPC, Prof. Sesugh Ande, acknowledged members who travelled far and wide to honour the occasion and prayed for their safe return to various destinations.
