Nation
Chancellor Urges UNN Graduates, Awardees To Be Good Ambassadors
His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife and Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has urged graduates and those conferred with honorary degrees to be good ambassadors of the institution.
The Ooni said this in Nsukka on Saturday, during the 51st Convocation Ceremony of the UNN for the award of Postgraduate degrees, Diplomas and conferment of honorary degrees.
He urged them not to relent as the ambassadors of the university in sustaining the good reputations the university had earned over the years.
“I urge all the graduates and honorary awardees never to relent in being good ambassadors of this great university wherever they found themselves.
“UNN as the first university in the country, our graduates are expected to live up to our name and reputation in restoring the dignity of man.
“To the honorary awardees, the recognition given to you today by the university should spur you to greater heights to do more to the university as well as render more selfless service to humanity”, he said.
The Chancellor urged Nigerians to see the task of uniting the country as everybody’s responsibility.
“It worries me and other patriotic Nigerians that our country can be said to be less united as it was at independence.
“From recent developments across the country, I wish to remind us that we are failing in our attempt to build a truly united nation.
“As graduates we are proud to have been in a school like this where you have classmates, roommates, and friends from different parts of the country and the world.
“You have a duty to teach others that we are the same people irrespective of the tiny differences in our culture, religious or mother tongue”, he said
He commended Prof. Charles Igwe, the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the UNN, and the management for their commitment and dedication in ensuring that they sustained the dreams and visions of the founding fathers of the university and urged them to keep it up.
Speaking, Igwe said this convocation ceremony was dedicated to the award of Postgraduate degrees and honorary degrees, which, according to him, marked the grand finale of the 51st convocation ceremony of the institution.
“Some 1,548 postgraduate degrees and Diplomas were awarded at the convocation.
“This is made up of 519 degrees, 934 Master’s degrees and 95 Postgraduate diplomas.
“I congratulate the graduates for earning the postgraduate degree or diploma of this great university, which have elevated you to the elite club of alumni who hold a postgraduate qualification of the University. It is an achievement that you should be proud of”, he said.
The VC, who used the ceremony to share some of the recent developments at the University, noted that the institution had remained competitive and had continued to re-invent itself in spite of the challenges of inadequate and ageing infrastructures facing the first generation university.
“We have continued to strive to retain the reputation of excellence for which we have been known over years. Our staff have been quite productive, not only in teaching, research and innovation, but also in community service.
“Our university is also a beneficiary of a good number of projects from capital allocation, NEEDS assessment and TETFund intervention.
“In spite of all these, UNN is in dire need of support from friends and alumni as the university is worse hit by the prevailing economic conditions in the country,” he said.
According to the VC, the Doctor of Public Administration degree would be conferred on Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, former Inspector General of Police, while Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, would be awarded the Doctor of Business Administration degree
Igwe also said that Prof Virginia Dike, Prof. Eunice Okeke of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Martin Aghaji of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Prof. Daniel Obikeze, Prof. Azuka Dike, Prof. Timothy Nwala, and Prof Emmanuel Chinwokwu of the Faculty of The Social Sciences were elevated to the status of Professor Emeritus of UNN.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Military is committed to facilitating sustainable food security in the country through the establishment of farms.
Musa said this in Abuja yesterday during the unveiling of the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products Logo.
He noted that the agricultural sector played crucial role in guaranteeing food security which was requisite for sustainable national security.
He said that the adverse impact of climate change, environmental degradation and conflict across some parts of the country had continuously threatened food security with dire consequences on national security.
According to him, to address this, the Defence Headquarters in May 2023, conceptualised the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative.
“This is with the aim of keying into the federal government’s efforts at addressing food security challenges in the country.
“The initiative which aligns with the ‘People Centric’ policy thrust of my leadership concept is aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing rural infrastructural development while significantly contributing to food security in the Country.
“Considering the extensive consultation, planning and preparation made by the committee thus far, I am optimistic that the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative will have a positive transformative impact on host communities while enhancing national security.
“With similar initiatives replicated across the country, I envision a future characterised by modernised farming techniques in which the agricultural sector significantly contributes to economic growth and national development.”
The CDS enjoined all members of the Armed Forces and the general public to embrace the initiative and maximise its associated gains.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, for his sterling leadership and relentless pursuit of national peace, security and economic prosperity.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the committee who worked assiduously to actualise the initiative.
Earlier, the Chairman, Defence Farms Committee,