Education
22-Yr-Old Emerges Varsity’s Best Graduating Student
Miss Titilayo Jolapamo, 22, has emerged the overall best student of 2018/2019 graduating set of Achievers University, Owo in Ondo State.
The university held its eighth and ninth convocation ceremonies last Saturday at the institution’s campus.
Jolapamo, who read Microbiology, scored 4.85 cummulative grade point aggregate (CGPA) to emerge the overall best student of her set.
Although Jolapamo said that the journey was tough, she, however, added that she was able to navigate through perseverance and determination.
She noted that she did not mind the societal norm but kept fighting with interest and zeal in order to be a change agent in the society.
Jolapamo stated that she was confident in the direction of the university’s dream and lived to uphold its motto.
She, therefore, urged her colleagues to channel all they had learnt to adding value to themselves, their immediate environment and the country at large.
Jolapamo appreciated the institution’s management for imparting in the graduands wealth of expertise in various areas of life, pledging to be a good ambassador of the university.
Speaking at the occasion, the immediate past Chancellor of the university, Sen. Bode Olajumoke, called for a review of the policy which discriminated against and excluded private universities from financial assistance by both the federal and state governments.
According to him, graduates of private universities are also making impacts on the economy of the country, hence the need to consider them during their academic pursuits.
“Why must they be discriminated against? The federal government, particularly the National Assembly must do something about this,” he said.
Olajumoke enjoined graduands to face the challenges of life with courage and be good ambassadors of the institution, adding they had been trained and equipped to face the challenges of life and come out victorious.
Recall that Olajumoke, who stepped down as the chancellor of the school after seven years in office, was succeeded by Hon. Yakubu Dogara, the immediate past Speaker of House of Representatives.
Dogara said that before accepting the chancellorship, he had perused the vision and mission of the university as well as its history since it was established 11 years ago.
He said that he was impressed with the university’s vision and mission, pledging to join hands with other stakeholders in lifting its banner of greatness by raising the bar of academic excellence for the benefit of humanity.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.