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Rivers State Varsity Alumni Eulogises Bayelsa D-Gov’s Qualities
Bayelsa state Deputy Governor, Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo has received commendations on his virtues and desire to render selfless services to the people of his state and humanity in general by the Secretariat Administration Alumni Association of the River state university, RSU.
The encomiums were poured on the deputy Governor during the Week by ‘Class 98’ Old students of the University,formerly known as Rivers state University of Science and Technology,Nkpolu, Port Harcourt who are resident in state during a solidarity visit to the Deputy Governor in Government House, Yenagoa.
A press statement made available to The Tide during the Week by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, described the visit as an informal class reunion where they interracted,testifying on the virtues and the intellectual prowess of the Deputy Governor.
Mrs Florence Kenibara who led the delegation congratulated senator Ewhrudjakpo on his emergence as Deputy Governor, describing it as a miraculous programming for the state.
The association thanked God for promoting one of them to such an enviable position, noting that Ewhrudjakpo’s growth through the ranks in the civil service to becoming a Commissioner, Senator and now Deputy Governor,saying it would only have been made possible by divinity.
” I’m happy today, that God has further elevated him from being a senator to a Deputy Governor. You have made us proud and it is our prayer that God will take you higher and higher”, she said.
” We knew ourselves in the Rivers state University of Science and Technology,RSUST. Now Rivers state Unuversity,Port Harcourt. We studied together. He was very intelligent so he used to teach us after our lecturers had left. So, he became our great tutorial lecturer.We were admitted in the same year and graduated together. We became very close because we are both from the same state and local government area, precisely from Sagbama,” she added.
In his remarks,a member of the ‘class 98’ Alabo Sam Amabebe, described the state deputy Governor as a compassionate and brilliant fellow consistently willing to assist in problems solving.
He expressed hope that Senator Ewhrudjakpo would provide all necessary support to Governor Diri to achieve the set objectives of the Administration.
“He was very brilliant in class and always likes finding solutions to problems. I believe he will do very well as a deputy Governor if Bayelsans give him the needed support,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs Meremubio Ikio called on Bayelsans to shun politics if acrimony and pull him down syndrome.
“Our people should do away with this pull him down syndrome and habit of rumour mongering because it will take us nowhere. I know Mr Ewhrudjakpo that is deputy Governor today very well. We graduated together in 1998. In fact, we were to graduate in the 1995/96 session but we couldn’t do so because of a prolonged ASUU strike during the Abacha’s administration”, she said.
In his response, the Deputy Governor,expressed appreciation to members of the Class 98 Secretarial Administration students of the institution for sustaining the warm relationship several years after their graduation,commending them for the visit.
Ewhrudjakpo assured them of his determination to make his Alma Mater proud wherever he finds himself in life,just as he promised hosting an enlarged reunion of the group after the COVID-19 pandemic,enjoining the association to relay his message to other coursemates in the neighbouring states and beyond.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.
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A total of 198 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN ) Edo State, bagged a First Class degree out of 14,083 students to be awarded first degree at the institution’s 51st Convocation and Founder’s Day ceremony.
Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, disclosed this on Monday in Benin at a pre-convocation press briefing.
He said 4,217 students bagged a Second Class Upper, 7, 928 got a Second Class Lower, while 578 bagged a Third Class degree.
He said 15 new approved programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) would commence in the 2025/2026 academic session.
According to him, “The wheel of progress is on course and moving steadily in the University of Benin. This administration is poised to deliver on its mandate of effective, practical teaching, sound learning, result-oriented research and impactful community service.
“We must applaud the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for establishing NELFUND, and by so doing significantly reducing the financial stress of students in the process of acquiring tertiary education. We enjoin students and their parents to take full advantage of the federal government’s benevolence in instituting the fund.”
Prof. Omoregie disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, would deliver the Founders’ Day lecture with the topic, “Reforms for a Shared Prosperity”.
The UNIBEN VC said Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, would deliver the Convocation Lecture on the theme, “Making Our Universities Great”.
The last batch of 400 public school teachers in Bayelsa State on Monday commenced training under the sponsorship of Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and the British Council.
This batch will bring to 1000 the number of public school teachers in the state who have benefited in the partnership arrangement.School supplies
The EDTF, British Council and Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board collaborated in the capacity development programme.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five day capacity building program, Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah reiterated the commitment of the Bayelsa government to training and capacity of teachers in the state.
He noted that the improved teaching methodology in the state was responsible for the state producing the best student in the 2025 West African School Certificate Examinations.
Prof Ebimiowei, Executive Secretary at EDTF, noted that the collaboration is aimed at improving learning outcomes for pupils and students of public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.
“You will agree with me that until the cutlass is sharpened, it will have no impact on the hands of the farmer and so it is with our teachers., you need to be sharpened very well to give good delivery in your various classes and schools.
“Let me at this juncture appreciate the British Council for accepting to train 1,000 teachers, 50 education managers and 60 trainers for Bayelsa,” he said.
On his part, Chairman of the EDTF board, High Chief Fidelis Agbiki expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah for his supportive role to the fund.
Agbiki urged the beneficiaries to justify the enormous resources invested by the government of Bayelsa by being dedicated within the five days the exercise would last.
He said; “This board will not operate on business as usual but on business unusual as we will push the frontiers outside the box to ensure that we get value for money,” Agbiki said.
Chairman of Development Partners Committee of the EDTF applauded the commitment of the partners for the successful completion of the programme, urging them to sustain the tempo
Speaking on the programme, Mr Fwanshishak Daniel, Head, English and Schools, British Council noted that the Bayelsa government had shown exemplary commitment to educational development.
He explained that the commitment has enabled the British Council and Bayelsa government to achieve within one year greater milestones that took other states three years to achieve.
He explained that the resources of the British Council have been made available to Bayelsa with the training of 60 resource persons from the state who will in turn train other teachers to improve education.
According to Daniel, the training will lay emphasis on new teaching methods, use of digital tools for self development and access to school amongst others.
Dr Peremoboere Ogola, Acting Chairman of TTRC, which facilitated training, thanked the EDTF for supporting training of teachers in Bayelsa with world class resources of the British Council.
She noted that another batch of newly recruited teachers are currently undergoing training at State government owned University of Africa, Toru Orua, Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa
The Rivers State Government has inaugurated a Central Planning Committee to organize the celebration of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) in the State.
The committee was formally inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba in Port Harcourt, last Thursday.
Dr Anabraba who also serves as Chairman of the Committee
highlighted the State Government’s deep appreciation for the sacrifices of Nigeria’s fallen heroes who laid down their lives for the nation’s peace and unity.
“These heroes have given their lives for the security and peace of our nation and deserve to be celebrated. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an opportunity to show our gratitude for their sacrifice,” he said.
Dr. Anabraba further extended recognition to all Security Agencies in the State, emphasizing the importance of the event in appreciating their contributions to national security and sovereignty.
The annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day, observed on January 15 across the country is dedicated to remember Nigeria’s departed soldiers and honouring the nation’s veterans.
