Education
Opobo Students Get New Leaders
A 10-man executive of the National Union of Opobo Students (NUOS) has been constituted.
Speaking at the ceremony in Port Harcourt recently, a student leader and former President of the union, Mr Godswill Wari Jaja urged the new executive to work in synergy with members and other stakeholders to foster good relationship for the growth of the group.
Jaja cautioned the team against anti-union activities, such as the divulging of official matters to the public, apathy, parochial interest and nepotism while discharging their legitimate duties.
Jaja however advised members to cooperate with the team in order to lift the union to a greater heights for blissful future and enjoined the executive team to shun the temptation of amassing wealth at the detriment of members while in the course of service.
He further enjoined the new executive for regular and prompt meetings, promotion of programmes as well as regular payment of check-up dues and other levies for the growth of the group for posterity.
Those sworn-in include, Mr Victor Akiah Ogolo as president, Ms Mabel Wogu Dappa-Vice-President, Ms Glory Dappa-Secretary – General and Ms Vanessa Pepple-Assistant Secretary – General.
Others are, Mr Harry Pepple, Financial Secretary, Ms Esther Epelle-Treasurer while the positions of Public Relations Officer, Director of Socials, Auditor-General and Provost went to Messrs Nicholas Toby, Collins Jaja, Ms Sabina Fubara and Mr Kelvin Ogolo respectively.
In an acceptance remark at the event, president of NUOS, Mr Victor Ogolo, urges members and other stakeholders to give support to the new leadership to enable it succeed in the herculean assignment.
Ogolo, a 300 level philosophy student of the University of Port Harcourt pledged to foster peace, unity, equity and progress, stressing that his administration would forstall better relationship with the outside world including the government.
Bethel Sam Toby
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.