News
‘Ajayi Crowther University, One Of The Best In Nigeria’
The management of Ajayi Crowther University, a faith-based university in Oyo, Oyo State trumpeted institution as one of the best in the country.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Jacob Adeniyi, noted that the institution known for its high disciplinary records. The Deputy Vice Chancellor, who recently was in Port Harcourt on official business, spoke with Ike Wigodo on the achievements of the university.
Excerpts.
Sir, can you give us a brief historical background of Ajayi Crowther University (ACU)?
ACU is a faith – based University, licensed in 2005, and began operations in 2006. Ajayi Crowther University is an institution of the Anglican Church of Nigeria. Accordingly, we are a Christian University. We raise Godly intellectuals, who proceed to be agents of great positive change and transformation in their immediate environment, the nation and the world as a whole. At the institution, we emphasise the fear of God, sound academic development, excellent character formation, hardwork, diligence and entrepreneurship.
What do you mean by Godly intellectuals?
At ACU, we emphasis character. There is a compulsory course on character that every student passing through this university must take and pass before graduation. When we say we raise Godly intellectuals, we teach our students here to have fear of God, we teach them to be prayerful and also to worship God. One of our core values is Spirituality.
For staff and students, spirituality is developed through daily morning devotion, weekly community worship, and other anointed services.
What are the courses being offered there, and how many of them have been accredited?
All our courses have been accredited, and we offer various programmes in the Faculties of Education, Humanities, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Law, Management Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. The school has applied for resource verification for Political Science, Industrial Relations and Business Education. Also, we have applied for verification of Ph.D programmes in all our accredited courses.
Sir, what are the things that distinguish ACU from other private universities?
We focus on entrepreneurship training for our students; our tuitions are affordable, and can be paid in three instalments to enable parents and sponsors of our students to pay promptly; we run uninterrupted academic calendar; we make adequate security arrangement for our students; we make sure they learn under conducive atmosphere; and we ensure qualitative university education for them; we have zero tolerance for indiscipline on the campus. Apart from all these, out university has the best Faculty of Law in Nigeria. The Alakija Faculty of Law Complex is unarguably the best Law Faculty building in Nigeria. Equipped with many ultra-modern learning facilities and fully air- conditioned lecture rooms and auditorium
How do you ensure qualitative university education for your students?
Ajayi Crowther University has seasoned and dedicated lecturers and other categories of workers. The Vice Chancellor also encourages our students to use the library. He visits the library regularly and gives gifts to students he meets reading there. This is to encourage the use of library by our students. ACU has two (2) fully stocked libraries equipped with latest books, audio-visual learning materials, ebooks and online resources. Both libraries have eLibrary with internet and quality computers. We also expose our students to national and international academic and research competitions.
Over the years, what are the landmark achievements of ACU in terms of quality of your products, academic and research breakthroughs?
Our products are everywhere across the country and abroad doing excellently well in their chosen careers. We have had our students winning national awards. Recently, our students in the Computer Science Department entered into a national competition and came third nationally. Some of our lecturers went abroad and won prizes, just like some of our lecturers in the Micro Biology Department.
Professor Popoola from the Mass Communication Department just returned from a national assignment. We have recorded so many achievements over the years, and we are determined to keep on moving.
What international collaborative or exchange programmes do you have?
On November 28, 2017, The Vice-chancellor was one of the ten Vice-Chancellors who signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Morgan State University, Baltimore USA. The MoU provides for collaboration between Ajayi Crowther University and Morgan State University for linkages, staff exchange, Doctoral degree studies, short-time research visits, conferences and student exchange programmes. The MoU takes effect immediately. There is another one, if a student is interested in obtaining a UK degree after graduating here, such a student can go there for one year and obtain a UK degree. The implication of this is that such student will have two different degrees.
Lastly, what is the future projection for the university?
The present Vice Chancellor is a very dynamic one. He always looks into the future. He does not only build infrastructure, he also builds human capacity. The Vice Chancellor ensures quality academic activities. Just last week, he was saying that each department must produce at least, two Professors, and that these Professors must not come from outside but within the university system. We are also introducing programmes that are very attractive, in the bid to increase our enrolment. Our future projection is that this university should be among the best, not only in Nigeria, but globally. We know we shall soon get there.
How disciplined are your students, and what efforts are being made to enforce discipline among them?
This university is built upon the heritage of old St. Andrew College, which was founded in 1897. It was the most disciplined Teachers Training College in Nigeria in those days.
So, the discipline here is very strong. All students are to dress corporately. We have zero tolerance for any act of indiscipline. Any student caught in any act of indiscipline will be tried by a Student Disciplinary Committee, no matter the children of whom they are. In order to sustain the high level of discipline among our students, we have stopped admitting students who were dismissed from another universities.
Apart from the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, do you have programmes for students who do not have basic qualification for undergraduate programmes?
We have a foundation programme. We are registered with TOEFL, we have lecturers taking admitted students for remedial courses. Generally, we don’t admit students who do not have basic requirements for out undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. We are not too desperate to admit students here. We don’t compromise our standard.
What are the sources of funding available to the university, do you get subvention from either government or owner – church?
The University does not get subvention from anybody or agency. We run the institution based on tuition fees we collect from our students. We have no subvention at all. TETFUND has been unfair to private universities. We would have loved it if TETFUND allows us to access some of its facilities, but they hide under the claim that the laws do not allow them to extend their operations to private universities. The Federal Government has been unfair to us. At least, TETFUND should be sponsoring lecturers in private universities for Ph.D programmes and conferences, if other facilities are not extended to us.
How do you fund and run the affairs of the university?
We spend between N70 million to N80 million every month on salaries and running cost. We rely solely on tuition fees we collect from students. We don’t want to increase our tuition fees unnecessarily; we want our tuition to be affordable for parents and sponsors. That is the reason we have been appealing that TETFUND facilities should be extended to private universities. They should amend the law.
What about funds from private and corporate bodies?
We have not been receiving fund from any organisation, although we had reached out to some of them. We are still expecting their response. But we have some individuals and families who have contributed to the development of the university. We have some Anglican families that have helped us. We have the Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who gave us the Vice Chancellor’s lodge; Chief Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, who gave us the ICT Centre; General TY Danjuma, who gave us the Library; and the Alakijas, who gave us the magnificent Faculty of Law.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has lamented that there is a fierce fight over the soul of the State to destroy it but noted that only the well-meaning persons who are standing firmly with him can wield the force of unity to save it.
Governor Fubara made the remark at the country home of Sir Celestine Omehia in Ubima community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.
The Governor, accompanied by some elders of the State, was in Ubima to commiserate with Sir Omehia, who had just laid his late mother, Mrs Ezinne Cecilia Omehia, to rest after 95 years.
Governor Fubara said the visit was to demonstrate love and show support to Sir Omehia who, as a son, had satisfactorily performed the duty of giving his mother a befitting burial.
He said, “I have come here with a few of us; very respected elders of the State, to come and support you and say to you that ‘we sorrow with you’.
”The most important thing is to show our concern and love. Any human being that shows enmity to death, that person is not even normal.
”We also rejoice with you for a life lived well to fulfillment by Mama. We wish Mama safe journey. Let her stay well where she has gone.”
Governor Fubara told the elders of the need for every true lover of the State to synergise and be resolute in the fight to safeguard the soul of Rivers State.
The Governor decried the evil of politics of bitterness and the telling danger it has on the progress of the State, which according to him, should be discouraged as a bad political culture in contemporary times.
Governor Fubara said: “Anybody who claims to love this State should not be party to anything, directly or indirectly, that will bring us backwards. We will continue to support every course that will advance the interest of our dear Rivers State.
”And I am happy to say, and I’ve said it over and again, it doesn’t matter the number of people that are standing with me, I will stand on that side of truth.”
The Governor emphasised: “I will not, I repeat, I will not govern our dear State on my knees (bending). If that was the purpose, I will not do that. I will stand to govern our dear State and stand continually on the side of right.
”But politics of bitterness will not take us anywhere. So, I want to thank you that, at this stage, we have a few of you who understand that Rivers State belongs to everyone of us. We must, therefore, fight together to sustain the soul of this State,” he added.
Governor Fubara also spoke about the tanker inferno that has become a sad episode in the State with over 120 vehicles razed and about five lives lost, describing it as “great tragedy and very unfortunate.
”It is a very sad day in our dear State. Something happened in Eleme, along the route of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited. A tanker had an issue with a tipper, and there was an unfortunate situation that caused the State a very devastating loss.
”I went there this morning to see for myself what really happened, and I can tell you, I’ve not been happy since then. With all the dramas in our State, it is not even proper for us to add that to it.
”But it wasn’t our fault. It was just what impatience caused. The tanker driver, knowing the state of that road was not patient, and it resulted in that colossal loss. Over 120 vehicles were completely burnt and five lives were lost. It was very unfortunate.”
He commiserated with those who lost loved ones and others whose vehicles were burnt beyond repairs, and added that the State Government mourns and grieves with them.
In his speech, Sir Celestine Omehia, expressed appreciation, on behalf of his family, to Governor Fubara, his delegation and other friends, among whom, were those he described as matured elders, for the show of love.
He said his mother died at 95 years, which is 25 years of grace added to the 70 years as specified in the Bible, and assured that he will sustain her legacy because she was their role model.
Sir Omehia also said that he was well known as a man who takes decision and stands by it no matter the consequences.
He, therefore, declared: “I have taken a decision to be SIMplified. Where ever you go (Fubara), is where I will go. If you say tomorrow, you are no more interested in this position, I will also stop fighting for anything in Rivers State.
”But, God who gave you the opportunity will also give you all the wisdom, strength, power and everything that it takes to govern the people of Rivers State and beyond.”
He assured the Governor that almost the entire people of the State, including chiefs, elders, opinion leaders, women, youths, civil society groups and professionals across all spectrums of the State were praying and working assiduously for the success of his Administration.
Sir Omehia told the Governor that it is that support and prayers of the people that he needs to succeed, because, according to him, one with God, is with majority, and will always excel and succeed.
He, therefore, urged the Governor to continue in his strides to deliver good governance, peaceful and prosperous State to the present and future generations.
Highlights of the event were the offering of prayers by leaders of Ikwerre Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers for the Governor and his Administration as well as the symbolic presentation of gifts to Governor Fubara in appreciation of his peaceful disposition and quality leadership of the State.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described as very unfortunate the fire incident caused by a tanker conveying premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol which burnt motorists and commuters beyond recognition and destroyed a good number of vehicles.
The incident occurred between Indorama Gate and Aleto Bridge on the popular and ever busy Eleme section of the East-West Road now undergoing major reconstruction by the Federal Government.
Governor Fubara expressed his sadness at the gory sights that he saw when he visited the scene of the incident, accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Uchechukwu Nwafor, on Saturday morning.
The Governor explained that he got a call from the Managing Director of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited in Eleme Local Government Area, informing him of the incident.
At the news of the incident, Governor Fubara stated that he immediate routed a call to the security agencies and instructed that they visit the scene to take charge of the security of the area to avoid escalation of the situation.
Governor Fubara said: “We are here to see for ourselves and get a first hand information of the incident of what happened yesterday night.
“About 7.30 – 8pm, we got information of the gravity of the incident. I was told that it was caused by a tanker vehicle that was conveying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
“In fact, I got the information through the MD of Indorama, and I immediately alerted the security agencies to make sure they take control of the security situation in the area.
“And from what we are seeing this morning, it was not a pleasant case. We recorded a huge number of vehicles being destroyed and lives lost.
Governor Fubara explained that he had already requested the relevant government agencies to provide him a detailed account of their findings to enable the State Government take appropriate decisions and actions to significantly remedy the situation and reduce the negative on the affected people.
“I have already asked the relevant agencies to give us a full brief so that we can come into the situation fully by seeing to how much we can support the families that are bereaved, and also cushion the effect of the loses, which I believe, is no fault of a good number of them.
“We all know the situation of this road. It is really unfortunate. Most of our people, when plying this road, should ply it with caution.
“I believe very strongly that this situation would have been avoidable, if the motorists had behaved properly. But it is late already. The damage has happened. This is the situation we have found ourselves. We will see how we can control the aftermath,” he added.
Rivers State Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, has described King Dandeson Douglas Jaja as a great and humble King who has continued to be a light to the Kingdom of Opobo and Rivers State.
Prof Odu stated this during a thanksgiving service to mark the monarch’s 82nd birthday at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Opobo Town, yesterday.
According to the Deputy Governor, on a special day like this, she wishes him God’s grace and innumerable blessings, stressing that his reign shall be long in good health.
In his testimony, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, who disclosed that he is nothing without God, said his life has been God’s Gift and Grace all these years, stressing that it is the Grace of God that has brought him this far.
The king seized the moment to announce the conferment of the King Jaja Manila Tree Award, which is the highest honour in Opobo Kingdom to the State Chief Executive, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and the BALOLO of Opobo Award to Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, the Deputy Governor on a date to be announced later.
In his Sermon, drawn from Psalm 122: 6,7,8, Ven. Emanuel Nwuju, the Vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo Town, who spoke on the theme “Good Gifts Comes from God “said God has given us everything we enjoy in life, adding that whatever you are today is a gift from God.
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