From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Primate, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Rev. Henry Ndukuba, has attributed the failure of basic moral principles of the present age hitherto held jealously by the earlier missionaries and academic institutions as the bane of modern education in Nigeria.
Primate Ndukuba spoke in Umunya, Anambra State yesterday, in a sermon during a church service marking the open declaration for full academic activities, University on the Niger (UNINIGER), regretted that rather than focus on relevant values, the modern educational institutions and their students have fixed their eyes on things of little or no value.
The Primate lauded Bishop Owen Nwokolo, his wife, Nonyelum, his ministers and the entire parishioners of the Diocese on the Niger for successfully establishing the institution and for improving on what he called “the legacies of the White Missionaries” which he explained were driven by things of quality value.
He challenged the authorities, staff and students of the university to endeavour to work cooperatively to achieve the main objectives and values for which the institution was established.
Expressing surprise at the incredible progress so far recorded at the university site, various stakeholders and personalities, in their separate remarks, announced various amounts of money to assist in the completion of the institution.
Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the last general elections, Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Mr Peter Obi, among other politicians, have reportedly pooled various sums of money to fasttrack infrastructural development of the university.
Senators, five state governors in conjunction with other stakeholders across South-East are said to be determined to pool N1 billion towards the completion of some on-going projects at the permanent site.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, assured the institution’s commitment to producing graduates “that are morally responsible, nationally relevant and globally competitive.”
He said the philosophical pillars of the institution are hinged on excellence, knowledge, character, leadership and entrepreneurship.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chancellor, Rt. Rev. Nwokolo, restated the desire of the diocese to give the public quality education. He, however, explained that more were still needed for the diocese to get to the quality of education she dreamt about.
According to the bishop, the diocese had done noble structurally, but the journey was still far ahead.