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•Ohakim, Obiora Okonkwo, Fred Itua bag doctorate degrees as over 1,000 graduate
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of Veritas University, Abuja, Most Rev. Prof. Augustine Echema, has described the Federal Government’s alleged neglect of private universities as a disservice to the country, urging the government to adopt inclusive policies and provide the necessary support for the institutions to thrive. Echema made the call yesterday at the 15th convocation ceremony of the university, where over 1,000 students participated, while Anigbogu Olivia Nneka, who graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.98, emerged the overall best graduating student.
The ceremony also featured the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, and Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, while The Sun Politics Editor, Fred Itua, was also among the doctorate degree recipients.
Echema, who succeeded the former Pro-Chancellor, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, said private universities had contributed significantly to the development of the country’s education sector and should not be sidelined in government policies and programmes.
“It would be a great disservice to the nation if the Federal Government continues to pay poor attention to private universities like ours, which have contributed in no small measure to the development of our country,” he said.
He stressed that private universities were not asking for handouts but for support through fair and inclusive policies, infrastructural development and an enabling environment that would empower them to compete globally and contribute more effectively to national development.
According to him, with Nigeria’s growing population and increasing demand for quality higher education, investment in both public and private tertiary institutions should be encouraged as a shared national responsibility.
The Pro-Chancellor said the university had continued to record progress despite several challenges, thus commending the Vice-Chancellor, management, academic and non-academic staff for their commitment.
He disclosed that the university’s Skills Booth and Innovation Centre, designed to equip students with practical skills and promote innovation, was under development and expected to be completed next year.
Echema urged the graduating students to uphold truth, integrity, competence and innovation, stressing that their certificates should translate into the ability to solve societal problems.
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In his address, the Chancellor of the university, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, urged the graduates to distinguish themselves through character, learning and ethical conduct.
Kaigama said the graduands were entering a world filled with opportunities as well as formidable socioeconomic challenges, adding that the values instilled in them at the institution should serve as their moral compass.
He challenged them to become creators of employment rather than mere job seekers, agents of peace in divided communities and champions of truth in their respective professional fields.
The Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, also charged the graduates to deploy the education and moral guidance acquired at the university to make positive contributions to society.
He urged them to remain worthy ambassadors of the institution, irrespective of where they found themselves, and to uphold the values of discipline, integrity and excellence.
The Visitor to the university and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, described the convocation as a celebration of perseverance, resilience and dedication.
Ndagoso said Nigeria’s challenges, including unemployment, insecurity, corruption and economic hardship, required a generation of courageous, competent and responsible citizens.
He urged the graduates to deploy their knowledge and skills towards building a more just, peaceful and humane society.
Ndagoso who is the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) president also appealed to the Federal Government to support private universities through inclusive policies and investments in tertiary education, noting that the task of educating the nation’s young population required collective responsibility.
He further encouraged the graduates to remain connected to their alma mater, mentor younger generations and contribute to the institution’s continued growth and development.
