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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi Alumni Association (JOSTUMAA) campus branch, has inaugurated its annual students lecture to encourage and promote the image of their Alma Mater.
The Alumni Association during the maiden lecture, awarded scholarship to 39 first class undergraduates of the institution as part of effort towards promoting academic excellence and intellectual growth.
The lecture was titled “Students’ Responsibilities, Rights and Privileges: Character for Academic Excellent and National Development.”
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of JOSTUM, Prof. Isaac Itodo commended the association for promoting academic excellence, discipline and the culture of rewarding outstanding students.
He said such initiatives compliment the University’s commitment towards producing graduates who are intellectually excellent, morally upright, innovative and globally competitive.
Prof. Itodo who was represented by the University’s Librarian, Prof. Jessica Agoh, maintained that, the institution has the mandate to produce graduates who are not only intellectually sound, but also distinguished by outstanding character and responsibility for a purposeful leadership.
The Vice Chancellor who is also an Alumni of JOSTUM, assured that the university under his watch, would continue to to mentor students and produce graduates of intelligence and good in character and congratulated the awardees for the well deserved recognition.
He said “May this awards inspire you to enviable heights. I encourage other students to remain focused, disciplined and committed to excellence in their academic pursuits and personal conducts so as to earn such recognition.”
Speaking in her capacity, the University Librarian, Jessica Agoh decried the low level of reading and library patronage amongst students saying “Iam in charge of books in this University equipped with 10 colleges libraries scattered on campus and outside the campus with quality materials that can enhance learning.
“If you go to the main library, we have lots of quality books, information materials and also modern e-library. But many students don’t patronise the library. It is only most of these first class undergraduates who are recipient of this awards that usually come to library to read.”
She encouraged students to constantly visit library and read more extensively so as to attain quality certificates.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Central Planning Committee(CPC), Dr. Emmanuel Igomu, who welcomed the guests, said the aim of instituting the scholarship for their Alma Mater, was to contribute their quotas to the development of the University and promote excellence amongst students.
He maintained that the scholarship is solely funded by the branch Alumni, saying that the association intended to expand it above 39 recipients, but were constrained due to non availability of initial data of undergraduates with first class and therefore limited it to just students for 2024/25 academic session.
He urged other students to take full advantage of the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and assured that the Alumni campus branch is working towards partnering with the University authorities and other bodies to increase the number of awardees subsequently.
On his part, the chairman of the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University
Makurdi Alumni Association (JOSTUMAA) campus branch, Engr. Kumator Taku, noted that academic excellence without integrity is dangerous while knowledge without discipline is ineffective and talent without responsibility is wasted.
He explained that Nigeria needs graduates who can combine intellectual competence with moral courage, professionalism, patriotism and compassion, adding that the lecture is so important, as it reminds everyone about the true purpose of education, which is to produce graduates who are prepared not only to succeed personally but also to serve humanity selflessly.
He charged the students to show commitment to their studies, respect for constituted authority, obedience to University regulations, honesty in examinations and research, protection of University property, mutual respect for fellow students and lecturers, and positive representation of this institution wherever they find yourselves.
In a keynote lecture, Prof. Alexander Wuanor, insisted that good students must be accountable, reliable and dependable on campus with ultimate responsibility of attending lectures, reading books and gaining new skills for future jobs.
Wuanor acknowledged that studentship prepares learners to take over from the present generation, adding that learners need the school more than the school need them and appealed to them to take full ownership of institution’s facilities rather than damaging them.
On her part, the guest speaker, Barr. Mary Agogo who spoke on “Students’ Rights In Nigeria”, stressed the need for reimagining students governance and growth from confrontation to participation.
She maintained that students on campus must be entitle to be protected from abuse and should be given right to fair hearing, privacy, freedom of thought and expression.
According to her, Nigeria Universities are looking forward to produce graduates who are intellectually competent, ethical and civil-minded, stressing that rights without responsibilities are citizens without characters.
