• Unical has written my name in its golden records –Wike
• Our universities must go beyond theory, impact society – Kalu, Dep Speaker
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated Tertiary Education Trust Fund projects worth over two billion naira at the University of Calabar, as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the institution.
Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, who represented the President charged the University to make good use of the projects, noting the prudent management of funds by the University of Calabar and promised more interventions.
The projects comprise the over N826 million Hall of Fame Complex, N162 million Faculty of Engineering workshop and the N482 million Pharmacy Administrative Block.
Others are the N185 million Fire Service station and the N526 million Faculty of Education building.
His words: “This is very impressive, we have commissioned about five or six projects today, some were abandoned for more than a decade and some were constructed within seven months.
“It is a great accomplishment by the incumbent Vice Chancellor and her management team. I want to congratulate the University of Calabar for this great achievement.
“With the prudent management by the University of Calabar, we hope to see many other massive interventions in the institution by Tetfund.”
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor Florence Obi, said when she came on board they were sanctioned for not properly utilizing funds.
She said they had to make appeals and sign undertakings to make proper use of funds given to the institution.
Obi said most of the abandoned projects she inherited have been completed and that the narrative of abandoned projects UNICAL has been changed for good.
Meanwhile, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says the University of Calabar has written his name in its golden records.
The minister disclosed in his speech after being conferred with an honorary degree in Law by the institution. The conferment was held as part of activities to mark the 37th Convocation Ceremony and 50th Anniversary celebration of the institution.
In his acceptance speech, the Minister said the award will spur him to contribute even more meaningfully to the advancement of education, good governance and national development.
“I am honoured by this recognition as the University of Calabar has written my name in its golden records and I accept it with great responsibility. As I receive this award, I am reminded of the enormous responsibility that comes with it.
“It is a charge to remain steadfast in my contribution to national development, upholding the ideals of excellence and inspiration to the next generation.
“I accept this honorary award with renewed vigour to contribute even more meaningfully to the advancement of education, good governance and national development.
“I embrace this moment with greater responsibility and pray the University continues to produce leaders and innovators who will shape a brighter future for Nigeria,” he said.
The minister appreciated the Visitor to the university, President Bola Tinubu for his visionary leadership and commitment to the advancement of education in Nigeria.
He disclosed that President Tinubu ‘s Renewed Hope Agenda has injected new life into our university system through landmark interventions that have transformed the landscape of tertiary education in Nigeria.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin kalu, who delivered the 37th convocation lecture of the said universities in the country must go beyond theory.
He insisted that education would not be complete if the town did not feel the impact of the gown.
In his lecture which was on the theme, “Our gowns in Town and in Cyber space: Sustainable and Human-centered Education, the Mandate of Our Universities 2025 to 2075,” Kalu posited: “Universities are established as engines of progress and our universities must go beyond theory. Our education is incomplete if the town does not feel the impact of our gown.
“Education is not about acquiring knowledge but acquiring it to shape the society. As we look to 2075, our education must have meaningful societal impact.”
He also called for a rethink to the approach to quota education and insisted that instead of geographic quotas we must prioritize gender parity and use quota as a tool for empowerment.
Kalu also emphasized that universities ought to adapt to the latest digital technologies.
He said it was a great honour to deliver the 37th Convocation Lecture of the university, saying he is a living proof that education has power, insisting that education should not be a privilege but a birthright.