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By Chukwuma Umeorah
Tertiary education in Nigeria recently witnessed the birth of the University on Niger (UNINIGER), adding to the number of private universities, which would help to reshape the trajectory of higher learning in the nation.
Director of communications UNINIGER, Sir Selloko Offoh, said the arrival of the institution would not merely stir excitement within academic circles, it has also ignited a fervor that resonates in all the nooks of the Nigerian landscape and the far reaches of international acclaim.
Offoh said, with the formal announcement, the University on the Niger has become a symbol of hope and transformation, capturing the collective imagination of millions and prompting an outpouring of goodwill messages that cascade into the offices of its esteemed authorities.
According to him, the university, based in Anambra State, was recently granted a take-off license by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to operate a two-campus model and is dedicated to serving humanity with unwavering candor.
He explained that the institution has strategically decentralized its campuses, with one located in Onitsha, another at the Iyi-Enu Teaching Hospital, while the envisioned permanent site is at Umunya.
“This thoughtful approach is aimed at solidifying a philosophical foundation that underscores the commitment to excellence and the pursuit of truth and knowledge.
The Iyi-Enu teaching hospital campus of the university houses the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, the All Saints’ Cathedral campus, Onitsha, has the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Arts/Management/Social Sciences and the Faculty of Science and Computing,’ Offoh said.
Expressing great concern, Offoh openly indicted the educational system of this country for its decades-long inclination towards a specific set of courses while neglecting numerous others, yielding minimal results.
He said: “The system has predominantly churned out university graduates armed with mere certificates, lacking the integral qualities of character and learning expected of them. This unfortunate outcome is the result of substantial annual investments in tertiary education, a predicament persisting for decades.
“This disconcerting situation prompted the establishment of the University on the Niger, driven by the vision of achieving a different outcome. Undergoing a paradigm shift, the university is discarding antiquated practices to create something new within the existing system.”
The communication director said the new university is determined to reshape and blend classical and modern academic systems that once produced illustrious figures such as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Pythagoras, Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, Hippocrates of Kos, William Procter, Lord Denny, Cato, Cicero, Chike Obi, Philip Emeagwari, among others.
He said the university has integrated specific compulsory courses into its curriculum, including the study of Chinese and Igbo Languages, analytical and cybertronic study of Artificial Intelligence, as well as Entrepreneurial and Moral Studies, ‘emphasizing that these compulsory courses are designed not only to underscore the institution’s uniqueness but also to add extra value to the intellectual, moral, and entrepreneurial development of students, preparing them to navigate the challenges of the contemporary world.
Offoh advised parents and guardians of potential students to thoroughly scrutinize their children and wards, compelling them to rid themselves of any untoward lifestyles that could jeopardize the attainment of their coveted scholarship at the university.
The school authority however advised prospective students and discerning public to beware of unscrupulous elements that may want to swindle them of their money, noting, “admission letter into the school would be issued strictly by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).”
