From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The management of Benue State University, (BSU), Makurdi, said it has concluded plans to hold its 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st combined convocation ceremonies and the 30th-year anniversary celebration of the university.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Joe Tor Iorapuu, stated this during the pre-convocation press briefing at the school’s Senate Chambers, on Thursday.
The VC said while the university will be conferring a total of 23,060 degrees and diplomas on graduands; Bachelor’s Degrees 20,815, Postgraduate Diplomas 494, Masters Degrees 1,605 and PhD Degrees 146, the school will also confer honorary doctorate degrees on some distinguished Nigerians.
They include the Chancellor, His Gracious Majesty, King Disreal Gbobo Bob-Manuel II, for Doctor of Laws, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, for Doctor of Laws, the Senior Pastor, Dunamis International Gospel Church, Dr Paul Enenche for Doctor of Divinity, Chief Christopher Chuka Erdodu, for Doctor of Commercial and Prince Arthur Eze for Doctor of Business Administration.
He said the combined convocation was tagged “BSU at 30: Boundless Years of Academic Growth”, as a deliberate reminder that the university, with a humble beginning in 1992/93 academic session and a population of 308 students and 149 academic staff, have excelled in producing sound people who are contributing their quota to the development of the nation in all spheres of life.
Iorapuu, who was enthused that the university has recorded tremendous achievements since he came on board, expressed delight that of the 12 academic programmes lined for accreditation, 11 have been fully accredited.
“We are hopeful the proposed Bachelor of Pharmacy programme will come on stream from the 2020/2023 academic session. We are expecting Architecture, Geology, Building and Special Education programmes to follow,” he added.
He said during the period under review, BSU graduated the 8th set of 44 medical doctors on the 13th of June, 2022 in addition to other infrastructural developments.
The VC noted that despite the tremendous achievements recorded by the school, the university is challenged by a myriad of problems including massive encroachment of BSU land death of students due to herdsmen attacks on Benue communities.
According to Iorapuu, inhibiting the pace of progress we would have lived to pursue include an elongated academic year due to strike, pending NUC accreditation of 18 programmes inn2022, finding an alternative source of income for the university, accessing grants in a competitive environment, high cost of diesel and other running cost to mention a few.
The DVC Administration, Professor Mike Odeh, appreciated the media for their partnership with the university and charged them to be objective in their reportage.