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Raising sound future leaders

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At a time when job opportunities are hard to come by, getting one effortlessly is something to relish. This is the situation with Daniel Onyedikachi Otti, who was offered an automatic employment by the Chancellor of Edo University, Iyamho and Caverton Offshore Support Group Chairman Remi Makanjuola, during the institution’s second convocation ceremony. Mr Otti of the Department of Computer Science, was the best graduating student. Besides that gesture, the Chancellor donated a multi-million naira worth Molecular Biology Laboratory to the institution, CHINAKA OKORO reports.

THE nation’s labour market is said to be saturated due to the number of students each of the universities churns out every year. The graduates roam the streets each day in search of non-existent white collar jobs. Several years, some will be without any job while some will settle for any form of job in order to keep body and soul together. Their predicament was not thee result of lack of hard work or laziness but as a result of the great number of people in need of jobs.

However, for Mr Daniel Onyedikachi Otti, his job is waiting for him even before his national youth service. He will not join the labour market on queue. This is because he had been offered an automatic job employment by the Chancellor of Edo State University , Iyamho and the Chairman Caverton Offshore Support Group Aderemi Makanjuola.

The event was this year’s week-long glitz and glamour of the institution’s second convocation ceremony held on the school’s premises which has largely been described as an academic environment that has continued to be a trail blazer among the public universities in Nigeria.

Since its inception four years ago, it has grown in technological advancement even as it has set the pace in providing quality education for the teeming young Nigerians that jostle for its admission yearly. Truly, Edo University Iyamho Is said to have redefined public education in Nigeria.

After the Friday Jumat Service and Sunday Service to thank God for the successful completion of another academic year on October 30 and Sunday November 1 respectively, the 4th Founders’ Day lecture, which usually holds on March 23, was rescheduled because of the COVID-19 pandemic which was at its peak early this year.

It was eventually held (virtual) on Wednesday November 4, 2020.

In a paper entitled  “The Nigerian Air Force: Making Giant Strides in Keeping Nigeria Safe,” the guest lecturer and Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar commended  the institution for  its brand of technological innovations and academic excellence.

While noting that the role of technology cannot be over-emphasised in every facet of life, the Air Force boss stated that NAF’s Research and Development Department (R&D) was working with about 15 universities and hopes to discuss the partnership with Edo State University Iyamho. Therefore, the NAF promised to enter into partnership with the institution with a view to providing engineering solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges.

While hailing  the University for its giants strides in technological innovations, he  reeled off the efforts  being made by the Nigeria Air Force  in keeping Nigeria safe.  According to him, some of them include training and retraining of members of staff, acquisition of different aircraft, gender sensitisation and inclusiveness policy which led to the training of seven qualified female pilots while 14 are undergoing training.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University,  Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor commended the role of the Air Force in the nation’s defense architecture and in keeping with her mandate with what he described as the “defense of Nigeria’s territorial integrity and the war against terrorism.”

He thanked Governor Godwin Obaseki who is the Visitor to the University, the University’s Council, the Senate of the institution, members of staff, parents and students of the university for the continuation of the academic session through the CANVAS Learning Management System despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Aluyor also expressed his appreciation to the university’s Chancellor, Dr. Aderemi Makanjuola for his donation of a Molecular Biology Laboratory to the institution.

The Chairman of the Occasion and Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND),  Prof. Sulaiman Bogoro, expressed his delight with Edo University’s innovative ideas and its architectural masterpiece. He commended the Chief of Air Staff for using technologies to boost defence infrastructure for his Research and Development (R&D) initiatives in the security sector.

The Vice-Chancellor of Adamawa State University, Mubi, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta also commended the university and NAF for the founder’s day lecture with particular emphasis on the NAF’s gender sensitivity and inclusiveness policy. The Vice-Chancellor of Skyline University (SUN), Prof. Sunhadkar Kota also expressed his willingness to identify with Edo University Iyamho and the NAF. The representative of the Director-General of National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Mr. Gabriel Tyoyer noted that the NYSC has been supporting NAF and schools. While encouraging the university to continue to advance in technology, he appealed that it  should be ready to accept corps members with first degrees to encourage them to build academic careers.

Former Pro-Chancellor, Edo University Iyamho, Prof. Emeritus T.O.K Audu described the lecture as enlightening, adding that the public needs to know what our security agencies are doing.

Activities for the celebration continued on Friday, November 6 with a lecture by Prof. Adam Zahler of the Worcester State University, Worcester Massachusetts, USA.

Entitled “The Impact of COVID-19 on Tertiary Education: A View from the West and Possible Implications for African Universities” via webinar on zoom, he adopted a conversational style in his presentation; riding on the mantra “expect nothing, anticipate nothing.”

The don  regretted that COVID-19 has taken away businesses and has raised safety concerns on students’ return to campuses, adding that “state revenues are deeply affected. It will be foolish to ignore the impact.”

While noting that COVID-19 has made scholars to see things in a new way, he advised Nigerian educational managers to be creative and technologically inclined in handling the post-COVID-19 era.

The guest lecturer, who did not provide prescriptions for African universities on how to handle issues in the COVID-19 era stressed that “the environment is different, state revenues are down, the economy remains uncertain and the political systems are not the same.”

Chairman of the occasion and the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, represented by the Vice-Chancellor, the University of Benin, Prof. Lillian Salami, noted that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has created difficulties in teaching and learning in the country. He, however, commended Edo University Iyamho for what he described as “blazing the trail in teaching and learning and creating local content stations.”

The minister congratulated the students and urged them to be good ambassadors of the university and contribute to the great manpower development of the country. He also commended the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Aluyor and his team for making Nigeria proud.

The Chancellor of the institution, Dr. Aderemi Makanjuola noted that adaptation was the key word in the COVID-19 era, stressing that “COVID-19 does not leave us in tatters. I am very proud to be part of Edo University Iyamho.”

Other good will messages were from friends of the university such as Jean Borgatti, who commended the university for its unique technology for education and for working at difficult times, while Prof. Sundharkar Kota applauded the Vice-Chancellor and his team for using technology to face difficult times.

The convocation ceremony continued via Zoom on Saturday, November 7 at the Aliko Dangote Auditorium where 51 students were awarded various degrees.

Four students bagged First-class honours. A total number of 21 students were conferred with 2nd Class Upper Division, 23 had Second-class Lower while three had Third-class.

Representative of Governor Obaseki, Hon. Jimoh Ijegbai, revealed that he was proud of the giant strides the university is making, especially in its successful conclusion of the 2019/2020 academic year, when the CANVAS Learning Management System was deployed in teaching and learning.

While pledging his continued support to the university, he commended the Chancellor of the institution, Remi Makanjuola for the donation of a Molecular Biology Laboratory to the university. He congratulated the students and applauded the university management for keeping the mandate of the state government in preparing future leaders.

With the laboratory, tests can be done for the Hepatitis C virus, Hepatitis B virus, HIV virus, COVID-19 virus, Lassa Fever virus, Human Papilloma Vírus, and paternity.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Aluyor, congratulated the governor and Visitor to the university on his success at the polls.

“The university records another milestone with the graduation of her second set of students for the 2019/2020 academic session at the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.  Today’s ceremony is unique. The ceremony is being carried out with many of our invitees joining us via Zoom. We have carefully complied with COVID-19 protocols in only inviting the graduating students and their parents to be physically present here today, ” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor reeled off the achievements of the university for the first five years in different areas and urged the graduating students to be “good ambassadors of the university as you go into the labour market to serve the nation in the field of your academic discipline.’’

The best graduating student, Mr. Daniel Onyedikachi Otti of the Department of Computer Science,  who spoke on behalf of other students expressed his appreciation to the university management, lecturers and parents during their sojourn in Edo University Iyamho.

He expressed optimism that based on their training at the university, they will be able to make it anywhere they find themselves. He urged his colleagues to be guided by two questions: what matters to you most? And can you build what can last?

Highlights of the events were presentation of awards to the Chairman of the occasion, Mallam Adamu Adamu, the guest lecturer, Prof. Adams Zahler and the special guest of honour, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu.

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