Abia State University Uturu, Saturday held the maiden edition of her Alumni Convocation where four Alumni of the institution conferred with honourary doctorate degrees for their outstanding contributions to the overall development of the University.
Speaking at the event held at the University Auditorium, the State Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu said he felt honoured and privileged to be the University Visitor at a time the Maiden Edition Of Alumni Convocation Ceremony was put together.
He observed that the school has remained the University of first choice and the state’s pride, given the array of outstanding personalities in all fields of endeavor she has constantly trained and given back to the society for its growth and development over the years
Dr. Ikpeazu insisted that his government has, from inception, based it’s vision on five cardinal pillars with education being the fulcrum of the overall developmental strategy, having noted the important role education plays in human resources development and nation building.
The Governor reiterated that his administration would not relent in partnering and supporting Abia State University Uturu in the development of the State and in sustaining the vision and mission of the university for the common good of its stakeholders.
The State Chief Executive used the opportunity to commend the University Management and Staff for packaging such an event to celebrate and honour worthy Alumni of the institution who have distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavor.
While congratulating the Awardees on their well deserved honour conferred on them, he charged them to see the award as a challenge and call for greater commitment and service not only to Abia State but also to Nigeria in general, and to be good ambassadors of Abia State University.
In his address on the occasion, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Uche Ikonne revealed that the ceremony was the burn out of the desire to build and sustain a strong alumni network system with the believe that Alumni help sustain their Alma Mater through donations and volunteerism.
Prof. Ikonne while describing the award as the greatest honour any institution can bestow of her alumni maintained that it would serve as an incentive for greater zeal to the developmental activities of the association and a closer relationship to the university.
He appealed to the Alumni Association of the University to “help us to improve and sustain the high quality of your degree certificate garbed in the colourful and magnificent of our motor, Excellence and Service” noting that the value of the degree depends on how well the school is performing.
The University Head further described his administration’s achievement as ” our modest contribution to comprehensive positive turnaround of Abia State University in terms of Academic content, infrastructural Development, Web metric ranking, Service delivery to regular students, Alumni associations and stakeholders” insisting that the ceremony was a testimony to the fact that “all the major critical stakeholders of the University have come under one roof to build and enhance the future and fortunes of this great institution.”
Ikonne expressed gratitude to ABSU Alumni Associations under Chief Ume Kalu (SAN) for their confidence in his administration that helped in the unification of various factions that existed in the association as well as the contributions in the development of the institution.
He equally thanked the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the chairman of the University Governing Council as well as the Chancellor for support and encouragement in taking the university to its present state of development.
In address also, the Chancellor of the University, His Majesty, Orcivirigh Professor. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, who noted the contributions of the founding fathers of the school, informed that Abia State University, has produced quality graduates who are found in all the facet of the economy both locally and Internationally.
The Chancellor disclosed that the purpose of the Convocation was to confer honourary doctorate degrees on some alumni of the institution for distinguished themselves in different fields of endeavour and contributions to the uplifting of the University.
He named the awardees to include: Chief Ume Kalu (SAN), Mrs. Adobi Stella Nwapa, Dr. Chinedu Anthony Umeadi and Dr. Chukwuemeka Oji and urged them to do more for the development of their Alma Mater and humanity.
On his part, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University Governing Council, Chief Adolphus Wabara assured that the university would not relent in it’s resolve to ensure high academic standard, discipline and quality education which would compare with any first-class university in the world.
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