The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has announced the Investiture of the Oba of Benin, His Majesty Oba Ewuare II, as its new Chancellor.
The investiture of the Oba as the 3rd Chancellor of NOUN, took place during the 13th convocation ceremony of the university held on Saturday in Abuja.
The Vice Chancellor, NOUN, Professor Olufemi Peters in his remark called for all hands to be on deck to make the university great.
Peters called on all stakeholders to join in the building of the university so it can fulfil its mandate of training world class professionals for the development of Nigeria.
He said,”It is my honour to welcome the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the 13th convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria. I also welcome the Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, CON, the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Tanko $ununu, the Acting Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC), Mt Chris Maiyaki, other important guests and captains of industry who have come to felicitate with the university and her graduands.
“The 13th convocation ceremony of our great university is a very special one for many reasons. Aside to the conferment of honourary degrees and awards. I am pleased to inform you that part of the event of the 13th convocation is the formal installation of our new Chancellor, His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, CFR, the Oba of Benin Kingdom. This event took on 11th April, 2024.
“Before His ascension to the throne of his forefathers, Oba Ewuare II was a distinguished public servant and diplomat. On behalf of the Senate, Staff and students of the university, we congratulate His Royal Majesty, and the good people of Benin Kingdom on his appointment and investiture. We are certain that His Majesty will use his amazing influence at home and abroad to attract goodwill for the university.
“Similarly, after due consultation and approval of the HME acting on behalf of the council, I wish to congratulate two illustrious personalities of the federal Republic of Nigeria who will be confered with honourary degrees of the university today. The last this activity was carried out at the university was in the year 2015, a testament to the due diligence the university conducts over this important activity. This year we shall confer Dr Innocent Chukwuma, CON, Doctor of Business Administration, and Hajia Hafsatu Abdulwaheed Ahmed with Doctor of Letters respectively.
“The choice of these awardees reflect our core values at NOUN. Entrepreneurial ingenuity and knowledge based content creativity.Indeed as a mark of admiration of Dr Chukwuma’s sagacity, the NOUN under my management has decide to henceforth to acquire only Innoson vehicular products as our operational vehicles.
“Finally, only yesterday as we again demonstrate our distinguished membership of a global community of open and distance learning practitioners, one of the illustrious Africa. academics, a good brother and friend in the person of the Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Tanzania, (OUT), Prof. Elifas Tozo Bisanda delivered an outstanding convocation lecture titled:”Is Western Education Still Relevant For Africa”. The lecture was a call to domesticate our delivery of knowledge and skills across our dear continent and in Nigeria.”
His Royal Majesty, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin, in his acceptance speech, expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for deeming him worthy of the position.
Oba Ewuare II, pledged to undertake his responsibilities as the new VC of NOUN with utmost dedication.
He expressed his commitment to fostering an environment where knowledge transcends borders and transforms lives.
The new NOUN VC revealed that his vision for the National Open University of Nigeria is one of excellence, innovation and inclusivity.
He said,”I stand before you today, delighted and deeply honoured, as I accept the esteemed position of Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). It is with profound gratitude that I express my appreciation to His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, President and Commander in Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria, for deeming me worthy of this significant responsibility. Your trust in me is both a privilege and a challenge that I undertake with utmost dedication.
“I wish you also extend my sincere appreciation to the Honourable Minister of Education for facilitating this investiture ceremony, further underscoring the importance of education in our nation’s development. Your support and commitment to advancing educational institutions like our are truly commendable.
“As I step into the role of Chancellor, I am acutely aware of the weight of responsibility that accompanies it. My vision for the National Open University of Nigeria is one of excellence, innovation and inclusivity. It is my fervent aspiration to leverage my position as a traditional ruler to enhance the fortunes of this esteemed institution.”
The Oba Ewuare II, who assured that him and his team would their best to ensure that University remains a shining example across the Africa
“Without any gainsaying, NOUN holds a unique position as a beacon of hope and opportunity in the realm of Open and Distance e-Learning mode of instructional delivery.
“We will do our best to ensure that this University remains not only a pioneer in Nigeria but also a shining example across the entirety of the Sub-saharan Africa. As we all know, education knows no boundaries,and I am committed to fostering an environment where knowledge transcends borders and transforms lives.
“Together, we will embark on a journey of advancement and progress,guided by principles of integrity, scholarship,and service. I challenge us all to let us work tirelessly to uphold the values upon which this university was founded, and to chart a course towards an even brighter future
“It will be inconceivable for this speech to be concluded without making special appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Olufemi Peters and the entire management team for their support and contributions to the University. In the last couple of months that our paths crossed, I have not ceased to marvel at your dedication, I am confident that we will continue to illuminate the path of learning for generations to come,” he said.
During the occasion, the CEO of Air Peace, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma was confered with honourary doctorate degree in business administration.
The award was confered on him in recognition of his sacrifices and contributions in tertiary education and research, among others.
In thesame vein, Hajia Hafsatu Abdulwaheed was confered with Doctor of Letters. As the third female to be honoured by the National Open University of Nigeria, and the first female writer in the Northern Nigeria, Hajia Hafsatu was awarded this honour in recognition of her literary excellence among other notable achievements and contributions to national development.
The university confered degrees upon 22,175 students, out of which 22 have bagged First Class degrees across various disciplines, while 6 bagged PhDs, among others.
By Chimezie Godfrey
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