On Saturday, November 15, the Western Delta University, WDU, Oghara, Delta state,
graduated its first set of PhD students; about ten in number. Prof
Augustine Ovuoronye Ikelegbe, the Vice Chancellor said “the doctoral
degree graduands have passed through a rigorous process of
examinations, seminars, proposal defences and oral PhD thesis defences
with (remarkable) external examiners”. With this, the university has
transited into the ranks of research institutions where people are
trained to carry out researches independently and train the next
generation of university lecturers, future professors and those to
open the doors to Nigeria’s industrial and societal greatness, Prof
Ikelegbe said. The university also awarded Masters and first degrees
to hundreds of graduands.
Prof Ikelegbe said “our academic quality control is one of
par-excellence, and our fees remain at the most modest level in spite
of high operational cost. Compared with other private and state-owned
universities, our fees are moderate and paid in installments. This is
in line with the Visitor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori’s vision of
providing affordable university education to his constituents. He has
consolidated on this vision through the Otemu Education Foundation’s
(OEF) Scholarship Awards to Nigerian students”.
Ikelgbe said, “We do not play with the integrity of our programs. All
our programs are duly accredited by the national universities
commission and the professional councils. We are now privileged to be
recipients of scholarship awards and support for our students. We have
received scholarships from the OEF scheme and financial support for
Niger Delta students in the university from the NDDC. We are expecting
scholarship awardscfrom the Prince Adewoye Adebayo Foundation, too.
The Presidential Amnesty Program is also deploying scholarships to the
students”.
Addressing the graduands, the WDU Chancellor, His Excellency Donald
Duke, alerted youths to the three stages of life; “Let the first 25
years of your lives be dedicated to LEARNING. Absorb all you can,
while you can and as much as you can. Nurture and equip yourselves for
the world out there is demanding and merciless with little or no room
for mediocrity.
Your next 25 years will be spent EARNING. Earn as much as you can, in
truth and honesty, in whatever field you desire, for youth is a
currency, spend it wisely before it devalues and leaves you. Spend the
next 25 years and thereafter with reserve and wisdom; you will spend
it GIVING. Give as much back to the society, for you will take nothing
away with you except the goodwill, love and esteem of your fellow men.
The WDU Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Eghosa E. Osaghae congratulated Ibori,
the former governor of Delta State, for the care, understanding and
support he has always extended to this university. He tasked graduands
to always remember Albert Einstein’s advice: ‘“Be a voice not an
echo”. I encourage you to be good ambassadors of Western Delta
University, dream big and work hard; achieve the impossible through
determination and innovation”.
Prince Adewole Adebayo from Ondo State, the 2023 presidential
candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and retired Lt.Gen
Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau from Kano state were honored with honorary
doctorate degrees.
Among the new steps taken to improve the university, the Vice
Chancellor said “Dr. Igho Oghenegaren Okotete Foundation has donated a
Central Laboratory Block to WDU and “the Administrative and Office
Complex for the proposed College of Engineering would be completed at
the end of this month, while the WDU Centre for Digital Excellence
Integrated Technology Hub construction would start before the year
ends. Also, a massive complex of offices, laboratories and classrooms
is being constructed for the College of Health Sciences by the NDDC
while Prince Adebayo has donated the Macaulay and Margaret Omugbe
building for the College of Postgraduate Studies. The ground breaking
ceremony for this building was a highlight of the convocation
ceremony.
Professor Kyari Mohammed (former VC, Modibbo Adama University, Yola
and Nigerian Army University, Biu) delivered the masterly and
well-applauded Convocation Lecture: “Overcoming Insecurity in
Nigeria”.
The great assembly at the convocation included HRM Noble Eshemitan,
Uku Oghara, N’ame, Orefe III, the Ovie of Oghara Kingdom, Adaka the
1st, the Ovie of Orogun, Professor Sadiq Zubairu Abubakar the Vice
Chancellor, Capital City University, Abuja, the WDU Visitor, H.E Chief
James Onanefe Ibori, the Chancellor, H.E Barr. Donald Duke, the
Pro-Chancellor & Chairman of Council Igbinedion University, Prof Ahmed
Tijani Mora, Professor Samuel T Wara the Vice Chancellor Edwin Clark
University, Representative of Rector DESPO Otefe, Awardees (General
Abdulrahman Dambazau and Prince Adewole Adebayo). The former House of
Reps member, Rt. Hon. Almona Ise, Hon. Efe Afe, Dr George Iwo, Hon.
Ejaife Omizu Odebala, President, Delta State University Medical
Students Association Nyorere Dexter and Prince Olatunji Olasuji also
graced the occasion.
