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His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife has expressed worry that Nigeria can be said to be less united as it was at Independence.
Oba Ogunwusi stressed that from recent developments across the country, it can be said Nigeria is failing in the attempt to build a truly united nation.
The Oba, who is Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), said this on Saturday, during the 51st convocation ceremony of the institution.
Speaking during the ceremony for for the award of Postgraduate degrees, Diplomas and conferment of honorary degrees, the Ooni of Ife urged graduates and those conferred to be good ambassadors of the institution.
He urged them not to relent as the ambassadors of the university in sustaining the good reputations the university had earned over the years.
“I urge all the graduates and honorary awardees never to relent in being good ambassadors of this great university wherever they found themselves.
“UNN as the first university in the country, our graduates are expected to live up to our name and reputation in restoring the dignity of man.
“To the honorary awardees, the recognition given to you today by the university should spur you to greater heights to do more to the university as well as render more selfless service to humanity,” he said.
The Chancellor urged Nigerians to see the task of uniting the country as everybody’s responsibility.
“It worries me and other patriotic Nigerians that our country can be said to be less united as it was at independence.
“From recent developments across the country, I wish to remind us that we are failing in our attempt to build a truly united nation.
“As graduates we are proud to have been in a school like this where you have classmates, roommates, and friends from different parts of the country and the world.
“You have a duty to teach others that we are the same people irrespective of the tiny differences in our culture, religious or mother tongue,” he said
He commended Prof. Charles Igwe, the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the UNN, and the management for their commitment and dedication in ensuring that they sustained the dreams and visions of the founding fathers of the university and urged them to keep it up.
Speaking, Igwe said that this convocation ceremony was dedicated to the award of Postgraduate degrees and honorary degrees, which, according to him, marked the grand finale of the 51st convocation ceremony of the institution.
“Some 1,548 postgraduate degrees and Diplomas were awarded at the convocation.
“This is made up of 519 degrees, 934 Master’s degrees and 95 Postgraduate diplomas.
“I congratulate the graduates for earning the postgraduate degree or diploma of this great university, which have elevated you to the elite club of alumni who hold a postgraduate qualification of the University. It is an achievement that you should be proud of,” he said.
The VC, who used the ceremony to share some of the recent developments at the University, noted that the institution had remained competitive and had continued to re-invent itself in spite of the challenges of inadequate and ageing infrastructures facing the first generation university.
“We have continued to strive to retain the reputation of excellence for which we have been known over years. Our staff have been quite productive, not only in teaching, research and innovation, but also in community service.
“Our university is also a beneficiary of a good number of projects from capital allocation, NEEDS assessment and TETFund intervention.
“In spite of all these, UNN is in dire need of support from friends and alumni as the university is worse hit by the prevailing economic conditions in the country,” he said.
According to the VC, the Doctor of Public Administration degree would be conferred on Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, former Inspector General of Police, while Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, would be awarded the Doctor of Business Administration degree
Igwe also said that Prof Virginia Dike, Prof. Eunice Okeke of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Martin Aghaji of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Prof. Daniel Obikeze, Prof. Azuka Dike, Prof. Timothy Nwala, and Prof Emmanuel Chinwokwu of the Faculty of The Social Sciences were elevated to the status of Professor Emeritus of UNN.