•First Lady, Uzodimma, Zulum bag FUTO’s honorary doctorate degrees
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the graduands of Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) at the institution’s 36th Convocation to harness the potentials in the agricultural, vocational and information technology skills to add value to themselves and the nation at large.
The President reminded them that they were ambassadors of FUTO and should exhibit creativity, integrity, honesty and innovations as they go into the larger society.
In his message, the visitor to the university congratulated the graduands and the awardees at the event for their meritorious successes and service to the society that merited their honours.
The President, who was represented by the Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, underscored the Federal Government’s commitment towards tertiary education that necessitated the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) dedicated to granting student’s fees and personal upkeep loans.
He lauded the management of FUTO for the various initiatives that have repositioned the institution as a choice university in the country.
He urged FUTO and other public universities across the country to make entrepreneurship and skill development top priority so that graduates will be competitive nationally and globally in emerging technologies and wealth creation.
The President enjoined the Pro-Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor, members of the Governing Council and Senate, Principal Officers and members of staff of FUTO to serve the university with greater zeal, courage and patriotism and continue to ensure prudent use of resources at their disposal.
Three eminent Nigerians – the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and Borno State Governor Babagana Umar Zulum – were awarded honorary degrees the ceremony in recognition of their immense contributions to the development of education, the country and humanity.
It was on a day 632 students were equally admitted to the university’s post-graduate degrees for fulfilling all the requirements.
Senator Tinubu and Uzodimma were conferred with the honorary Degree of Doctor of Management, Honoris Causa. Zulum got the honorary degree of the Doctor of Technology, Honoris Causa.
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In his welcome address, the university’s chancellor, His Royal Highness Alhaji Mohammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, appreciated the efforts of the institution’s management in dealing with multiple challenges and appealed to the Federal Government to step-up the funding of universities, especially FUTO to enable it cope with the prevailing debilitating and near crippling financial throes.
The chancellor, whose address was read by the vice chancellor, Prof. Nnenna Oti, called on stakeholders like the alumni, corporate bodies, captains of Industry, multinational agencies and multilateral linkages to assist the university to achieve her mandate in manpower and skills development to drive national economic growth.
In her welcome address, the vice chancellor called for reawakening of the patriotic zeal to attend the critical mass required to join the league of developed nations.
She highlighted several achievements of the university under her watch in the areas of accreditation of academic programmes, establishment of Centre of Excellence, and improved ranking of the university among others, noting that “for the first time, FUTO was mentioned in a global university ranking”.
Other areas of achievements, Oti identified, include physical infrastructure development, power infrastructure, expansion of ICT infrastructure, staff welfare and development, research development awards and many others.
She identified some challenges which include: lack of staff quarters within the university campus, need for more students hostels, urgent and compelling need for perimeter fencing of the university land, construction of physical infrastructure for the new Teaching Hospital, College of Medicine and Health Sciences and the rehabilitation of internal roads and the major road/broken bridge linking Ihiagwa/other host communities.
She, however, appreciated President Tinubu and Uzodimma for their enormous support and assistance to the university that has continued to sustain its operations.
In his address, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman 13th Governing Council of FUTO, Senator Jack Tilley-Gyado, also singled out and thanked Uzodimma for his personal interest in the university, which he said has led to the protection of the university from encroachment and external attacks.
He said the governor played more than 80 per cent role in getting the approval for FUTO University Teaching Hospital, in addition to providing a lot in security.