Reason for Establishing Govt Colleges Defeated, Says Lawyer 

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

An Enugu-based lawyer, Peter Eze has expressed regret over the speedy decline of the spirit of unity across government colleges in the country.

Eze was speaking yesterday at the unveiling of the 50th-year founders day celebration logo of the Federal Government College  (FGC), Enugu.

Delivering his address titled “FGC at 50, the journey so far, Eze said that colleges such as FGC Enugu which was established in 1973, were intended to foster unity among the Nigerian school age from different cultural, geographical, and social backgrounds.

Eze who graduated from the college in 1978 said that at inception, the school had students from the 12 states that existed at the time and that teachers were also recruited from all the states.

“The move helped students to establish relationships among themselves beyond tribal and ethnic lines,” he said. “The government gave students the opportunity to express themselves and gain first-class education anywhere in the country”.

He however regretted that the purpose of unity has been defeated majorly because of widespread insecurity in the country, adding that at FGC Enugu for instance, you have students predominantly from the southeast region.

“The same thing is happening to the NYSC where people are paying money not to go to certain zones of the country”. ” Nobody wants to send their children to a location where security is not assured”.

He said that the founder’s day celebration which will hold between August 3-6, 2023 will provide an opportunity for the school to look at where it started, where it is and where it is headed.

He advised students of the school to pursue their different endeavours diligently in order to make the school, their families and Nigeria proud.

“You must use your education to get to the top of wherever you want to be in life,” he said. ‘ The FGC provides you the opportunity and background to excel and play a role in the unity of our country”.

Earlier In his address, the National President of FGCE Old Students Association, Nnadozie Eze, thanked the Director Principal of FGC Enugu, Grace Tarkehi and her team for their dedication in both teaching the students for academic enrichment and for guiding them for personal growth.

He also thanked all the alumni class sets and chapters who have consistently dedicated their resources to improving a lot of the students through mentorship programs and infrastructural development efforts.

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ABUAD Matriculation: Babalola Tasks Students to Work Hard

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Are Afe Babalola (SAN), has counselled the students of the university on the need to be hard working in all their endeavours.

Babalola gave the advice in a speech during the 14th matriculation ceremony of the institution which he said was established for the primary purpose of reforming education and setting the space for educational revolution in the country.

At the weekend, when 1,907 students took the oath of matriculation at the ceremony held at the Alfa Belgore Hall of the university in Ado-Ekiti, the legal luminary reminded the students that they  can achieve all their dreams through hard work, commitment and perseverance, stressing that it pays most for those who work hard.

The founder who admonished the students to appreciate their parents for sending them to the best university in Nigeria, cited his own life experience as an example of a man who rose from grass to grace through hard-work and perseverance, even though he had no opportunity to attend any secondary school or university.

Specifically, Babalola urged the  matriculating students to be hard-working, and follow the rules and regulations of the university for them to be successful and achieve their goals without hindrance.

In her address, the Vice Chancellor of ABUAD, Prof. E. Smaranda Olarinde, who equally admonished the students to shun vices and anti-social behaviour capable of ruining their bright and thriving future, said the university  was part of the founder’s uncommon ways in making impossibility possible; with the institution where students have quality, functional and transformative education that is unique in many ways.

She said: “ABUAD claims many firsts, including the first private university to take off on its permanent site, the first university to secure full accreditation for Medicine and Nursing within five years; the first university to secure 100 percent success in its nursing examination; the first private university and even the youngest to host the 29th Conference of the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU).

This is due largely to the full understanding and cooperation of our lecturers and students. I therefore give kudos to our teachers and students who have been making the feat possible.”