RSU 33rd Convocation: Prof Okogbule Reels Out Achievements, Lauds Wike For Over N15billion Grant
…As Varsity Records 31 First Class, 229 PhDs, Others
The Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Professor Nlerum Okogbule has disclosed that the institution has recorded modest achievements within the forty-one years it had metamorphosed into a university status.
He said without mincing words, the university had creditably acquitted itself in the task of producing the required high-level manpower, in line with the vision of its founding fathers.
Speaking at a press conference held at the new Senate Building on Monday, Prof. Okogbule said the university had also met with the aspirations of the people of the Niger Delta and respond to the peculiar environmental challenges of the region and Nigeria as a whole.
The Vice Chancellor who addressed the press with some principal officers of the university in attendance, expressed delight that the institution which started in 1980 with seven Faculties has grown to now have twelve Faculties.
He revealed that the RSU had made history, becoming the only university in the country to establish a Faculty of Entrepreneurial Studies.
On academic achievements, Professor Okogbule enthused that while most federal and state-owned universities lost the 2019/2020 academic session, RSU had a smooth ride, owing to what he attributed to the commitment and concerted efforts of the academic and non-academic staff.
“We achieved this feat because we were in session even when there was an ASUU strike, based on the understanding we had with the proprietors of the university and a corresponding robust relationship with the four unions on campus”, he said.
The Vice Chancellor further disclosed that due to the commitment, hard work and tremendous improvement in infrastructural facilities in the university, RSU recently received a prestigious award by the International Achievements Research Council, in Montreal, Canada, in the academic governance category.
He said the university had also recorded physical infrastructure as a number of projects have been completed on the campus while many are still ongoing. According to him, the stand-out projects include the magnificent new Senate Building and three Faculty buildings being constructed by TETFUND.
Okogbule further disclosed that work has reached advanced stage on the four new campuses of the university sited in Ahoada, Emohua, Etche and Saakpenwa, and would be commissioned in May, 2022.
The said the convocation ceremony has been divided into two with Bachelor’s Degree holding on Friday, December 3, 2021 while Higher Degrees would be awarded on Saturday, December 4, 2021. The arrangement in this arrangement, according to him, is to avert possible overcrowding in compliance with the Covid protocols as well as reduce the time spent on each day of the convocation.
Giving the statistics of the graduating students, the Vice Chancellor announced that a total of 4,970 graduands would receive Bachelor’s and Higher Degrees, with 31 recording First Class, 960 (Masters) and 229 Phds, amongst others.
Prof. Okogbule seized the occasion to thank Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for releasing over N15billion to the university which he said, had been judiciously expended in far reaching projects in the campus as well as in the four new campuses of the university.
