The 31st Convocation of the Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt which held on Saturday at the Convocation Arena may have lived up to billing as hugely successful following a superlative fanfare and harvest of academic laurels.
At the last count, 3,924 graduands were awarded First Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters and Doctorate degrees. The breakdown shows that 88 bagged PhD; 625 clinched Masters; 315 obtained Postgraduate Diploma while 2,896 acquired First Degrees.
Interestingly, the First Degree category produced 36 First Class, signposting a marked improvement from the 30th Convocation of the university on June 26, 2018 that produced 25 First Class degree holders.
Breakdown of the First Class haulers at last Saturday event showed that the Faculty of Engineering led the pack with a total of 12 followed by the Faculty of Science with 11 First Class holders. The Faculty of Law came third with 8 garnering First Class while Faculty of Environmental Sciences followed with 3 while Faculty of Education and that of Management Sciences each produced 1 First Class.
But the star shooter at the memorable event, ostensibly, was no other than Bright Atebou Jewel, a Mass Communication graduate who shattered the 17-year First-Class jinx in the Department of Mass Communication. He was not just etched his name as the first to bag First Class in the history of Mass Communication Department, he was also the only one in the Faculty of Management Sciences to clinch First Class in the 31st Convocation of the Faculty reputed with more Departments that any other in RSU.
Apparently overwhelmed by emotions, the Bonny Island, Rivers State-born Jewel struggled to hold back tears of joy as he received an award of excellence from the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Blessing Didia during the ceremony. Amid ovation from the crowd, the classy, six-footer waved back at the crowd, bowing and smiling in the process.
Jewel told his story: “When I got admitted into the department five years ago and was told that none had made first class in the seventeen years history of the department, I made up my mind that I was going to break the jinx. I did not lose that vision despite my active participation in Students Union activities.
“I was able to balance my being a student politician, class leader and managing my academic demands. I was in my level 200 when I chaired a committee that successfully organized the very first Features Exhibition in the university”, he told journalists after the ceremony.
Asked how he was able to survive those lecturers who allegedly demand ‘money-for-exams’ or ‘sorting’ as condition to pass their papers, he responded with a toothy smile.
“The lecturers in my department that I know would not hinder you from getting your grades if you do well. I don’t think I met any lecturer who, after you wrote your exams very well, made your points and your marks are correct; and they would deprive you of your marks because you didn’t pay money.
“It’s usually those students who don’t do very well in their exams and who are poor in learning, that would go behind to look for lecturers who would remedy their situation. I think that’s when sorting and whatever you call them comes in. But I tell you such things do not happen in my department. No lecturer ever denied me of my grades and the same goes for every other student I know of in my department”, he said.
From whom did he draw his inspiration? Jewel said his strongest influence came from the deep religious conviction instilled on him through his parents, and backed by a loving family.
“First of all, I come from a family of achievers where we always want to do our best. My father is 83 years old and his lifelong vision has always been to see all his children become graduates. I can tell you that as at today, all ten of us are graduates! Nine before me had graduated from the university.
“My inspiration was from my older siblings who inspite of our background of not having much still managed to go through education. We came out as graduates to make our father proud”, Jewel said, describing the RSU as an institution that is always doing its best to turn out ‘dream makers’.
He paid special tribute to the Vice Chancellor of RSU, Prof. Blessing Didia and his lecturers whom he described as formidable, saying they represent some of the finest in the country. Jewel ran the list of lecturers to include Prof. Fred Amadi, Prof. Godwin B. Okon, Dr. Richard Amadi, Dr. Harcourt, Dr. Barighon Nsereka and other great lecturers in the Department of Mass Communication.
Where does he go from here?
“I intend to continue my education by running a Masters Degree and go on to practice some form of Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising. By God’s grace, I wish to explore every facet of Mass Communication, in Broadcast and Electronic media, Book Publishing and the New Media.
“I want to explore the course because I really want to build on my foundation as a First Class and be an expert in Communication”, he enthused.
