Full text of Gov Yahaya Bello’s speech at 6th convocation ceremony of Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba »

Delivered by the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Chief Edward David Onoja

PROTOCOLS

I am happy to be here, and to welcome each and everyone who could join us today. Let me quickly commend the Governing Council, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Marietu Ohunene Tenuche, the Senate and the Congregation for putting in the hard work necessary to make this 6th Convocation Ceremony a reality.

The Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, formerly Kogi State University, is our flagship tertiary institution in Kogi State and it is pertinent to reiterate that our vision for the institution is to position it as an example for all the others. This is why we have never shied away from taking decisions or actions, no matter how controversial or difficult to ensure that the school is positioned to attain its high potential.

This is why we renamed it after Prince Abubakar Audu, a man who ran the affairs of Kogi State twice – from 1991 to 1993 as a civilian governor under General Ibrahim Babangida’s Diarchy and again from 1999 to 2003. It is our hope that by presenting you a role model in the very name of your institution, we can motivate both students and faculty to work as hard as is necessary to achieve excellence in scholarship.

My Administration has proven that it is ready to do whatever is required in order to guarantee you a conducive learning environment in school. In this regard we have taken some difficult decisions and tough actions as the occasion may warrant.

This is perhaps the only public tertiary school in the country which has enjoyed an uninterrupted academic calendar over the last 5 years. This Convocation is possible because industrial actions by lecturers no longer mean automatic disruption of learning for our children over the same period. We engaged ASUU on this matter because we have no apologies prioritising our children and their future.

We have also fought cultism and other forms of anti-social conduct to a standstill in this school and our other institutions. Of course, I must sound a note of warning that any student who comes to this school or any of our other schools in this state to engage in criminal conduct will suffer grievous consequences. Kogi State is a no-go area for criminals of all shades and hues and that includes those masquerading as students.

Of course, no one will deny our massive efforts to provide the infrastructure you need here and for your School of Medicine. Tomorrow we will be commissioning some of them. I can assure you that we are working day and night to ensure that you get accreditation for your medical programmes here.

Talking of accreditation, I am sure you know this school is one of only 25 universities out of over 100 private and public universities in Nigeria to gain 100% accreditation for all courses offered towards the tail-end of last year. We will continue to do our best to position this institution among the creme de la creme of tertiary schools in Nigeria.

I congratulate the convoking students while applauding the hardwork and focus which must have brought you to this point. A Convocation is not merely an end; it is also not exclusively a beginning. To the wise graduand, it should be both an end and a beginning.

The time spent in an Institution like this to acquire an education at the tertiary level should help individuals warm up for the greater race outside these premises. It is an opportunity to sharpen the skills you need to confront life squarely.

I learnt this lesson at some point in my own life. I graduated from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 23 years ago at the youthful age of 23. I stand here today, 46 years old and the 4th Executive Governor of Kogi State who is also the Visitor to your great institution. Yesterday, I completed the second year of my second term which is also the anniversary of my 6th year in Office.

This is a testament to the fact that nothing is impossible with God. I must also let you know that even from that young age I work really hard to succeed and took as many of the opportunities that life gave me as possible. It also means that when you graduate from University you have merely gained admission into adult life and you must keep working to succeed.

I want to believe that in addition to your core learning here, those of you who are graduating today also acquired those attributes which improve your chances for a happy and successful life such as character, industry, perseverance, excellence, entrepreneurship, amidst others. If you did, you will find that life answers well to those who refuse to accept failure and who insist on good answers.

I have no reason to doubt that each graduand here today was given the opportunity to gain a quality education, and develop a strong moral character at the same time. Whether you all took that opportunity is another thing altogether.

In any case, my counsel to you all would be, ‘NEVER STOP LEARNING, NEVER STOP DREAMING AND NEVER STOP TAKING ACTION TOWARDS YOUR DREAMS.’

Once again, I felicitate with members of the academia here, as well as the graduands, their parents/guardians and indeed Kogi State in general on this 6th Convocation.

To God be the Glory!

YAHAYA BELLO
Governor of Kogi State