FU OTUOKE MATRICULATION: The Matriculation Speech by VC Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, and the University Anthem
Mobolaji Aluko
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OTUOKE
MATRICULATION ADDRESS
BY
Professor Mobolaji Ebenezer Aluko
Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Otuoke
February 16, 2013
Your Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, ably represented by the Federal Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai OON; the Governor of the State of Bayelsa, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, ably represented by Prof. Allison Ogoru, Secretary to the State Government, Bayelsa State, the First Lady of the Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan, represented by the First Lady of Bayelsa State; the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, ; the Federal, State and Local Government Legislators here present, Our Fathers and Mothers Temporal and Spiritual here present, in particular the Obanema of this great community of Otuoke, HRH Lot Justin Ogiasa Oke X, as well as the visiting king of my hometown of Ode-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adara Aderiye; my colleague Vice-Chancellors Prof. Mohammed Farouk of Federal University Kashere (Gombe State), Prof. J.D. Amin from Federal University Dutse (Jigawa State), Registrar Mr. Jalingo from the sister Federal University Wukari (Taraba State), also representing the Wukari Vice-Chancellor Prof. Geoffrey Okogbaa , the staff of our great University, the Matriculating Students of the Federal University Otuoke, their parents and other family members and friends, distinguished members of the Media, my mother Mrs. Joyce Aluko, who is present with us here today, members of the university’s Academic Brief team here present who laid the academic foundations of this university, ladies and gentlemen. I say, Welcome to our neat and friendly town of Otuoke, the only town in the world in which the home of the President of the Nation; its one and only primary school; its one and only junior secondary school; its one and only senior secondary school and this one and only new federal university of ours are all on the same street, and on the same side of the street!
Alua o, nua o, do oh, ekaabo, welcome!
I do not intend to make a long speech but it gives me great pleasure as the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor to address you on this Sixteenth Day of February, 2013, on this momentous occasion of the Maiden Matriculation Ceremony of our university. You may be aware that we were slated to hold this event back in October 2012, when the 282 students who you see to my right here started an orientation week that was to culminate in a Matriculation Ceremony. However, the great floods of 2012 intervened, and caused first a two-month hiatus from orientation/class related activities, followed by a period to restore our campus after acting as a refuge for flood victims from the Otuoke community during the period. Ironically, it was this same flood-victimized Otuoke community that had tasked itself for the past two years now to both contribute and raise money to build from ground up all of the main blue-roofed structures that your eyes can see on these grounds on just 15 hectares out of a 200-hecatare lot donated by the community This magnanimity was rewarded with federal government money through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to upgrade the innards and externalities of three of the eight buildings in order for the university to commence academic activities in the shortest possible time.
So I first ask that you join me in thanking our major benefactors – the Otuoke Community and the Federal Government of Nigeria, and especially His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, who in his infinite wisdom ensured that this was one of the nine universities set up in 2011 in consonance with his Transformation Agenda effort of ensuring equity, greater access, quality, regional focus and direct Diaspora leadership input in tertiary education in the country. We also thank the State Government of Bayelsa for its financial contributions to the university so far, for carrying out the geographical survey of the land of the university and ensuring its gazetted turning over to the federal government. In addition, the Bayelsa State Government is undertaking the ongoing building of ten blocks of staff quarters (which you see with red roofs to our right).
The 282 pioneering students whose day it is today are drawn from a pool of about 10,000 applicants from 22 states, of which 465 were given admission, 292 paid their full fees, and out of which 282 eventually reported for classes, and remained continuously reporting five weeks into the start of the semester. The 282 students comprise 98 females and 184 males drawn from 19 states of the federation – that is all of the 17 Southern zonal States and 2 states (Benue and Kogi) of the Northern zonal states. 142 of them are in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (with two departments and six programs), and 140 of them are in the Faculty of Science and Engineering (with three departments of six programs), the only two Faculties that we have at this time. The students are enrolled in twelve programs across the two faculties and five departments: English and Communication Studies, History and Internal Relations; Accounting and Finance, Economics and Development, Sociology and Anthropology, Political Science and Strategic Studies (all in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences), as well as Biochemistry, Microbiology, Chemistry, Mathematics with Statistics, Computer Science and Informatics, and Physics with Electronics/Power, all in the Faculty of Science & Engineering. 89 of the 98 females have University residence, while 103 of the 184 male students have chosen university residence.
So secondly, I ask you to join me in thanking their parents and family members who have expressed their confidence in us to be in loco parentis to these their precious wards for the next three, four and hopefully not five years before they graduate.
If you were to look closely at the quality of our student intake and staff employed, and the excellence of our facilities - which facilities I invite you to visit after this Matriculation event - what you will find is that what we have begun to create here at Otuoke is a citadel of learning, teaching, research, and community service for the generation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge (in consonance with our mission), so that in the shortest possible time, we can gain and maintain a reputation as a world-class university that challenges all its students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal growth, to promote sustainable development, as well as contribute purposeful and ethical service to the nation and Mankind (in consonance with our vision). We intend to be propelled by our core values of learning, integrity, knowledge, excellence and service, and to create an atmosphere of an expensive private university in an inexpensive public educational setting.
We intend to learn from the mistakes of our predecessor universities by not growing too fast too quickly, as we ensure that our students and staff sizes do not outstrip (or far outstrip) either our facilities or our financial resources, nor shall we shrink from ensuring quality of student intake or of staff employment or be pressured to reduce the same. Our research focus of oil and gas studies, energy and environment, marine and wetland studies, human dynamics and conflict resolution, and entrepreneurship will guide our applied research and collaborative efforts as a tertiary academy geared towards the socio-economic development of the Niger-Delta and of Nigeria.
Modern communications technology in and out of the classroom using best international practices is being deployed. To this end, ALL the academic staff of the university, and all administrative up to two levels deep in the VC’s Office, Registry, Bursary and Library have been issued laptops. All administrative offices have desktops and printers, and we are waiting for a benefactor listening to us today to provide free laptops to all of our students! In the time being, we have a fully functional ICT laboratory with about 60 computers, a total of 5 Mbps of bandwidth on campus, wireless access in most parts of the campus as well as both fiber-optics and radio links within and across the campus. Our financial (payroll) and library services are automated, and a learning management system (Moodle) is already in place to promote virtual learning and interactivity between students and their instructors. We are proud of our website, which is our window to the world, which simple significant lack in prior years in many older universities led to the “invisibility” of many of our Nigerian universities in world rankings.
Our classrooms and laboratories are well-appointed, to enable teaching, learning and research in the most conducive environment. We already have in place an Institutional Advancement team to promote the university locally, nationally and internationally, as well as an Assessment and Accreditation unit to ensure that all of our programs are accredited within the shortest possible time before our students graduate. A Skills Acquisition Center which is being built under the Ministry of the Niger-Delta has been turned over to the university, but we anxiously await the completion of all the physical and supporting municipal structures of that project. However, we already have in place an Enterpreneurial and Skills Development Unit (ESDU) to act as catalyst for the university’s involvement in those two arenas (Enterpreneurship, Skills Acquisition) as a catalyst for our future Faculty of Management Sciences & Business Studies and an arrowhead to community relations.
Our central message in all of the above that I have laid out is that the Federal University Otuoke is well on its way to becoming a university of world ranking that all its stakeholders will be proud of. We call on all of you listening to us to partner with us in any way that you can to enable us to achieve our goals.
Without further ado, I once again thank all of you for accepting our invitation to attend this Matriculation event. To the Matriculating students, I congratulate you very deeply and sincerely, and I wish you to consider yourselves very privileged indeed to be the pioneers of this buddingly-great institution. Remember where you came from, where you are, and what lies ahead of you. Attend your classes, respect yourselves, your lecturers and peers, study hard and shun cultism or occultism, sexual misbehavior, exam cheating and other nefarious activities. If you aim high and fear God, no righteous ambition that you have will ever escape you.
With those words of advice and encouragement to our celebrants of the day, I end this very, very short speech.
Great Otuoke!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
THE UNIVERSITY ANTHEM
At the Matriculation ceremony, the lyrics and music of the University Anthem (see below) were unveiled and song by a soloist, and students placed on each other a pin with the insignia "Pioneer Student 2011."
"GREAT OTUOKE" UNIVERSITY ANTHEM
FIRST STANZA
Almighty God, we thank Thee
For our great Otuoke Varsity
Let wisdom and creativity
Abound within her walls
Learning with humility
Commune throughout her halls
CHORUS
Gold, green, blue, and black
F-U-O shall never look back
Excellence shall be her goal
Knowledge and Service
her vital soul
Otuoke! Otuoke! Long Live Otuoke!
Otuoke! Otuoke! Long Live Otuoke!
SECOND STANZA
O’ let F-U-O rise to fame
And her efforts never end in shame
Let Integrity shape her name
To duty we are called
Staff and students bear her flame
To all parts of the world
CHORUS
Gold, green, blue, and black
F-U-O shall never look back
Excellence shall be her goal
Knowledge and Service
her vital soul
Otuoke! Otuoke! Long Live Otuoke!
Otuoke! Otuoke! Long Live Otuoke!
Cornelius Hamelberg
responsibility! May the Almighty continue to guide you.!
RE - “...in his infinite wisdom”
In his infinite wisdom indeed! The wisdom of His Excellency the
Agenda effort of ensuring equity, greater access, quality, regional
focus and direct Diaspora leadership input in tertiary education in
Sir, it's the kind of infinite wisdom we would like to see manifest in
the next His Holiness' papal infallibility
On Feb 17, 11:50 pm, Mobolaji Aluko <aluk...@gmail.com> wrote:
> [image: History is made as FU Otuoke holds its first-ever matriculation]
>
> Prof. JD Amin (VC FU Dutse), Prof. Mohammed Farouk (VC FU Kashere), Prof.
> Mobolaji Aluko (VC FU Otuoke),
> Prof. Allison Ogoru (SSG, Bayelsa State), Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai (Federal
> Minister of Education) on the Maiden
> Matriculation procession of Federal University Otuoke (February 16, 2013)
>
> [image: FU Otuoke holds her maiden matriculation]
> Undergraduate Students of FU Otuoke taking the University's Matriculation
> Oath
>
> [image: Home]
>
> FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OTUOKE
>
> *
>
> *MATRICULATION ADDRESS *
>
> *
> *
> to* these their precious wards for the next three, four and hopefully not
Assensoh, Akwasi B.
Dear Vice-Chancellor Aluko:
Thank you very much for treating all of us (on USAAFRICADIALOGUE) like one big family and, as a result, for sharing the wonderful information below about FU OTUOKE MATRICULATION.
Your matriculation speech was not only brilliant but also very sobering and stimulating, indeed a "reincarnation" speech that a great Economist like your dear late Dad would have delivered. As I read and noted its philosophical depth and sincerity, I felt very proud of what you and your intellectual compatriots are doing at FU of Otuoke (FUO). The wonderful pictorial illustrations, most certainly, spoke volumes!
The FUO Anthem very seriously and purposefully gives all glory to God Almighty and, indeed, I can underscore unequivocally that you as well as your faculty, administrators and students have started well and on the right footing. For, with God on your side, please you need not fear anything! Know also that many, many of us, as intellectual colleagues, are proud of you and your young institution. Some of us have plans afoot to mobilize support for FUO, just as Professor Falola (Sir Toyin) and some of us have collaborated to do to send several needed educational supplies, including computers, printers, scanning machines and tons of Library-related books to selected colleges and universities in Africa, including the Christian University of Uganda and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana.
My family and I extend our PRAYERS and BLESSINGS from on High (Almighty God) to you, your family and, indeed, your young but very purposeful educational institution of higher learning (FUO).
I am also happy to shout: Great Otuoke!
A.B. Assensoh.
__________________
A.B. Assensoh, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus, Indiana University
Courtesy Professor, University of Oregon
Department of History
Eugene, Oregon, USA
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 5:50 PM
To: USAAfrica Dialogue; NaijaPolitics e-Group; naijaintellects; OmoOdua; niger...@yahoogroups.com; Ra'ayi; ekiti ekitigroups
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FU OTUOKE MATRICULATION: The Matriculation Speech by VC Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, and the University Anthem
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shina7...@yahoo.com
Please pardon my ignorance, but I got to this part of your "very, very short speech" and I was compelled to pause. My mind refused to accept the ascription. So I went back up the speech and read down again with the same result. Did you ascribe 'infinite wisdom' to Jonathan? Is that admin-speak? Or a typo? Or maybe I am missing some contextual import of the speech?
In spite of that, allow me to express my pride in what you have began to do at FUO Sir. I am proud of your energy and optimism robustly outlined in the maiden matriculation speech. The Lord Almighty in his INFINITE WISDOM will elevate you and make your dreams come to pass!
Adeshina Afolayan
Anunoby, Ogugua
Now we know that there is one more employee who believes that their employer is possessing of infinite wisdom. President Jonathan for me, is a wise man with a tough job at a tough time in a putrescent system. Is he possessing of infinite wisdom? No. Not if he is human as even he acknowledges that he is. Let us just say that somebody misspoke.
oa
Cornelius Hamelberg
Methinks that you think that in this context the Nigerian President's
“ Infinite wisdom” is nothing short of a little sincere diplomatic
sycophancy from Professor Bolaji Aluko´s great store of learning and
wisdom. In his infinite wisdom and mercy, President Dr. Ebele Goodluck
Jonathan, GCFR might soon be releasing some more much needed funding
to the University. You must understand this Sir.
It's nothing as crude or simple as the fox and the raven
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3Bcrnk_timediscountb&gs_rn=3&gs_ri=psy-ab&cp=21&gs_id=7&xhr=t&q=The+fox+and+the+raven&es_nrs=true&pf=p&tbo=d&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=The+fox+and+the+raven&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.42553238,d.bGE&fp=938c58edee3526d8&biw=1024&bih=634
And if the President were a young maiden, some relevant poetry could
come in handy....
On Feb 18, 9:26 pm, "Anunoby, Ogugua" <Anuno...@lincolnu.edu> wrote:
> Now we know that there is one more employee who believes that their employer is possessing of infinite wisdom. President Jonathan for me, is a wise man with a tough job at a tough time in a putrescent system. Is he possessing of infinite wisdom? No. Not if he is human as even he acknowledges that he is. Let us just say that somebody misspoke.
>
> oa
>
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 11:17 AM
> To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FU OTUOKE MATRICULATION: The Matriculation Speech by VC Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, and the University Anthem
>
> Prof. Aluko.
>
> Please pardon my ignorance, but I got to this part of your "very, very short speech" and I was compelled to pause. My mind refused to accept the ascription. So I went back up the speech and read down again with the same result. Did you ascribe 'infinite wisdom' to Jonathan? Is that admin-speak? Or a typo? Or maybe I am missing some contextual import of the speech?
>
> In spite of that, allow me to express my pride in what you have began to do at FUO Sir. I am proud of your energy and optimism robustly outlined in the maiden matriculation speech. The Lord Almighty in his INFINITE WISDOM will elevate you and make your dreams come to pass!
>
> Adeshina Afolayan
> Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
> ________________________________
> Sender: usaafric...@googlegroups.com<mailto:usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
> ReplyTo: usaafric...@googlegroups.com<mailto:usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
>
> Prof. JD Amin (VC FU Dutse), Prof. Mohammed Farouk (VC FU Kashere), Prof. Mobolaji Aluko (VC FU Otuoke),
> Prof. Allison Ogoru (SSG, Bayelsa State), Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai (Federal Minister of Education) on the Maiden
> Matriculation procession of Federal University Otuoke (February 16, 2013)
>
>
> FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OTUOKE
>
> MATRICULATION ADDRESS
>
> BY
>
> Professor Mobolaji Ebenezer Aluko
> Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Otuoke
> February 16, 2013
>
> Your Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, ably represented by the Federal Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai OON; the Governor of the State of Bayelsa, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, ably represented by Prof. Allison Ogoru, Secretary to the State Government, Bayelsa State, the First Lady of the Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan, represented by the First Lady of Bayelsa State; the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, ; the Federal, State and Local Government Legislators here present, Our Fathers and Mothers Temporal and Spiritual here present, in particular the Obanema of this great community of Otuoke, HRH Lot Justin Ogiasa Oke X, as well as the visiting king of my hometown of Ode-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adara Aderiye; my colleague Vice-Chancellors Prof. Mohammed Farouk of Federal University Kashere (Gombe State), Prof. J.D. Amin from Federal University Dutse (Jigawa State), Registrar Mr. Jalingo from the sister Federal University Wukari (Taraba State), also representing the Wukari Vice-Chancellor Prof. Geoffrey Okogbaa , the staff of our great University, the Matriculating Students of the Federal University Otuoke, their parents and other family members and friends, distinguished members of the Media, my mother Mrs. Joyce Aluko, who is present with us here today, members of the university's Academic Brief team here present who laid the academic foundations of this university, ladies and gentlemen. I say, Welcome to our neat and friendly town of Otuoke, the only town in the world in which the home of the President of the Nation; its one and only primary school; its one and only junior secondary school; its one and only senior secondary school and this one and only new federal university of ours are all on the same street, and on the same side of the street!
>
> Alua o, nua o, do oh, ekaabo, welcome!
>
> I do not intend to make a long speech but it gives me great pleasure as the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor to address you on this Sixteenth Day of February, 2013, on this momentous occasion of the Maiden Matriculation Ceremony of our university. You may be aware that we were slated to hold this event back in October 2012, when the 282 students who you see to my right here started an orientation week that was to culminate in a Matriculation Ceremony. However, the great floods of 2012 intervened, and caused first a two-month hiatus from orientation/class related activities, followed by a period to restore our campus after acting as a refuge for flood victims from the Otuoke community during the period. Ironically, it was this same flood-victimized Otuoke community that had tasked itself for the past two years now to both contribute and raise money to build from ground up all of the main blue-roofed structures that your eyes can see on these grounds on just 15 hectares out of a 200-hecatare lot donated by the community This magnanimity was rewarded with federal government money through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to upgrade the innards and externalities of three of the eight buildings in order for the university to commence academic activities in the shortest possible time.
>
>
> The 282 pioneering students whose day it is today are drawn from a pool of about 10,000 applicants from 22 states, of which 465 were given admission, 292 paid their full fees, and out of which 282 eventually reported for classes, and remained continuously reporting five weeks into the start of the semester. The 282 students comprise 98 females and 184 males drawn from 19 states of the federation - that is all of the 17 Southern zonal States and 2 states (Benue and Kogi) of the Northern zonal states. 142 of them are in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (with two departments and six programs), and 140 of them are in the Faculty of Science and Engineering (with three departments of six programs), the only two Faculties that we have at this time. The students are enrolled in twelve programs across the two faculties and five departments: English and Communication Studies, History and Internal Relations; Accounting and Finance, Economics and Development, Sociology and Anthropology, Political Science and Strategic Studies (all in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences), as well as Biochemistry, Microbiology, Chemistry, Mathematics with Statistics, Computer Science and Informatics, and Physics with Electronics/Power, all in the Faculty of Science & Engineering. 89 of the 98 females have University residence, while 103 of the 184 male students have chosen university residence.
> So secondly, I ask you to join me in thanking their parents and family members who have expressed their confidence in us to be in loco parentis to these their precious wards for the next three, four and hopefully not five years before they graduate.
>
> If you were to look closely at the quality of our student intake and staff employed, and the excellence of our facilities - which facilities I invite you to visit after this Matriculation event - what you will find is that what we have begun to create here at Otuoke is a citadel of learning, teaching, research, and community service for the generation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge (in consonance with
>
> read more »
Michael Afolayan
To: "usaafric...@googlegroups.com" <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 2:26 PM
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FU OTUOKE MATRICULATION: The Matriculation Speech by VC Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, and the University Anthem
Nnaemeka, Obioma G
There is no wisdom (finite or infinite) in what this clueless President Jonathan is doing. The most egregious crime Jonathan and his fellow travelers have inflicted on Nigeria is the gutting of the educational system. Few months after this guy came into power, he established not one, not two, but NINE "universities." Within one year of his misrule, numerous glorified secondary schools ("universities") started popping up all over our landscape. He ensured that one of these "universities" is located in his village, Otueke (Otu who?). One wonders which feasibility study was done in a couple of months to throw up Otueke as an ideal location for an institution of higher learning. Only blatant abuse of power can manufacture this hasty thoughtlessness. I am convinced that Nigeria, Jonathan or no Jonathan, cannot in a year build a university and open its doors to students. True universities are not built that way. What solid arrangements were made for suitable infrastructure, adequate instructional resources and curriculum development, and hiring of a critical mass of reputable faculty? The violence that is being inflicted on our young citizens in the name of "education" will have a long history, unfortunately. As an educator, I weep for my country (Nigeria) and the current generation of Nigerians who are denied the access to top-notch education that Nigeria offered to my generation. I hear that Jonathan is planning to build more of these so-called universities. Nigeria does not need and certainly does not deserve these phony "universities" that spew thousands of half-baked graduates each year. What Nigeria needs is to take two initiatives simultaneously in the next few years--go back to basics by investing in solid primary and secondary education and make serious and sustained effort to rebuild, revitalize and salvage existing universities.
Obioma Nnaemeka, PhD
Chancellor's Distinguished Professor
President, Association of African Women Scholars (AAWS)
Dept. of World Languages & Cultures Phone: (317) 278-2038
Cavanaugh Hall 543A 317-274-7611/0062 (messages)
Indiana University Fax: (317) 278-7375
425 University Boulevard E-mail: nnae...@iupui.edu
Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA
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> ReplyTo:
Nnaemeka, Obioma G
There is no wisdom (finite or infinite) in what this clueless President Jonathan is doing. The most egregious crime Jonathan and his fellow travelers have inflicted on Nigeria is the gutting of the educational system. Few months after this guy came to power, he established not one, not two, but NINE "universities." Within one year of his misrule, numerous glorified secondary schools ("universities") started popping up all over our landscape. He ensured that one of these "universities" is located in his village, Otuoke (Otu who?). One wonders which feasibility study was done in a couple of months to throw up Otuoke as an ideal location for an institution of higher learning. Only blatant abuse of power can manufacture this hasty thoughtlessness. I am convinced that Nigeria, Jonathan or no Jonathan, cannot in a year build a university and open its doors to students. True universities are not built that way. What solid arrangements were made for suitable infrastructure, adequate instructional resources and curriculum development, and hiring of a critical mass of reputable faculty? The violence that is being inflicted on our young citizens in the name of "education" will have a long history, unfortunately. As an educator, I weep for my country (Nigeria) and the current generation of Nigerians who are denied the access to top-notch education that Nigeria offered to my generation. I hear that Jonathan is planning to build more of these so-called universities. Nigeria does not need and certainly does not deserve these phony "universities" that spew thousands of half-baked graduates each year. What Nigeria needs is to take two initiatives simultaneously in the next few years--go back to basics by investing in solid primary and secondary education and make serious and sustained effort to rebuild, revitalize and salvage existing universities.
shina7...@yahoo.com
My worry however still remains. Remember Herod who succumbed to flattery, Sir. Or, maybe that's a good thing in the final analysis: if the president requires a 'godly' ascription to perform, then let's give him to get things moving.
If this works at Otuoke, I might just resign my appointment at the University of Ibadan (and that would be painful) and join the Professor there. Except that we must need do something about the glaring absence of Philosophy, in spite of his philosophical bent of mind! Philosophy can equally operate in the wetlands!
Adeshina Afolayan
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
Folu Ogundimu
Sent from my iPhone
shina7...@yahoo.com
My worry however still remains. Remember Herod who succumbed to flattery, Sir. Or, maybe that's a good thing in the final analysis: if the president requires a 'godly' ascription to perform, then let's give him to get things moving.
If this works at Otuoke, I might just resign my appointment at the University of Ibadan (and that would be painful) and join the Professor there. Except that we must need do something about the glaring absence of Philosophy, in spite of his philosophical bent of mind! Philosophy can equally operate in the wetlands!
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
From: Cornelius Hamelberg <cornelius...@gmail.com>
Sender: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:16:10
To: USA Africa Dialogue Series<usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
OLUWATOYIN ADEPOJU
May you fly higher and higher beyond your wildest dreams!
Toyin
On 2/19/13, tony egbe <tegb...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Prof. Aluko,
>
> I AM VERY EXCITED AT YOUR SUCCESS; THEREFORE, I JOIN YOUR NUMEROUS
> WELL-WISHERS TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR THIS FU OTUOKE MATRICULATION EXCERCISE.
> GOOD JOB AND PLEASE, TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SO THAT OTHERS COMING AFTER
> YOU WILL TAKE NOTE AND IMPROVE UPON. GOOD LUCK & GOOD JOB!! OTOIHEOMA EGBE.
>
> --- On Tue, 2/19/13, Folu Ogundimu <ogun...@gmail.com> wrote:
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> From: Folu Ogundimu <ogun...@gmail.com>
> Subject: NigerianID | Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FU OTUOKE
> MATRICULATION: The Matriculation Speech by VC Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, and the
> University Anthem
> <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
> Cc: "USAAfrica Dialogue" <USAAfric...@googlegroups.com>,
> "NaijaPolitics e-Group" <NaijaP...@yahoogroups.com>, "naijaintellects"
> <naijain...@googlegroups.com>, "OmoOdua" <Omo...@yahoogroups.com>,
> "niger...@yahoogroups.com" <niger...@yahoogroups.com>, "Ra'ayi"
> <Raay...@yahoogroups.com>, "ekiti ekitigroups"
> <ekiti...@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 6:58 AM
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> Hearty congratulations, Prof. Aluko on this milestone! It is a wonderful
> achievement. We wish you and FUO more success In the coming years. May you
> also graduate your first class by God's grace.
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> Warmest regards
> Folu
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Feb 17, 2013, at 5:50 PM, Mobolaji Aluko <alu...@gmail.com> wrote:
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> Mobolaji Aluko (VC FU Otuoke),
> Prof. Allison Ogoru (SSG, Bayelsa State), Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai (Federal
> Minister of Education) on the Maiden
> Matriculation procession of Federal University Otuoke (February 16, 2013)
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> Oath
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Comparative Cognitive Processes and Systems
"Exploring Every Corner of the Cosmos in Search of Knowledge"
Nkolika Ebele
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danoye oguntola
Anunoby, Ogugua
Facts are sacred, opinion is free. It is alright to disagree with Obioma. It will be better still if those who disagree with her refute the claims that she made in her posting. Was a proper feasibility done on the new federal universities for example? Are “numerous glorified secondary schools popping up as universities’? Is it true that ‘only blatant abuse of power can manufacture this hasty thoughtlessness”? Is she correct to be “convinced that Nigeria, Jonathan or no Jonathan, cannot in a year build a university and open its doors to students?? Is it true that “True universities are not built that way”? Were “solid arrangements made for suitable infrastructure, adequate instructional resources and curriculum development, and hiring of a critical mass of reputable faculty”? I will add staff. Is it true that “The violence that is being inflicted on our young citizens in the name of "education" will have a long history, unfortunately”? Is it true that “the current generation of Nigerians are being denied the access to top-notch education that Nigeria offered to her generation?
Obioma also states “I hear that Jonathan is planning to build more of these so-called universities. Nigeria does not need and certainly does not deserve these phony "universities" that spew thousands of half-baked graduates each year”. Is this claim true?
Obioma goes beyond criticism to make a suggestion for improvement as follows: “What Nigeria needs is to take two initiatives simultaneously in the next few years--go back to basics by investing in solid primary and secondary education and make serious and sustained effort to rebuild, revitalize and salvage existing universities” Does she make sense I wonder?
One does not love one’s own country by not telling the truth to her. To love one’s country is not to say that constructive criticism is unpatriotic? Nigeria has not made as much progress as it is capable of it seems to me because constructive and dispassionate conversations on her failures, self-inflicted wounds, and viable solutions to human-made problems are not always possible. The conversations are more often than not stymied by self-indulgent emotions and sentiments clothed as passionate love for country which not only get in the way, but take over.
There is no shortage of love for Nigeria by Nigerians that I know. Nigeria needs more Nigerians to be more sincerely forthcoming and candid in addressing the not-infrequent torrent of avoidable and reprehensible preference for incompetence and wastefulness that obstruct possible development and progress. Honest self-criticism is observed good practice of all achieving people.
oa
Pius Adesanmi
“There will always be some people whose personal, selfish interests are, in the short term at least, well served by the mismanagement and social iniquities. Naturally they will be extremely loud in their adulation of the country and its system and will be anxious to pass themselves off as patriots and to vilify those who disagree with them as trouble-makers or even traitors. BUT DOOMED IS THE NATION WHICH PERMITS SUCH PEOPLE TO DEFINE PATRIOTISM FOR IT... Patriotism is an emotion of love directed by a critical intelligence. A true patriot will always demand the highest standards of his country and accept nothing but the best for and from his people. He will be outspoken in condemnation of their shortcomings”. - Chinua Achebe
Pius
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Ifedioramma E. Nwana
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Nnaemeka, Obioma G
Nkolika Ebele & Danoye Oguntola:
I wish to respond to your contributions simultaneously. I offer my response as a clarification of my posting to which your responses supposedly refer. This will be my last contribution to a discussion of this issue on this list. I stand by every word of my contribution. After reading your posts, I came to this conclusion—either you did not read my contribution or you could not understand what I contributed. Your responses are baffling because they are “responding” to what is not in my contribution. There is nowhere in the contribution that I mentioned the United States. There is no attempt to compare Nigerian universities and American universities. Not even a passing reference is made to Professor Mobolaji Aluko. My contribution is NOT about the USA; it is NOT about Professor Aluko, a well-regarded scholar/academic and much respected colleague. In my view, Professor Aluko abandoning a plum job in the United States to return to Nigeria to head Otuoke University is a gesture in courage and patriotism for which I applaud him.
It is strange that you decided to side-step the specificity of my contribution. I am specific in two areas: (1) historical moments and (2) the current hasty and questionable modalities for creating universities by our current incompetent president. I have no intention to trash higher education experience in Nigeria. My contribution speaks to specific historical moments and specific university formation. I am an alumna of the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka. I am very proud of and grateful for the world-class education I received from that institution. For many years, I had the privilege of teaching at UNN. It is a recognition of and tribute to the top-notch education I received at UNN that I, armed with an undergraduate degree, went through a rigorous admission process for graduate studies at US universities and was offered admission with a teaching assistantship. I was not an assistant to a professor; I had full responsibility for my own class. My first quarter at the US university, I was in the classroom teaching undergraduates with only an undergraduate degree from UNN to my name. Also, when I was at UNN, we had students from all over West Africa-- from Cameroon to as far away as the Gambia. They came to UNN and some of Nigeria’s premier universities at the time because of these institutions’ reputation for offering excellent education. Currently, the reverse is the case. Nigerian parents are sending their children to Ghana for undergraduate studies. Nkolika Ebele, how many Ghanaians, Cameroonians or Sierra Leoneans are studying at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where Google tells me you teach? Do you know Igbo families that have sent their kids to Ghana for studies?
Nkolika Ebele, please do not lecture me about Zik and the establishment of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. You should instead get a copy of the history of UNN that was published in the 1980s and educate yourself about the formation of that institution. Unlike President Jonathan who conjured up the establishment of NINE universities two months into his presidency with the order that they admit students within one year, Nnamdi Azikiwe spent years to found the University of Nigeria. He reached out to entities and institutions inside and outside Nigeria (for example, Michigan State University at Lansing) for assistance and collaboration in institution building—curriculum development, research and development, faculty development and exchange, etc. Obafemi Awolowo did the same for the University of Ife in terms of spending time to think through and execute the project in collaboration with diverse bodies. Nnamdi Azikiwe is from Onitsha but did not choose his home town to site UNN; he chose Nsukka instead. Obafemi Awolowo is from Okene but decided to locate the university he helped to establish in Ife. These two gentlemen were visionary leaders who came to serve, unlike the rogues we currently have who come to be served. Here comes Jonathan. It took him two months into his presidency to conceive and begin the execution of his “university” project. And where did he locate one of his nine “universities”? Otuoke, his village. And, Nkolika Ebele, you do not see anything wrong with this picture!
The point I made in my contribution and wish to reiterate here is this: Nigeria is currently led (misled, rather) by a bunch of self-serving nincompoops that have ferociously decimated the educational system. I am well informed about what is going on in education in Nigeria. I have worked and continue to work closely with faculty in Nigerian universities—from UNILAG, UNIPORT and UNN to UNIBEN, UNIJOS, and UNILORIN. Nkolika Ebele, if you ask, I’d be happy to send you privately some home truths about Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik) where you teach. Was the “hand out” business not flourishing in Unizik until your former Vice Chancellor, Professor Ilochi Okafor, intervened to put an end to the fraud? I have visited your university’s so-called “Teaching Hospital” in Nnewi three times. What I saw was a far cry from what I knew about teaching hospitals when I was at the University of Nigeria. The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) in Enugu was a center of excellence not only for top-notch healthcare delivery but also for serious medical research. Back then, Consultants and Surgeons at UNTH (Udekwu, Ogan, Okoro, Adi, Chukwudebelu, etc) were surgeons in the truest sense of the word—performing complicated surgeries, from brain to open heart surgeries.
Danoye Oguntola, it is really unfortunate that you failed to address the issues I raised in my contribution but chose instead to spew a diatribe in which you question my patriotism and throw stones at “Obioma and her likes”: “Obioma and her likes are Nigerians that see nothing good in this country, cannot contribute anything to this country and will never contribute anything to the country.” I do not know which research took you to the conclusion that I “cannot and will never contribute anything to the country.” My dear compatriot, I wish to state categorically that I have paid my dues as far as contributing to education in Nigeria is concerned. For the past decade or so, I spend at least four months of each year in Africa where I have worked and still work in over thirty African countries, including Nigeria, on issues ranging from development, peace and human rights to education, health and democratization.
My work in Nigeria focuses on education. As I mentioned earlier, for many years, I was a lecturer in a Nigerian university where I taught thousands of Nigerians. As a board member of some Nigerian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), I have worked closely with Nigerians on education projects. I am the president and CEO of a foundation that focuses on the education of women and girls in Nigeria. Three years ago, I was invited to Abuja to deliver a keynote at the “Education Summit” organized by the Senate Committee on Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC). I have organized two huge internal conferences in Nigeria; the second one (on “Gender and Education in the Age of Globalization”) that was held in Abuja in 2009 and supported by NUC attracted hundreds of participants from forty-two countries. I know a whole lot about education in Nigeria and can speak authoritatively on the issue. My commitment in this area is beyond question. Danoye Oguntola, contrary to what you may think, I am not this distant, curious and cynical observer that is peeping through the keyhole to watch the drama unfolding inside. As a Nigerian and an educator, I speak “because I am involved” (to borrow the title of C. Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s book). I have a dog in the fight. Am I appalled and angered by what is happening to education in Nigeria? Of course I am! I speak with the urgency of now because I care.
Instead of attacking me, I wish both of you would have seriously considered the two suggestions I made for improvement: “go back to basics by investing in solid primary and secondary education and make serious and sustained effort to rebuild, revitalize and salvage existing universities.” Are these not reasonable suggestions? When I was growing up in Nigeria, I was the beneficiary of excellent free primary education, thanks to Awolowo, Azikiwe and the other patriotic leaders of the time. The secondary education I received from Queen’s School, Enugu, was world-class. Queen’s School fully equipped me for university work. I was college material when I stepped on UNN campus. Unfortunately, one cannot make a similar assertion for many current freshmen in some of our country’s universities.
Currently, the provision of quality primary education by the government is nonexistent. What I see in Abuja are private primary and secondary schools popping up in every three to four blocks, charging an arm and a leg in the name of tuition. Only less than ten percent of Nigerian families can afford the exorbitant fees. What happens to children from the ninety percent of families that cannot afford to send their kids to the private schools? These kids are left to languish in horrible “schools.” In the end, they go through the motion; take WAEC and JAMB and end up in some of the phony universities that Jonathan has planted. After four more years of miseducation, these abused kids are pushed into the society hardly able to put two sentences together. And we call this hoax education! P-L-E-A-S-E!! Instead of building these hastily cobbled together phony “universities”, the government (at the state and federal levels) should reinvest in the revitalization of existing universities, including yours. Danoye Oguntola provides his rationale for the justification of the establishment of substandard universities by the federal government: “May I also add that, the federal universities are the "cheapest" in term of fees that is payable by students.” Really! If you give “cheapest,” you will receive “cheapest”—that’s the way it goes.
Coincidently, as I am writing this response, an e-mail that came into my inbox contains information about the current issue of Matatu, titled Focus on Nigeria. It contains an article by Tomi Adeaga titled “The Decline in the Nigerian Educational Standards.” Both of you may want to take a look at it. It is most discouraging that some academics in the declining Nigerian educational system are not even aware of how terribly wrong the system is. The uninterrogated acceptance of the increasingly deplorable system is alarming. I see a glimmer of hope, though. I am in touch with many lecturers and administrators in Nigerian universities who share the concerns articulated in my contribution. We all need to work together to critique what is wrong, preserve what is right and device new ways to bring change.
Cavanaugh Hall 543A Fax: 317-278-7375
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 7:06 AM
olaka...@aol.com
It is most discouraging that some academics in the declining Nigerian educational system are not even aware of how terribly wrong the system is. The uninterrogated acceptance of the increasingly deplorable system is alarming. I see a glimmer of hope, though. I am in touch with many lecturers and administrators in Nigerian universities who share the concerns articulated in my contribution. We all need to work together to critique what is wrong, preserve what is right and device new ways to bring change.--Obioma Nnaemeka
Anunoby, Ogugua
Efficiency and effectiveness require that things be done well. Decisions supported by good planning and execution are more likely to succeed more cost-effectively than otherwise. The Igbo of Nigeria say that doing things well prevents problems down the road. Universities that will offer quality education should not come about on wheels of expeditious or unscrupulous convenience. When they do, they are more likely to deliver benefits later rather than sooner They may also be less cost-effective.
I do not believe there are any forum participants who doubt the good intentions of President Jonathan in establishing new federal universities. There is no denying however, that existing federal universities are grossly misdirected, mismanaged, and underfunded. They are not accomplishing for Nigeria, what good universities in more serious countries are more easily and readily able to do. Once upon a time Nigeria’s universities did. Why should any truly concerned Nigerian be confident therefore that new federal universities will fare better. Believers are usually hopeful but. What if hope is forlorn?
There is the matter of what Nigeria’s priorities in education should be. The system is broken by most informed accounts. How should the system be rebuilt if it is to be salvaged. From the bottom up it seems to me. What about reinvesting in primary and secondary schools at which levels college readiness happens first. There is some good in a competitive educational system but why rig the system in favor of private schools by unconscionably underfunding public schools?
Otuoke is indeed a town in Nigeria but is it the best location for a new federal university in Bayelsa state? I do not know. Would it be if a properly constituted committee was charged with choosing an optimal location for a university albeit in Bayelsa state? Would it be if Jonathan was not president? This matters because the cost of the university will be mostly met from limited public funds that are subject to competing demands and must therefore be allocated and utilized with utmost prudence. What is the opportunity cost to Nigeria, of locating a university sub-optimally one may ask? Does anyone remember what happened to steel plants in Nigeria? They became ultimately uneconomically unsustainable. Was their location part of the problem? Is there anyone who does not believe that there must be other federal government investments that may be better located in Otueke? This said, I understand Jonathan’s choice of Otueke for this investment.
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Enyimba Himself
I am the Financial Secretary of my people's nonprofit organization here in Houston, Texas.
In the past 6 years, I have served 3 Presidents of our organization; the first 2 presidents had
the same program of giving Scholarship to our young ones in Nigeria and building a Cultural
Center in Houston. The 3rd president came in and decided to sideline the two important
projects his predecessors started to pursue Medical Mission in Nigeria, and when he was
asked the reasons he wants to abandon the 2 ongoing projects, his answer was that "every
president wants to leave a legacy."
Maybe, President Jonathan wants to leave a legacy by establishing 9 Federal Universities in
Nigeria at a time. My suggestion to these newly established Federal Universities is to have an independent
bodies like the Board of Regents or Board of Trustees, whose duties will be among other things,
the developing and articulating of the Visions and Missions of these Universities, and to make sure
they never fail. Members of these independent bodies should be drawn from the
States' academicians who will from time to time raise outside money to support these Universities.
Somebody need to wake our people up. We cannot continue to abandon our own Educational
System in Nigeria because of quality for overseas education.
Your concerns on this issue are very cogent, and everybody who wish Nigeria well should
join you to make sure Nigerian University System is moved out of its primitive stage.
Thankyou for your time.
Nkolika Ebele
Yu are entitled to your opinion, however I suggest that you lead a delegation for the closure of this so called "Teaching hospital' where surgeons and consultants (Like Prof A Nwako) who made UNTH what it is work.
Nkolika
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