From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Lawrence Ezemonye, yesterday, announced President Bola Tinubu will lead two former presidents to grace the university’s 25th founder’s day anniversary.
At a world press conference as part of a week-long activities for the anniversary, he said the president would grace the occasion as special guest of honour, former president Goodluck Jonathan, as chairman while former military head of state, Abdulsalam Abubakar, as guest of honour.
He said several speakers have been invited to speak on the 25th anniversary colloquium, entitled: “Re-imagining Tertiary Education for Africa’s Present and Future Realities.”
He said May 10, 1999, the founding day of the university, marks remarkable milestones in the history of private tertiary institutions in Nigeria, adding that the university had, in the past 25 years, evolved into a beacon of intellectual repository and a crucible for innovation and nurturing ground for further leaders and game changers.
“Since inception, the university has achieved remarkable successes in teaching, research, capacity building, innovative studies and perhaps most significantly, the production of exceptional graduates in diverse fields of human endeavour who are contributing their quota to national and global development.
“The growth trajectory witnessed has been driven by a culture of innovation, creativity, adaptability, digital literacy, technological fluency, relentless commitment of the board of regents, governing council among others.”
Ezemonye, who reeled out some of the several achievements of the institution since its inception, added that the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, Mohamed Bellhocine, and Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation would be among the speakers on the occasion.
Other speakers listed are Shri Balasubramanian, high commissioner of India to Nigeria among others.
The vice chancellor disclosed the university started with five faculties and 115 student enrolment at inception, but that the institution now has seven faculties and over 7,000 students.