By Emmanuel Edukugho
Vice-Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Professor Aize Obayan told new students at the 9th Matriculation ceremony for 2010/2011 Academic Session Undergraduate/Postgraduate Degree Programmes that they are becoming part of a University built on the highest ideals of what a University stands for while responding to the demands of the realities of the 21st century.

She explained this can be done by ensuring as a Univ-ersity that ‘’we stay relevant to the expectations that universities must deliver to by constantly and continuously working to proffer solutions to the yawning challenges for our time.’‘

New students at the 9th Matriculation ceremony for 2010/2011 Academic Session Undergraduate/Postgraduate Degree Programmes

According to her, the challenges ranged from gaps arising from the global economic recession and its impact on the Nigerian economic space, to challenges of food security, people security and the current spate of kidnappings and the Niger Delta crisis, including a number of other clear and regional challenges; all these against the various challenges presented by the evolving world paradigms and circumstances we live in.

She added that, ‘’in the process helping to redefine the University of tomorrow and more importantly the kind of product we expect our matriculants of today to become preceding 5,000 years.’‘

Obayan noted that the rate of technical information is doubling every two years, the rapidly shrinking world has become a supernova of rapid development with discoveries and new ideas emerging at a rate never before known to man while the access to knowledge is being democratised across boundaries.

‘’What’s more as a greater challenge the effect on the global education system is such that the authors point out that in 2010 we are faced with the real challenge of currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist using technologies that we don’t even know are problems yet.’‘

She said that in this new world, there is no doubt that Africa has tended to take a back seat, ‘’a situation which we are not only committed to change but I am glad to note that we are consistently moving forward, to become the model of the university for our time not only in Africa but in the world at large.’‘

To the parents, the vice-chancellor reminded them that they are partners in raising a new generation of leaders.

‘’Our goal is not pedestrian but visionary, you have not brought your children and ward to a University that just provides a certificate but rather is in the act of producing visioners and revolutionaries for our times.’‘

To the matriculating students, she said: ‘’As we formally receive you into this university, you are being inducted into a place where we would expect you to develop world visions and ambitions to provide solutions to a world very much in need of solution providers, trail blazers and torch bearers of dynamic reforms and societal, national and continental renaissance and reconstruction.’‘

As regards the postgraduate matriculants, she pointed out that they have a key role in the continuing evolution of Covenant University and Validating our commitment towards becoming a research University as well as building our capacity base.

The Chancellor, Dr. David Oyedepo, in his address, said the university is committed to the four-dimensional leadership concept which centres around leadership skill, capacity development, godliness, training in integrity and visionary leadership.

‘’We believe there is a dearth of leadership in our nation today. We have quite an army of able men but mostly godless individuals. They have every kind of academic degree but lack of integrity has become the norm rather than the exception among the vast majority of them. Covetousness has become the cancer of our leadership structure across the length and breath of our great continent.’‘

He added:

‘’Our vast natural resources as a people have become the private estate of our self-centred leaders in most cases. The conscience of many has been ‘seared with hot iron.’ This is our awful situation today. Africa today is at the precipice of total collapse except a new generation of leaders takes the stage.’‘

Oyedepo expressed commitment to giving life-applicable education to a new generation of leaders by planting their skills on the elevated platform of godly integrity.

‘’If any nation must make education deliver great values, Nigeria is certainly one especially when one recalls the unfortunate reference to an endemic ‘Nigerian Factor’ in all facets of our national life. As such, it is not just education we need, but the right kind of education.’‘

He charged the matriculating students to rise up like a soldier being raised from this royal academy to a commitment and dedication to salvaging the image of your great nation and indeed of our beloved continent.

About 1,407 students matriculated as undergraduates and 12 postgraduate students, in an exciting ceremony that featured students’ performances, poem recitation, short display by the university’s revolutionary squad, goodwill messages, ,declaration of blessings on the matriculating students and scintillating praise and worship sessions.