February 23, (THEWILL) – The Dean, Students Affairs at Kaduna State University, Prof. Terhemba Wuam, has commended the Benue State University, Makurdi for being instrumental in advancing the state’s development over and above what had hitherto existed.
The impact of such, he noted, is felt in the rising proportion of highly educated citizens.
Prof. Wuam stated this while speaking on the topic, “Enhancing Change and Building Resilience Through Innovation: The Role Of Universities,” during the just concluded 18th-21st combined convocation and Adasu Memorial Lecture, in honour of late Revd Fr Moses Orshio Adasu, the pioneer visitor of Benue State University, Makurdi.
“The development of the human and social capital of the state and country in the arts and humanities, the social sciences, business and management, mass media, education, law, and healthcare has greatly expanded the frontiers of human potential achievement in Benue and Nigeria,” he said.
According to the Varsity Don, society is essentially a laboratory waiting for the potential solutions of academic innovation from Benue State University and other Nigerian universities because the wait must not be endless, institutions must embrace the task of becoming change agents in advancing knowledge to address societal problems.
Wuam, who is a Professor of Economic History, said the next thirty years call for the university to become the leading national University and clearly articulate a blueprint for state and national development and emerge as a global university.
“Benue State University should and can take the lead in innovatively developing programmes, centres and specialised initiatives and teams that target and address the challenges of a developing society like Benue with the potential to launch it to highly developed status within a generation,” he averred.
He pointed out that the current administration of Benue State University under Prof Joseph Tor Lorapuu, can begin to lay that foundation as it is time for BSU and Nigerian universities to reinvent themselves with a contemporary, progressive and modernising mission as institutions that are central and vital catalysts to educational and economic growth and prosperity.
Wuam said the institutional leaders must work for increased funding and establish university-industry collaborations, noting that thirty years ago, one BSU was enough, but it certainly is no longer enough now.
Speaking, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joe Tor Lorapuu, said the combined convocation conferred a total of 23,060 degrees and Diplomas on graduands in various categories.
He lists such to include, 146 PhD, 1,604 Masters degrees, 494 Postgraduate diplomas, and 20,815 Bachelor’s degrees. He added that of the 20,815 graduands with Bachelor’s degrees, 63 of them earned first-class status.
The Vice-Chancellor, however, listed some of the challenges being faced by the institution including pending NUC accreditation of 18 programmes in 2022, finding alternative sources of income, and insecurity in the state, especially the persistent herders’ attacks.
Honorary Doctor degrees were conferred on Nigerians including the Chancellor, King Disreal Gbobo Bob-Manual 11; Dr Paul Enenche, Chief Christopher Chuka Edordu, and Prince Engr Arthur Eze among others at the ceremony
