Edo Poly holds maiden convocation, as 403 bag distinction

…Ohonbamu advocates credible leadership at Founders’ Day Lecture

 

The Edo State Polytechnic Usen, is set to hold its convocation ceremony on Saturday, December 1, with not less than 6,563 students graduating from the institution, after 16 years of its existence.

Speaking at the Founder’s Day Lecture, which is part of activities to mark the first convocation ceremony of the institution, in Usen, Edo State, the Rector, Prof. Abiodun Falodun, said the event was a major milestone in the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.

Prof. Falodun said the 6,563 graduating students were from 2004/2005 to 2016/2017 academic sessions. A breakdown of the graduands showed that 403 graduates bagged Distinction; 2,298, Upper credit; 3,156, Lower Credit and 706 with Pass, spread across National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels.

He said the institution runs 21 academic programmes with the objective to produce highly skilled personnel to drive industrialization, adding that in the last six months the school has deepened its internationalization drive.

According to him, “Aside from the fact that we are improving infrastructure, we are also committed to ensuring that our students get world-class education. We have secured a partnership with a number of Nigerian scholars in the diaspora who are now visiting lecturers in Edo State Polytechnic. They include Dr. Marvin Amas-Amadasun, a software Engineer in Switzerland; Dr. Agwi Peter Odion, an Urban and Regional Planning expert in Germany; Prof Anthony Okoh in the field of renewable energy, from University of Fort Hare, South Africa and Professor Uchechukwu Nwodo in the field of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in University of Fort Hare, South Africa.”

Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, who delivered the Founder’s Day Lecture entitled ‘Leadership, Development and the Vagaries of Power; Nigeria in Perspective,’ said it is only good leadership that can bring about all-round development.

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He said during the military era in Nigeria, leadership was synonymous with domination, repression and marginalization, while Nigerians have fared better with the democratic system of governance.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari had made conscious efforts to put Nigeria on the path of progress, noting that the fight against corruption has recorded considerable results.

He added, “There has been considerable improvement in our democratic institutions which has increased the confidence in our electoral process. It should be noted that President Buhari alone cannot fight corruption unless he is supported by all, including the legislature and the judiciary.”

Ohonbamu commended the Rector of the institution for resetting the polytechnic on the path progress, in line with Governor Godwin Obaseki’s vision for the overall development of the state.

He stressed that Governor Obaseki has brought hygiene into Edo State politics with sound socio-economic policies.