An Address by the Chief Host and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bartho N. Okolo, on the Occasion of 43rd Convocation Lecture held on Thursday, March 27, 2014 at the Princess Alexandria Auditorium and Unity Hall, University of Nigeria
Protocol,
On behalf of the management, staff and students of the University of Nigeria, it is my pleasure to welcome you all to the University of Nigeria and to our 43rd Convocation lecture. Today’s lecture, as you know, is one of the highpoints of the ceremonies planned for the 43rd convocation ceremony of the University. We have reserved a very special welcome for our new Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing council of the University, Mr Emmanuel Chukwukah Ukala, SAN. This would be his first appearance in a public function within the University and it would be nice to welcome him to the Lions’ den with a resounding ovation.
I guess this would also be a good opportunity to publicly thank our Pro-Chancellor for the establishment of a N2 million annual scholarship fund for indigent students of this University.
May I also welcome most specially the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Reverend Godfrey Igwebuike Onah. He is here in dual capacity as a member of this constituency and our colleague, a Professor and former Vice-Rector of the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. As the Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, he also has to play a good host to his Brother Bishop. We thank him for coming and for all the support, spiritual and otherwise, which he has continued to render to our community.
Convocation lectures, which are also referred to as commencement lectures, are one of the memorable features of convocation ceremonies all over the world. It is usually an occasion when carefully chosen guest speakers are given a chance to talk on equally well-chosen topics.
At the University of Nigeria, this tradition has been sustained all through our history because we recognize the significance of a forum of this nature, not just to the graduating students, but also to the entire University community, which thrives on exchange of ideas. Indeed, our convocation lecture has grown steadily in both popularity and stature to become one of the most prestigious of the public lectures organized by the University.
Over the years, our convocation lecture has served as a forum for candid and cerebral discuss of topics of national and global interest. Consequently, the honour of delivering the convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria has been reserved for men and women of admirable stature and exceptional accomplishments. Usually, preference is given to persons who enjoy the admiration of members of the University community, and whose reputation and achievements can inspire both the graduands and the community. Over the years, our convocation lectures have been delivered by former Heads of State, ministers, technocrats and captains of industry, who met our typically stringent criteria.
Our 43rd guest lecturer was identified long ago as a perfect convocation lecturer, who meets the expectations of the increasingly demanding audience found at the University of Nigeria. He has, therefore, been on our radar for a number of years now. However, as you would expect, tracking him has not been easy. You can, therefore, imagine my joy and pride when he accepted our invitation and gave me his word that he will be here today as our 43rd convocation lecturer. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am truly proud and happy to announce that today we have one of the most highly sought-after public speakers on our campus. He is no other person than the Most Reverend Mathew Hassan Kukah, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. His knowledge of the Nigerian circumstance is excellent and the passion with which he speaks stands him out. He is frank, courageous and blunt.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I have no doubt that we are in for a very frank discussion. His chosen topic: “After the Insurgency: Some Thoughts on National Cohesion”, addresses one of the major concerns about the Nigerian nation.
The Chairman for today’s event is a very prominent global figure, a very young elder statesman, a friend and great alumnus of the University of Nigeria, and would ordinary require no introduction on our campus. As a former number 3 citizen of Nigeria, he demonstrated commendable courage and a rare level of patriotism. In the process he earned the respect and admiration of many Nigerians. I can also tell you that as the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria he did a number of huge favours to our University. Can we please rise and thank him with an applause?. His presence here today adds class, colour and candour to the convocation lecture. Again, our Chairman has been on our radar for a very long time, but as you would expect, he is an incredibly busy man. I can reveal that I had made it a personal project to attract him to our campus before the expiration of my tenure as Vice-Chancellor. This was based on my knowledge of his reputation and the level of admiration he enjoys not only in this community, but all across the country.
As the chief host of today’s occasion, I am happy to have successfully attracted both men of courage and candour and to have successfully created the forum for this timely dialogue on the absolute necessity for national cohesion for Nigeria’s continued relevance in the global polity going foward. The timing of this lecture coincides with the National Conference at which the cohesion of the different groups that make up the Nigerian state will be on the front burner. I know both heavyweights are knowledgeable about the topic and would bring interesting perspectives to the discussion. It is my expectation that the details of the lecture and the expected fallouts will continue to resonate at both formal and informal discussions on our campuses and beyond in the days and weeks ahead.
The efforts made over the years to sustain the standard and quality of our convocation lectures is synonymous with the efforts that my has administration made to maintain standards, and enforce the ethical standards expected of staff and students of the University of Nigeria. I can tell you that nothing threatens the standards and reputation of a University as much as the deliberate and selfish desire of some staff to conduct themselves in a lawless manner. Everyone of these colleagues know those actions that constitute unethical or professional misconduct, but it has not stopped them from breaking the rules.
As the Vice-Chancellor, I had two options – to adopt a business as usual approach or to move to stop the rot and preserve this legacy institution. The former would have made me very popular while the latter would cost me a few friends as well as my popularity. In keeping with my oath of office, I chose the latter. Every well-meaning leader must be faced with these choices. Naturally, therefore, my successor will be faced by the same choices, but only one choice will best serve the interest of the University. A good leader must have the courage to take difficult decisions; because that is the only way we can build the University we all desire. I am sure our guest lecturer and chairman are in better positions to tell us that leadership is not a popularity contest and that reformers are never popular. As Vice-Chancellor I learnt that for every truant there are many dedicated workers, for every detractor there are many loyal supporters, and for every thief there are numerous honest staff.
As my administration prepares to step aside, I remain very proud of what we have achieved at the University of Nigeria. Even the pessimists admit that under my watch, our University has experienced an unprecedented growth in the state of infrastructure and scholarship as well as given a significant boost to the level and quality of human capital resource available to drive the operations of the University. Our environment is also cleaner and more befitting and the profile of our University has never been higher. I am strongly optimistic that if this pace of investments in infrastructure and scholarship is sustained over the years, our University would not only have regained lost grounds, but would have caught up with her peers in the global academic terrain.
We must stay mindful of the fact that universities in the country and beyond are locked in a stiff competition for the brightest students, competent faculty and resources from non-government sources. Therefore, let me reiterate my belief that the future belongs to universities that think and plan strategically.
This is the last convocation lecture that I will host as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria. I remain proud of the calibre of speakers and chairmen we have attracted to these lectures over the years. It took a lot of hard work to sustain the tempo, but the drive came from my conviction that “only the best is good enough for the University of Nigeria”.
On this note, Mr. Chairman, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I offer you all a very warm welcome to our 43rd convocation lecture and enjoin you to please relax and enjoy the lecture.
Thank you.
Professor Bartho N. Okolo
Vice-Chancellor