10/05/2024
*ADDRESS OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, ALEX EKWUEME FEDERAL UNIVERSITY, NDUFU- ALIKE, EBONYI STATE, PROF. SUNDAY OGE ELOM, AT THE 12TH MATRICULATION CEREMONY OF THE UVERSITY, FRIDAY, 10TH MAY, 2024*
Protocol
I have the pleasure to extend to you a warm and heartfelt welcome to the 12th Matriculation Ceremony of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State. I am pleased to welcome the freshmen to one of the most serious public universities in Nigeria and a rapidly emerging top education brand in the African continent. I am also thrilled that these bright new faces have been admitted to study in our beloved institution in the 2023/2024 academic session.
Today marks a momentous occasion as we gather here to formally welcome our freshmen into the esteemed fold of our university family. By their admission into Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, they are privileged to be in an unusual institution, where excellence, integrity and hard work are critical to academic success. With their cooperation, we intend to groom them to become the best in their chosen fields, under the guidance of our highly cerebral, competent and committed members of staff.
As Vice-Chancellor, it is both an honour and a privilege to stand before you, amidst the backdrop of hope, ambition, and boundless potential, with the wellbeing of our students at the core of my administration The University Management will continue to work assiduously to ensure that their academic journey in AE-FUNAI will be rewarding and memorable. Nevertheless, they have a major role to play to turn this expectation into a tangible reality – by abiding by the rules and regulations guiding their academic activities and respecting all constituted authorities of the university, and showing regard to the staff and fellow students as well as the culture of the host community.
In this 2023/2024 academic year, 5,139 freshmen from different parts of the country are joining our rapidly emerging University. Out of this number, 2,364 are males while 2, 775 are females. They earned a place at today’s ceremony because of their outstanding performances at both the Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the Senior Secondary School Examination. They should, therefore be proud of their accomplishments. However, they should also be humbled by the fact that only a little over 5, 000 of them have been offered this opportunity out of over 10,000 candidates that competed for places at AE-FUNAI. Hence, they must have to justify it with good behaviour and good grades throughout their time in this university.
AE-FUNAI is on the right path in its drive to becoming a world-class university and a vibrant centre of learning and research because of the seriousness of our academic activities. We also emphasize digital literacy, for all staff and students at all levels, because in the present information age, no individual can maximize his/her full potential without ICT. We have a broadband internet network access on campus, well-equipped ICT Centre and a digital University library where our students can easily source and access lecture materials, e-books and e-journals in different fields and disciplines, to enhance their learning experience.
This University is not only interested in turning out qualified graduates that would make positive impact on the society after graduation but also men and women of character that will be a beacon of hope for the next generation. Evidences from industries and external assessors show that our graduates and students are actually acquiring the right knowledge mix to positively impact their environment and contribute to national development. For instance, our Students’ Debating Team is presently ranked first among all universities in Nigeria and currently sits 4th in the entire African continent. Some of our students have also benefitted from the Students’ Mobility Programme in foreign universities like University of Galve, Sweden through the sponsorship of the Erasmus + project of the European Union. These underscore the quality of our academic activities.
AE- FUNAI is irreversibly committed to doing things differently in order to shape a better future for our students. To our freshmen, I say: you are embarking on a journey of discovery, growth, and transformation, and we stand ready to guide and support you, every step of the way. You have come to the University to study, therefore shun anything that could distract you from reaching your goals. We do not condone any form of cultism, examination malpractice, drug abuse, campus prostitution, s*x or money-for-grades, indecent/improper dressing and unruly behavior on campus. The consequences of such acts are rustication or outright expulsion of the culprits from the university.
I also charge our students to report any form of s*xual abuse, intimidation and extortion from staff. *My personal phone number is 08032686617*. Send text messages and WhatsApp chats to me on any issue affecting your life on campus. I assure you of prompt response and action. Your fellow students who are ahead of you in the university can attest to the fact that we have successfully solved many problems through this means, and I am committed to do more.
As a university, we are not oblivious of some challenges that you may be facing in the areas of hostel accommodation, lecture halls and security. But we are on top of the situation. Management remains committed to students’ welfare and would continue to improve the conditions in the hostels and the entire campus. We are putting the necessary infrastructure in place to make sure your stay on campus is peaceful, comfortable and worthwhile.
We are constructing more faculty buildings, lecture halls and theatres, laboratories and staff offices to enhance teaching and learning. The University is also working with security agencies to ensure that our campus remains safe and secure for academic activities. In fact, we have established a Security Committee consisting of staff, students and representatives of security agencies and the host community to deal with security issues within and around our campus. We have also established the AE-FUNAI Microfinance Bank, situated in the ICT block and the Agency Bank at the Zenith Bank building, to take care of your banking needs. Thus, instead of travelling over 20 kilometers to Abakaliki with its attendant risks, I strongly advise our students, to open account with the bank and make use of the facility on campus for their banking needs.
My ‘sons and daughters’, as your in-loco parentis, I urge you to imbibe the ethics of hard work, good study habits and committed attendance to lectures and carrying out of your course assignments, for they are necessary for academic success. You will definitely encounter some obstacles on your road to success, but stay focused. Don’t shy away from asking questions from the right quarters whenever you are confused or at crossroad. The University Counselling Centre, SERVICOM office, Students’ Affairs office and Public Relations Office are available and ready to attend to your questions. The University Management assures you of all the necessary support, as long as you remain dedicated to your studies and law abiding as a student of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State.
At this occasion, you will take an oath of loyalty to this University, followed by a pledge to abide by its rules and regulations, and also vow to appreciate and cherish its ideals and culture. I therefore, charge you to live by those dictates because bad behaviour will not be condoned. At the end of today’s ceremony, each of you will sign the matriculation register, which would signify your formal registration as a student of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State.
To the parents and guardians who have entrusted us with the education and well-being of their cherished ones, I offer my sincere gratitude and assurance that we will spare no effort in nurturing and shaping these young minds into the leaders of tomorrow. May I equally use this opportunity to thank the AE-FUNAI Parents’ Forum for their sustained support in bridging the infrastructural gaps in the university. For our information, before the commencement of today’s event, I commissioned some of the buildings the Forum erected at the University Staff Quarters.
And to our distinguished guests, thank you for gracing us with your presence and for your unwavering commitment to the advancement of education. Together, let us embark on this journey of learning, exploration, and excellence, as we continue to uphold the values and legacy of our esteemed institution. Welcome to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State – the Centre of Excellence and Integrity.
Thank you.
*Prof. Sunday Oge Elom*
*Vice - Chancellor*
*10th May, 2024*
