PROTOCOL
Registrar
Bursar
Acting University Librarian Members of Senate
Deans
Heads of Departments
Academic and Non-Academic Staff
All parents and guardians here present All Matriculating Students
Gentlemen of the Press
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
It is with immense gratitude’ to God Almighty, and with a great sense of honour and delight that I welcome you all, on behalf of the Chancellor and Visitor, His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, Governor of ‘Delta State and the Chairman and members of the Governing Council, to the first matriculation ceremony of this great institution. May I also use this medium to express our deepest appreciation to our Chancellor, His Excellency, Senator. (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa for the giant strides he has made in advancing the growth and development of our dear State, and more importantly for his unrelenting commitment to broadening Deltans’ access to qualitative university education. As one of the newly-established universities, we are extremely grateful for the support and goodwill that we have continued to enjoy.
PREAMBLE
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, as we are already aware, the Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba was established in February 2021 by the Law of Delta State, in a bid to expand the educational landscape for Deltans in particular and Nigerians in general. The creation of the University was necessitated by the determination of the Okowa-Ied administration to drastically reduce the gloom and frustration experienced by our young Deltans, who have been denied admission into public universities as a result of inadequate spaces.
This University’s developmental efforts are in three phases, with Phase 1 designed to run five faculties, namely Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Computing, Management & Social Sciences and Science. However, giving the critical role that General Studies Courses can play as prescribed in the Benchmark of Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) by the National Universities Commission (NUC), it became expedient for us to include the Faculty of Arts as an integral part of Phase 1, thereby bringing the total number of pioneering faculties to six.
We are, indeed, very optimistic that our great university will continue to grow in leaps and bounds, as evidenced by this eminent gathering of witnesses today. Our university is today matriculating 651 students admitted through UTME.
S/N FACULTY NO. OF STUDENT ADMITTED
1 AGRICULTURE 38 (31)
2 ARTS 40 (34)
3 COMPUTING 100 (34)
4 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES 38 (32)
5 MANAGEMENT & SOCIAL SCIENCES 332 (299)
6 SCIENCES 103 (81)
TOTAL 651
The figures in parenthesis are those, who have been successfully screened. This is a befitting number for a new university by any standard. I applaud our matriculating students for being found appropriate and qualified for admission at this time. You should count yourselves lucky among the large numbers of students seeking admission yearly into various institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. I dare say, with a great sense of responsibility that you are indeed the epoch-making generations of staff and students of this University, to the glory of God.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, permit me to pause at this point to acknowledge the immense contribution of the defunct Universities’ Management Council (UMC) under 5he Chairmanship of Professor Emeritus E.A.C. Nwanze, which contributed immensely towards the NUC Resources Verification exercise in November 2021. His Excellency, Ambassador Godson Echegile leveraged on his social networks in achieving some of these tasks, in addition to the outstanding contributions of two distinguished members of the UMC, who are now with their Creators – Professor Emeritus Sam Ukala and Professor Abednego Ekoko. As a University, we remain eternally grateful to them, even as we commit to ensuring that, in the annals of history of this University, they will not be forgotten.
As we begin this journey towards raising this epoch-making generation, it is our commitment to make this university the hub of knowledge and learning and the academic incubator for nurturing the next generation of transformational leaders. In furtherance of this commitment, we are already working with critical stakeholders to provide infrastructure that we need to enhance studies and research. We are ‘also pleased to inform you that we are in discussions with the business sectors to encourage Private- Public Partnerships. This initiative is critical to the realisation of our vision of developing human resource capacities, with a view to creating jobs, entrepreneurial skills and other opportunities for our graduating students
MATRICULATION OBJECTIVES
Ladies and Gentlemen, the core objective of today’s Matriculation Ceremony, is to familiarise you with the existential principles, values and culture of our institution. These indispensable values would continue to project the spitting image of this institution as a centre for learning and development, in addition to enhancing the character building of our students, as aptly enunciated in the University’s Motto: Empowering Future Generations. These existential values also demonstrate the vision of our University, which is to nurture an enduring knowledge development ecosystem that provides the bedrock for raising the quality of our students, increasing their rating among the best that Nigeria can offer, as well as grooming them to lead In the market place of ideas and knowledge globally. ,
VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES
It is, indeed, my sincere hope and desire to push the boundaries of academic excellence, by enacting policies and designing programmes for the advancement of the immediate community and mankind. As a new university, the Management would continue to provide the right leadership and opportunities for staff and students to express themselves and excel in their chosen field.
Ladies and gentlemen, I want to assure you of our commitment to take the University to new heights by engendering a culture of merit, hard work and diligence. In addition, I would like to reiterate my dream of making this University the hub of Creativity and Innovation.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
My dear students, the University would not allow the activities of any unwholesome and anti-social groups to operate on the campus. In particular, membership of cult groups and gambling is forbidden and law breakers will be instantly expelled. Therefore, you are urged, in your interest, not to give in to any pressure to join any anti-social group within or outside the campus. Nevertheless, religious, social and academic departmental associations’ activities, and in particularly sports will be encouraged and supported as integral authentic components for the character engineering of our students, I am pleased to announce to you that the University, in partnership with the Delta State Sports Commission, has made robust arrangements to support you in the area of sports development for your total well being. In line with the above, only associations and groups that are duly registered with the Student Affairs’ Office will be permitted to operate in the University.
STUDENTS’ BEHAVIOUR AND ETHICAL STANDARDS
The University encourages all students to attend lectures regularly as Continuous Assessments will form the basis of overall grading of students. You are also required to dress according to acceptable standards. In addition, members of staff, particularly lecturers, have been advised by Management, to prevent improperly-dressed students from entering their offices and attending lectures. Furthermore, you are expected to display high sense of discipline and decorum, while in the University.
APPRECIATION
Again, permit me to express our profound gratitude to His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa for the confidence reposed in me, the Registrar, Bursar and Acting Librarian as the pioneering management team of this great University. We regard this as a great honour and privilege, which we will not take for granted.
The Honourable Commissioner of Higher Education, Professor Patrick A. Muoboghare deserves our appreciation, not just as our Commissioner, but for using his developmental years’ experience in assisting DOU grow and make progress. As Adviser on Education to the Delta State Government and later Honourable Commissioner, he has continued to generously place at our disposal, his immense intellectual prowess and doggedness in ensuring that we do not just exist, but continue to strive towards greater heights as an institution. For this, we are grateful.
His Excellency graciously constituted a Governing Council of erudite, iconic academicians, administrators and persons of impeccable degree from the three senatorial districts chaired by a scientific professor of repute Prof Robert B Ikomi on March 9, 2022. To them we are very happy working individually and collectively to the glory of God and benefit of mankind.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
On behalf of the Visitor, the University Governing Council, Management and Staff, I congratulate you all. This is an unprecedented matriculation ceremony, as you make history today as the pioneers of this great institution.’ Interestingly, this is also a period of youthful optimism in your quest for university education, which will be followed by more sober academic level-headed ness over the next 4 to 5 years, depending on your course of study.
Therefore, I encourage you all to be law- abiding and avoid all social vices that would be inimical to your studies and stay here. You are indeed Epoch- Making Generations and the future belongs to you. Seize the moment. Maximise every opportunity.
Congralutions!
Thank you for your attention.
God bless Nigeria!
God bless Delta State!
God bless Dennis Osadebay University!
B. E. A. Oghojafor, Ph.D
(Professor of Strategic & Entrepreneurial Management)
Vice Chancellor
June 2, 2022