By Leonard Okachie
Uturu (Abia), Dec. 18, 2021
The Gregory University, Uturu in Abia, Saturday graduated 187 students, consisting of seven First Class Honours, at its sixth convocation ceremony.
In a speech at the ceremony held at the university’s auditorium, the Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. Augustine Uwakwe, also said that there were 85 Second Class (Upper Division) and 87 Second Class (Lower Division), in addition to graduates from the post graduate school.
Uwakwe said that the first class graduates would be absorbed as Graduate Assistants and also receive scholarships up to the doctoral degree, together with all the best graduating students, in line with the university’s tradition.
He said that beside their academic studies, the graduands were “trained to acquire additional skills, coupled with the matching spirit of enterprise to become job creators and innovators”.
The VC further said that in 2018/2019 academic session, the university got approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence 16 additional academic programmes.
He listed the programmes to include Pharmacy, Nursing, Optometry, Public Health, Medical Laboratory Science, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Architecture and all the programmes in the College of Education.
He said the institution had spent over N350 million in the construction of its ongoing multi-billion naira Teaching Hospital at Ezinnachi in Imo, in addition to the hostel and office block projects.
Also, the Chancellor and Founder of the university, Prof. Gregory Ibe, said the institution had moved from its three colleges at inception to 10 colleges.
Ibe expressed delight that the institution had sustained the 61 courses accredited by NUC.
He further said that the academic staff strenght had grown to 258, plus 2000 students.
He said that the post-graduate students’ population “is ever increasing and has maintained a strong intake level” with some already graduated.
“These and many more frontiers within our academic system serve as markers to the burgeoning growth being witnessed in the institution,” he said.
The chancellor said that the university had maintained a robust relationship with the Abia Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that highlights of the ceremony included the laying of the foundation for the Digital Economy Institute at the instance of the Archbishop of City of Joy Ministry, Otukpo in Benue, Prof. Sam Zuga.
Zuga, who was conferred with the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities, was represented at the event by Mrs. Anita Adeyemi.
The university also conferred honorary doctoral degrees on other 10 prominent Nigerians, including retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Joshak Habila, an Umuahia-based industrialist and estate developer, Mr. Obioma Okorie, and the Chief Executive Officer, Derick Group of Companies and Mrs. Nwakaego Emmanuel.
