4 1st Class As UNIMKAR Graduates 688 At Joint Convocation

Workers and students of the University of Mkar, Mkar Gboko, Benue State, celebrated her 10th anniversary with four first class graduates. University of Mkar, which open in June 2005, is owned by the Universal Reformed Christian Church (URCC), which means Nongu u Kristu U I Ser U shar Tar (NKST) in Tiv.

Several activities were lined up to celebrate the anniversary which climaxed with a combined convocation of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth sets of 688 graduands.

Of this number, four students came out with first class honours; 121 with Second Class upper; 400 bagged Second class lower; 158 with third class and five with pass degree.

The celebration featured inauguration of projects and a novelty match between workers and students of the university.

A convocation lecture titled: “Building a world class university: Imperatives, realities and strategies” was delivered by the Secretary-General of the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities/Committee of Vice Chancellors (AVCNU/CVC) Prof Michael Faborode.

A posthumous honorary doctorate in Management was awarded to the first civilian governor of Benue State, Apollos Aper Aku, which was received by his daughter, Mrs Nguher Kwange, a chief magistrate in FCT Abuja.

In his convocation speech, vice chancellor of the university, Prof Hemen Agba, said the institution hopes to train change agents for the society, a task which education solely will not be able to produce in an individual.

“The focus of our university is anchored on character training, and quality education, which firmly puts God at the centre of learning,” he said.

Agba underscored the need to combine quality education, sound morals and godliness to make the society better.

Chancellor of the university, Prof Jerry Gana, praised its proprietors for producing graduates who can compete favourably with their counterparts anywhere in the world.

He promised to build a 500-capacity hostel to ease accommodation problem in the school.

Board of Trustee (BOT) President, Senator Andyar Gemade, who launched the varsity’s endowment fund, praised the management for maintaining academic excellence since inception in 2005.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Targema Tarkuma, said government would partner with the university in education, health and infrastructural development.

The Nation