60 students bag degrees at Paul varsity

Vice Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, Anambra state, Prof. Gaius Igboeli, yesterday, disclosed that 60 graduates bagged degrees of the institution after completing their career.

Prof Igboeli who addressed the graudands and guests during the maiden convocation ceremony of the university, Awka, also announced that 12 graduants received the university’s prizes of N10, 000 each, while another 12 collected the endowed prizes ranging from N10, 000 to N100, 000 each for outstanding performance from various departments.

He solicited for assistance from individuals and corporate organisations to execute key projects on the campus, including medical centre/equipment,administrative block, student hostels, ICT and internet
facilities, sporting facilities, lecture halls etc, which he said were in dire need to encourage teaching/learning.

Meanwhile, a philanthropist, Engr. Nnaemeka Nwawka, has donated a N200 million Nwawka building complex to Paul University, saying it was part of the Sage Nebeife Foundation endowment to improve teaching and learning in the university.

Nwawka told newsmen in an interview during the commissioning of the complex at the university campus, Awka, that the N200 million edifice covers costs for furniture, equipment and other necessary facilities.

Nwawka who is also the Managing Director Orient Petroleum Resources Plc, recalled that Paul University is one of the outstanding and visible benefits of the early Christian missionaries who settled in Igbo land in the 20th century; having earlier established the CMS College in 1904 (at the present site) to train church workers and teachers.

He expressed the opinion that Paul university should advance to become a world class centre of excellence in order to improve its’ profile, stressing that when this done, “It would attract endowments from many corporate bodies, like oil and gas companies, banks, manufacturing industries and individuals.

Nwawka urged well meaning Nigerians to join hands with the university management in promoting a culture of educational philanthropy, reminding the missionaries had already led solid foundation for teaching and learning.

He called for urgent need to preserve and accelerate the Christian heritage of promoting education bequeathed by the early Church missionaries in Nigeria around the 20th century.