Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, has inaugurated a postgraduate Student Council for its School of Postgraduate Studies. The initiative is coming 14 years after the establishment of CU’s School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS).
Delivering his opening speech at the inauguration, held at the university chapel, Dean, SPGS Prof Shalom Chinedu, said: “This year makes it the 14th of the existence of the School of Postgraduate Studies and through the years we have been able to graduate students on schedule.
“In 2010, we started to accept external students and this year, the fact that 90 per cent of our intakes came from outside makes it imperative for effective leadership among students. The caliber of members underscores the importance of the student council.”
The Council, Chinedu added, serves as a bridge between the students and the management.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Taiwo Abioye, who reeled out the names of members of the student council, charged them to remember the university’s core values while carrying out their responsibilities.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Charles Ayo, praised the board members of SPGS for the “enormous work done.”
“I congratulate you on your appointment,” he said. “We know you will succeed, there’s nothing mystical about excellence.
“If you look at promises made, we know we are not there yet but we are committed. And it’s not one-sided, it takes a collective responsibility.
Seeing students come around here, it is my duty to make them confortable.”
The 16-member Council, has Julius Oladipupo as Chairman and Comfort Samuel as Secretary. Other members are: Aboderin Deborah, Awodeyi Afolabi, John Temitope, Igboko Harriet, Akpabio Ifiom, Uwagharen Efosa and Ugboko Esther.
They also include: Osuji Chizoba, Obaseki Samuel, O. Romanus, Olaolu Adeyemo, M. Ruth, Owuama Ebere and Enefusu Emmanuel.
In another development, CU has underscored the importance of its core values during orientation programme for its new employees held inside the university’s African Leadership Development Centre.
Prof Ayo, who highlighted the pride of place that Spirituality occupies among the core values of the university, urged them to see their presence in the institution as an opportunity to contribute their quota to the school’s ambition of being among the Top 10 universities in the world by year 2022.
“Spirituality”, he said, “is a major determinant of students admission and staff employment, and its vision is driven by the faculty, the staff and the students.”
He continued: “The uniqueness of the university as the best private university in Nigeria, most preferred private university by aspiring undergraduates, pioneer of entrepreneurship study and prime mover for abolition of the pass degree, has continued to attract students, as well as teaching and non-teaching staff to the school.”
Earlier, Prof Taiwo Abioye, and Registrar Pastor Olamide Olusegun, had tasked the new faculty and senior non-teaching staff on work ethics and administrative processes and procedures.