By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) on Saturday, 22nd February, held its 26th Matriculation Ceremony at the Igbariam and Uli campuses of the university.
The event also witnessed the marking of the Special 25-year (Silver Jubilee) Anniversary of the university, as well as the presence of enthusiastic fresh students of the institution, parents, friends, and well-wishers.
Administering the Matriculation Oath to 8,000 newly admitted students of the institution, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State, Prof Kate Azuka Omenugha, reminded the new students of the vision of the university towards providing an excellent platform for research, teaching, and learning in science, technology, and humanities, and to produce graduates that were skilled, functionally creative, and worthy in character, who were equipped to make significant contributions to the overall development of society.
She urged the matriculants to internalise the institution’s vision and mission and strive to develop skills and be socially responsible, noting that the university would provide various platforms to develop the skills and provide the rules and regulations to make the students socially responsible.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor took the matriculating students through what is expected of them in the areas of discipline, attendance at lectures, decent dressing, and registration of courses, as well as penalties for various offences.
‘The university is an academic community made up of people of different family backgrounds. Similarly, individuals who make up the community exhibit characteristics typical of their families of origin.
Consequently, in this university community, as fresh students, you will encounter students who are pleasant, amiable, disciplined, studious, honest, sincere, friendly, God-fearing, and graceful. It is our wish that you encounter only such students.
‘On the other hand, it is also possible to encounter some students of low moral or even amoral background. These categories of students thrive in dishonesty, insincerity, unfriendliness, heartlessness, ungodly and un-Christian behaviour, laziness, extravagance and indiscipline. We pray that you do not encounter such persons throughout your stay in this university,’ Omenugha concluded.
