AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Mr. Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Labour Party, on Saturday, urged Nigerian youths to be creative in service to the country rather than engaging in mediocrity that can destroy the hope of its rebirth.
Obi, who is also the Pro-Chancellor of the Dominican University Ibadan, spoke during the maiden convocation of the institution in an address title, ‘The time is now and the future is here.’
He challenged the graduands on leadership skills, urging them to take cues from world icons like Mark Zuckerberk and Martin Cooper who changed the world’s narrative by dint of their creativity.
Obi said, “They started with their ingenuity, creating what the world desperately needs. They did not start out looking for money; but today, money comes to them effortlessly.”
He stressed that they should seek first creativity and invention in a bid to put a breath of fresh air in the world and then, hope for money and other benefits.
Noting that the youths constitutes the largest segment of the nation’s population, he advised them to add value to themselves by embracing holistic education that informs the mind, equips the hand and enriches the heart to navigate their journey in life.
Lauding the Governing Council of the Dominican University for their efforts in ensuring quality education enriched with technological, humanitarian and managerial education, he said that their initiatives were at tune with the vision and mission of creating worthy future for the youths.
Obi took a photograph shot each with the graduating students as a memorial of love and support to them.
Peter Amangbo, Guest Lecturer on the occasion, treating the topic, ‘Let your education count,’ dwelt on the imperatives of education in the development of human capital.
Amangbo, Chairman, Globus Bank Limited, said that “Education is the driver of human capital development which consists of the knowledge, skills and health that people invest in and accumulate throughout their lives, enabling them to realize their potential in a society.”
According to him, human capital development is essential for the development and growth of the society. For Nigeria to come out of its dungeon, he said that education as a vehicle to develop the human capital must be given its rightful place for growth and development.
While tasking the youths to remain focused and passionate by facing life with right attitude, he stressed the need for them to also think globally.
In his address, the Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Modestus Ngwu, describing the event as unprecedented, thanked members of the BoT for their commitment to the success of the university.
He challenged the graduands to be well informed that graduation is just the beginning, stressing that “In pursuing your dreams, always remember that there are inexorable ingredients necessary for the realization of your dreams.”
The Vice-Chancellor of Chrisland University, Prof. Peace Babalola, urged governments at all levels to support private universities in the land to empower the youths in attaining their potentials.
The Dominican University, Nigeria, licensed for operation in 2016, commenced operation in 2017 with Dr Peter Obi as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The university’s mission is to be innovative in teaching, research and service in a bid to help Nigeria to achieve greatness.
The Dominican University turned out a total of 96 graduates from the 2021 and 2022 academic session.
