By Godwin Chukwumaechi, Port Harcourt
Wigwe University on Thursday opened for academic activities, eight months after its founder Dr. Herbert Wigwe and some members of family perished in an helicopter crash in the United States of America.
There were grave concerns about the fate of the university located at Wigwe’s home town Isiokpo, Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State after he, wife Chizoba and son Chizzy lost their lives in the crash.
But management of the university in an emotion-laden event announced that academic activities would commence soon as they were set to pursue the dreams of the founder.
However, Wigwe’s absence took off the shine from the opening of the university as it was robbed of the pump and glamour that would have been expected.
The guests who graced the landmark occasion were emotional and struggling to hold their tears during the brief opening ceremony.
There were fears that the university might not commence academic activities because of the demise of the founder but the management of the university said on Thursday that academic activities would commence soonest as they were set to pursue the dreams of the founder.
Speaking at the event, the Acting Vice Chancellor, for Professor Marwan Al-Akaidi said, the university is founded on the principles set forth by late Herbert Wigwe whose legacies he said inspired his followers to unite Africa potentials for prosperity as to nurture thoughtful and fearless leaders that will one day be the leading university in Africa.
He said the vision of the university is not just to educate but to lead a new era of academic excellence in Africa.
The vice chancellor added that late Herbert Wigwe was committed to fostering intellectual innovation across disciplines saying that the management of the university and followers of the deceased would provide a transformative and educative experience that would equip it’s students to meet the challenges of the future with confidence and creativity.
He said, “Wigwe University is founded on the principles set forth by Late Dr Herbert Wigwe whose legacy inspires us to unite Africa’s potentials for prosperity to nurture thoughtful and fearless leaders and to create an institution that will one day be the leading university in Africa.
“Our mission is not just to educate but to lead a new era of academic excellence in Africa. Wigwe is committed to fostering intellectual innovation across disciplines. We will provide a transformative educational experience that equips our students to meet the challenges of the future with confidence and creativity.
“Our academic offering will be grounded in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM, Management and the Arts fields that are not only critical for Africa’s development but are also central to the global knowledge economy. Through these diverse programmes our students will develop the technical and creative skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”
Earlier in his speech, governor of Rivers State, Sir Similanayi Fubara, said the State government was deeply committed to the university because it believes in education adding that the state government would take every opportunity to invest in the education of its citizens.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara who was represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma said the State Government recently conducted interviews for 100 fresh students that would enroll in the university.
The governor said the State government had secured 100 slots for scholarship in the university with indigene of the state having 70 slots while 30 slots goes to none indigene.
Speaking to journalists at the occasion Paramount Ruler and Nye Nwe Ali Isiokpo Kingdom, His Majesty, King Blessing Wagor, described the absence of Dr. Herbert Wigwe at the official opening ceremony of the university as unfortunate, noting that the kingdom is still mourning his demise.
“Isiokpo people are still in tears, Ikwerre people are still in tears, We are in tears, and we are pained over the death of our son, Dr Herbert Wigwe. We don’t like what happened, but we can’t question God, He alone knows the beginning and the end.
“We pray God to assist the workers here and give them the mind to follow what the man planned about the university”, he stated.
We are however happy about the commencement of the university and we have a high expectation from its coming.
