Peter Bassey|5 February 2016|10:38pm
According to the Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius A. Okojie, OON "it is a tradition for every university to graduate her students and convoke such graduands in an official ceremony, where degrees are awarded to students and honourary graduates". It has therefore become imperative, for one to question why the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) has failed to organise such an important event for her graduands for the past five years. Hence, one can argue authoritatively that, "for the past five years CRUTECH graduates have only completed the requirements for, but has not yet been awarded a particular degree".
The university witnessed her last convocation ceremony on Sat. 17th Dec. 2011. The ceremony, which took place at the university sport complex, was heralded by public lecture a day earlier, with key note lecture by Noble Prize winner, Wole Soyinka, emeritus professor. The lecture which took place at the popular Five-Two-Zero Kolanut Conference & Event Centre has as its theme: "FAITH, SCIENCE AND MORALITY OF KNOWLEDGE" and had in attendance the la crème of the university community and beyond, including the then Governor of CRS, His Excellency, Sen. Liyel Imoke, the chancellor, Prof. Amb. Mathew T. Mbu of blessed memory, Prof. Mahood Yakubu, the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Trust Fund who also doubled as the chairman of the occasion, not forgetting the chief host, Prof. Ene-Obong Effiom Ene-Obong, the then Vice Chancellor amongst other dignitaries whose names memory will fail me to mention. The lectures where both electrifying and entertaining. We were taken through many mental journey by d noble prize winner. I could still remember vividly when he said and I quote "there is only one sanctuary that is open to all, that is the temple of knowledge".
As a student then, I was challenged by the totality of that event, especially when I bet myself I was going to beat the 4.1 CGPA record set by one Mr. Udoh Effiong who emerged as the best graduating student from my faculty, faculty of science. Don't ask me if I surpassed his records, YES I DID. But its a story for another day. The convocation ceremony gave CRUTECH a sound publicity, placement and glory especially by the presence of the key note lecturer, who I was seeing for the very first time in my entire life.
Pitiably enough, thousands of CRUTECH graduates are yet to have the experience for themselves and some have even forgotten they were suppose to convoke. This situation is becoming worrisome and calls for questioning. To me, the essence of convocation is not only to organised an event, give the school publicity or officially graduate her students. It goes beyond that, Convocation can the used to get the state government's attention we so deserved, raise fund, encourage young scholars the way I was encouraged as well as give a principle about civil obligation through honourary award presentations.
As an alumnus, my worry for my alma mater's inability to organised convocation for her graduands, have increased and has invariably left me with so many questions as to what could have been the reason for this delay.
Could it be as a result of the state government insensitivity towards CRUTECH? The past government led by Sen. Liyel Imoke did not do much for CRUTECH. Could the present government led by the digital Governor Ben Ayade be toeing the same path of his predecessor? Or is our Professor-governor too focused with his signatory projects without giving little attention to the needs of the only university own by the state? Just asking.
Or, could this delay be attributed to the fact that CRUTECH management led by Prof. Anthony Owan Eno don't know what or how to organise a university convocation? Or, has the VC focus so much on beautifying the school (bravo) and reducing corruption (kudos) that he has forgotten he has an obligation to organise convocation? Better still, could it be that the poor and fragile record system the new V.C inherited from his predecessor be the cause of this delay? Because this is almost becoming evident, where graduates of CRUTECH who wants their transcript will be referred back to their departments or DAP to go and search for a particular missing result(s). A situation that almost broke me down. Could the exam and records be inefficient, thus, can not produce records of CRUTECH graduate for the past five years? Could that be the cause of the delay? Because I use to think that vital documents like results should be handled wit secrecy, but the reverse is becoming d case.
Or, should the alumni of which I am a member get its share of the question? Is our able alumni led by president Eyam Abeng, who has achieved so much by bringing investors to CRUTECH as evident in the CRUTECH alumni scholarship scheme, forgotten to remind the university authorities to organise convocation? Could his inability to remind them be the cause of the delay? Because I use to think dat an alumni of a university function as a representative body of the institution.
Having asked all these rhetorical questions that were almost unending, I wish to use dis medium to speak to the conscience of the state government, CRUTECH management as well as all stakeholders to please uphold the tradition of NUC. Neglecting or abandoning such a unique tradition as convocation may be detrimental. It is a passionate appeal. Remember, what is fashionably design today, may the considered unworkable tomorrow. Therefore, the real essence of convocation should be in its timing.
Long Live CRUTECH
Long Live CRS
Long Live Fed. Rep. of NIGERIA
Peter Bassey
Writes From Calabar
