OVER 10, 000 CONVOCATES IN DELPOLY, OTEFE

Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri

Over ten thousand students recently graduated from the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe, Oghara in its’ maiden convocation ceremony and award of National and Higher National Diploma Certificates, Fellowships and Prizes for 2003/2004 -2013/2014 Academic Sessions just as Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, governor of Delta State charge the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the institution by contributing positively to the growth and advancement of the society.

Dr. Uduaghan who is the Visitor to the Polytechnic also used the opportunity to call on management of higher institutions in the state to organize annual convocation ceremony for their graduating students noting that annual convocation ceremonies were vital in institutions of higher learning as it encourages students to strive towards completing their academic work with their mates.

According to Dr. Uduaghan, ”I urge management of higher institutions, especially, management of this institution to make the convocation ceremony an annual event so that graduating students can look forward to it.”

The Governor congratulated the graduating students just as he challenged them to be good ambassadors of their alma mater by contributing positively to the growth and development of the Institution and the society at large.

Dr. Uduaghan added, “I know most of you graduated some years ago, some of you have got jobs, some are looking for job, be good ambassadors of your school, don’t be afraid to take up challenges that will contribute to the growth of the state.”

While paying glowing tribute to Chief James Onanefe Ibori, former governor of Delta State for his vision in establishing the polytechnic and others in the state during his tenure, Dr. Uduaghan commended the management of the Polytechnic under Dr. (Mrs.)Evborhovbo Clara Sogbaike for giving awards to the former governor and others who have contributed to the growth and development of the institution adding that the awards were strong indications that their contributions did not go unnoticed.

He maintained that the targets and aims of setting up of the polytechnics by Chief Ibori were being achieved adding the polytechnics have become a success story as the school has become a model to reckon with nationally. He said the polytechnic has a social objective of bringing home quality engineering and management education for the benefit of our youths.

In his address, Hon. Charles Emetulu, Commissioner for Higher Education said that since inception over a decade ago, the Polytechnic has graduated 10 sets of students without organizing a single convocation ceremony, adding, that this development no doubt have a telling effect on the moral of the teeming gradating students.

According to Hon. Emetulu, “since its inception over a decade ago, the Polytechnic has graduated ten sets of students without organizing a single convocation, this development, no doubt, has a telling effect on the moral of our teeming graduating students in their educational endeavours which has been remedied today.”

Hon. Emetulu commended Dr. Uduaghan for his commitment to the overall development in the education sector, adding, “it is important to state that polytechnic education is the hallmark of technology development as well as the harbinger of scientific development, it is for this reason that any society that is desirous of a technological breakthrough should invest in technical education and it is against this backdrop that this administration accords utmost priority to polytechnic education being a training ground for middle level technical and vocational manpower in the state.”

Earlier in her address, Dr. (Mrs.) Clara Sogbaike, Rector, Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe, Oghara disclosed that well over ten thousand ND and HND students from 2002/2003 – 2013/2014 academic sessions were graduating.

Dr. (Mrs.) Sogbaike further disclosed that at inception in 2003, the polytechnic started with three National Diploma Programmes with one hundred and fifty students, adding, “but like the Biblical mustard seed, the polytechnic after twelve years of its existence has blossomed into four schools and runs twelve ND Courses and eight HND Courses, all either fully accredited or approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Kaduna.”

Responding to questions, Mr. Wilberforce Ofotokun, Public Relations Officer of the institution has this to say, “like Zeus upon mount Olympus, we have looked forward with anticipation to this convocation ceremony so this is a dream come true. Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara has witnessed an unprecedented level of development through the provision of 21st century academic and infrastructural amenities under the leadership of Dr. (Mrs.) Clara Sogbaike.”

Dr. Uduaghan had earlier commissioned some completed projects in the Polytechnic which included Mass Communication complex.

Awards of special recognition were given by the Polytechnic to former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Steve Oru, Senator-elect for Delta Central Senatorial District, Chief Ighoyota Amori; Dr. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Gardner and Prof. Solomon Okobiah among others.