From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
It was a moment of stock taking for Legacy University, Okija, Anambra State during its 4th matriculation ceremony held recently at the campus premises.
The event was a modest one, even as the management reflected on the journey so far with a verdict that the future holds very bright prospects.
Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the university, Dr Leonard Nkameme said the school got its statutory licence from the NUC after three years and also got full accreditation in all her programmes in the 2019 accreditation exercise.
Noting that such feat was the first of its kind in the history of private universities in Nigeria, he said Legacy University had continued to focus on her pursuit for excellence in teaching, cutting edge research and service to the society.
He said the campus radio station would soon go on air while the mass communication radio and television studios have been built.
He said Legacy University’s partnership with the ICT University and Louisiana University, United States has been strengthened with the introduction of more areas of collaboration especially in the world of ICT.
“Our ICT centre has received a boost as over 400,000 textbooks and journals relating to the programme we run have been installed in our E-library where students can freely access books and journals relating to their various fields without buying from the market.
“With the present challenges of the post COVID-19 pandemic which has ravaged the world, the new normal advocates that ICT be embraced integrally. Legacy University Okija is not left behind in this noble project as all necessary arrangements for online teaching and learning have been put in place to commence lectures, examinations, and so on,” he said.
The Pro-Chancellor also thanked the Board of Trustees of Good Ideas Educational Foundation, promoters of Legacy University for their doggedness and unflinching support towards the successes achieved so far.
He also appreciated the matriculating students and their parents for choosing the institution.
While appreciating the final year students of the university for believing in the institution’s vision, he said their clearance from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been secured while their first ever convocation coming up would also showcase the fact that the university has consolidated.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof Ezekiel Ihionu said that Legacy University presently offers courses in Management Sciences, Arts, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Applied Sciences.
He said that with its present status, the university has the capacity for rapid growth and development while its aspiration is to introduce more faculties that would eventually lead to more growth and development of the university.
“To bring this vision to fruition, the Management has reconstructed our laboratories, procured modern equipment to stand the test of time amidst the challenges of post COVID-19 and the new normal. We have diligently assembled a team of seasoned administrators and highly qualified team of academic staff who have been teaching and mentoring the students positively.
“God is our source and sustenance at Legacy University and has been gracious to us by raising notable persons of great repute as our benefactors in order to keep our dreams and aspirations alive. I therefore implore you parents here present to partner with us by investing so as to keep the Legacy of our founding fathers alive. You are invited to set up foundations, scholarship schemes, donate trophies for our sports and provide financial support,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor also appealed to the Anambra State government for construction of the road leading to the campus at Ubahumonum community, Okija which he noted has been in a bad shape for long.
Secretary, Board of Trustees and President Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Sir Lawrence Obetta C.N urged the matriculating students to follow the path of excellence already laid for them by the management.
He said in the next ten years, the university would not only have grown in leaps in bounds but have a full blown College of Medicine and Faculty of Law with an explosion of students, ideas and learning that would in turn make a productive society where people would be self sustaining and employers of labour.
One of the matriculating students, Okeke Goodness of the Mass Communication Department, expressed gratitude to the institution on behalf of other students, even as she pledged that they would be exemplary in character and in their academic pursuit on campus.
