From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe (NOCEN), Anambra State has graduated 2, 590 students for the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 academic sessions at its 20th convocation ceremony.
The college graduated students for the award of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NEC) and students for the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE).
The overall best student for 2019/2020 went to Miss Ekwereonu, Prayer Chidimma in French/Igbo Department with 4.30 cumulative points going home with cash prize of N50, 000 for the college award. She also won the endowments prize of Dr. Ifeyinwa Osegbo for best graduating student with N20, 000 and also took home Dr. Ego C. Uzoezie Academic excellence award.
The overall best graduating students for 2020/2021 went to Mgbembu, Jane Farncis Chisom of Biology/Integrated Science Department with 4.81 cumulative points and got cash prize of N50, 000 for the college award and winner for endowments.
Also Godwin Blessing of Computer/Mathematics Department won overall best graduating student for 2021/2022 session with 4.82 cumulative point and received cash prize of N50, 000 for the college award and for the endowments.
In the list of the winners is Nnamene, Chidiebube Favour with 4.90 cumulative point and went home with N20, 000 from Prof. Chinyelu Ekwunife for the best graduating students in Biology for 2019/2020.
Speaking at the convocation ceremony, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwudebe said the college has served the purpose of which it established in 1976 as TTC and later metamorphosed to College of Education.
Soludo said that Anambra has been excelling in national and international school competitions, saying that the recruitment of 5,000 teachers was to fill the vacant positions and complement the efforts of teachers in the state.
He also commended the college for the accreditation of all her programmes by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and National Universities Commission (NUC).
“Convocation comes with joy and full of temptation. It is a thing of joy for graduating and another stress for moving into the world to search for employment, which is rare to find. But, perseverance and professionalism will surely make a way for you as an intelligent graduates, cutting corners will never be the way to go, always remember that you pass through a reputable college called NOCEN,” he stated.
The Provost of NOCEN, Dr. Ifeyinwa Osegbo told the graduands that the convocation was a call to duty and marks an end to absolute dependence on their families but a new beginning in a journey through a life relative independence and self-sustenance.
According to her, “we are very confident that you all have been raised as potential leaders, who having been found worthy in character and learning, will bring change in Nigeria and the world for the better. It is a proven fact that at NOCEN, students are assured of graduating at the stipulated time, as there is zero tolerance for victimization of any sort. All our programmes are accredited by NCCE and NUC.
“The knowhow you acquired in your tertiary education is your weapon of survival; not for ‘419’ not for cheating, not for cultic practice, and not for indolence and indiscipline, but for excellence in your field of endeavours and in your pursuit of happiness.
The provost appealed to the state government to intervene in the following areas such as: “implement the already approved minimum wage for NOCEN staff in order to meet up with the present day economic challenges which is necessary for the welfare of Anambra workers.
“Construction of perimeter fences around the college to help curb the various serious and recurrent security and land encroachment challenges faced by the college. Construction of internal access roads within the college as the present condition of our internal roads is next to nothing compared to what is obtainable in other tertiary institutions in the state and Nigeria at large. Upgrading the college to university status considering the fact that the college has adequate manpower and facilitates but low and dwindling enrollment for NCE programme” Osegbo appealed.
In her remarks, the overall best graduating student of NOECN, Godwin Blessing expressed happiness over her academic excellence, saying that she worked for it by burning midnight candles. She said that she now realized that hard-work pays, stressing that though she bent down to study but never expected to be the over all best student for 2021/2022 session.
She advised the upcoming students to study hard in order to come out with flying colorurs and attain a greater height in the competitive and contemporary society where only the best can make it in life.
