While the rest of the country were engaged in frenetic preparations for the historic General elections, in which the incumbent president lost and conceded defeat even before the final count so as to keep the country intact, the Management of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State used the period to formally admit the new intakes for the 2015 Academic Session.
The star attraction of the Matriculation Ceremony was the Conferment of Award tagged; Education Award for Excellence by the School Students Union Government on their Rector, Dr (Mrs.) Philipa Idogho.
The award which is historic by any standard was presented by the President of the Students’ Union Government, Comrade Sani Kafeel Abdul. In his remarks, after the presentation, the SUG Comrade President, who held the audience at the Matriculation ground spellbound by the vigour and impact of his oration poured encomium on the Rector, Dr (Mrs.) Phillapa Idogho whom he described as an achiever per excellence.
Dr (Mrs.) Idogho, though not exactly new being honoured, having been severally honoured in recent times for her inspirational performance and exemplary leadership. This particular award must be unique in the sense that for the first time in a long while, a prophet was being recognized and honoured by her folks and in the presence of her kith and kin, for transforming Auchi Polytechnic into one of the most preferred institution in the country.
Under her watch, the school grew in leaps and bounds, with special emphasis on infrastructure, contents enrichment, human capital development and others.
Comrade Kadri, speaking the mind of his constituency, acknowledged the Rector’s prowess, saying her singular acts of “uncommon courage, service and leadership” will ensure her name is cast in gold as the Rector who came, saw and conquered.
If one considers the strained relationship that usually exists between students and the authorities, one may not totally miss the point in concluding the award is indeed historic.
The genuineness of purpose by the students is not only real but also convincing, despite the heightened unrest and rivalry in our campuses.
The award investiture did not, however, completely take the shine off the main event, much as the students’ body tried hard to steal the show. The matriculation ceremony, held in early December, was the 32nd in the history of the school and it drew large audience of dignitaries, including the parents and guardians of the inductees, all gally dressed for the event.
In her speech, Auchi Polytechnic Rector, Dr (Mrs.) Idogho said the matriculants should count themselves as worthy to have been admitted into the school and urged them to flee from any vice that can truncate their future.
Dr. Idogho, herself an alumnus of the school, informed inductees of the institution’s commitment and resolve to strictly implement the rules and regulations as it concerned appropriate code of conducts. While stressing the sanctity of the rules, she listed 75% class attendance as eligibility to write examinations and early registration within stipulated period as some of the rules which is not be compromised. She also advised against use of fake credentials to secure admission, saying the school has a way to detect and sanction culprits with rustication or expulsion, whichever is regarded as most appropriate at the specific time. Promising to deal ruthlessly with any staff who found to be involved in the nefarious act of intimidation, extortion, making unofficial demands and harassment of any sort, she encouraged parents and others alike to feel free to step forward to blow the whistle.
Drawing loud applause from an excited audience, the Rector assured the inductees of good times ahead, stressing management had invested a lot on facility upgrading and enjoined them to ensure such new facilities placed at their disposal is used judiciously. Some of the facilities are: A Library Annexe in the Philipa Idogho Campus; Completion of Laboratories, Workshops and a Bakery for Food Technology Department; Workshops for the Centre for Entrepreneurial Development and Offices for Chemical Engineering Department couple with 12 Classrooms; Four e-learning centres. To compliment the school effort in enhancing academics, a friend of the school Chief Abu Inu-Umoru has extended a hand of fellowship. In her words “I am very excited to announce to you that a distinguished friend of the Polytechnic, Chief Abu Inu-Umoru, has instituted an annual scholarship scheme for the best graduating-student in Engineering to do a Masters degree programme in America University Beirut, Lebanon. This is a great challenge to all HND II Engineering students to work hard”.
The 32 Matriculation Ceremony will go down in history as one which the students loudly acknowledged their rector.
