The Vice-Chancellor of Anchor University, Ayobo, Lagos, Prof. Samuel Oye Bandele has assured the students, staffs and parents as well as members of the public that the university would not deviate in any way from the vision of its founding father, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, the General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry.
He made the promise while addressing the gathering at the university’s fourth and fifth combined convocation ceremonies held on campus, last weekend.
A total of 292 students from both the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sets across disciplines graduated at the event including Ifeoluwa Babayemi, who, with a perfect score of 4.0 Cumulative Gradient Point Average (CGPA) graduated as the overall best of the combined sets.
According to the vice-chancellor, Anchor University’s mission is to provide the holistic education that combines academic excellence and values with moral integrity and spiritual growth, and these are in conformity with “the vision of our founding father, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi.”
“So, our students are not just learning for personal success, but for the greater good of society,” he added.
Prof Bandele, who is a former vice-chancellor of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, said that is why the university would continue to enforce its rules guiding the conducts of students, workers and even the parents while on campus.
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According to him, it is not enough for Anchor University to deliver world-class education that prepares students for global competitiveness, without raising them as God-fearing future leaders, who also have high moral standards that will enable them to become positive change agents in society.
“So, these are our core virtues as a faith-based university and we shall not deviate from the path,” he maintained.
Bandele, a Professor of Education Evaluation and Computer Education explained that Anchor University would train students to be “disciplined, dependable, dutiful, honest, diligent, decent, and God’s fearing and so forth”,
He highlighted some of the unacceptable activities and behaviours in the university to include examination malpractice, undue award of marks, hooliganism, gangsterism, cultism, drug abuse, rebellion, indecent dressing, sexual immorality, disrespectful, and absenteeism as the case may be for both the students and staff, noting that these rules are all spelt out in the university’s handbook.
He pointed out that no student or worker is expected to flout any of the rules, as there is penalty against violators.
He said for Nigeria to be a great country in all spheres required that citizens from their childhood and school days should always do the right things.
He noted that even though university environment is known for freedom, it is freedom with limitation for a peaceful and progressive society.
He, however, pointed out that all programmes offered by the university have been fully accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) including the latest two-physiology and software engineering, even as 11 new programmes are underway.
While noting that every student of the university irrespective of courses of study must have to possess two professional certificates in addition to their degree certificate before graduation, Bandele said the essence of such is to produce all round- and fit-for-purpose graduates.
Giving his valedictory speech, the overall best graduand, who studied industrial chemistry, Ifeoluwa Babayemi, expressed his profound appreciation to God for seeing him and his classmates through their academic journey in the university.
He also thanked the school management and their lecturers as well as parents for their supports and huge investment committed to their journey, stressing that the efforts have shaped and prepared them well for challenges that may come their ways as they step into another stage of life.
Ifeoluwa explained that even though he was an average student while in primary and secondary schools and also had great challenge initially when he gained admission to the university as it was already middle of the first semester, he determined to finish well in his studies and graduate in flying colours.
“So, my determination remained unshaken, and I stayed committed to my goals until the very end and I thank God He crowned my efforts with outstanding success,” he stressed.
Also speaking separately, both the Chairman of Board of Trustees of the university, Pastor Nkemjika Obinna and the Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Steven Odi-Owei equally acknowledged and appreciated Pastor Kumuyi for establishing the university, saying the vision is far beyond just establishing another university in Nigeria.
They pointed out that the university was truly founded to be a distinctive and transformative centre of excellence that upholds the values of character, competence, and courage.
According to the board chairman, Pastor Kumuyi is also supporting the vision with fervent prayers among other things.
He noted that the university which had great challenge of under enrolment about three years ago now has a students’ population of over 2, 500 across disciplines, promising that the efforts will be sustained for more impact.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE