By Brenda Agba & Florence Ugbem
Benue State University, Makurdi, Friday, matriculated 8,265 students.
The matriculation which was a combination of 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry was held at the university’s convocation square.
Addressing the matriculating students, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Tor Iorapuu, charged them to be of good conduct on campus to enable them graduate with good degrees.
“The journey to success starts now with this semester. Take every day at school seriously as if your life depends on it. I hereby congratulate each one of you, first on having secured placement into this prestigious university and second, for having the good sense to choose to study in Benue State University (BSU)”.
Prof. Iorapuu reiterated the university’s commitment towards maintaining high standards in the quality of its academic programmes. He assured the matriculating students of the total commitment of the lecturers to offer their best and the determination of management to continue to uphold the tradition.
The VC urged students to remain focused, reminding them that they were there for a purpose and encouraged them to make use of the wide range of informational literature in the University Library; acquire access rights from the ICT Directorate to use online databases for their assignments and research; visit the University’s Centre for Counselling and Human Development for counselling needs; enjoy the state-of-art equipment at the Students’ Social Centre; be part of the university sporting activities and above all, use the university clinic for their health needs.
He urged the students to attend lectures, desist from examination misconduct and maintain peaceful conduct while urging them to dress decently, stating that the university was conscious about the way and manner students look and dress.
Prof Iorapuu admonished them to note that the university is a knowledge-based environment and not a social park, stating that the freedom they may wish to express would have to be frequently appraised.
“The university has the best quality of academic staff comparable anywhere in the world”, he noted, adding that they were always ready to deliver their best and are committed to ensuring that international standards for teaching, research and learning are maintained in the institution.
In separate interviews with The Voice, two of the matriculating students, Raphael Msonter Ayue, who is reading Urban and Regional Planning in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Meshach Aondoungwa Akarhan, who is reading Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences, both expressed happiness over their admission.
They attributed their successes to God and promised to be of good behaviour, study hard and make their parents proud.
“I will keep away from bad company and try my best to excel in my studies”, Akarhan stated.
