Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has called on investors within and outside the state to take advantage of the peaceful atmosphere and the massive ongoing infrastructural development by investing their resources to positively impact society.
Governor Oborevwori said this Friday, March 15, 2024, at the maiden matriculation ceremony of Margaret Lawrence University, Galilee in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State.
The Governor who was represented by the state Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Nyerhovwo Tonukari, in his address expressed delight with the addition of Margaret Lawrence University to the growing list of private universities in Delta and Nigeria and called on investors to venture into education in other to give quality education to teeming young and vibrant population of the country.
While congratulating the Founder and Pro-Chancellor of the University, Mr Paul Odili, Governing Council, management, and staff of the institution, Professor Tonukari urged them to maintain high standards and grow the institution into a world-class university.
The Governor who also congratulated the matriculants of the 2023/2024 academic session, enjoined them to always remember why they were sent to school by their parents, uphold discipline, and focus and become worthy ambassadors of their families and the institution.
“The addition of Margaret Lawrence University to the list of growing private universities is a welcome development not only for Delta State but for Nigeria at large. We therefore need more investors to venture into investments such as education and take advantage of the relatively peaceful atmosphere and massive infrastructural development in the state which is a safe haven for investments,” Oborevwori said.
Chancellor of Margaret Lawrence University, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in his address, congratulated the pioneer matriculants of the institution, and charged them to be mindful of the oaths taken, abide by the rules and regulations of the university so they can become certified products of the institution, adding that the world awaits them to take their place.
The erstwhile governor of Delta State, who lauded the founder and Pro-Chancellor of Margaret Lawrence University for his vision and demonstration of faith in God by committing his resources to providing quality education, called on the management of the school, as well as the host communities of Ute-Ogbeje and Owerre-Olubor to not only maintain and grow the vision but also protect the facilities.
Founder and Pro-Chancellor of Margaret Lawrence University, Mr Paul Odili, a successful businessman cum entrepreneur, while narrating the birth of the vision, maintained that the university amongst other accomplishments is a way of giving back to society adding that the university was committed to solving problems not only in Nigeria but also Africa and the global community.
“Our students from this University will be problem solvers to the myriads of challenges facing our country and the world at large. This is my way of contributing to the development of our society,” he said.
In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor of Margaret Lawrence University, Professor Ernest Izevbigie disclosed that the university which was licensed by the Nigerian University Commission, NUC, on May 12, 2022, currently operates two campuses in Delta and Abuja, stressing that the vision of MLU was to become a world-class university, committed to the pursuit of knowledge, innovation, and excellence in addressing the challenges of economic and human capital development in Nigeria and the world.
Professor Izevbigie expressed optimism with the achievements recorded so far in the establishment of a state-of-the-art Margaret Lawrence University Teaching Hospital, Abuja, accreditation of Paul Odili College of Medical Sciences, Abuja Campus, Faculty of Management and Social Sciences as well as Faculty of Environmental Sciences, asserting that all is fully set to groom future leaders who will solve the world’s problems.
He, therefore, called on parents across the country to enrol their children into various programmes and courses at the University.
The Vice-Chancellor also admonished the pioneer students to see their admission into the University as an opportunity to achieve greatness in their chosen fields and become eminent personalities to be reckoned with both at local and global levels.
“Our vision is to become a world-class University, committed to the pursuit of knowledge, innovation, and excellence in addressing the challenges of economic and human capital development in Nigeria and the world,” the Vice Chancellor said.
Representative of the Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Ibrahim Yakasi in his goodwill message, described MLU as one of the outstanding and fastest-growing universities in Nigeria.
He congratulated the matriculating students, parents, and guardians as well as the Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Governing Council, management, and staff for the success of the maiden matriculation ceremony and prayed God to increase and sustain the growth of the university beyond leaps and bounds.
The high points of the ceremony were the administering of the matriculation oath by the Registrar and a musical interlude by students of Margaret Lawrence High School.
Dignitaries including political bigwigs in Delta State, captains of industry, clergymen, traditional rulers, family members, friends and well-wishers as well as members of the host communities attended the colourful matriculation ceremony.
