Built on the
principle of rescue mission, Madonna aims at confronting and eradicating all
the ills that bedevil our tertiary education ranging from cultism, exam
malpractice, absenteeism on the part of lecturers and students, “Sorting”,
abuse of students’ freedom, campus prostitution, sales of grade for money and
or sex, consistent strikes and what have you?
This year’s
matriculation into the prestigious Madonna University took place on 12 and 13th
of June respectively. In both Okija and Elele campus, the event took off with a
solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Founding Father of the
University, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Emmanuel Matthew Paul Edeh, CSSp OFR,
represented by Rev. Fr. Michael Melladu who called down God’s blessings on the
matriculants as he commended them to take God seriously in all their dealings.
He urged them to marry their academic life with spiritual and moral formation
as this would distinguish them from graduates of other tertiary institutions
who lack the type of up-bringing which they are privileged to receive.
In his
speech, the Vice Chancellor of Madonna University Prof. Chuks Ezedum
recommended the matriculants and their parents for making Madonna their choice.
According to him, the institution marks her 16th matriculation and
it is necessary to state that those who went through this same ritual in the
past are now happily and gainfully employed in every part of the world. Adding
that students of medicine, pharmacy, Nursing and other professional graduates of
Madonna have never had issues with passing their board exams and practising
anywhere in the world. He further noted that since its take off time, the institution
has never experienced any kind of riot/demonstration or strike and that the
word cultism is totally strange to the University community.
A chat with the University Registrar Mr
C. Ezeh reveals that since its inception in 1999 Madonna remains an institution built
on the two solid pillars of sound academics and morals. Graduates here are
therefore expected to be academically grounded and morally sound. According to
him, Madonna is the first private University to go into operation in Nigeria
and has achieved a lot to deserve commendation. In his words “The latest web
metric ranking of African Universities has Madonna among the first one hundred
out of hundreds of African Universities. The same ranking places Madonna among
the first ten (10) Universities in Nigeria. Currently, all courses offered in
Madonna University enjoy both NUC and relevant board/council accreditation. It
is also on record that our law graduates, for instance, come out tops in their
law school examinations. Our medical, optometry, medical laboratory, pharmacy, nursing
and other professional graduates are working in all continents of the world
with Madonna certificates”.
From
our findings it is essentially paramount to note here that presently, Madonna
is the only private University operating a three campus system in the country.
Okija Campus houses Faculty of Education/Art, Faculty of Management and Social
Sciences and Faculty of Law. Elele Campus controls Faculty of Medicine, Faculty
of Pharmacy, Faculty of Sciences and Faculty of Health Sciences while Akpugo
campus in Enugu State takes care of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
The student
who spoke on behalf of the matriculants commended the management of Madonna
University for the holistic formation given to the students. According to him,
the institution is one of the best places every young person searching for
decent education would aspire to be. That here, students are avail with all
that it takes for them to succeed. He finally called on parents to bring more
of their children and wards to be trained in Madonna as this is the surest way
of bringing up responsible people who would look after them in their old age.
The ceremony
came to its apex when the new students took the matriculation oath where they
promised to obey all constituted authorities and keep to the school rules and
regulations. Most of the parents who came to cerebrate with their children and
wards explained that the choice of Madonna University was a necessary one when one
puts into consideration the state of decay in Nigerian education sector.
According to them, they had to send their children to Madonna because it makes
no sense to train someone where he or she will remain a total liability to you
even in your old age.
One of the
parents, Hon. Okafor Emeka, was of the view that whatever our political views
are, all Nigerians should be united in the belief that the quest for quality education
should not be left to the whims and caprices of politicians whose children do
not attend the public school system and whose priorities begin and end with the
feathering of their own nests. He called on all well-meaning Nigerians to
borrow a leave from Fr. Prof. Edeh (The Founder of Madonna University) whom he
described as an educationist of international repute. According to him it is
only by so doing that we can guarantee the future of our nation.
The
celebration came to an at about 3:30 PM with a closing prayer
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