“Pursue Entrepreneurship, Not Paid Jobs”, Oborevwori Urges DELSU Graduands

By Joshua Erubami

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has challenged fresh graduands of Delta State University, Abraka to focus on creating values and innovative ideas that will solve societal problems.

Speaking at the 16th convocation ceremony of DELSU held in Abraka on Saturday, Oborevwori urged the new graduands to become entrepreneurs and shift their focus from getting paid jobs.

The Governor, who is an alumnus of DELSU, observed that the value of education lies in its capacity to make people embrace challenges and tackle them creatively, advising the graduands to be bold and optimistic in the pursuit of their dreams.

“As the old saying goes, fortune favours the brave. You must be bold and cautious, be optimistic and realistic, and be driven and patient”, advised the Governor.

“Do not think only of getting a paid job; I challenge you to be entrepreneurial in your approach to life. Money is a reward for creating value.

“One of the things a quality university education does for you is that it makes you see challenges as part of life. Success is not the absence of problems but the ability to confront them, anticipate trends, and create value in the process.

“As you leave here today, you must ask yourself this question; what problems am I equipped to solve for society?”

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The Governor commended the management and staff of DELSU for repositioning the global outlook of the university, noting that the university has recorded visible transformation under the leadership of its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Andy Egwunyenga.

“Looking at the progress this university has made from its humble beginnings, Deltans should be proud to have a university that can compete with the best in the country.

“It is gratifying to note that the DELSU’s national ratings have continued to rise, and is today among the best state-owned universities in the country.

“I commend the past and present Governing Councils, Senate of the University, and the Management and Staff for their contributions in building a university of repute.

“The current leadership of the university has been very innovative and resourceful in extending the frontiers when it comes to teaching excellence, research quality, academic performance, staff productivity and morale, and infrastructural development.”

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While pledging that the state government will continue to provide the needed support for the institution to maintain its excellence and stable academic calendar, Oborevwori called on public-spirited individuals and organisations to contribute to the growth of the university.

He said: “As a government that places a premium on education, we are steadfast in the pursuit of academic excellence and infrastructural transformation of this university.

“Towards this end, we will keep supporting the governing council, management, staff, and students of the university to achieve the goal of making DELSU a global institution that will attract foreign students.

“This administration is also committed to sustaining timely and predictable delivery of academic programmes in our tertiary institutions.

“A major legacy of previous administrations is the stability in our tertiary institutions. In our schools, a four-year academic programme is exactly that – a four-year programme. It is not prolonged or delayed because of any industrial action.

“As a result, our students can achieve their academic goals within the stated time, as the graduating class today can testify. We are glad to continue in that noble tradition.

“While the state government would always do its best to ensure that this university is able to compete favourably with other universities, it must be noted that there is a need for support from public-spirited individuals, corporate organisations, and other stakeholders to assist us in this regard.”

Earlier, Egwunyenga had disclosed that DELSU was faced with financial and infrastructural challenges which were exacerbated by the relocation of faculties in the defunct Anwai campus to Abraka.

The V-C explained that the infrastructural deficit occasioned by the relocation of the campus necessitated the construction of a new faculty of Management Sciences Complex from the internally generated revenues of the institution, appealing to the state government to construct a new complex for the Faculty of Agriculture.

While appealing to the state government to increase its monthly subvention to the school to enable it to employ needed critical staff, Egwunyenga called on other stakeholders to collaborate with the university in its quest to shore up its global rating.

Meanwhile, Egwunyenga has said DELSU has recorded numerous worthy feats for which the university community should be thankful to God.