At a solemn but colourful ceremony, new students for the Fall 2016 Semester of the American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa state, pledged to be of good conduct in pursuit of their education. ABDULRAHMAN A. ABDULRAUF reports.
“Today, I vow to seek and speak only the truth and to demand of myself the absolute integrity that I have a right to expect of everyone at American University of Nigeria. This, I pledge, for the sake of Nigeria, for the sake of Africa, for the sake of our futures, and in service to community and country, with you and to you, my fellow members of the American University of Nigeria”.
With this pledge administered by the institution’s President, Dr. Margee Ensign, a new set of students for Fall 2016 semester, on Monday, joined the bulk at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa state.
The outlook was simplistic yet colourful. The setting was the Lamido Musdafa Commencement Hall of the AUN , with parents joining members of the university community to welcome new intakes into the institution.
The event was the pledge ceremony, synonymous with the matriculation ceremony in the public-owned universities. The new intakes, numbering 250, the largest so far, cut across the under graduate and postgraduate levels. While the undergraduates, including first set of law students, belong to the class of 2020/21, the M. Sc and Ph. D students are captured in the class of 2018 and 2021 respectively.
The less than one hour programme, was characterised by very few but emotional speeches, which were all the incoming students needed to ginger them into finding their levels in the university. The speeches, mainly centred around the challenges ahead of the students, the progress so far made by the university and how best they can achieve their achieve their set-goals seamlessly.
Welcoming the students, President Ensign told them to “please know the reason we are all here at AUN. We are committed to ensuring that your education here is not only rigorous and demanding, but also safe and fun. We are committed to helping you to become great leaders of Africa and the world.”
“Today marks the first day we come together as a community in this academic year. I am proud of our many accomplishments as a university, and particularly of the accomplishments of our students. From the testimonies we received from our parents, employers and other institutions about the quality of or graduates, I have no doubt in my mind that we are indeed providing world-class education to our students-Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” she added.
While also welcoming the newest faculty members, she expressed the hope that the knowledge, academic excellence, and global awareness each of them brought to AUN will certainly enrich the campus community. The AUN head similarly commended the founder, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his generosity and vision.
Of course, at the occasion, some student leaders gave pep talks to their incoming colleagues, using their personal experience. First to speak was Abdulrahman Bappullo, President, Students’ Government Association.
He said: “Today, I will speak a little bit about myself. Not for anything really, only that I’d like to mirror what AUN has done for me over the past Three and Half years as an example of what AUN will do for you over the next four years.
“But first, I must admit, as my father always says, everything good starts from you, and you alone. I never really wanted to come to AUN, as I had always clamoured for first class liberal education either at the United States or the UK.
“However, as I said a few days ago at the President’s welcome, a little bit of convincing from my dad to try out at least a semester here did the magic for me. I remember vividly during one of my conversations with the amiable Dean Byron Bullock, when he mirrored me as the ‘New Ebuka.’
“ For those who don’t know, Ebuka is an Alumni of this University doing very well in South Africa and is an epitome of this university’s aspirations as a development champion for Africa. So, for the Dean to mirror me as the new ‘Ebuka’, it definitely means he saw a lot of possibilities and opportunities AUN had in stock for me and all I had to do was to take advantage of them.”
Challenging his colleagues, he said, “all of you seated here today can take these advantages….. Work harder than ever…. And success will surely meet you. To cut the long story short, since that very fruitful conversation with the Dean, I have grown and served in different capacities in this university.”
“At AUN, anything is possible for every single one of you, if you maximize all the opportunities this incredible institution accords to you,” Bappullo further advised.
Sharing similar experience, Comfort Afolabi, President AUN Honour Society, told the new students of the “AUN experience—the eventful adventure you are about to undertake.”
While regaling them with the state-of-the-art facilities the university has, she said, “whatever your passion is – be it sports, academics, or representing the students, AUN will groom you.
“Pursue your dreams and maximise all that AUN offers! My experience at AUN has been wonderful. Going from the shy reserved 1st year student to becoming the president of the Honour Society.”
On the society, she said it “was put together by students to help other students do better both academically and otherwise. The Honour Society can be described as an association of excellence, integrity and service. Offering services by tutoring and guiding fellow students academically.”
“The AUN Honor Society doesn’t just concentrate on AUN students alone but also engages in community service and yearly offers scholarship to more than 50 primary and secondary school students.
“AUN helps students discover themselves and their passion. Your time at AUN will be one of the freest and most exciting in your life. It is an opportunity to discover who you are and what your passion is.
“Be sure to find your passion and pursue it with enthusiasm and commitment. This is a time of transition; a time of adjustment, and a time of change. You must now take responsibility for your future and all that you do. University life is a time for learning and self-discovery,” she further counselled.
Speaking with our correspondent, a parent, Dr. Kudo Eresia –Eke, described AUN as God-found and God-sent. According to him, the location of the university in the North-east, supposedly synonymous with insurgency, is a statement to the world that Nigeria is safe.
He said: “For me, It’s a feeling of gladness, it’s a feeling of soberness and it’s a felling of gratitude. Soberness because as a parent, you let go your child because as from now, he will have to make his way. It’s a feeling of pride because it’s God-sent that we have a university like this, that is truly international, high level of academic standard, requisite infrastructure, connection with the world and development-oriented.
“Two things are peculiar here; one, it is a whole question of our currency vis-a-vis the international currency which is the dollar. For most parents who, ordinarily, would have allowed or loved their children to study abroad, it has become really cumbersome, it has become extremely difficult to do so, at least for the average parents. To be able to access this international type of education that you sought for your child within your country, in the context of what we have in AUN, is actually a God-found and God-sent and gratifying.”
“As a parent , I have been here, I have seen what is happening and as a lover of education, I realised that the country should be proud to have this university. I will be surprised if by next year and subsequently, we do not have issues around overcrowding because many will come to this school. It’s also a statement to the world that our country is safe, that Nigeria is safe, Nigeria is a place to be and Nigeria has arrived. I am very glad about where it is situated –Yola, North East,” added Eresia-Eke.
And for Mohammed, a new intake is an assurance and determination to achieve the set-goals. “I am here and here to attain the best education one can ever desire. I am encouraged and fascinated by this environment and inspired by the speeches rendered. By God’s grace, my dream here shall come true.”
