It was intellectually stimulating and spiritually empowering at the second day of Covenant University convocation week. The day, which started with a convocation lecture delivered by Prof Joy Ogwu, OFR, Director-General of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, also featured in the evening a Convocation Service conducted by Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo of the Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC), London.
Prof Ogwu’s lecture titled, “The Labour of Our Heroes Past,” Drawing Lessons for the Future in Developing Visionary Leadership for Africa”, was intellectually robust in content, delivery and it rekindled the spirit of Pan-Africanism and Afro-renaissance among the audience. The 31-page lecture took the audience down the memory lane, noting with great nostalgia, the laudable achievements and exploits of great men and women of African descents who through their dogged commitment and pursuit of excellence in their respective endeavours, were able to shape history and stamped their footprints on the sands of time. These heroes and heroines, according to her, “made us appreciate our African-ness, our uniqueness as a race, and who continually brought to our consciousness the Black Man’s immense contributions to human civilization.”
She lamented that the great strides and visionary perspectives of our heroes past were not sustained by the next generation of leaders whose main interest was on self-aggrandizement and other primordial issues that set the continent on a path of war, lack and want. She, however, said all hope was not lost, saying that Africa could accelerate and fast-track the implementation of the various development blueprints and thereby move consciously towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals in 2015.
Ogwu said Nigeria and indeed Africa has valuable les sons to learn from Covenant University’s quest to raise and nurture a new generation of progressive, morally upright and confident leaders in all spheres of human endeavour through its seven core values. For this reason and others, she said Africa owe a great debt of gratitude to the Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo, for his vision and faith in pioneering excellence in education in the continent.
The Director-General of NIIA commended CU students for their exemplary and royal carriage and urged the graduating students to guide and benefit humanity with what have been impacted on them by the University. “Fly, Covenant Eagles fly and be not weary”, she further urged the students.
The Lecture was attended by the Chancellor, Dr Oyedepo, Pastor (Mrs) Faith Oyedepo, The Vice Chancellor, Prof Aize Obayan, the Registrar, Yemi Nathaniel, Princial Officers of the University as well as numerous guests.