CONVOCATION PRESS BRIEFING BY BEN E. A. OGHOJAFOR, Ph.D.
PIONEER VICE CHANCELLOR
DENNIS OSADEBAY UNIVERSITY
ASABA
PROTOCOL
The Registrar, Mrs. Genevieve Isioma OBADAN,
The University Librarian, Dr. Nelson EDEWOR,
The Bursar, Mr. Okolo Emmanuel OKOLO,
The Ag. Dean, Students’ Affairs, Dr. Lucky I. ENAKIRERHI,
Deans of Faculties
Directors of Programmes,
Heads of Departments,
Staff of Dennis Osadebay University,
The President, Student Union Government, Comrade Onyia Nnamnedum George,
Invited Guests,
Gentlemen of the Press,
I welcome you to this press conference to mark the beginning of the maiden Convocation ceremony of Dennis Osadebay University. With a heart full of joy, I found myself, as the head of this institution, under extenuating circumstances. I remain grateful to the government and people of Delta State, and most grateful to His Excellency, Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa CON, the immediate past governor of the State, for the opportunity to stir the affairs of this institution. This institution came into being as one of a set of triplets, with siblings – University of Delta, Agbor and Southern Delta University, Ozoro. It is interesting to know, that at inception, the other siblings of our institution, inherited definite structures and infrastructure – like building, staff, relevant equipment and funding – from the preexisting colleges that they emerged from. Dennis Osadebay University inherited near zero facilities and only a handful of staff, who as it were, took a risk. At best, the preexisting campus, where it started was like “an infant of days,” a campus that has been flogged and belabored by a series of defunct institutions; from primary, post primary, monotechnic (a college of Agriculture), and finally to a satellite campus of Delta State University. The campus patiently bore the lacerations of these aged institutions on her body. When we came in, therefore, we had an uphill task and we developed a positive view that we will not fail.
Today, I count it all joy. Joy that we sowed in sorrow and we are reaping in joy (according to the Scripture); joy that where failure presented itself like a colossus, we rejected it and pursued success; joy that in the midst of discontentment, we encouraged ourselves.
The greatest in our series of joy is that we have been afforded the opportunity by the God of mercy, to give an account of our stewardship and we say to God, we do not take it for granted.
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Gentlemen of the press, Dennis Osadebay University was opened on February 12, 2021. The initial enrollment was a modest of 651 students. The enrollment increased in a geometrical progression to 1589 students in the 2022/2023 session; 2994 students in the 2023/2024 session and a quantum leap to 4408 students in the 2024/2025 session and 5835 students in the current session, 2025/2026. This bring the total number of student enrollment from the inception of the institution to 15472. It is a thing of joy for us to attract and retain this number of students in a state that has 4 state government universities, 4 Federal universities and several private universities, considering how we started.
Gentlemen of the press, this can only be a result of diligence, hard work, vision nurturing, and mission centeredness, pursued vigorously, under the grace of the Almighty God.
Our infrastructure has greatly improved. We are no longer that mechanic ecosystem with toyish, rusty and mushroom structures. Today, as we graduate our first set of enrolled – bona fide – students, we also have, properly fitted physical structures befitting a University of repute. We have amongst other structures, exciting edifices like the administrative building, faculty blocks – including, but not limited to Agriculture, Arts, Behavioural Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Management Sciences. Equally, new student halls have been constructed and now we can accommodate up to 2000 students. The library is the engine house of academics and research. We have, not only founded a new library, but have at the same time given it a remarkable touch of advancement that places it amongst the most modern digital libraries. Our library, coming from a mini library that serviced only two faculties, – Agriculture and Management Sciences, to a fully automated University library taking care of six big faculties, a centre of excellence, where there is uninterrupted supply of electrical power and internet services, is a clear testimony of our attention to details and our determination to build a world class University.
Gentlemen of the press, it is common knowledge that we are charged with the responsibility of teaching, training and molding characters. We are, therefore, intentional about producing students who are worthy in learning and in character; globally competitive, yet locally significant. We have been able to progress from an initial number of 46 programmes of study to 86 programmes now. Our institution has a total of 872 staff out of which 467 are academic staff, 269 are senior non-teaching and administrative staff, 69 are technical staff and 28 are junior staff. All our programmes of study have full accreditation, except 35 programmes that are awaiting decision because their accreditation exercise only took place later in 2025.
In course of our growth, we devised creative ways of confronting our teething problems. We designed premium and five star courses, especially in Allied Medical Sciences and Computing. Candidates can run programmes in complicated digital and cyber sciences and engineering. Equally, the highly sought after, and favourite course like Nursing Sciences and Optometry are available choices in our institution. We have also set up systems that encourage professionalism and have secured memoranda of understanding with a number of professional and certification bodies. Of particular significance in terms of giving example, is our best graduating student, Mike-Ogisi, Regina Chukwufunmanya, who has passed all relevant examinations and has become a chartered accountant while an undergraduate of Dennis Osadebay University. Our Entrepreneurship programme is also one of the new experiences with a focus on training future employers, rather than job seekers.
In the last 4 years, we have worked hard to sharpen their intellect and as they go into the outer world, we have no doubt, that they will be great leaders. As part of our efforts towards actualizing this, we attracted our friends and colleagues from older more established and more stable institution as contract, sabbatical, visiting and adjunct professors and lecturers as well as technical and administrative officers. They have helped in cross fertilizing our academic experiences and we are grateful to all of them
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THE MAIDEN CONVOCATION
The events of the maiden Convocation ceremony begins today with this press conference. There are several other events which will come after this. There will be a Convocation lecture on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 10:00AM. The Founder’s Day Lecture comes after, on Friday, March 6, 2026 also at 10:00 AM, while the Convocation for the Award of degrees, Honours, Recognitions and Announcement of Prizes will take place on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM. There will be the opening of our exhibition on Thursday, March 5, immediately after the Convocation Lecture and the traditional Convocation drama will be staged on Thursday at 4:30 PM and the Alumni Reception will hold on Saturday, March 7, at 5:00 PM. All events will take place in the Main Auditorium, except the Convocation for the Award of degrees, the opening of exhibition and the alumni reception, which will take place at the Convocation arena.
The university will graduate a total of 416 candidate in 28 programmes in the Faculties of Agriculture, Arts, Behavioural Sciences, Computing, Environmental Sciences, Management Sciences and Science, with details below:
- First Class Hons 25
- Second Class Hons (Upper Division) 167
- Second Class (Lower Division) 185
- Third Class 39
The overall Best Graduate is Mike-Ogisi, Regina Chukwufunmanya, ACA, of the Department of Accounting, with a CGPA of 4.93. it is worth knowing that this same candidate has already qualified as a chartered accountant.
Gentlemen of the press, I want to say that serving my State as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Dennis Osadebay University has been a sour and sweet experience. In all, however, I am still grateful to God and all who helped me. I am inviting you all to be part of our unique maiden Convocation ceremony. As you have come, take advantage of it to explore Dennis Osadebay University, the University on the hills and the water of Niger River.