By Asuquo Cletus
The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has inducted Betta Edu, a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, and Poverty Alleviation into its Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony was part of the University’s 50th-anniversary, and 37th convocation celebrations.
Betta, an alumni of the university, was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the institution and her remarkable achievements in the field of humanitarian affairs.
Speaking to journalist on Thursday at the Cross River State International Conference Center, venue of the University’s convocation lecture, Betta expressed gratitude to the university for the honor, saying it was a testament to the institution’s commitment to excellence.
She also praised the university’s role in shaping her leadership skills and preparing her for a life of service.
“I must thank God Almighty for this opportunity to be inducted into the hall of Fame, of University of Calabar my very great, powerful university that actually built the leadership skills in me.
“I want to also thank everyone that contributed to the height we have gotten to today in Niger especially President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“I want to congratulate the University for improving every other day in excellence and I hope we can do lots more in the next 50 years.
“Today I didn’t just speak for myself but I spoke for every young person we are the class of 2009, we are the medical students and that is why my class contributed to the completion of the medical center in the university of calabar, not just completion but equipping of the medical center in the university of calabar.
“Education is very important and that’s the only way we can come out of poverty, educating the younger generation and providing the enabling environment for them to thrive.
“I believe very strongly that with the students loan and other interventions of the federal government to the university, we will have more wonderful, strong great graduates come out of the University Of Calabar and they will make their impact not just in society, but they will make impact for the poor, needy the economy of our nation and indeed the digitalization of our nation and it processes, I believe very strongly that the future is private for the University and Nigeria.”-Betta said.
Other awardees, who attended the event were; the Senate president God’swill Akpabio, former gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River, Professor Sandy Onor, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Peterson Group, Chukwuemeka Egwuonwu, honoured for their contributions to humanity.
Senator Akpabio while reacting to the gesture, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the efforts to install peace in Rivers State with the declaration of a State of Emergency for the warring factions to broker peace.
He recalled his journey as a student in the University of Calabar and encouraged present students of the institution to take their studies serious.
Akpabio remarked “I have a brand new bus for the Faculty of Law and another for the Student Union Government (SUG) of this university, since I was a former Speaker of the SUG. I encourage you to take your education serious. I shall support the growth of education and the university. I dedicate this award to the glory of God.”
In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Florence Obi, who performed the induction ceremony with the presentation of awards to the distinguished Nigerians, disclosed that it is the universities way of appreciating the contributions of its alumni to the growth of education and society.”
Obi said “We are celebrating 50 years of impactful service to the growth of humanity. Right from 1975 when the University of Calabar was founded, we have graduated nearly 200 thousand graduates, who are leaving their imprints across the globe. These alumni have, in their different fields contributed to development of humanity and Nigeria in particular.”
