Ritman University has matriculated its second set of fresh students with a demand on undergraduates to be tenacious, rugged and morally sound. Its Vice Chancellor, Prof Celestine Ntuen, during the matriculation ceremony held on Friday 16th June, 2017 at the campus in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State charged new students to embrace discipline and develop workable study habits. Describing what it takes to succeed at the university, Prof Ntuen said First Class students come to school with clear synergistic goals, attend all lectures, do all assignments and have a functioning schedule with planned daily activities and room for leisure. He advised students to see problems as challenges and convert challenges to opportunities.
The VC also noted that the ideal student dresses decently, upholds moral, ethical standards and is polite to all, thereby receiving blessings from those they had helped or shown respect. The Matriculation Day Lecture was delivered by Engineer Samuel Edward Inyang, an entrepreneur who is CEO of a construction firm (Seyang Limited) and Aqwacoco Enterprises which runs a major cocoa farm and processing factory. Engr Inyang said that as a prerequisite for success, an entrepreneur must have passion, devotion as well as relevant technical and managerial competence, plus a willingness to accept risk or failure. Inyang opined that Ritman University is unique, growing from 31 students in its first year to about 200 students in its second year. In his opinion, “Ritman University is the best private university in this part of the world”. He said Akwa Ibom State is just the right place for this entrepreneurship-focused university with its fast-growing modern infrastructure and economy – an appropriate location for incubating business men and women of tomorrow. He congratulated that university for “a well thought-out educational and business model”. Ritman’s Visitor and Proprietor, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, pledged N50,000 capital for any student who comes up with a workable business model. The President of Greensboro College, North Carolina – one of Ritman’s partner universities in the USA – was represented by Prof Victor Archibong, who commended the Vice Chancellor for sacrificing his work in America to build a world-class university in Nigeria. First and second year students of Ritman University who had excelled in academics were inducted into the Vice Chancellor’s Honours Roll, as well as honours rolls of their respective faculties. Those who were listed in the Vice Chancellor’s Honours Roll included Deborah Ahiakwo, Enobong Nyahette, Queeneth Archibong, Enwongo-Abasi Umoren, David Chukwuoma, Idongesit Obot, and Jemima-Naomi Ben. Students honoured by their faculties included Elijah Udoh, Mmenyene Silas, Arnold Bassey, Amarachi Moses, Comfort Joe, Inimfon Okon, Goodness Bassey, George Obot, Joy Ndiok, Idongesit Thomas, Kindness Nwosu, Aniekan-Abasi Tom, Eminence Udom and Blessing Essien. Students were matriculated into the departments of History/International Studies, English/ Literary Studies, Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Mathematics/Computer Science, Physics, Accounting/Finance, Administration, Management, Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. Ritman University is the second private university in Akwa Ibom State and the 58th in Nigeria. Since its inception in 2015, it has conducted several intellectual engagements such as public lectures and expertise training within and outside Nigeria. The Federal Government Amnesty Office after inspecting the quality of facilities and staff as well as quality of education in this institution, selected it to be one of the private universities to train repentant militants as an alternative to schooling abroad. The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police – Mr. Don Awunah – had on the eve of matriculation visited this university and promised a partnership for crime prevention in the school and its environs. The Commissioner remarked that judging by the fact that Ritman University Vice Chancellor is a Fellow of America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration – NASA – which he knows to be a place for exceptional brains in Science and Technology, Prof Ntuen (who designed a spacesuit currently in use in the US) must be one of the best brains in the world. He said educational institutions are for social service and not profit-making; he therefore commended the Proprietor, Senator Essien, for intervening to provide manpower for Nigeria’s economy and an education that makes people multitasking and versatile. Ritman students celebrated the matriculation week with a talent hunt night on 15th June, 2017 after a football match against Obong University the previous day. The tension-soaked but friendly encounter ended goalless.
Edidiong Esara 16/06/2017
