PROTOCOLS
Distinguished Vice-Chancellors and Principal Officers from Sister Universities, representative of the JAMB Registrar, esteemed Chairmen and Members of BOT, Governing Council, Senate, and Al-Ansar family, respected Parents, dedicated staff of Al-Ansar University, our dear Pioneer Students, invited guests and members of the print and electronic media. I wish to warmly welcome all of you to the Maiden Matriculation Ceremony of Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri.
Today is an exciting day for us as we mark the end of admission and registration for this academic session and the matriculation of a total of 156 students from our three colleges. We also seize this opportunity to announce to the whole World that academic activities have started in earnest at this University.
This ceremony is evidence of the hard work and dedication of the staff and Management of Al-Ansar University, who have worked tirelessly to ensure that our admission process was efficient, fair, and competitive.
Our pioneer students have shown great promise and potential. They represent our hopes and dreams for the future of Al-Ansar University, and we are honored to have them as part of our community.
Their acceptance into Al-Ansar University is a clear manifestation of their hard work, dedication, and academic achievements. As they begin their journey toward academic excellence, let us all pledge to support and guide them in every way possible.
On behalf of the entire Al-Ansar University community, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our newly admitted students. You are the future leaders of tomorrow, and we are proud to have you
as part of this family.
As we welcome our dear students with open arms, I wish to assure you that Al-Ansar University will provide excellent academic resources, infrastructure, and a conducive learning environment to help you achieve your goals, and aspirations and also maximize and bring out your hidden talents and potentials. Having come from diverse backgrounds, our students should take advantage of being in this University and blend for the cultivation of life-long relationships.
I must say that it is commendable for an illustrious son of Borno, Dr Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, mni, for establishing educational institutions like Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri. Such institutions create opportunities for people to gain access to quality education and further their knowledge and acquire relevant skills.
Dr Dikwa’s passion for education and humanitarian activities is highly appreciated as it serves as a catalyst for positive change in society. The establishment of Al-Ansar University will go a long way in providing a platform for students to acquire quality education that will enable them to contribute to the socioeconomic development of their communities and the country at large.
The Founder of Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, deserves more appreciation for his vision and
commitment for increasing access to tertiary education for the youths in the region through the establishment of this university. This will have a significant impact on the community’s social and economic development. We need more people like him in Borno who are passionate about providing quality education for the younger generation.
As a pioneer Vice-Chancellor, I am honored to lead a university that prides itself as a world-class institution with a strong commitment to academic excellence. Al-Ansar University is collaborating with several Universities and other institutions globally to enrich the curriculum of its programs and also in the area of cutting-edge innovative research that will impact positively.
I would like to acknowledge the contributions of The Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum CON, mni, FNSE, Our Pioneer Chancellor, His Eminence, The Shehu of Borno, Dr Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi CFR, FNSE, The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, MFR, mni, Chairmen and Members of Al-Ansar Foundation, Board of Trustees, Governing Council, Senate, Management, Staff
and all Stakeholders to growth and development of the University.
The University, as you are aware, has been established with the intention of providing modern education at the highest levels, steeped in Islamic tradition and encompassed with the fear of Allah (SWT). In other words, the University is committed to excellence in the development of diverse categories of individuals with the skills and competencies to enhance their capacities for global mobility. Added to this is the University’s commitment to research and generation of information to support community growth.
The University is today, through this Matriculation ceremony, admitting into its roll, its first set of students. You are the pioneers and would forever be known for this. You will be setting the stage for others in the future to follow. You are the leaders that others will look up to. It is my hope that you are all ready to take up this exciting mantle.
The Al-Ansar University is an institution of the future. A close look around would demonstrate
our direction towards excellence. The Founder of this young institution has the aim of supporting our local communities, the Kanem-Borno Empire, Nigeria, and the wider World in the transformation of our societies through quality higher education, skills development and acquisition, research and selfless community service.
To achieve this, our key objective is to leverage on the vision of the Founder to build personal and professional development of our students. As you will know, over the years the foundations for your development have emanated from the family, basic and secondary institutions as well as the wider society. Your coming to Al-Ansar University will set the stage for ensuring that your personal and professional aspirations are further developed and consolidated with great care.
At Al-Ansar University, we have three Collages with highly academic staff expertise in a wide
range of disciplines. Our professors and lecturers are committed to teaching, research, and outreach, in addition, our highly experienced non-teaching staff are also available to provide excellent student support services. Our academic staff are committed to producing graduates that are knowledgeable, ethical, and equipped to navigate the complex challenges of the 21st century.
Our state-of-the-art facilities will provide students with the best learning experience. We have invested in creating an environment that encourages creativity, innovation, and collaboration.
The University will continue to develop facilities to support your academic and social growth. The Library & Information Services; Information Technology Services; Laboratories, are just a few of the facilities that we are earnestly strengthening to ensure that you have access to world-class facilities to support teaching, learning, and research. The University has signed a number of MoUs with institutions within and outside the country with the aim of enhancing the learning experience of our dear students. Our goal is to produce graduates who not only possess the requisite knowledge and skills to succeed in their chosen fields but are also imbued with high moral standards.
At Al-Ansar University, we believe that education should not only be about imparting knowledge but also about developing character. We aim to graduate students who are committed to making positive contributions to society and who are mindful of the impact of their actions on others.
I encourage our new students to take advantage of the opportunities at Al-Ansar University. You are embarking on a journey that will not only be challenging but rewarding. You have made the right choice by choosing Al-Ansar University, and we are excited to have you as part of our community. I wish you all the best and look forward to celebrating your successes in the years ahead. There is no doubt that many of you have looked forward to this very day in your lives. It is a day that enables you to commence the process of working on taking advantage of potential opportunities because of what it offers for your development. Today is the beginning of a key stage in your lives.
The University is a very different environment from other educational settings you may have been in before. There is greater freedom. The reality is that the way you handle this environment will determine a number of things in your life both in the present and in the future.
Coming to a University is an indication of some sort of maturing and readiness for the challenges and opportunities to come. You have greater leeway to make decisions that affect both you and others. The question is whether you are ready for this freedom. This is because your actions could make or mar you!
As I welcome you to this institution, the important thing to note is that this is a higher institution of learning. As was the case in your earlier educational processes, here you will not expect dictation or copying of notes. Rather you will have lectures, discussions, and exchange of diverse ideas. From these, you can learn and form opinions based on consideration of different facts. It is a stage to help set the pace for future roles.
In many ways, what you do here will determine your future. Can you apply the advantages in this environment for the public good? If you’re not able to, you will be on the way to distracting from your potential.
The reason why I have had to start with these admonitions is because what we have is a partnership between you the students, the University, and the wider society. Everyone must be aware of their responsibilities so that our primary objective of quality outcomes is achieved. Everything we achieve in life depends on what we make of opportunities available to us.
This University is an off-shoot of Al-Ansar. The Al-Ansar Foundation has over the years impacted our communities in the provision of education, especially Islamic education. This has been through a number of schools run by the institution.
The establishment of Al-Ansar University by the Foundation is part of the commitment to further build on this and to ensure that our youths benefit from the highest quality of education based on the Islamic tradition. As we know, Borno is noted in history for scholarship. This University will build on
this towards ensuring that we develop individuals to support the dynamism of our society. We are guided by the Vision of the University which is ‘to be a world-class academic institution where faith, innovation and service are nurtured for the advancement of human development’.
The University is therefore committed to excellence! I want you to note that word – ‘excellence’. If it is a term that is strange to you, look up the meaning. Commitment to the Islamic tradition is associated with this.
You are here to seek and strengthen your knowledge to support excellence. This is reflected in
the Motto of the University which is “My Lord! Increase Me in Knowledge”. Your presence here should be guided by this commitment. Nothing more and definitely, nothing less! You will all be going through different undergraduate programmes. These are part of the processes to support you in the building of the foundations that have been laid over the years in your lives. There will be no compromise in approach because what happens here is meant to help in shaping your future.
Our programmes are structured to enhance your capacity to understand your environment and be able to excel in whatever situations you find yourselves. There is therefore the need for you to be focused and attentive at all times. It will enable you to learn and the University and its community to also learn from you.
In line with the dynamism of the 21st Century, you are required not only to concentrate on your studies but also to utilize to the maximum advantage, the exploration of opportunities available to you for your good and those of the wider community. You have the opportunity to make friends that could be life-long. You have opportunity to grow in other ways and use your ideas to promote the good of society.
Our dear students, I would like to remind you of the importance of upholding your matriculation oath and being law-abiding while studying at Al-Ansar University. The university has a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of misconduct, and you are reminded to respect this policy at all times.
As students, it is important to shun all acts of misconduct and behave in a responsible and
respectful manner. Some of the behaviours to avoid include cultism, examination-related
misconduct, unruly behaviours, truancy, fighting, willful destruction of university properties, all forms of social vices, improper use of social media, and improper dressing among others. Engaging in any of these acts of misconduct puts you at risk of severe sanctions.
Remember that your actions reflect not only on you but also on the university as a whole. By being responsible and disciplined, you establish yourself as a role model, and you contribute to creating a safe and conducive academic environment for all students. Always keep in mind the importance of upholding your matriculation oath and being law-abiding. Let us all work together to make Al-Ansar University a place of academic excellence and personal growth.
Let me also sound a note of warning. In line with the Islamic tenets of this institution, you are expected to demonstrate a high sense of responsibility and morality. You will have unlimited freedom but this is meant to be used positively and as necessary, impact the wider society with it. Do not be tempted by joining groups that have no positive approach to the good of society.
In order words, cult or related association which have anti-social inclination is completely not tolerated. Study the University Handbook carefully to ensure that whatever you do is in line with the total goals of being here. Anything that goes against this will be met with necessary sanctions. You
should work towards using your time for positive means. Work towards belonging to groups that support your academic, social, professional and spiritual outlook.
In concentrating on your studies, you should pay attention to exploring new knowledge. Do not just concentrate on what you discuss in class or in your syllabus. Go deeper for it will provide you greater advantage for both now and in the future. Pay attention to the utilization of technology and how you can use this to support your daily activities as a student and other spheres.
In this University, you will always have at your disposal, people who will provide you guidance to support your growth. If you have challenges, ensure that you bring this to the attention those concerned at the Departmental or Faculty level.
Note that there is zero tolerance for any form of academic corruption. These include sorting,
sexual harassment and any form of examination malpractice. The punishment for these is quite severe and could ultimately lead to custodial sentence.
You are all now part and parcel of the University and its very wide community. You must take actions to stand you out positively. This could be through your academic work, community and related activities. We expect you to be an ambassador of the institution – good ambassadors so that wherever you go, you can hold your head high and be recognized for your commitment to excellence.
The University will do all it can to ensure you excel, you are required to be a partner in this process by reciprocating and living up to the standards that we seek. You will have at your disposal, seasoned lecturers whose core concern is to ensure that you make the best of your stay here. It is an opportunity that you must not misuse.
Making the best of these opportunities will be life-changing and ensure not only your personal and professional growth but also cement your capacity to contribute to the development of the immediate and wider society.
You must note that you are one of a chosen few. About two million Nigerian youths applied for entry into higher education this year. Less than thirty percent of these were successful in getting places. It is, therefore, necessary to note that the space you have is of premium. It must not be misused or abused. Such a situation will affect the nation, your immediate families, and ultimately your selves.
Once again, I congratulate you on your becoming a valued member of this University community.
You must work to make the best of what we offer you.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all those present and especially our esteemed guests for gracing our maiden matriculation ceremony with your presence. We appreciate your support and encouragement, and we look forward to working closely with you all in the future.
Once again, I welcome all of you to Al-Ansar University’s Maiden Matriculation Ceremony, and I wish all our students a successful and fulfilling academic year.
Thank you.
