…Fubara promises sustained funding, security at satellite campuses
A total of 157 students of Rivers State University (RSU) graduated with First Class honours out of 13,242 degrees conferred during the institution’s 37th and 38th combined convocation ceremony held on Friday and Saturday in Port Harcourt.
The graduating class comprised 10,648 first-degree recipients and 2,594 postgraduate awardees. The event drew thousands of families, friends, and well-wishers celebrating the academic accomplishments of the new graduates.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, who attended the ceremony, congratulated the students and praised their resilience, discipline, and hard work. He also commended parents, guardians, and the university’s leadership for their sacrifices and commitment to nurturing the graduates.
The governor urged the graduands to approach life with a problem-solving mindset and to explore entrepreneurship in the state’s expanding economic landscape.
“As you journey onward, let hard work, integrity, and honesty guide you,” he said.
Governor Fubara reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to stable and enhanced funding for RSU as part of a broader effort to strengthen the state’s education sector. He said priority areas include closing infrastructural gaps, improving welfare for staff and students, and boosting security on campuses.
He announced that satellite campuses outside Port Harcourt, especially those facing operational challenges, will receive accelerated attention in 2026.
“We will continue to fulfil our financial obligations to the university,” he assured. “Education remains the most vital investment for national development.”
The governor commended RSU’s growth trajectory and encouraged the university to deepen its investment in research and innovation to help tackle emerging socio-economic challenges.
RSU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, presiding over his first convocation since his appointment on March 6, 2025, highlighted several achievements under his administration. These include securing accommodation for 40,000 students and achieving full accreditation for all academic programmes despite daunting challenges.
He confirmed that among the graduates, 157 earned First Class, 2,587 Second Class Upper, and 6,275 Second Class Lower degrees.
Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman, Hon. Okey Wali, SAN, praised the governor’s funding support, describing it as pivotal in strengthening RSU’s operations. He unveiled a five-year Strategic Development Plan (2026–2030) aimed at repositioning RSU as a globally competitive institution.
Key features of the plan include promoting research with commercial value, restructuring administrative systems—including creating a third Deputy Vice-Chancellor position—and enforcing a zero-tolerance stance on corruption, extortion, and sexual harassment.
The Chancellor, His Royal Highness Justice Dr. Sidi Bage Mohammad, lauded the Fubara administration for making RSU one of the best-funded public universities in Nigeria. He urged the institution and others nationwide to embrace emerging technologies and artificial intelligence to enhance learning and innovation while safeguarding academic integrity.
