Students have been urged to cultivate the habit of reading to expand their knowledge and become global citizens capable of competing favourably with their counterparts worldwide.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) at the African School of Economics (ASE), Professor Michael Maduagwu, gave this admonition at the first matriculation ceremony of ASE, which took place on Wednesday at the school campus in Abuja.
Professor Maduagwu, who was also the guest lecturer at the event, delivered a lecture titled “Education: The Pathway to Success in Life”. He described ASE as a training ground for global citizens, emphasising that while the internet can aid reading, it cannot replace published works.
He charged the matriculants to be time-conscious and manage it effectively and efficiently, while also upholding ethics and discipline, particularly in character and learning.
“Education opens all doors. Education is the key—without it, you can’t move forward. Some people say education is expensive; I say, try illiteracy. Education prepares you for life, for success, for everything you are doing. Knowledge is out there, and education provides it.
“The internet is only a tool to provide you with resources through Google. It cannot replace published works, whether online or in the library. The internet makes books accessible, so you don’t have to go to a physical library. Previously, if you didn’t visit a physical library, you couldn’t find certain books. But now, books are available online, though this does not replace reading. You download, read, and prepare—that is the point.
“Develop a reading culture. The university is preparing you to read widely and not confine yourself solely to your course of study. Read extensively and do not wait for lecturers; read ahead of them. The university is a training ground for global citizens, and the more you read, the more you broaden your horizon. You must uphold ethics and discipline, especially in character and learning. You have to be conscious of time and manage it effectively and efficiently. If you don’t abide by time, it will leave you behind,” Professor Maduagwu told Tribune Online.
The Vice-Chancellor of the African School of Economics, Professor Mahfouz Adedimeji, speaking on the topic “Three Principles, Six Stories”, urged the matriculants to maintain focus, cultivate resilience, and embrace curiosity. He advised them to be confident, develop an I-can-do-it spirit, and trust and hope, stating that their attitude will ultimately determine their career success.
He said, “My message, as I mentioned in my matriculation address where I spoke on Three Principles, Six Stories, is for them to be curious, remain focused, and be determined—because Rome was not built in a day.
“It takes a lot of dedication and commitment to succeed. It is essential for them to have a dream, a drive, and determination, but it is equally important for them to have dedication. At the same time, discipline is crucial for success, and distractions must be avoided as much as possible.
“This is just the beginning, and they are starting very well. You can see when the founder also spoke to us from Princeton University. They have all the facilities required for success, and I believe ASE has the capacity and capability to lead the current generation of Africans towards the future, which is now. Students should remain hardworking because hard work ultimately pays.
“In the next five years, ASE will be competing with leading institutions in the Nigerian university ecosystem. Our students are diverse, coming from different parts of the country. Our staff and faculty members are equally diverse, originating from different parts of the world. We have everything necessary to compete with top-tier universities within Nigeria.
“We are not limiting ourselves to the Nigerian ecosystem—we are competing on a global scale. Our partners across the world are world-class universities, and we have no excuse not to excel beyond what they have achieved so far.”
Tribune Online reports that a total of 44 students were matriculated—23 from the Faculty of Arts, Management, and Social Sciences; 11 from the Faculty of Science and Computing; and 10 from the Faculty of Agriculture, Environmental, and Allied Health Sciences.
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