By Felix Khanoba
The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) on Thursday matriculated over 7,000 students into its various academic programmes for the 2024/2025 academic session.
Speaking at the event, Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, congratulated the students on their admission and urged them to embrace hard work and discipline to excel in their academic pursuits.
“I salute your courage and steadfastness in choosing the University of Abuja as your first choice and working hard to gain admission into the highly sought institution considering that over 38,000 applicants vied for the 7,794 available slots. I assure you that you will not regret your choice once you put in the necessary hard work in your studies and discipline in your conduct that is required to excel and graduate from the University of Abuja,” she stated.
Professor Maikudi also commended the parents and guardians in attendance, emphasizing the importance of their continued support and supervision.
“Today’s event only marks an important beginning in the sojourn of your children and wards in this citadel of learning. I urge you to bear in mind the need to constantly monitor their academic progress alongside their moral conduct while studying at the University,” she advised.
While reaffirming the university’s commitment to providing a conducive learning environment, the Vice Chancellor cautioned students against involvement in cultism, examination malpractice, squatting in hostels, and other forms of misconduct.
“The signing of the Matriculation Oath seals the deal in this regard for both the students and the University. Any breach of the oath amounts to disobedience or disregard of the regulations and such act has severe consequences on the recalcitrant student, including suspension or expulsion from the University,” she warned.
“For its part, the University of Abuja has zero tolerance for all acts of indiscipline including obnoxious acts such as cultism, sexual harassment, examination misconduct, and squatting in hostels among others,” she added.
Professor Maikudi encouraged students to familiarize themselves with the university’s rules and regulations, as ignorance would not be accepted as an excuse for any violations.
“The published student handbook is expected to be your guide because ignorance cannot be an excuse for any unbecoming conduct or infractions in the system,” she noted.
Emphasizing the university’s diverse community, she urged students to foster unity and respect among themselves, regardless of their backgrounds.
“I urge all the students of the University of Abuja to freely mingle and treat one another as brothers and sisters in line with our core values of unity and scholarship. Our university community truly reflects the Nigerian Federation as all sections of the country are represented in both staff and student composition. Hence, it is incumbent on us to promote corporate harmony by avoiding actions capable of polarising us along the fault lines of religion, ethnicity, and agenda, among others,” she emphasized.
She further reminded students that the university awards degrees based on both character and academic performance, with the authority to withdraw such degrees if recipients are found unworthy.
“It is worthy to note that students can study and graduate and degrees are awarded to them by the University based on character and learning. And that degrees awarded can be withdrawn by the University at any time the recipient is deemed to be unworthy of it. This means that as you are matriculated today, your engagement with the University of Abuja is a life-long affair that should be nurtured and sustained with the required diligence and discipline,” she said.
The AUTHORITY reports that the new students were administered the matriculation oath by the Acting registrar of the university, Islamiyat Abdul-Rahim.
The event, which marked Professor Maikudi’s first matriculation ceremony since her appointment as Vice Chancellor just over a month ago, was attended by principal officers, deans, heads of departments, and distinguished guests from far and near.
