Edo Governor, AAU Acting VC, Others Honoured With Alumni Awards

By Mike Aladenika

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has assured the management, staff, and students of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma of his commitment to rebranding the institution for global relevance.

While receiving the prestigious AAU Distinguished Leadership Award in Ekpoma, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the need for collective support to revive the university, which has suffered from years of neglect.

Represented by the Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Jonathan Ibhamawu, the governor called on staff and students to work together towards growing the institution.

He pledged to invest in AAU to regain its position among top universities, promising to support the Governing Council and Management with infrastructural needs, including road construction and electricity generation.

"In his opening remarks, Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sunday Olowo Samuel congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo on his Supreme Court victory, validating the will of the Edo people. He assured the governor that the university management is committed to repositioning AAU in line with his vision.

Prof. Samuel highlighted the university's recent achievements, including:

- Resolving JAMB-related challenges for graduates, enabling them to participate in NYSC

- Implementing a new senate policy on certificates and transcripts, ensuring graduates receive certificates immediately after graduation

- Resolving long-standing missing results, allowing students to access their results before registering for new sessions

- Lifting the TETFund ban, restoring staff access to funding for academic development

- Making progress on College of Medicine issues, including securing approval for nursing science admissions and awaiting final approval for medicine and surgery

- Promoting 57 staff to professor and 56 to associate professor, marking a renewed commitment to academic career progression

- Improving research output, with staff securing TETFund research grants and hosting regular research workshops

The ceremony culminated in the conferment of prestigious leadership awards on Governor Okpebholo, Hon. Jonathan Ibhamawu, Prof. Sunday Olowo Samuel, Fred Itua, and others."