The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has proved to be in a class of its own when it comes moulding students to imbibe the culture of hard work, diligence and voracious reading habit, Innocent Otache, the Best Graduating Student at the just concluded 12th Convocation Ceremony of the university, has said.
The ceremony, where 28, 470 students graduated, was held on Saturday, March 25, 2023 and witnessed Mr. Otache emerged as the Best Graduating Student, with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.60.
In a chat with NOUN News, Otache, who earned BSc. in Entrepreneurship and Business Management, stated that NOUN provides immense opportunity for those whose hope for acquiring education were dashed.
“Who would have believed that a man like me would have the chance to speak to the calibre of men sitting here today and that I would be live on TV, but that has only been made possible by NOUN,” he said in a valedictory speech at the ceremony.
A husband and father who works as a lecturer at the Kogi State Idah Polytechnic, he began his studies in the university in 2015.
Speaking on his academic endeavours, he said attending NOUN wasn’t for the faint of heart and that graduating with a First Class was no simple task. You must put forth the effort to succeed because NOUN’s curriculum is “do it yourself.
“NOUN has given us the information, abilities, and experience required to meet the highly competitive labour market.”
He admitted that it was a difficult experience, especially while juggling work and school, stressing, however, that it was still the best because it offered him the time and chance to continue working while learning, something impossible at conventional universities.
“There was a time when I had exams at NOUN and I was the exam officer at my place of work. I would hand out exam scripts to staff members to be distributed to students, and then I would quickly run to NOUN to write my exams,” he recalled.
Otache emphasised that you have to be very hard-working and studious to be a NOUN student and graduate. “Students at this highly flexible university sometimes can get carried away, but to succeed, you must put in a lot of effort and develop a voracious reading habit.”
He praised NOUN for enhancing its facilities, which made learning even simpler and more efficient for students, but advised the management about the need for regular curriculum updates.
While congratulating his fellow graduates, he advised them to go and make a difference in the world and “serve as good ambassadors for this illustrious university.”
