UNN confers honorary degree on Austin Avuru

The University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka on Thursday conferred honorary degree on the MD/ CEO, Seplat Petroleum, Mr Austin Avuru at the occasion of its special convocation and Founders’ Day Lecture.

Avuru who was conferred with Doctor of Business Administration delivered founders’ lecture.

In his lecture titled, “Education and Development in Nigeria: A Dream Betrayed”, he urged Federal Government to increase education funding.

He said this would be the only way to transform education completely in the next 20 years.

“Education spending has to increase to tenfold over the next twenty years if education has to be transformed complete in the country.

“This increase will evolve a skill-based society that can propel the economy to its full potential,” he said.

He urged government to use Rwanda education transformation as case study adding that education transformation had stimulated various sectors of economy and fast track national development in Rwanda.

The lecturer advocated for birth control policy in the country that would ensure that every family has maximum of two children to avert uncontrollable population explosion in future.

“No amount of money invested in education in the next twenty years without population control will yield the required result.

“Our population growth must be reduced from the current 3.5 per cent to no more than 1.5 to enable the country avert overpopulation that will put serious pressure on the economy,” he said.

The MD expressed special appreciation to UNN for conferring on him honorary doctorate degree in Business Administration, adding that it would enable him to do more to humanity.

“I am humbled by this doctorate award by the university, this will challenged to do more to the university and humanity in general,” he said.

In a remark, the Vice- Chancellor University of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba said the university singled out Avuru for recognition for his effort at giving back to the University of Nigeria and impacting society in every positive ways.

“It is part of reliving the dreams of the founding fathers of this great institution to honour those who upheld the ideals, visions and missions of the University of Nigeria.

The Vice-Chancellor said his administration has revised the academic curricula of the institution to reflect current global realities.

He said prior to the inception of his administration most faculties and departments had no accreditation.

“As you are probably aware, this is the last Founders’ Day Celebration that I shall be presiding over as the Vice-Chancellor as my tenure will end next year.

“Today, all over 100 academic programmes running in this University are fully accredited”, he said.

High point of the occasion was the conferment of Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) on Mr. Austin Avuru at the 58th Founders’ day celebration.