UNICAL honours Betta Edu, other alumni at convocation

The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has conferred an honorary doctorate on Dr Betta Edu, former Minister and National Woman Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), during its 37th Convocation and 50th Anniversary Lecture held at the Calabar International Conference Centre (CICC) on Thursday.

Speaking after the ceremony, Dr Edu expressed her gratitude for the recognition, pledging to use the honorary degree to impact the less privileged and society at large.

“It’s a privilege, and I must thank God Almighty for this opportunity to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of my alma mater, the great University of Calabar, which helped shape my leadership skills,” she said.

Dr Edu, a proud member of the class of ’29, also highlighted her class’s ongoing efforts to complete and equip the university’s medical centre, emphasising that education remains the key to eradicating poverty.

Other notable honourees included the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, who delivered the guest lecture, the wife of the Senate President, Uloma Godwin Akpabio, and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.

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In his lecture titled *”Our Gowns in Town and in Cyberspace: Sustainable and Human-Centred Education – The Mandate of Our Universities (2025–2075),”* Rt Hon Kalu stressed the importance of universities as catalysts for national progress.

“Universities must move beyond theories and ensure their impact is felt in society. Our education is incomplete if the town does not feel the impact of our gown,” he said.

He also called for a reassessment of Nigeria’s quota system, advocating for gender parity and the integration of digital technology to transform education in the country.

The Vice Chancellor of UNICAL, Prof Florence Obi, praised the honourees for their contributions to humanity, expressing pride in the institution’s alumni, many of whom hold key decision-making roles in Nigeria.

“UNICAL has produced men and women of timber and calibre who continue to uphold the banner of this institution, shaping our nation’s policies and future,” she remarked.