Open Letter to Graduates of Benue State University

congratulations to all of you who recently graduated from the prestigious Benue State University, Makurdi.

I am well aware, that the four to five years academic journey might not have been an easy one indeed.
However, today we have every cause
to say thanks be to God from whom all good things are sent to us from heaven above. Indeed, it was not easy, but it was worth it ALL! Accept my hearty congratulations Beloved Friends.

Let me restate the obvious that we are all well aware, that the University as a citadel of learning train and empower individuals to be worthy in character and learning. As you bask in the euphoria of being the latest and newest GRADUATES in town, may I crave your indulgence that by your university education, our ailing society is looking up to you as change agents.

Realizing that you have been adequately armed with a rich deposit of knowledge in the last four to five years of your study in this prestigious University, I wish to charge you to affect positively our sick shared social space in the least possible way you can. All you need is knowledge and I strongly believe you have already been empowered with the needful knowledge to champion a meaningful way forward for our shared social space called society.

Please note, that as University Graduates properly called in strict sense and meaning, the most important part of you will always be what is in the inside of you and that is the knowledge you have been empowered with. I wish to charge you in line with what is captured more succinctly in the motto of the Benue State University which is “Scientia Liberatio Populorum” Meaning: “Knowledge for the Liberation of the People” I encourage you all to use the knowledge in the inside of you to liberate yourself and our society too. In essence I am urging all of you to live the motto of our University.

It is a common saying that “many pass the University, but the University fails to pass through them”; this saying holds true for many of the 21st Century Nigerian graduates as it is very often clearly manifested in their immoral conducts and poor academic performance and abysmal performance in the labour market and career practice. However, I am convinced that Benue State University Graduates are always pacesetters in good moral conduct and excellent academic performance.
Bearing the above in mind, I wish to charge you dear friends to sustain good moral conduct and shun all acts that are inimical to overall societal good wherever you find yourselves. Let the university education and a Godly experience always pass through and manifest in you that you do to affect our society very positively.

Beloved Friends, on every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what is the situation, you must continue to do your duties to make our shared social space a better place to live in.” In the words of the Legendary Pop Singer; Michael Jackson, I wish to encourage you to “heal the world, make it a better place for you and I” and indeed for posterity.


A WORD ABOUT THE LABOUR MARKET EXPERIENCE
It was Lon Walters who once said that “School is a building that has four walls with tomorrow inside”. I totally submit to Lon Walter’s viewpoint, and of course the glorious expectation of finding the tomorrow inside of school by the graduate is always to find employment or job placement commensurate to the academic height attained.

Regrettably however, the prevailing situation in the Nigerian labour market often paints a gloomy and a bleak future for the 21st Century Nigerian graduate. This is because our socio-economy is suffering from an economic illness or macro-economic disequilibrium called “Unemployment” which is growing by the day.

The hard truth is, with the mass number of graduates churned out yearly from our Universities and other tertiary institutions of learning, the existing job placements both in the private and public sectors appears to grossly inadequate.

However we are people of hope, therefore our hope in the Lord always endures. And by our hope in the Lord, as you prepare to venture into the labour market, I enjoin you not to fear what the future holds out there, but be very optimistic and prayerful too that God will most assuredly see you through when and how He pleases.

Dear Friends, may I crave your indulgence that as you graduate from the University, you will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, (such problems could be difficulty in securing job placements, difficulty in getting the right man or woman to marry, inability to further enroll for postgraduate studies etc), but may I let you know that you need it to become a stronger person.

As you all are well aware, life is not a bed of roses, of course nothing good comes easy. However do not fear, for Emmanuel who was with us has promised to shepherd his flock (Psalm 23:1), for you have strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives you (Philippians 4:13).

“You are blessed with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). “You are born of God, hence Evil cannot touch you” (1 John 5:18). “You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10). And above all I charge you to believe that “You can do ALL THINGS (Emphasis mine) through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).
Dear Friends, I enjoin you all to always remain WORTHY AMBASSADORS of the prestigious Benue State University, Makurdi and indeed WORTHY AMBASSADORS of your immediate families that invested so much for you to acquire knowledge to conquer ignorance.
On this note, I commit you to the divine care and protection of our Good Lord Jesus Christ while I assure you of my prayerful best regards.

Once more, accept my hearty congratulations.

Yours Truly,
Nathaniel Ushahemba Nongu