Olu Samuel, Lokoja

The Salem University, Lokoja in Kogi state, has said that machineries have been set in motion to add new colleges, including medicine, engineering and agriculture to its colleges.

The University Vice Chancellor (VC),Professor Alewo Johnson-Akubo, made the disclosure during a pre- convocation press briefing held in his Lokoja office.

The VC said that the introduction of new colleges became imperative in view of the high demands from the numerous candidates looking for admissions into the University nowadays.

“Considering the demands from the numerous candidates to our University we intend to establish the Colleges of medicine, engineering, Agriculture and a host of others in the interest of our teeming youths both within and outside Nigeria.

“It will interest you to know that we don’t want to disappoint nor discourage candidates desiring to study some of these courses in our institution hence the plan to add these colleges to what we already have.

“It will interest you to know that only recently we mobilised the first set of graduands of our law college for the mandatory one year Law School.

“The cheering news is that during our 5th Convocation Ceremony coming up on Nov. 25, we will be graduating 960 students in a population of global leaders found worthy in character and learning to be awarded with first class in various disciplines,” he said

Johnson-Akubo said, “the convocation for the release of our hange agents will begin with the Convocation Lecture with the Topic: “Beyond the 2023 General Elections: The Role of the Media in Deepening Democracy in Nigeria” scheduled for Thursday, Nov 24 at our Law College Auditorium.”

He said the Guest Lecturer for the topic was a Veteran Journalist per excellence, Mrs Eugenia Abu, the Managing Partner/CEO, Euginia Abu Media, and former Executive Director of Programmes, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

Johnson Akubo said that in spite of some challenges, the University has achieved some feats, which include, accreditation of all university’s programmes by the National University Commission (NUC) and Mobilisation of its first set of 36 Law Graduates for the mandatory one Year programme at the Nigeria Law School.

While appreciating the media, the VC said the media has a great role to play as the watch dog of the society by ensuring that all the electioneering campaigns and the conducts of the elections were well reported to the approval and satisfaction of Nigerians and the international Community.

He adds that as the 2023 general elections is fast approaching, Journalists must not be seen to be bias in any form but display their professionalism in a plausible way and manner for the development of the Nigeria.