Delivering this year’s Convocation Lecture on Friday 25 July , 2025 at the “unique” University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) as part of the 50th anniversary of the institution, Duoye Diri, Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, “challenged the University system in Nigeria to produce graduates who would be problem solvers”.
Diri, an alumnus of UNIPORT, congratulated the graduands and encouraged the students “to embrace the courage that is inherent within you to navigate the complexities of life beyond these walls”.
Taking to X, Governor Diri said: “I was profoundly honoured to have delivered this year’s Convocation Lecture at the unique University of Port Harcourt as part of the 50th anniversary of the great institution.
“What a great occasion to mark a return to this esteemed citadel of learning, over three decades after my graduation.
“In my lecture titled, “Retooling University Education for Greater Impact: Celebrating UNIPORT at 50”, I challenged the University system in Nigeria to produce graduates who would be problem solvers with a deliberate curriculum to enable them acquire vital skills that will make them self-reliant.
“It is time to leverage on the plethora of Universities in the country including the privately owned ones towards industrialisation for national growth and development.
“In my lecture to the great audience comprising distinguished scholars, private citizens, and new graduates, I made the following recommendations to enhance quality education and industry-based knowledge in the Ivory Towers across the country:
“a. Government at all levels should provide intentional budgetary allocations and adequate funding for our educational institutions.
“b. Private sector, intervention/donor agencies, and others should promote and fund research in our universities.
“c. Universities should encourage peer review locally and internationally.
“d. Policy makers and education managers should develop and update curriculum and methodology at all stages of learning to meet current realities.
“e. Institutions should train, retrain, and retain existing manpower for optimal service delivery.
“f. Universities should embrace technological advancement and innovation in our educational systems for sustainable growth and development.
“As a proud alumnus of the University, I seized the occasion to join in the celebration of 50 years of academic excellence by the institution that has produced key personalities including a former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR.
“I am delighted to see that we have not merely counted the years, we have made those years truly count!
“To our esteemed graduands, I congratulate you once again on your successful academic journey and as ambassadors of the Unique UNIPORT, I encourage you to embrace the courage that is inherent within you to navigate the complexities of life beyond these walls.
“And as part of my contribution to the growth of the University, I have made a commitment to build new blocks of staff quarters for the institution.
“Once again, I congratulate the Governing Council and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Owunari Georgewill for the attainment of a golden age by our very own Unique University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State.
