The management of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has honoured the overall best student of the institution, Henry Ogorchukwu Abanum, with the “Osasere Osifo Prize for Academic Excellence” award at the just concluded 46th and 47th combined convocation ceremony of the institution.
The Academic Excellence Prize is an initiative of a former President of the UNIBEN Students’ Union, Osasere Osifo, who is currently the Vice-President of the University of Benin Alumni Association, North America, UBAANA chapter, and also a member of the United States Air Force.
The award presentation ceremony took place on Monday at the University of Benin Students’ Affairs Division, where Abanum, who graduated with a First Class, 4.97 GPA, from the Faculty of Pharmacy, was honoured with the sum of N250,000 by Osifo in recognition of his academic excellence.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Osifo lamented that celebrating mediocrity and shunning excellence was fast becoming a norm in today’s society, hence, the coming on board of the Osasere Osifo Prize for Academic Excellence to change the narrative.
Osifo, who was represented by a former Public Relations Officer of the UNIBEN SUG, Comrade Oguche Divine Omale, said the academic feat achieved by Abanum should be applauded by all lovers of excellence, hard work, and diligence.
Osifo said the award “hopes to inspire other Nigerian students to make excellence their cardinal objective as they go through the four walls of the university.”
He expressed confidence that the award was the beginning of every good thing to come the way of the awardee by graduating top of his class and as overall best in the University of Benin.
Osifo added that Abanum had proven that quality “is never an accident, but the result of intelligent effort,” saying that the intelligent effort of Abanum “is what is being rewarded today.”
Those present at the Award ceremony held at the Ugbowo Campus of UNIBEN were the institution’s Dean of Students’ Affairs, Professor Patrick Igbinaduwa; and the Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy, the awardee’s Faculty, Professor Mike Uhumwangho.
Other representatives of Osifo present at the event include the Public Relations Officer of the UNIBEN Alumni Association, Comrade Kevin Omokaro Kaka; Comrade Nosakhare Eguagie; NANS leaders including Comrades Imadeyogie Stephen, Pius Effam Payeke, and CAMPUS GIST publisher, Ogochukwu Isioma
