Text of the Address of the Vice-Chancellor of African School of Economics (The Pan-African University of Excellence), Abuja, Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, Delivered on the Occasion of the Maiden Matriculation Ceremony of the University at the Main Hall, ASE, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Courtesies
It is my immense joy and delight to welcome you, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, to the maiden matriculation ceremony of the African School of Economics (The Pan-African University of Excellence), Abuja. I especially welcome our esteemed guests, starting from the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Emeritus Is-haq Oloyede, CON, to the Chairman of our Board of Trustees, Prof. Michael Maduagwu, who doubles today as our Distinguished Speaker. I duly acknowledge and appreciate our Pro-Chancellor and former Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD, Her Excellency, Princess Gloria Akobundu, fsi, and I recognise all our faculty, staff, guests, parents and gentlemen of the press.
Today marks a significant watershed in the annals of the African School of Economics, Nigeria, as we matriculate our pioneer students. It is remarkable that the University, which was licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) early last year, has within just a year made some definitive steps in the march to greatness. It is in this regard that I acknowledge the vision and commitment of our esteemed founder, Prof. Leonard Wantcheckon, whose passion for the development of Africa is infectious.
Invitation to ASE, Abuja
African School of Economics is a university with a difference. As it is said that necessity is the mother of invention, ASE was conceived to fill a lacuna in the African higher educational system. Africa has often been associated with indices of underdevelopment with many of our countries dealing with the challenges of unemployment, inequality, poor per capital income, insecurity and many more. Through prioritising the developmental dimensions of university education and imbuing students with entrepreneurial spirit that would make them overcome the economic challenges that confront Africa, ASE integrates theory with practice and combines the cognitive, affective and psycho-motor domains of learning to produce world citizens with transnational educational experience.
It is in this regard that apart from its campuses in Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Zanzibar (Tanzania), the University has active collaborations with universities across the world. For example, there are active partnerships with Princeton University, the parent university, in the USA, Aalto University in Finland, Warwick University in England, Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, Stellenbosch University in South Africa, Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India, University Mohammed IV Polytechnic in Morocco as well as the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and University of Toronto all in Canada.
Our approach is to leverage partnership, technology and personnel to achieve functional education that transforms individuals and societies guided by our core values of IDEAS meaning Integrity, Discipline, Excellence, Accountability and Service. For us, ideas rule the world and ASE is conceived to be a sanctuary where ideas are incubated and disseminated to change the world.
The University currently has 20 undergraduate academic programmes into which we invite students in this admission year. These are programmes in English Language and Literature, History and Diplomatic Studies, Economics, Political Science, International Relations, Criminology and Security Studies, Accounting, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Medical Laboratory Science and Public Health. The University also offers approved postgraduate programmes, from Postgraduate Diploma and M.Sc. to PhD in Accounting and Finance, Business Administration and Economics to Econometrics and Public Administration. We also run short courses and capacity building programmes through the Nexus Centre and our other institutes and centres within the ASE ecosystem. We invite you to join us and be better than the best through the combined expertise of our diverse faculty drawn both nationally and internationally.
The Crucible for Creativity
To my dear students, this is your day. I welcome you formally to the extraordinary journey in ASE – your international institution where dreams are nurtured, potential is unlocked, and futures are forged. I must say today marks the start of a transformative chapter in your lives, and I am deeply honoured to stand before you as your Vice Chancellor, to guide and inspire you as you embark on this incredible adventure.
Let me emphasise to you that this University is not just a place of learning; it is a community of thinkers, innovators, and leaders. It is a sanctuary for curiosity, a crucible for creativity, and a launchpad for ambition. You have chosen to be here, and we have chosen you because we see in you the spark of greatness. Each of you from different parts of the country brings a unique story, a distinct perspective, and a set of talents that will enrich this community and, ultimately, the world.
This institution is a place of limitless possibilities, but it is also a place of responsibility. The world is facing unprecedented challenges today and you can all feel them. It is your generation that will lead the way forward and change the narrative. You are not just students; you are the architects of the future. In other words, your ideas, your innovations and your actions will shape the destiny of our world. Are you ready?
Three Guiding Principles
As you step into this new phase of your life, I want to remind you of three guiding principles that will serve as your compass on this university campus. The first is that you embrace curiosity. This implies that the pursuit of knowledge is not confined to textbooks or lecture halls. It is a lifelong journey that thrives on curiosity. Ask questions, even the ones that seem unanswerable. Challenge assumptions, even your own. Explore disciplines and books outside your comfort zone, and dare to see the world through different lenses. Some of the most profound discoveries in history began with a simple question: “What if?” So, let that spirit of inquiry drive you.
Secondly, cultivate resilience. There will be moments when the path ahead will appear daunting, when challenges will feel insurmountable, when projects will falter, when self-doubt will creep in or frustration will rear its head and you even feel like quitting. In those moments, remember that resilience is not the absence of failure but the courage to rise after every fall. Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Let your setbacks be stepping stones, whatever they may be, not stumbling blocks. You are stronger than you think, and every challenge you overcome will shape you into the person you are destined to be. You had won even before you were born become you were the fastest and strongest of the millions of spermatozoans that competed to enter your mother’s ovum.
Thirdly, maintain focus. Keep your eyes on the ball of your primary assignment in this university and be focused on your dream. In a typical multiple choice question (MCQ), the type of examination that JAMB organises, there is only one key but there are many distracters. The task of the examiner is to distract you from the key and test your capacity to separate the wheat from the chaff. Your focus or key is your academics, your studies. Don’t let friends, desires and problems distract you. Take the time to listen, to share, and to learn from one another. Diversity is our strength, and empathy is our bond. Together, you will create a network of learning, support and inspiration that will last a lifetime if you maintain focus.
Six Little Stories
Dear students, having told you three guiding principles, let me quickly share six little stories or points with you as you navigate your future through this university.
First, one day, all villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of prayer, all the people gathered but only one boy came with an umbrella. That is faith. Be faithful because faith is a powerful force that makes you forge ahead even in the most challenging times. Have faith in your God. Have faith in your country, have faith in your university and have faith in your capacity to succeed if you prepare well.
Second, when you throw babies in the air, they laugh back because they know you will catch them. That is trust. You should always trust the process and believe that hardwork ultimately pays. There is no shortcut to success. Like Abraham Lincoln, study first and your opportunity will come. Trust me.
Third, every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but we still set alarm to wake up. That is hope. If you have hope, you have everything. If you lose hope, you lose everything. We are in the era of renewed hope championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and you are beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady of Nigeria. Everyday, renew your hope and rest assured that, as the old lyrics goes, ‘everything is gonna be all right’.
Fourth, we plan big things for tomorrow in spite of our zero knowledge of the future. That is confidence. Be confident of yourself and have the I-can-do-it spirit. If you think you can, they you can. If you think you can’t, then, you can’t. Be confident, and like the slogan of former President Barrack Obama, YES, YOU CAN!
Fifth, we see the world suffering, but still we get married and have children. That is love and love is the solution to the problems of the world. Love your country; love your university; love your fellow humans because humanity is what we share in our diversity. Also embrace self-love, not self-hate, because you can’t give what you don’t have.
Sixth, on an old man’s shirt was written the sentence, “I am not 80 years old; I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience”. That is attitude. As I told you at your orientation programme on January 21, 2025, your attitude is your altitude. If you change your attitude, you change your life. Without change, there will be no change.
Ultimately, always remember that you are part of something greater than yourself. You are part of a legacy of excellence, a tradition of innovation, and a commitment to making the world a better place. The future is not something that happens to you, it is something you create through commitment and efforts. Therefore, as Maya Angelou once said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” This is your time to learn, to grow, and to do better—for yourselves and for humanity.
I welcome you once again to the big beginning of everything that will turn bigger. May your journey be as bold and brilliant as the dreams that brought you here.
The Journey of a Thousand Miles
Given that we did not want to wait for a whole year after we were licensed last year, we thought that the best thing to do was just to start with a few students to set the ball rolling. Afterall, the journey of a thousand years begins with a step and Rome wasn’t built in a day. The University begins with three Faculties and today, we are matriculating 23 students in the Faculty of Arts, Management and Social Sciences, 11 students in the Faculty of Science and Computing and 10 students from the Faculty of Agriculture, Environmental and Allied Health Sciences, making a total of 44 matriculants.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMME NO OF STUDENTS
1. Accounting 4
2. Computer Science 3
3. International Relations 13
4. Medical Laboratory Science 8
5. Microbiology 3
6. Political Science 6
7. Public Health 2
8. Software Engineering 5
Total 44
Our plan is to build on the foundational work of the current 2024/2025 session and have more students in the 2025/2026 academic session that is starting in October this year. I urge our guests and parents here present to secure a spot for their children and wards in the future unfolding before our eyes by enrolling them at the African School of Economics where they are well positioned to be better than the best, as we say.
The Attitude of Gratitude
The Chairman, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, there is a Yoruba proverb that suggests that an ingrate is like a thief. Since I am not one, it is crucial that I express my appreciation to the deserving, starting from the founder, Prof. Leonard Wantcheckon, without whose vision this university wouldn’t have been. I am equally grateful to Her Excellency, Princess Gloria Akobundu, fsi, for the confidence and support. Without her, the journey wouldn’t have been this smooth. I duly acknowledge the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and elder statesman, Prof. Michael Maduagwu, from whose fountain of wisdom we shall still drink in the course of this programme as our Matriculation Lecturer, just as I appreciate other members of the BOT, especially Alh. A. S. Adeleke and Dr John Duru just as I am grateful to Chief Nduka, a staunch supporter of ASE.
I thank the Country Director, Mr Obinna Obiwulu, for the conducive atmosphere that allows us to focus on the core. I appreciate my Principal Officers, from the Registrar, Mrs Emilomo Fowowe-Ogunboye, the Bursar, Mr Stephen Adegbite, to the University Librarian, Dr Anthonia Ejikeme. I am also thankful to Mr Silas Igwe and Mrs Nkiru Ugwo, former Bursar and Ex-Deputy Registrar respectively. I am very grateful to the faculty, starting from Prof. Adegboyega Karim, a man with a Midas touch, to the ag Deans of our Faculties, Dr Oluseye Ajuwon and Dr Muhammad Lawan, as well as other teaching and non-teaching staff, with whose cooperation and hard work we have achieved our modest success stories so far, including eventful public lectures, staff workshops and academic publications. I appreciate my brother and Chairman of the Lawyers in the Media Forum, Barrister Adam Adedimeji, and all our guests present, especially the Registrar of African Aviation and Aerospace University, Dr Mustapha Sheikh, represented here by his Deputy Registrar, Mr Dennis Onwukwe.
Most importantly, I am immensely grateful to the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, former Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities and former President of the Association of African Universities, Prof. Emeritus Is-haq Oloyede, CON, FNAL, JAMB Registrar, for everything beyond description as a spring of inspiration, including the bailout extended to us. My dream is to be the type of Vice Chancellor he was, a tall order. Sir, ASE as an institution and I as a person remain grateful for being a compass through which we find our way.
I want to appreciate you for your rapt attention and glorify the Almighty Allah for the opportunity of life and the privileges we enjoy out of His grace.
Thank you once again.
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