Matriculation Speech of the Vice Chancellor on the 16th Matriculation of Godfrey Okoye University

Being a GO:
Matriculation Speech of the Vice Chancellor on the
16th Matriculation of Godfrey Okoye University on 14 February 2025

Protocol

On behalf of the senate, staff and students of Godfrey Okoye University, I welcome each of you to this 16th matriculation of our university. As you can see from the number of this matriculation, our university is sixteen years old this year. From the standpoint of achievements and national and international influence, one can hardly believe it is just sixteen years old. Our graduates are all over the world in various sectors of human activities and profession. Our academic staff traverse countries and continents, teaching, networking, and getting involved in collaborative research, thus putting our university on the global map. In the last one week, for instance, our Director of Entrepreneurship, Mr. Christopher Uwakwe, has been in South Africa to train South African students and scholars in STEP programmes. Our engagement in the world space of academic wrestling has made us one of the most influential universities in Africa. Last month, Times Higher Education Ranking placed our university as number one in staff-student ratio in Nigeria, which is an indicator of the quality of education in our university. As a strong university, we are involved in various forms of global competitions and have never participated in any national and international competition without winning a prize. Our Director of Competitions works assiduously to ensure that our students participate in every important academic or professional competition in the world.

My dear matriculation students, in the light of our strength and academic achievements, I would like to paint a picture today of what it means to be a GO. A GO is simply a student or a graduate of Godfrey Okoye University. Some call it G-O. We prefer to say a GO. The question is: Who is a GO? A GO is someone who is studying in Godfrey Okoye University or has graduated from Godfrey Okoye University with a stamp of the GO identity. What is GO identity? GO identity is expressed in the core and other values of our university. What are these values?

Our Core values are hard work, dialogue and spirituality (HDS). “Hard work refers to the diligent and strenuous effort put into a task or job. It involves investing a significant amount of time and energy to accomplish a goal. This type of work often relies on persistence, dedication, and a strong work ethic.” (Smita Nag, Workplace Insights, 06 March 2024). Hard work is not just an accomplishment but an investment in time and energy to achieve something. It is about being persistent. It is about dedication or commitment to something. It is about having a strong work ethic. Hard work is the mindset that inspires you to put a significant amount of time and energy into a task. It is the mindset that is the bedrock of every important achievement.

Next is dialogue. Godfrey Okoye University stresses dialogue in its philosophy, mission and
vision. The university pursues three dialogues as its core identity: religious, cultural and epistemic dialogues. These dialogues are taught, researched and celebrated in our university. It is about a culture of dialogue among staff and students. A student of GO must be one who has a culture of dialogue, from the epistemic space of academic interactions to every nook and cranny of our spatial cum temporal life. In a culture of dialogue, there is no room for misanthropism, cynicism, sarcasm, sardonicism, anti-socialism, negativism or eremitism. A GO is a dialogue-seeking and dialogue-loving student or graduate of Godfrey Okoye University. If you use dialogue rather conflict to resolve issues in your room, you are a GO. If you ask someone who insults you in the classroom space, why they insult you, rather than engage in a fight, you’re a GO. If you enjoy harmony in your living space, inspired by an infectious culture of dialogue, you a GO. If you intervene in a conflict on campus to avoid its escalation, you’re a GO. If you create space for healthy discussions of lectures and assignments, you’re GO. If you get involved in peace initiatives on campus, you’re a GO. If you show tolerance of other people’s religious views and engage in a constructive dialogue of religion, you’re GO. If you respect other people’s cultures, try to understand them or even join in celebrating them, you’re a GO! If you’re generous in praising people, listening to them, caring about them, and encouraging them, you’re a GO.

Another important core value of our university is spirituality. As St. Augustine of Hippo writes, “You (God) arouse us so that praising you may bring us joy, because you have made us and drawn us to yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” This is the deepest expression of the primordial foundation of human spirituality. Recognising this makes us emphasise spirituality in our university. We are aware of the restlessness of the soul without God, this sense of incompleteness or emptiness or disintegration in the absence of divinity. Beyond passing exams, and getting good jobs we want to ensure that students and graduates are happy by emphasizing something without which life may become meaningless and empty. A GO is someone who understands the value of spirituality and tries to live a good spiritual life within the space of their religion. If you take prayers seriously, you’re a GO. If you love spiritual activities, you’re a GO. If you do not hide during afternoon prayers or disturb others during spiritual activities, you’re a GO”.

Apart from the core values, Godfrey Okoye has other values, connected with the core values.

The first is academic excellence. For us at GO, academic excellence is the result of hard work, dialogical approach to learning and research as well as spirituality, which not only connects us with God but also gives the soul calmness and discipline for a successful academic life. Academic excellence in our university means understanding the epistemic dialogue, which is understanding the interconnectedness of fields of human knowledge. For you to be academically excellent it means you have knowledge of many areas of learning rather than being what Germans call “Fachtrottel” (a one-sided scholar). Our creation of some directorates (especially the Directorate of Competition, the Directorate of Interdisciplinary Studies and Research and the Directorate of Entrepreneurship) underscores the need for a proper understanding of interconnectedness of fields of studies. As our students graduate, we ask our GO question: Where is the evidence? In other words, where is evidence of academic excellence? This explains why we have our general ability test (GAT) to ensure that we are graduating those who have achieved academic excellence by understanding the interconnectedness of different areas of studies.

Collaboration
Collaboration is the result of our culture of dialogue. We stress collaboration in our hostel life. This explains why we do not allow anybody to live alone. We stress collaboration also through our mentorship programme. We stress collaboration in various sporting events. We emphasise collaboration in all competitions on campus. We insist on collaboration among COHON members. We encourage collaboration in all celebrations, especially our famous unity week. You’re a GO if you a team player. You’re a GO if you show that you can work with others. You’re a GO if you promote group learning and discussions. You’re a true GO if you speak the language of collaboration.

Respect and Integrity
Respect is “polite behaviour toward or care for someone or something that you think is important,” as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary. The MIT Mission State explains it further:
Respect is a by product of how we behave and how others experience us. Being respectful begins with your mindset. Try to:
· Be open to the needs, interests, and feelings of others
· Embrace transparency and inclusion as core values
· See diversity as a strength
· Value each person, regardless of their role or identity
· Be curious and open to others’ experience and perspectives
· Question your assumptions before acting on them
· View all interactions as an opportunity for building understanding and relationships

Our Director of Mentorship has given talks and workshops on this as part of mentoring our
students. A GO is someone who has imbibed a culture of respect and therefore is a person of
integrity. You’re, therefore, a GO if you respect the staff of the university and fellow students.
You have a culture of respect if you say Good morning, Good afternoon or Good evening to someone older than you rather than just pass by with your ears plugged irredeemably with
earphones. Respect brings dignity to you and the person respected and promotes dialogue and
collaboration.

Sense of community

This is the result of the mindset that we are beings-with-others. No one is an island. No one can live in the world alone. We have one Father of all: God. We are children of God and members of the human family. To do everything to promote the wellbeing of other humans is a sign that you have a sense of community. To know that my happiness is connected with the happiness of others is having a sense of community. You’re a Go if you work to better our collective family: the human family. You’re a GO if you make life easy for other students. You’re a GO if you make our GO family a happy place to live in. You’re a GO if because of you someone loves to study in GO University. You are a GO if you bring joy to our GO family.

Responsibility and Accountability

As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, responsibility is “a moral duty to do something or to help or take care of somebody because of your job, position, etc.” Our job, position or duties impose responsibility on us. Also belonging to the same human family obliges us to have some responsibility towards one another. Responsibility is connected with accountability. I-don’t-care attitude is an attitude of irresponsibility. It is being irresponsible to be disturbing your roommates in the room with loud music. It is being irresponsible not to clean the room when it is your turn to do so. It is the height of irresponsibility to mess up the toilets in a room you share with your roommates. You’re a GO if you have a sense of responsibility towards others.

Balanced Life

Balanced life is the culmination of all the values of your university. A GO is someone who has a balanced life. A balanced GO is a GO who is not only academically excellent but also sound in understanding the importance of collaboration. A balanced GO is a student or graduate of GO who understands that academic excellence goes with hard work, dialogue, spirituality, respect and integrity, sense of community, responsibility and accountability.

My dear Mat 2025, I give you this short poem of mine today:

You work day and night
In the shine of morning and lighted lamps of the night
Holding my weak hands and massaging my swollen feet
With the chrism of collaboration and respect
Whispering courage and inspiring desire to live in our community
With your flaming brain you care about my where and how
Sharing your sparkling spirituality with me
And making me smile
You are my hero
You are a balanced GO

Furthermore, let me congratulate you once more on your admission to this God’s own university. As you begin your studies here, I ask God to bless you with tremendous success. I bless you with success in your academic work. I bless you with the grace of a happy and balanced life. I bless you and your parents with long life and prosperity. I bless you for a happy life today and all the days of your life. Peace be with you and happy Valentine’s Day!

Finally, let me thank you parents and guardians for bringing your children or wards to Godfrey Okoye University. You will not regret any kobo you will spend here. Always visit our result portal to check the result of your ward or child. This is one way you can be abreast of their academic progress and development. God bless you!