196 VVU Graduands receive Certificates

One Hundred and Ninety-Six Graduands of the Valley View University (VVU) on Sunday received Certificates at its 14th Graduation Ceremony, at Oyibi near Accra, after pursuing Degree Programmes in Business Administration; Science; Development Studies; Education; Theology; Religious Studies; and Nursing.

A total of 178 of the graduands were Ghanaians, while the rest were nationals from Australia, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria.

Six out of the eight who graduated with First Class Honours, were Business students, with the remaining two being Theology students.

Mr Aratuo David Naab who obtained First Class in Business Administration, was adjudged the overall best student in academic work.

Speaking at the function, Professor Frank W Hale, Vice Provost and Professor Emeritus of the Ohio State University in the United States, who was the Guest Speaker, noted that the purpose of Christian Education was to train people how to think in such a way that as to develop themselves physically, mentally and spiritually.

Prof. Hale pointed out that Education, for the thinker, should become a great leveling harmonizing force.

He regretted, however, that Education sometimes enslaved men to self-centeredness and selfishness, teaching them to look down on others, and to take advantage of them.

Prof Hale said, as a Christian, he shared the same view with Dr Julius Nyerere, that Great African Statesman, who believed that the purpose of Education “is to create a society in which all human beings may live with peace, dignity and satisfaction.

He reminded the graduands that they would be faced with a multiplicity of challenges as they entered the job market, and urged them to strive for excellence.

Pastor Samuel Adama Larmie, President of the Ghana Union Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of VVU, said both the Church and the University aimed, not only at intellectual excellence, but social, moral and spiritual upliftment of the individual as well.

Pastor Larmie underscored the need for peace and freedom of worship in order to “continue our education programmes”, and therefore appealed to Ghanaians to remain peaceful and law-abiding during and even after the December 7 Polls.

“After all, Ghana has existed before this coming elections, and Ghana will continue to exist after the elections. Let us all intentionally and consciously focus on, and do things to maintain the peace we have.”

Dr Seth Laryea, President of VVU, in a welcoming address, said the University's mission statement of promoting balanced development of intellectual, spiritual and physical dimensions of life for service to God and humanity, would continue to inspire 'us as we collaborate in nurturing minds and developing leaders.”

Dr Laryea announced that the VVU intended undertaking an estimated two-million-dollar project in memory of one of its foreign students-the late Boluwatife Meghoma, a Nigerian, who lost his life in a motor traffic accident on June 3, this year, on his way back from Nigeria.

He said a Residential Hall, with up-to-date facilities, to be known as the Boluwatife Meghoma Memorial Hall, would be the model for subsequent halls that would be put up at the University in future.

In his message to the graduands, Dr. Laryea urged them to be “worthy ambassadors of your alma mater, by letting society see a difference in the way you work, act, and think.

“Armed with a degree from VVU, you are now setting off into another segment of your life… I sincerely hope we have succeeded in inculcating in you a passion for excellence, integrity and service. These are virtues you will find extremely useful in the new phases of your lives,” the Chief Steward told the graduands. Representatives from the Adventist University of Africa in Kenya and the Association of Adventist Universities, who graced the occasion, read Goodwill Messages.