January is a month often known for extreme poverty with excess heat but all this is nothing compared to the joy that comes with being honoured a graduate. Saturday January 13th saw all roads in Gulu with an overload of convoys all destined to the grand 13th graduation ceremony at Gulu University main campus.
The event was welcomed by a sweet sounding band match into the University at 7:30 a.m. followed by students dressed to kill with smiles so wide that even the blind could see. The graduands then matched with their parents to the well decorated graduation grounds and sat in wait for their names to be called upon.
The guest of honour was the Deputy speaker of parliament Rt. Hon. Jacob Olanya who was delegated by the first lady, Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni. Many dignitaries graced the occasion including members of parliament, religious and cultural leaders as well as members of the University management and all stake holders.
1,484 students took up the honours in their various capacities and in a special case, 5 students were awarded doctorates one of whom was a lecturer at the University. “I for long prayed to see this day come to pass and it seemed so far can’t imagine am graduating today”, said Mugala Sancha who graduated as a law student. Many students could hardly hide the joy and were left in awe thanking the Almighty for achieving this milestone.
The event was later spiced up with the installation of a new Vice Chancellor Professor George Openjuru who had earlier on been appointed by the University chancellor Frederick Kayanja. Openjuru has been the University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor since 2015 as well as a former Dean for the school of Distance and Lifelong Learning at Makerere University.
He was recommended by the University council in the month of July last year after beating 3 candidates who stood against him for the top job. Those were; Prof. David Obua a researcher based in the US, Prof Paul Waku a pharmacologist and founding Dean of Busitema and Dr. Byaruhanga Rukooko, an associate professor in Philosophy at Makerere University.
In his remarks, the professor pledged to steer up the university to great height to see it rank very high both locally and at the international level. He said he would prioritize infrastructure development and ensure establishment of modern learning through e-learning.
As Campus Bee, we congratulate you all that managed to achieve the honours and wish you the best now that you have taken another step in your life.
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