Onome Amuge
Michael and Cecilia Ibru University (MCIU), a private institution in Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, has announced that it will provide tuition-free places for selected students in its Agricultural Science programme, in a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s skills pipeline in a sector critical to food security and economic growth.
Speaking at the university’s 10th convocation ceremony over the weekend, Vice-Chancellor Ibiyinka Fuwape described the initiative as distinctive, emphasising that the programme would follow a work-study model designed to blend theory with hands-on practice. Students will be required to engage in farm projects, fieldwork and internships exposing them to modern agricultural methods, mechanisation and sustainable practices.
Anthony Kila, pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing council, welcomed the move, calling it a delightful and praiseworthy initiative that gives hope to the needy and the talented, and an example of how universities can be a source of solutions in a country that abounds with needs and talent. He urged both the private and public sectors to support the scholarship, describing it as “an opportunity and a challenge.
The convocation, held on September 6, was attended bySheriff Oborevwor, the Delta State governor, traditional rulers, business leaders and senior academics, alongside elder statesman Solomon Asemota. Honorary doctorates were awarded to Jimoh Ibrahim, Trinidad and Tobago–born management consultant David Raggay, and architect and Royal Military Academy-trained officer Mark Giwa-Amu. Stephanie Adebor received the prize for best graduating student.
Registrar Thomas Kolo said the scholarship reflected the vision of Cecilia Ibru, the university’s chancellor and co-founder, to foster sustainable agricultural development and create opportunities for aspiring students passionate about agriculture.
