The University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Science (DSc Honoris Causa) on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Owunari Georgewill, disclosed during the presentation of the conferment letter to Mr Wike at his residence in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mr Georgewill added that the official decoration and presentation of the certificate would be on July 26, as part of activities to celebrate the university’s 50th anniversary.

He explained that the Act of the university empowered it to award honorary doctorate degrees to distinguished Nigerians who had contributed immensely to the growth of the nation.

He said that the university’s Senate approved the conferment based on Mr Wike’s track record in public service and contributions to the development of the university and Rivers State.

He said, “Today marks the beginning of the 50th anniversary celebration of the University of Port Harcourt, and there is no better place to commence the ceremony than where we are today. You are also a distinguished alumnus of the university, and so the university is honouring you not only for your service but also for your service to the University of Port Harcourt.

“Your footprints are just there for everybody to see in the university. We are proud to be associated with you and the university is indeed very proud that you attended it; you have a DNA of that institution in you,’’ Mr Georgewill said.

Registrar and Secretary to Council, Gloria China, earlier conveyed the confinement of the honorary doctorate degree on the minister in a letter dated June 10.

The letter stated, “It is with profound pleasure that I write to convey to you the decision of the Senate of the University of Port Harcourt at its extraordinary meeting held on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 to confer on you an honorarydegree of Doctor of Science (DSc Honoris Causa) in recognition of your visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to governance in Rivers State and Nigeria. The conferment will be made at the 23rd convocation ceremony of the university, which is scheduled to hold on Saturday, July 26, 2025.’’

Presenting the letter, the university’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mao Ohuabunwa, thanked Mr Wike for being a good ambassador of the university.

Mr Ohuabunwa said, “The university is very proud of you because in every endeavour of your life you have made us proud. When you were the chairman and security head of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, you defended the university. When you were the minister of education, you attracted great developments to the university. Today, the Faculty of Law is in the university because Nyesom Wike was the minister of education.”

He added that Mr Wike did not only bring the faculty of law to the university, but he also built it.

He said, “As if that was not enough, when you became the governor of Rivers State, you made an indelible mark and built one of the best convocation arenas in West Africa. Few weeks back, when we came to congratulate you on your appointment as FCT Minister, you donated a multimedia centre for the convocation arena.’’

He informed the minister that the convocation arena would be inaugurated on July 25, as part of the university’s golden jubilee.

Responding, Mr Wike thanked the university for the honour, saying, “For me, it is the university that gave me everything. I am a proud alumnus of the university where I first studied political science before studying another degree in law.”

He explained that as the then minister of education, he wondered why a conventional university did not have a faculty of law.

Mr Wike added that he felt bad and made it a point of duty for the university to have the faculty, including the Faculty of Social Sciences, separate it from the Faculty of Humanities.

He added that he equally built one of the best convocation arenas for the university because it deserves the best.

Mr Wike said, “If I am in a position to do more for my university, I will continue to do it. I am happy and I accepted the offer on behalf of my family, my wife and my friends and promised to be there to celebrate the golden jubilee of the university. I will continue to partner and support the university.’’

(NAN)