N’Delta university building department enrolls inaugural cohort into NIOB 

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa  

The Department of Building, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Niger Delta University, in Bayelsa State, on Friday enrolled its inaugural cohort into the Nigerian Institute of Building. 

The ceremony, held within the institution, centred on the theme: Building the Future; Innovating, Integrating, and Inspiring in the Construction 4.0 Era. 

In his address, Dr Christopher Belonwu, Acting Head of Department (HOD) for Building, characterised the event as a day of realisation, introspection, and profound elation. 

Belonwu emphasised the university’s commitment to cultivating adept, ethical, and industry-ready building specialists, poised to contribute substantially to national advancement and global leading practices in the built environment. 

“As head of department, witnessing the enrolment of our graduates into the graduate echelon of the Nigerian Institute of Building fills me with delight. 

“The Department of Building was officially inaugurated in the 2019/2020 academic year, underpinned by a distinct vision. 

“Like any worthwhile undertaking, the expedition was not devoid of trials. We commenced with basic resources, lofty aspirations, and an unwavering conviction in the department’s potential. Today, that conviction has been substantiated. 

“This enrolment ceremony signifies the culmination of years of diligence, tenacity, and resolve demonstrated by our students who dared to envision, our lecturers who toiled relentlessly to impart acumen and character, and the university administration, whose backing rendered this vision sustainable. 

“To our inaugural graduates and those who have succeeded them, you are not merely products of this department; you are its emissaries, validation of the concept, and an enduring heritage,” he affirmed. 

According to him, enrolment into the graduate echelon of the Nigerian Institute of Building transcends a mere ceremonial procedure. 

He observed that it constituted a formal acknowledgement of the inductees’ readiness to assume their roles within the professional fraternity of builders. 

“It signifies that you have satisfied the academic and ethical criteria required to commence your professional trajectory. This distinction is accompanied by accountability. 

“It is incumbent upon you to uphold the standards of the profession, to conduct yourselves with rectitude, and to continually refine yourselves in knowledge and proficiency,” he stated. 

He exhorted them not to regard the present day as the culmination of their journey, but rather as the genesis of a grander one, and to dedicate themselves to perpetual learning, seek mentorship, embrace innovation, and prioritise ethics over expediency. 

On his part, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Allen Agih, lauded the occasion as momentous, given the production of the institution’s premier cohort of builders. 

The Vice-Chancellor, represented by Prof Sylvester Ebibai, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, remarked that the university was operating in accordance with global leading practices, consistent with the accreditation of the course. 

He applauded the lecturers, the professional bodies, and the students poised to excel as builders. 

Ebibai entreated the inductees to commit to professional development. 

In his address, Abimbola Kolade, President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), represented by Mr Ahmed Baba Ahmed, former Chairman of the NIOB Bayelsa chapter, commended NDU for the tutelage provided to the students and the insights acquired as graduates inducted into the Nigerian Institute of Building. 

He implored them to perform optimally in the building profession, to pursue innovation and research to consistently evaluate and enhance themselves, to advance in the profession, and to consistently participate in NIOB events to augment their knowledge. 

In his discourse, Mr Akinola Bammeka, former National Publicity Secretary of NIOB, conveyed that abundant opportunities exist within the building industry. 

He asserted that achieving significant progress necessitated effort, emphasising that the magnitude of effort was critical for them to excel in their profession, to maintain focus, and to abstain from any impediment to their self-development.