African Premier Petroleum University FUPRE Matriculates 2,115 New Students
By Wilson Macaulay
Effurun, Delta
The Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) in Delta State has taken a bold step into the future, matriculating 2,115 new students for the 2024/2025 academic session, poised to unlock new opportunities and propel Africa’s premier petroleum university to even greater heights.
Addressing a diverse audience of dignitaries, the Vice Chancellor, Engr. (Prof.) Akpofure Rim-Rukeh FNES, presented a stirring speech reiterating FUPRE’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation. Engr. Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, the VC, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Godswill Ofualagba, remarked in his welcome address: “Today, we officially welcome you, the matriculating students, into the FUPRE family, an institution distinguished as Africa’s first and the world’s sixth of its kind, inspiring pride in the university’s forward-thinking mandate in the petroleum and allied sectors.”
In his speech, Prof Godswill Ofualagba, the DVC Academics, emphasized that FUPRE has gained worldwide recognition for its groundbreaking contributions to research, training, and consultancy in the energy sector. Moreover, the University comprises four dynamic colleges: the College of Science, College of Engineering & Technology, College of Maritime and Offshore Studies, and the newly established College of Computing, which has proudly welcomed its inaugural batch of students in specialized programs such as Software Engineering, Data Science, Cybersecurity, and Information Technology.
In his welcome address, Prof Godswill Ofualagba, the DVC Academic, announced that FUPRE’s academic horizon is poised for further expansion with the anticipated launch of the College of Petroleum Management and Policy Studies, coupled with a state-of-the-art Centre for Open and Distance Learning designed to enhance global access to quality education.
The DVC Academics emphasized in his speech that the institution’s excellence was further reinforced recently by the remarkable performance of its students at the 2024 Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) competition held in New Orleans, USA, where a duo of FUPRE representatives garnered the 3rd place globally—thereby making FUPRE the second-highest ranked African institution in the competition’s illustrious history.
Prof Godswill Ofualagba, while providing a statistical breakdown of the matriculating students’ details, noted: Following a rigorous selection process administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the newly admitted students comprise 1,798 male and 317 female students, poised to contribute to FUPRE’s distinguished academic community.
The DVC Academics Who exhorted the matriculants to devote themselves to their studies and underscored the need for the students to eschew cultism said: “Success is a continuous pursuit, thus I counsel and urge you, the matriculants, to pursue your studies with discipline, purpose, and unwavering focus while upholding high ethical standards and responsible conduct both on and off campus.”
He added: “As FUPRE embarks on another academic year characterized by promise and progress, the university’s motto ‘Excellence and Relevance’ must be at the forefront of your minds, and I make this as a clarion call to the new students, urging you to harness the freedom of university life responsibly, engage actively in both academic and extracurricular activities, and ultimately make meaningful contributions to society.”
In his address, he pointed out that the matriculation serves a dual purpose: celebrating academic achievements and establishing a foundation for a future where innovation, discipline, and integrity are the hallmarks of Africa’s premier petroleum university.
Present at the ceremony were other distinguished dignitaries, including the Pro-Chancellor, members of the Governing Council, Deans, the Registrar, Dr. Jane Omoyine (Dean, College of Science), Prof. Ezekiel Agbalagba (Dean, College of Engineering & Technology), Prof. Ikuobase Emovon (Dean, College of Marine and Offshore Studies), Prof. Chidi Nwoha (Dean, College of Computing), and Prof. Arnold Ojugo.
Also present were staff, the President of the student union government, Comrade Edematota Etiosa Oghenemaro, the Secretary of the Student union government, Comrade Tochukwu Raphael, parents of students who were matriculating, and an assortment of media personalities from different media organizations.
