By Enitan Abel Johngold Orheruata, mnipr
The College of Nursing Sciences, Eku, on Wednesday turned what should have been a routine matriculation ceremony into a forceful public appeal for survival and growth, warning that critical infrastructure gaps could undermine its push to meet National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) standards despite admitting 432 new students into its expanding nursing programmes.
At a ceremony that blended celebration with urgency, the institution formally welcomed the fresh students but also laid bare the pressing needs confronting one of the country’s oldest nursing colleges as it transitions into the National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) framework under the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and NBTE.
The event, held at the college auditorium in Eku, drew health officials, community leaders, lecturers, parents and students, with the atmosphere marked as much by hope as by concern over whether existing facilities can carry the weight of the college’s new academic demands.
Provost of the college, Dr. (Mrs.) Gloria Bassey, described the ceremony as a landmark in the institution’s history, noting that it was the second matriculation ceremony of the college and the first under the new ND/HND training structure.
“It is my pleasure to rejoice with our students at this year’s matriculation ceremony,” she said.
“I am particularly joyful as this is the first time we are interfacing with NBTE and JAMB to train students that will graduate with ND/HND certificates.”
But beyond the celebration, Bassey used the occasion to send a clear message: the college needs immediate expansion in key areas if it is to sustain growth and secure accreditation under the new regime.
She said the institution urgently requires a 500-bed students’ hostel, a 32-seater bus for field trips, a library that can accommodate at least 120 students, and a dedicated building for procedure demonstration and skills acquisition.
According to her, the present library can only take 32 students at a time, a situation she said is grossly inadequate for the size and academic needs of the college’s growing student population.
Her appeal underscored the central contradiction of the day: while the college is making visible progress, its infrastructure is yet to catch up with its ambition.
The provost, however, credited the Delta State Government and other stakeholders for helping the institution record notable improvements. She specifically praised Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, for their support for nursing education in the state.
She also listed recent gains recorded by the college, including installation of streetlights on campus, activation of the institution’s website, introduction of online course registration, improved academic performance, upgrade of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre, expansion of the water project, provision of a solar electricity platform by the Students’ Union Government, and establishment of a mini-market for students.
Bassey further thanked the Eku community, elders, unions, alumni and spiritual leaders for their continued support, while urging the matriculating students to see their admission as the beginning of a serious academic and professional journey.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Functional Director, Department of Nursing Services, Delta State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Okuyade Atake, challenged the fresh students to embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and clinical excellence as they begin their training.
In her address titled, “Advancing Nursing Excellence in Clinical Practice Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” Atake said nursing in today’s world demands much more than compassion and care.
She said modern healthcare requires critical thinking, evidence-based practice, digital competence, leadership skills and continuous research, adding that the students must prepare themselves for a demanding but rewarding future.
According to her, the years ahead would test their discipline and commitment as they strive to master the science of healing, the art of compassion and the ethics of the profession.
She urged them to embrace digital health tools such as telehealth and mobile applications, remain eager to learn, sharpen their problem-solving ability, and develop leadership, management and financial skills that would make them relevant in a changing healthcare environment.
Atake also advised the students to respect authority, uphold professional integrity, support one another and learn from their seniors, expressing confidence that the college has the academic foundation and workforce needed to continue producing quality nurses.
Chairman of the occasion, Prince Obiku Morrison West, reinforced the message of discipline and moral responsibility, warning the students against cultism and drug abuse.
He described nursing as a noble profession and urged the matriculants to devote themselves fully to their studies through regular lecture attendance, timely completion of assignments and personal discipline.
West also commended the management for sustaining academic standards and moral order, saying the college ranks among the leading nursing institutions in Delta State.
He charged lecturers to combine sound teaching with moral guidance and cautioned parents, guardians and political leaders against interfering in the academic process or exerting pressure on lecturers over students’ performance.
Rather, he said, students should be encouraged to succeed strictly on the strength of hard work and merit.
Beyond the speeches, the ceremony featured presentation of prizes for academic excellence and induction into the institution’s Hall of Fame, adding colour and prestige to an event that served both as a celebration of academic entry and a candid statement of institutional need.
For the 432 matriculants, the ceremony marked their formal entry into a profession defined by service, sacrifice and discipline. For the college, however, it was far more than a rite of passage. It was a public declaration that while progress has been made, the road to becoming a fully equipped, high-standard centre for nursing education in Delta State still demands urgent and sustained investment.