UNN’s 55Th Convocation lecture: Gov Mbah urges experiential learning, innovation to restore dignity of man

Governor.of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, says that restoring the dignity of man in the 21st century goes beyond political freedom and infrastructure development to empowering citizens with the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to transform their potential into productivity and shared prosperity.

Delivering a 55Th  Convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), entitled , ” Restoring the Dignity of Man:: Enugu’s Quantum Leap in Human Development and Inclusive Prisoner through Experiential Learning”on Thursday , July 23 ,2026 at the Princess Alexandra Unity Hall and Theatre, Nsukka,  Governor Mbah said the university’s founding philosophy, “To Restore the Dignity of Man,” remains as relevant today as it was at Nigeria’s independence.

He noted that this present time ,  an era shaped by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, climate change and the knowledge economy, demands a renewed focus on human development.

According to him, true dignity is measured by people’s ability to learn continuously, think critically, innovate confidently and contribute meaningfully to society. “True dignity exists when people possess not merely the freedom to aspire, but the capability to transform aspiration into achievement, potential into productivity and possibility into shared prosperity,” he said.

The governor argued that development should not be judged by roads, buildings or public spending alone, but by how effectively governments expand human capabilities through quality education, healthcare, infrastructure, industrialisation and strong institutions.

He stressed that education remains the catalyst for sustainable development but must move beyond memorisation to experiential learning that equips students with creativity, curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration, character and problem-solving skills. Mbah said this philosophy underpins Enugu State’s development agenda, which he described as a “quantum leap” towards human development and inclusive prosperity.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s progress, he acknowledged that the country had produced globally recognised entrepreneurs, scholars and innovators but noted that many young graduates still lack pathways to meaningful employment and enterprise.

He lamented that unemployment, insecurity, inadequate healthcare, poor infrastructure and the migration of skilled youths continue to deny many Nigerians the dignity they deserve.

The governor cited findings from the Enugu Academic Field Study of December 2023, which revealed that about half of assessed pupils could not read a single English word after four years of schooling, while many Primary Six pupils struggled with basic arithmetic.

He said these challenges were compounded by poorly supported teachers, inadequate infrastructure, digital inequality, weak foundational learning and a mismatch between education and labour market needs.

According to him, many institutions still produce graduates without the technical, entrepreneurial, digital and creative skills required in today’s economy.

He also identified weak healthcare, unreliable electricity, poor road networks, limited access to finance and fragmented institutions as systemic barriers preventing citizens from converting talent into prosperity.

Mbah warned against what he described as the “input fallacy”—the belief that increased spending alone guarantees better outcomes. He explained that government investments should ultimately be measured by improved learning, better healthcare, productive graduates and thriving communities rather than the number of projects executed.

L-R Deputy Gov Ifeanyi Ossai, VC Pro Ortuanya , Wife,Mrs Ortuanya and former VC, Ven. Prof Chinedu Nebo

The governor further criticised institutional imitation without performance, inherited governance models that no longer serve modern realities, fragmented planning across sectors and incremental reforms that fail to deliver transformational change.

He described Enugu’s “quantum leap” as a shift from isolated projects to integrated systems focused on measurable human outcomes.

According to him, development should begin with the outcomes people deserve and work backwards to design institutions capable of delivering them.

Mbah also warned against what he termed the “poverty of imagination,” describing it as the inability of societies to envision possibilities beyond inherited limitations.He noted that every major transformation begins first in the imagination before becoming law, policy, technology and infrastructure.

The governor said societies become trapped when temporary conditions are accepted as permanent realities, insisting that poor classrooms, unreliable electricity and poverty are challenges to be solved—not destinies to be accepted.

Drawing inspiration from the Igbo apprenticeship system, he said experiential learning, mentorship, practical knowledge and entrepreneurship have long been part of the region’s culture and should be modernised to produce globally competitive innovators and job creators

The Governor stressed  that the responsibility of government is not merely to provide services but to create an environment where every citizen’s talent and creativity can flourish. “The question before government is not simply what can we provide for our people? It is also what might our people create if we remove the conditions that inhibit their genius,” he said.

Mbah said his administration’s vision of growing Enugu’s economy from about $4.4 billion to $30 billion is anchored on human capital development rather than conventional infrastructure projects alone.

He noted that about one-third of the state’s annual budget has consistently been allocated to education, leading to the construction of 268 Smart Green Schools across the state’s 260 political wards, equipped with smart classrooms, laboratories, digital libraries, innovation studios, clinics, smart farms, solar power and internet connectivity.

According to him, over 23,000 teachers have undergone digital literacy training, while the state has approved the recruitment of 4,698 teachers to strengthen the Smart Green School initiative.

The governor added that students in the state’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges were already receiving practical industry training in ICT, mechatronics, aquaponics, precision welding, fashion and design through partnerships with industries, including the Enugu Haier Factory.

He also announced plans to establish three specialised universities dedicated to Artificial Intelligence and Technology, Education and Technology, and Agriculture, Agro-industrialisation and Technology, while new degree programmes in Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics have already been introduced at ESUT and IMT.

Mbah, however, said education reforms alone would not guarantee prosperity unless supported by investments in healthcare, electricity, roads, aviation, tourism and technology, stressing that Enugu’s development strategy integrates all sectors into a single human development architecture.

He cited projects such as the 300-bed Enugu International Hospital, the transport terminals, Enugu Air, the expansion of primary healthcare centre, the Enugu Command tourism infrastructure, and the proposed 660-megawatt power plant, as interconnected investments designed to unlock productivity, attract investment and improve citizens’ quality of life.

In his welcome address, entitled,”The Lion’s Den: Where the Future Is Forged in the Furnace of Now,” the  Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Simon Ortuanya, said the institution is undergoing a deliberate transformation aimed at positioning it for the future through academic renewal, innovation, digital transformation and institutional reforms.

He  disclosed that the university was not resting on its rich history but consciously rebuilding itself to remain globally relevant.

 The Vice-Chancellor described UNN as an institution founded not merely to award degrees but to restore human dignity through education.

He said the university’s enduring motto, “To Restore the Dignity of Man,” remains the guiding philosophy behind its teaching, research and service to society.

According to him, the present administration adopted the theme, “Arise! Let Us Rebuild,” inspired by the biblical account of Nehemiah, as a response to the challenges confronting modern universities.

“We resolved that the University of Nigeria must not merely celebrate its illustrious past; it must consciously prepare for a future worthy of that past,” he said.

Prof. Ortuanya noted that the rebuilding agenda had focused on strengthening institutional governance through policies that promote accountability, innovation, research excellence, digital transformation and international collaboration.

He added that staff welfare, promotions and professional development had received renewed attention, while students were being equipped with entrepreneurial, digital and innovation skills to thrive in a knowledge-driven economy.

The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted academic reforms, including the introduction of new academic programmes, unbundling of existing disciplines, establishment of the Faculty and Department of Criminology and Security Studies, improved research support, enhanced digital infrastructure and expanded global partnerships.

“The University of Nigeria is not standing still. The Lion is moving. Deliberately. Purposefully. Confidently,” he declared.

Prof. Ortuanya described the convocation lecture as a meeting point of three enduring philosophies: the university’s founding vision by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the rebuilding agenda inspired by Nehemiah, and the development philosophy of Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, whose mantra, “Tomorrow Is Here,” formed the theme of the lecture.

He said Azikiwe’s vision defined the university’s moral purpose, while Governor Mbah’s philosophy challenged institutions to build the future through actions taken today.

“Tomorrow is not an abstract promise but a present assignment. The future is fashioned not by those who postpone action until tomorrow, but by those who summon tomorrow into the decisions they make today,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor praised Governor Mbah’s investments in education, infrastructure, healthcare, security and institutional development, describing him as a leader who believes in the transformative power of ideas.

Welcoming guests to the “Lion’s Den,” Prof. Ortuanya reaffirmed the university’s commitment to continuous renewal, insisting that rebuilding institutions is ultimately about rebuilding minds, restoring confidence and preparing future generations for leadership.

He said that the University of Nigeria would continue to uphold its historic mission of restoring human dignity while forging the future “in the furnace of now.”

From L – R Most Rev Prof Noah, Catholic Bishop of Nsukka and HRM Igwe Samuel Asadu

Earlier in an opening remarks, the chairman of the occasion and former Vice Chancellor of the University,Venerable Prof Chinedu Nebo, said Convocation is much more than a celebration of academic achievement, describing it as a moment of reflection on the purpose of education and the responsibility that knowledge passes upon those who acquire it. 

SSG (m) receiving a souvenir at the event

“The founding vision of this great university to restore the dignity of man through education remains as relevant today as it was at its inception. It is therefore particularly fitting that today’s lecture focuses on the theme, restoring the dignity of man, in whose quantum leap lives in human development and inclusive prosperity through experiential learning. 

“The theme reminds us that the true measure of development is not merely the construction of roads, buildings, or industries, but the transformation of human lives. Development finds its highest expression when it equips people with knowledge, practical skills, opportunities, and hope.

” Experiential learning has become one of the defining imperatives of 21st-century education. Our graduates must not only know they must be able to create, innovate, solve problems, and lead societal transformation. Universities must therefore continue to build stronger bridges between the classroom and the workplace, between theory and practice, and between scholarship and service to society.”, he said .