- Promises Continued Govt Support
By Ifeanyi Uwagwu
The Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukari, has commended the management of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, for its impressive performance in the recently released 2024 Varsity rankings.
The rankings, published annually by Times Higher Education, placed DELSU as the third-best state-owned university in Nigeria, following Abia State University and Akwa Ibom State University. Nationally, DELSU was ranked as the 23rd-best university overall.
Prof. Tonukari, in an exclusive interview, praised the achievements of the university and highlighted the critical role it has played in the development of the state. “DELSU is a full-fledged university, comparable to any other high-standard institution in the world. With a large student population and numerous degree-awarding programmes, DELSU stands out as one of the leading universities in the country,” he remarked. He further noted that DELSU’s academic programmes are more comprehensive than many prestigious universities, including the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and that its student population surpasses even that of the University of Ibadan (UI), Nigeria’s premier institution.
Tonukari attributed the university’s success to the continuous support it receives from the Delta State Government, led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, whose MORE Agenda promotes meaningful development across all sectors. He emphasized that DELSU has not only contributed to the academic growth of the state but also played a pivotal role in shaping the current leadership, with many government officials being DELSU alumni.
“DELSU has been serving the state alone before other ones joined and it has done remarkably well in the growth and success of this state owing to support from successive administrations and more critically the present administration led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori who has in line with the MORE Agenda, to leverage on education to enhance human development, which would translate to meaningful development of all facets of the state”, he said.
Looking forward, the Commissioner expressed optimism about DELSU’s future rankings and growth. He emphasized the high quality of students entering the institution, noting that out of over 20,000 qualified applicants, only about 7,000 are admitted each year. “The standard is very high, and we are proud of what DELSU has achieved so far,” he said.
Prof. Tonukari also outlined the state government’s support for DELSU, especially in terms of financial backing for the upcoming accreditation of academic programmes. He recalled the recent commissioning of a new Faculty of Science by Governor Oborevwori, emphasizing that science serves as the backbone for fields like engineering, medicine, and agriculture. Furthermore, he highlighted the establishment of DELSU’s new medical faculty, specifically the Dentistry programme, which has also received financial backing from the state government.
He expressed confidence that DELSU’s improvement and continuous state support will lead to even better rankings in the future. He urged the public to recognize the university’s achievements, particularly given its large student population and noted that DELSU has performed remarkably well compared to other state universities with smaller populations. “If we had a smaller population, I believe we would be number one but I can assure you that in no distant time, we will be there and that would be made possible by even continued support from Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who intends to do more for all Deltans,” he concluded.
