By Muhammad Mamman
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed the motivation behind his consistent support for the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) during his tenure as Governor of Rivers State and later as Minister of State for Education.
Speaking at the university’s 50th anniversary celebration and 35th convocation ceremony held on Saturday, 26 July 2025, in Port Harcourt, Mr Wike, an alumnus of the institution, said his unwavering commitment was driven by a deep sense of gratitude to the university that played a pivotal role in shaping his life and career.
The former governor was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Science degree in Political Science at the event, in recognition of his contributions to the university and Nigerian education at large.
“I have always believed that every alumnus has a moral duty to give back to the institution that helped shape them,” Wike stated. “That is why I have never hesitated to support the University of Port Harcourt whenever the opportunity presented itself.”
A Legacy of Commitment
Wike recalled his tenure as Minister of State for Education, during which he identified and addressed key infrastructural gaps within the university. One of his landmark interventions was the establishment of a Faculty of Law—a crucial academic unit the university had lacked since its founding in 1975.
“When I became Minister, I saw no reason why a university of this stature had no Law faculty,” he said. “I made it a priority to not only establish the faculty but also ensure it had a befitting building.”
He went further to address long-standing structural limitations within the Faculty of Social Sciences, which had previously been cramped within a shared building with the Faculty of Humanities.
“As someone who studied in that very building, I knew first-hand how constrained the space was,” he explained. “Through TETFund, I facilitated the construction of a dedicated Faculty of Social Sciences, named after the late Professor Claude Ake—one of Nigeria’s most revered political economists.”
A Broader Impact on Tertiary Education
Beyond UNIPORT, Wike also highlighted a series of capital projects and academic interventions he initiated in other tertiary institutions across Rivers State during his time as governor and minister. These, he said, were all part of his broader vision to uplift the standard of education in Nigeria.
He concluded by urging fellow alumni across the country to emulate the gesture of giving back, describing it as both a personal responsibility and a national imperative.
“Supporting our alma mater is not just a gesture of gratitude—it’s an investment in the future of Nigerian education,” he affirmed
