Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has bagged the prestigious Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) degree from the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ekiti State, for his inspiring leadership and contributions to the advancement of quality education in Nigeria. 

This was even as the governor, who bagged the honorary award at the maiden convocation ceremony of the state-owned university in Ikere-Ekiti at the weekend, reiterated his administration's resolve to continue to transform the education sector in Enugu State and set exemplary steps through innovative and experiential learning model. 

Mbah stressed that although the gains of investments in education take many years to crystalise, his administration's reforms and huge investments in education was driven not by public acclaim, but by the conviction that the highest legacy was to equip Enugu children and the youth with quality education that imbue them with the requisite knowledge and skill set to compete on the global stage. 

“This award is a reminder that there is no greater honour than service. It is an inspiration to re-commit to the governance values that underpin our modest achievements in Enugu State. 

“These values are shaped, particularly, by the conviction that education is the best legacy to bequeath to the emerging generation,” he added. 

The governor, who has consistently dedicated over 33 per cent of the state's  annual budget solely to education, maintained that the achievements recorded in the quality of output in the education sector through the deployment of huge resources had reflected in the ongoing construction of 260 Smart Green Schools for experiential  learning in the state.

He explained that this education model emphasises experiential learning that imbues children with problem-solving skills over rote learning.

While stressing  the university’s motto, “Learning for Self-Reliance,” Mbah said this should resonate with all levels of government nationwide in the face of shrinking international funding by some world economies, saying it was time to press the inventive button as a nation. 

He noted that despite the BOUESTI being at its formative years, the university had made giant strides by nurturing an environment that was conducive to learning. 

“This clearly underscores the university’s firm belief in the primacy of human capital development. Although established in 2020, it is heartwarming that this university is emerging as a formidable platform for science and technological renaissance.”

Commending the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for his enduring reforms and sustained investment in education, Mbah charged the graduands to wear the toga of the university with pride and dignity, urging them not to severe links with the institution as alumni. 

While conferring the highest degree on the governor, the university's Chancellor, Chief Wole Olanipekun, said the degree was strictly meant for lawyers of distinction, which Mbah had clinched by merit.

He described the governor as a rare breed in the entrepreneurial space, who was presently disrupting the Nigerian leadership space through his innovative style of governance.