Sir Thomas Buxton (1786-1845) famously stated, "With ordinary talents and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." VC Professor Laila Abubakar shared this powerful message with nearly 3000 incoming students during their orientation event. The event began with warm welcome messages from VC Professor Laila Abubakar, DVC ARE Professor Peter Gichangi, DVC AFP Prof. Joseph Rasowo, registrars, directors, faculty, and various other staff members in attendance. The students were strongly encouraged to prioritize discipline, improve communication skills, dress modestly, and most importantly, commit to learning and be willing to step out of their comfort zone.
The Vice-Chancellor strongly advised all students to refrain from engaging in any form of inappropriate behaviour. Any student found guilty of disrupting the regular academic activities of the University will face serious consequences.
Quoting the Song of Solomon 2:15, Prof. Laila Abubakar introduced an aspect of spoilers, the distractors that are in one's way.“Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom”. To elaborate further, she touched on vices such as laziness and procrastination, peer influence, risky sexual behaviour, betting and drug abuse.
In her speech, Prof. Laila highlighted a study where a random sample of 923 University of Nairobi students (525 male and 365 female) were surveyed and the result was that depressive illness was significantly more common among the first-year students, those who were married; those who were economically disadvantaged and those living off campus (Othieno, Okoth, Peltzer, Pengpid & Malla, (2014). On a positive note, she emphasized the various resources available to students, including the Guidance and Counselling Department, Student Counselors, and the Chaplaincy Department, which play a crucial role in providing treatment, guidance, support, and connections to peer support services.
The event also saw a reference to the book "5 Minds for the Future" by Prof. Howard Gardner, which outlines five essential skills required for success in the fast-paced future: the disciplined mind, synthesizing mind, creative mind, respectful mind, and ethical mind. Gardner emphasizes the importance of mastering these "minds" for personal and professional growth in a rapidly changing world. In addition, he stresses the significance of maintaining physical well-being, making wise choices in friendships, and adhering to ethical values.
Professor Laila emphasized the significance of considering education as a vehicle for fostering our unique abilities and ambitions, as highlighted by former President John F. Kennedy. She also echoed the sentiments of Colin Powell, who stated that "Excellence is not an exception; it is a prevailing attitude."
The Vice-Chancellor also encouraged the freshmen to dispel the myth of carefree living at universities and instead embrace hard work and dedication to achieve excellence. She emphasized that achieving excellence requires a significant investment of time, energy, and resources, and likened it to an investment in one's life.
In her inspiring concluding remarks, Prof. Laila passionately encouraged the students to adopt the noble and soaring characteristics of an eagle as they strive for greatness and excellence in their new path.
