CSU CLIMAXES JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS WITH GRAND DURBAR
The Christian Service University has climaxed its yearlong jubilee anniversary celebrations with a solemn durbar on its campus on Friday October 4, 2024. Established in 1974 as a college, the institution metamorphosed into a University College in 2004 and finally, into a fully-fledged university in 2024. It is against this backdrop that the Council and Management announced a yearlong anniversary in July 2023 to celebrate the goodness of God under the theme: “CSU @ 50: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects”.
50th Anniversary Grand Durbar
The anniversary celebrations would not have been complete without a grand durbar. The durbar was attended by all stakeholders of CSU including alumni, staff (former and current), students, Council members and Management, heads of academic and non-academic institutions and other well-wishers. The august event was graced by the Hon. Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum, Minister of Education who represented the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a distinguished guest of honour; Baffour Akyamfuor Asafo Boakye Agyemang-Bonsu (Akamuhene and Chief of Asafo), representing His Royal Majesty, Otumfour Osei Tutu II, Asantehene as a special guest of honour; and Rt. Hon. Rev. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, former Speaker of Parliament, as the chairman of the occasion.
Speeches
Vice Chancellor’s Welcome Address
As the head of Management, the first Vice Chancellor of Christian Service University, Prof. Samuel Kofi Afrane gave the welcome address. He catalogued the transformational milestone in the 50 journey of the institution focusing on significant achievements to drum home that indeed CSU has been on a sound path to achieve its vision and mission. He used the occasion to assure all stakeholders that despite the change in status from CSC to CSU, the current management and hopefully, future managements will remain committed to the cardinal principles built on the Lordship of Jesus Christ and other time tested core values to perpetuate the CSU agenda of societal transformation. He praised the forebears of the CSC vision and paid a glowing tribute to all individuals and institutions that have contributed to the success story of CSU. He expressed optimism that with sustained prayer from all stakeholders, CSU will not suffer “mission drift”.
The Vice Chancellor further used the occasion to disclose future plans to position CSU as a competitive tertiary institution in the league of Universities in Africa. He mentioned that there are plans to modernise and expand IT system, infrastructure and operations in the University by launching a robust E-Learning programme that will facilitate extensive online teaching and learning.
He also mentioned the initiative to embark on Solar Energy Project to power the campus to reduce the ever-increasing electricity bill of the university. In addition, the VC said there are plans to build a new modern 8-storey hostel on campus to accommodate about 450 students. He finally touched on plans to develop the University’s 11.5 acre land at Sabin Akrofoum near Trede on the Kumasi-Obuase road as a campus to accommodate the Faculty Health and Applied Sciences. Prof. Sam Afrane ended with a humble appeal to all stakeholders to support the institution financially to achieve the enviable projects to launch the institution into the next 50 years.
Chairman’s Acceptance Speech
The chairman of the event, Rt. Hon. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye expressed appreciation for the honour to chair the august event and shared some perspectives on the theme for the jubilee celebrations. He opined that “education is an integral part of God’s arrangement for His creation” and reckoned that God was the first professor on earth because He taught man and woman the rules of life on earth and how He would punish disobedience. When the law was flouted, God indeed did punish after a fair trial in His Court after hearing both Adam and Eve. In the process God became the first Chief Justice and the first Professor of Law when He inaugurated the basic law of nature “Audi Alter am Partem–Hear the other person”.
Prof. Oquaye alluded to 2 Timothy 2:15 to espouse that biblical admonition to “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” as indicative of biblical support for sound education. He argued that without education we cannot have knowledge; Without knowledge, we cannot have vision; God laments, my people perish for lack of knowledge (Proverbs 29:18) and based on this understanding, commended the institution for its motto and core values that has guided the training of distinguished men and women to serve society.
Prof. Oquaye ended with the admonition that it is the will of God that strong academic Christian institutions be set up. And therefore charged the management of CSU to continue to exhibit exemplary leadership in contending for the faith once delivered to Christians.
Special Guest of Honour
Baffour Akyamfour Asafo Boakye Agyemang-Bonsu representing the Asantehene, congratulated the institution for its enviable feat as the first private institution in Ashanti to work harder to become a fully-fledged University. He contended that education plays pivotal role in every nation’s development and most especially, private universities in Ghana have supported the nation building agenda hence current and future governments must pay attention to them. He conveyed Otumfour’s felicitation to the management and staff and assured the institution of Manhyia’s unwavering support for the current and future initiatives to further grow the institution.
Distinguished Guest of Honour
The Hon. Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum who represented the President of the Republic congratulated the institution for making significant strides to provide quality tertiary education. He outlined several policy interventions introduced by the Akufo-Addo led NPP government to transform education in Ghana. He emphasized the STEM and TVET education as a single transformational educational intervention in Ghana introduced by the current government to position the nation on the global pedestal of sustainable development. In his opinion, private universities had a role in nation building hence must be supported. He pledged the support of the Ministry of Education to support all tertiary institutions to contribute meaningfully to the human resource development of the nation.
Beyond the addresses from the guests of honour, CSU received goodwill messages from the Christian Council of Ghana, Methodist Church Ghana, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Ghana Baptist Convention, Anglican Church, and some alumni. Indeed thus far the Lord has brought the institution. CSU is indebted to the Lord for his providential care over the last 50 years.
Story By
Rev Justice Boffah Pokumensah, Director, IAO
