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Protocol:
- I am delighted to be part of history making here today as the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), an agency of the National Assembly, commences its postgraduate programmes. This is especially pleasing to me for several reasons.
- Primarily, NILS represents the National Assembly’s effort at creating a world class Institute that would serve to build the capacity of legislators in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. It is a brainchild of this Assembly and stemmed from a realization by legislators that our work as representatives of the people must be built on solid research backed by empirical facts. I am pleased that NILS is taking giant strides in this regard and making a name as a premier centre of learning and research.
- I am also glad that NILS is collaborating with other well established institutions within and outside Nigeria in pursuance of its mandate. Many legislators have benefitted from the wealth of programmes offered by such notable centres as John Hopkins University, Oxford, Harvard, and McGill. NILS’ collaboration with the University of Benin on the postgraduate programme is yet another statement by the Institute of its intention to work in partnership with the best towards strengthening legislative practice and procedure in Nigeria and beyond.
- Today’s occasion makes all of us in the National Assembly, proud fathers having mid-wifed the birth of NILS and now seeing it fast growing into a reputable and important institution. If NILS’ brief but impressive antecedents are anything to go by, I can confidently tell the matriculating students that they have a great adventure ahead of them. I expect that through the different programmes, they will be challenged, inspired and presented with opportunities to further their learning.
- Many of the matriculants here today are Senators, House of Representative Members and senior officers working in various offices and departments of the National Assembly and other agencies of government. In fact, these postgraduate programmes have been designed with you in mind. It affords you a flexible opportunity to increase your knowledge while at the same time working. This unique learning environment means that you can marry your work experience with academic insights presented in this programme. I encourage you and others to take full advantage of this great opportunity to better not just yourselves but also the National Assembly and your various organizations and establishments.
- The academic community you are entering is truly stimulating. The vision of NILS is to be a world class facility that would support the sustenance of dynamic and effective Legislature in Nigeria (at Federal, State and Local levels), and the sub-region. NILS is defined by people who care deeply about each other and the world in which they live and work, and take great pride in the mission of the Institute which is to build and strengthen the capacity of legislators and parliamentary officials in Nigeria and beyond to make informed legislative decision and effectively discharge their constitutional responsibilities through focused and comprehensive training, research, legislative support and documentation service.
- You will discover that your lecturers and more importantly your fellow students, who include legislators and other senior officials from both the government and private sectors, have much to teach you. All of you bring innumerable life experiences that make us unique. Thus, sitting next to you in your various classes will be men and women with insights you can benefit from. Do take advantage of their insights to build your own capacity.
- I must not fail to mention that we face difficult and challenging times in Nigeria today. We are buffeted on all sides by problems of extremism, insecurity, injustice, intolerance, violence and economic hardship, among other challenges. We at the National Assembly are worried by the escalation of violence and the heinous crimes being carried out on a daily basis by terrorists and insurgents, and as such we are committed to improving the fortunes of Nigerians by working together with the other arms of government to improve safety of lives and property.
- It is my earnest hope that your learning will contribute to critical engagement with the socio-political, cultural and religious challenges that we face today. The Master’s degree programme specifically should equip you with analytical and intellectual tools to engage and tackle some of our common difficulties. I therefore, implore you to be independent in your judgment, critical in your analysis, and innovative in developing solutions.
- I want to congratulate every student for having confidence in this programme and in NILS. I have no doubt in my mind that this confidence shall be rewarding – the determined, expert teaching and independent research will produce uniquely qualified postgraduates. At a time when the quality of our schools has been called into question, it is my fervent hope that NILS and UNIBEN, through this programme, will set high standards of excellence, attract students from Nigeria and beyond and by so doing restore the lost glory of the Nigerian education system.
- The future holds great promise at NILS. As the Institute prepares to move to its permanent site soon, current and prospective students will enjoy a world class facility comparable to any in the world. When completed, NILS’ ultra-modern infrastructure will consist of offices, modern training/lecture rooms, modern conference room, a library, student halls and sport facilities, among others. I urge you to take advantage of the various study resources present at the Institute.
- Particularly, to the students, I advise you to work hard, abide by the rules and regulations of NILS, interact freely and openly and challenge each other in the spirit of academic freedom. I pray that God blesses everything you do here at the National Institute for Legislative Studies so that after your study period, you will leave NILS a fulfilled person.
- Congratulations and I wish you all the best in the future.
Senator (Dr.) David A.B. Mark (GCON)
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND
CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY