Pioneer member of Delta Assembly, Fregene bags Ph.D in International Relations

A pioneer member of Delta State House of Assembly, DTHA, Hon. Patrick Fregene, has bagged a Ph.D in International Relations, from the prestigious University of Benin, Edo State.

Our Senior Correspondent, reports that Hon. Fregene who will now be addressed as Hon .Dr. Patrick Fregene, was awarded Ph.D, Saturday November 27 at an elaborate convocation ceremony held at the Main Auditorium of the University of Benin, Ugbowo Campus.

Dr. Fregene, emerged one of the best among the over 361 Ph.D students in his set, in defense of his thesis in the 2019/2020 academic year of the University of Benin.

The former lawmaker, who wrote on National Interests and the Dynamics of rapprochement (A case study of the Korean Peninsula crisis (2000-2019) expressed delight at completing the Ph.D programme.

He told Fresh Angle International in Benin City: "I feel fulfilled for the PhD award. I branched off politics and went back to school to acquire a Master degree in Strategic Studies at Ambrose Alli University in 2011.

"Intellectual prowess is relegated in politics and the intelligentsia not given room to play the game, that was why I went to improve on my intellectual knowledge".

Dr. Patrick Fregene, noted that the knowledge gained, would be used to better his life and impact positively on the society.

Hon. Dr. Patrick Fregene at the procession, alongside others, at UNIBEN Akin Deko Auditorium, Ugbowo Campus

The veteran political technocratic, stressed that democracy demands seeking knowledge for deeper and better ways of governance as well as doing things better for everyone, insisting on the imperatives of developing oneself.

He frowned at the way politics is being played nowadays, disclosing that his next line of action, includes choosing from an array of opportunities in lecturing, consultancy and other windows of advancing knowledge, open to every holder of doctor of philosophy.

Dr. Fregene, who was Special Adviser to former Governor James Ibori on Inter Party Relations, between 2003 and 2007, said he will work towards finding answers to the astronomical descend in intellectual property among Itsekiri, who once produced Vice Chancellors in the persons of Prof. Oritsejolomi Thomas of University of Ibadan, UI, Prof. Grace Alele - Williams of UNIBEN as well as numerous professionals, who dominated the civil services at both the federal and then regional governments in Nigeria.

The Chancellor, University of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Orcivirigh Prof. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse Tor Tiv and the Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Lilian Imuetinyan Salami, charged the new PhD and Master degree holders, to be good ambassadors of the ivory tower and apply the knowledge gained for betterment of the society, adding that learning without character, will take them nowhere.

 They noted that the vision of churning out great people from UNIBEN, have been achieved over the years, saying graduands from the school, have continued to add value to the society in different endeavours.

Fresh Angle International, can report that 361 people were awarded Ph.D in different fields in the 2018/2019 and 2019/2021 academic sessions, while 8,996 graduated from the 2018/2019 session, with 157 first class in the undergraduate degree programme. Master's programme; 2,511 and Postgraduate Diploma; 556, making it total of 3,428 in the Higher Degree programmes in the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 academic sessions.

The event, was also in commemoration of the 51st anniversary as well as the 46th and 47th convocation anniversary of the University.

A Cross Section of other awardees, at the UNIBEN Main Auditorium, Ugbowo, Benin City

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