.114 graduands bag First Class
From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
President Bola Tinubu, has restated that his administration is committed to promoting the education sector, particularly, at the tertiary level.
This was as he extended his condolences to the immediate families of slain Ekiti monarchs and the driver of New Apostolic Church Group of Schools, Emure-Ekiti who was killed in kidnappers’ den.
Tinubu made the remarks at the weekend during the 8th Convocation ceremony of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) where Senator Opeyemi Bamidele(Leader of the Senate) Senator Solomon Adeola(Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriation) and Rt. Hon. Yusuf Gagdi (Chairman, House Committee on Navy) were conferred honorary doctorate degrees( Honoris Causa) in different disciplines.
According to FUOYE, “the three eminent personalities were conferred the honorary doctorate degrees having distinguished themselves in their areas of calling.
Bamidele was conferred Doctor of Public Law(Honoris Causa), Adeola, Doctor of Accounting(Honoris Causa) and Gadgi, Doctor of Political Science(Honoris Causa)
Similarly, 6,563 students graduated with various class of degrees from the University.
Those in the Undergraduate category were 6,357 graduands while those in the Postgraduate category were 206
In the Undergraduate category, 114 graduands bagged First Class, 2,762 were awarded Second Class Upper, 2,793 got Second Class Lower, 688 with Third Class, while in the Postgraduate category, 36 bagged Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) 163 got Masters of Science(MSc) and 7 got Postgraduate Diploma(PGD).
Speaking on behalf of President Tinubu, who is the Visitor to the University,
the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin , said,
“The President, Senator Bola Tinubu, has asked me to extend his condolences to the immediate families of our monarchs and the driver who were brutally murdered by people whose permanent home is hell because what they did is something that cannot be explained but left for God to take them to hell. May their souls rest in perfect peace.
He also asked me extends his condolences to the Governor and indeed the entire people of Ekiti State.
” He has asked me to congratulate the graduands and indeed their families, well wishers. And also, the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor and all the staff of this great institution for this wonderful event. He prays that each and every one of the graduands be successful in their future endeavours.
” And to all the awardees, he has asked me to extend his congratulations to them.for being recognised by this great university. To each of the awardees, what is expected of them is just going by the saying, that who much is giving, much is required. That the recognition that has been extended today by this great university is to propel them to do more for Ekiti State and indeed the entire country.”
Jibrin added, “the President has also asked me to tell you that one of the cardinal programmes of his administration is that of promoting our educational sector particularly, the tertiary institution sector, that was why one of the bills that the President signed on inception of this administration is the access to tertiary education bill, that is, Student Loan Bill. A bill that is meant to assist indigent students to pursue their educational career. Not only that, the government has decided to allocate a lot of funds, a lot of money to assist our educational sector right from the basic level to the tertiary level. This government is poised to making sure that it does all that is needed to promote our educational sector to the desired level.”
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Abayomi Fasina, congratulated the graduands. He used the occasion to reel out the achievements of his administration of three years and disclosed the future aspirations of the ivory tower.
” Our warmest congratulations to all the graduands of today for the successful completion of your programmes here at FUOYE. We celebrate you all on this remarkable achievement. The world is changing at a speed that is unimaginable. As you go out there, there are lots of expectations awaiting you. We encourage you to be bold and courageous and put to effective use the skills you have acquired..
” The rate at which changes are happening in the world today calls for constant retooling, so be conscious of the need to increase capacity.
“Alvin Toffler rightly captured that the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. May the favour and Grace of Almighty God shine on your path.”
Fasina listed his administration’s achievements to include, infrastructural development, academic matters, recognition, awards, fellowship and accolades for the university, students patronage and admission, establishment of new directorate and units, staff and students welfare, ICT development, services and logistics, capacity Development, research development and linkages, Professor of Practice and Diaspora Professor Initiative, university security, among others.
He said the vision of his administration in the next couple of years include to have a Senate Building, Renewable Independent Power Station, Pavilion at the University Sports Centre, Academic Building for Lecturers’ offices, Continuation of the Green Revolution Initiative, University Branding, among others.
In his remarks, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, congratulated the graduands and urged them to come back and give back to their alma mater.
” I congratulate you all. Please,come back and give back to this university. I have watched with rapt interest the phenomenal growth of this university from 400 students to 51,000 in less than eight years, it can only get better and that is a testament to the quality of management that we have in place.
“As a government, we will continue to collaborate with this institution, but I plead with you that the university also must put a lot of emphasis on research, you must produce solution providers, people that will help to solve the problems of this country.
“I pray that you will continue to come here to celebrate this citadel of learning and I pray that as you go God will be with all.of you.
“Try to combine the education of the heads with that of the hands. Yes, you have graduated, if there are skills that you are good at please, don’t let it die, those skills may come in handy. That may even be what you will need, the quality of what has happened to you is that you are educated, so whatever skills you have you can apply your education to make the best out of it. I wish you well, God bless you all.”
Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Senator Bamidele appreciated the governing council and management of FUOYE for honouring them.with the doctorate degrees.