No fewer than 21 students bagged First Class honours, as the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji Osun State, graduates 430 students from its seven colleges and various academic programmes.
Prof. Kola Sonaike, the Vice Chancellor, stated this on Monday at a press conference, ahead of the institution’s 11th convocation scheduled for Friday.
Sonaike noted that 395 students would receive first degree certificates, comprising 21 First Class honours, 181 Second Class Upper, 157 Second Class Lower and 36 Third Class, respectively.
He added that four students would be honoured with postgraduate diplomas, while 31 others would receive Masters Degrees.
“For first degrees , 83 of the graduating students come from the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, 24 from the College of Environmental Sciences, 95 from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, 70 from the College of Law and 123 from the College of Management Sciences, ” he stated.
According to him, the university would also bestow its highest honours on four eminent personalities in the country, who had distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavour.
”They are former Chief of Defence Staff, Oluseyi Petinrin, Pastor Bayo Olugbemi, Managing Director of First Registrars and Investor Services Ltd , Hon. Oluwole Oke, Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Procurement, and Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on NDDC,” he said.
The vice chancellor said that the convocation lecture would be delivered by Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, former Minister of External Affairs, on Thursday.
He noted that the institution recorded some major achievements in the 2019/2020 academic session, ranging from academics to social responsibility.
Sonaike stressed that the institution had put all mechanisms in place to comply strictly with laid down Covid-19 guidelines, adding that the university’s Covid-19 isolation centre was also well equipped.
The vice chancellor cited entrepreneurship, unflinching research as key pursuits of the institution, while berating calls for the continuous closure of schools because of Covid-19 pandemic.
”Keeping students at home for months is irresponsible. ASUU salaries will be paid but private schools can’t do that. We are innovative and our intention is not profit-driven,” he said.