As Babalakin, tasks stakeholders on quality education

By Dayo Adesulu

University of Lagos, UNILAG yesterday (Thursday),  conferred Honorary Doctorate Degrees on Mr. Jim Ovia,  Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya and  Lateef Olufemi Okunnu during its 50th Convocation ceremony held at the institution’s main auditorium, Lagos.

Speaking during the conferment, the Vice Chancellor,  UNILAG, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe said the gesture was done in recognition of the awardees’ various contribution to humanity.

Unilag

To Jim Ovia, the founder of Zenith Bank, Ogundipe described him as an accomplished banker who changed the landscape of the banking sector in Nigeria.

Also, while acknowledging Mr Lateef Olufemi Okunnu, he pointed out his accomplishment when he was former Federal Commissioner (Minister) for Works and Housing and former Pro- Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State. According to him, his positive mark in providing housing speaks volume.

While conferring Doctorate Honorary degree on Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya ,  the Vice Chancellor said Olukoya is an alumnus of UNILAG who graduated with a first class honours in Micro Biology and PhD in Molecular Geneticist.  He described his contribution to youths and humanity as massive, adding that he is the Founder, Mountain Top University, Ogun State and the Pentecostal Minister and Founder/ General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.

They were all awarded Dr of Science, Honorary cousor

Besides, Emeritus Professorship was conferred on Professor Sulaiman Adeniyi Adekola, formerly of the Department of Electrical Engineering and a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).

In his acceptance remark, Jim Ovia who lauded the gesture, however urged the Federal Government to approve more private universities to meet the shortfall of admission in tertiary institutions.

He said: “The Federal Government should grant approval to more  private universities to meet the shortfall of admission in our universities.

” Besides, since it has become obvious that government alone cannot fund education, the private sector should do more to bridge the gape by partnering with the government to deliver qualitative education to the people.”

On his part, Dr Daniel Olukoya called for financial motivation for our undergraduates, stressing that since he publicly promised a car for any first class student in his church, the numbers of first class graduates shot up.

He said: “In 2016, the number of first class were 77. In 2017, it rose to 106 and in  2018, it was 300.

He also suggested that the National University Commission,  NUC  to inculcate into the university curriculum a mandatory course on ‘Life after the University’.

” Such mandatory course should entails, intergrity, dignity, hardwork and labour,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, Lateef Okunnu in his acceptance remark decried the state of education in the north.

He said: “The State and the Federal Government must do more about secondary education.”

He said while there was a remarkable improvement in secondary education  in the southern part of our country, the northern part is lagging behind.

He said: “The Southern part are lucky for the access to education provided by the mission. In the northern part, mission education is missing. I am yet to also  see the signs of seriousness on the part of their governors to revamp the situation.

” Before 1979, the State was well funded in terms of education. After 1979, the governors of the northern States are yet to wake up to this reality.”

Earlier,  the Pro-Chancellor and Chair,  UNILAG Governing Council, Dr. Wale Babalaki, SAN in his brief remarks said that Nigerians should go for quality education as it is obtainable in developed countries.

He said how that quality education would be actualized should not bother us so far it is actualized.

According to him,  if quality education could be realised by individuals or corporate organisations,  so be it and if the federal government could do it,  so be it. “All we are after is  quality education that is of global standard,” he said.

He said: “There is nothing like quality education in Nigeria, our aim in terms of quality education should be how Nigerian education  can compete favourably with ivy league institutions globally.”

He therefore urged, individuals, organizations and other stakeholders in the sector to collaborate with the government for global quality education.

Meanwhile, President  Mohammadu Buhari, represented by Executive Secretary, NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed reiterated his government commitment to education.

He pledged to support the graduates in their fields of endeavour, especially in area of entrepreneurship and research.

“Education is our hope  to guarantee stable future.

” We  shall continue to interface with the Academic Staff Union of Universities,  ASUU to guarantee stability in the sector, ” he said.

In the breakdown of the post graduates students,  the  Vice Chancellor said 150 had Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees,  as 4,771 got Masters degrees and 484 Postgraduate Diplomas.

Ogundipe said: “The Best Ph.D Thesis in Science is awarded to Ajibade, Oluwaseyi Ayodele of Department of Metallurgical  & Material Engineering while Oyebade, Olumide Oyewole of Department of Philosophy is awarded Best Ph.D Thesis award for Humanities.  Ajibade, Oluwaseyi Ayodele receive the overall best Ph.D. Thesis.

Explaining the limestone of UNILAG’s alumni,  he said: “University of Lagos Alumni is a very strong part of the UNILAG brand, at home and abroad.

“Last year, the University was put in the global spotlight when an alumna, Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin, founder of Pearls Africa Youth Foundation was announced as one of the winners of the CNN Heroes Top 10 Award for the year 2018.

“She was rewarded for her vision to empower disadvantaged girls in rural communities within Lagos with the teaching of coding applications.

“Mr.Ayodele Dada, a graduate of the Department of Psychology, with a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average 5.00 in the 2014/2015 session was selected by Stanford University, through its Knight-Hennessy Scholars Programme as one of the 69 students from around the world to advance their knowledge in service to humanity.

“Solomon Oyakhire,  another alumnus from the Department of Chemical Engineering was part of the 2018 cohort of the Knight-Hennessy scholarship program.

“In addition, four alumni of the Faculty of Law were elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC).”

He disclosed that fifty companies would be register for students of the institution who have showcase special talents in their field of studies.