By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—NO fewer than 12,808 graduating students of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, will on Saturday be awarded various degrees and diplomas  during this year’s convocation ceremony of the university.

Minister of  Works, Power and Housing and former Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), will deliver the 42nd convocation lecture of the University, while the former Minister of State for Works, Dr Chris Ogienwonyi, will deliver the school’s Founders’ Day lecture.

Briefing newsmen ahead of the ceremony,  Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Faraday Orumwense,  said a breakdown of the graduands showed  154 bagged Doctorate Degrees, 2,531 (Masters), 233 (Post Graduate Diploma), Undergraduate Degree (9,281), 95 (Diploma) and 514 for unclassified.

He said: “Another thing that interests us is the admission of the first set of graduands of the National Institute of Legislative Studies, Abuja, into the Degree of the University of Benin. This programme is borne out of a collaborative effort between the University and the National Assembly aimed at raising the bar in legislative drafting and proceedings.”

The Vice Chancellor explained that Fashola and Ogienwonyi were chosen to deliver the lectures not only because they were alumni of the universities, but their remarkable achievements in their endeavours.