A total of 6,255 students graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Friday, out of which 109 bag First Class from different fields of study.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, made the disclosure in his address at the 45th Convocation Ceremony of the University, held at the Oduduwa Hall, on Friday.
The ceremony coincides with activities marking the 60th anniversary of the university.
Ogunbodede, while congratulating parents and guardians of the graduands on the occasion, urged the latter to positively impact on the Nigerian economy by proffering solutions to the challenges besetting the nation as they stepped to the next phase of life.
The VC reminded them that they were not trained only for the Nigerian environment, but also seasoned to function effectively anywhere in the world as ambassadors of ‘Great Ife.’
He said that 4,643 graduands bagged bachelor degrees (classified) from 13 faculties, while bachelor degrees (unclassified) were 561.
This, he said, was in addition to 903 post graduate degrees and 146 non-degree diplomas, stressing that the university had achieved rapid growth and development particularly in academics, research, infrastructural and human resources development.
Describing OAU as a leading institution in Engineering, he stated that “The first iLab in Africa, South of Sahara, was developed and established in OAU in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Transcript Processing Software are also part of good success story of the university.
“The university has developed a robust entrepreneurship programme supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to improve the employability and ability of the graduates to contribute effectively to national development.”
He said that the university was already collaborating with relevant government agencies and corporate organisations to construct an airstrip that would serve as a training ground for the newly established Aeronautical Engineering Programme.
He urged the Federal Government to ensure the speedy completion of the 8.03MW Energising Education Power project for the Institution, which, he said, suffered setback due to paucity of funds.
(NAN).
