President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said his administration is committed to the remodeling of institutions of higher learning to achieve the much desired purpose for which they were established.
The president stated this at the 54th convocation of the University of Lagos on Thursday.
The visitor of the university who was represented by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman noted that these institutions, especially universities, were central to the attainment of a new Nigeria.
According to him, there is therefore the need for all the support and necessary changes to be put in place to take the country to achieve the desired aim of Nigerians as a people.
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“We have done well in infrastructure and culturally and we need to be proud of who we are and what we represent as a people.
He added the current administration acknowledged the sizeable number of ministers are within the youth age. “Now, as the latest graduating students, it is imperative that you identify and demonstrate the knowledge gained, and competency acquired and contribute your quota to the nation building.
“You have to come up with ideas that will foster the development of our nation. We are confident that with quality academia at the disposal of this country, quality research can be done at our universities.
“I therefore call on all stakeholders of the education sector to try and make policies that will make life easier for university management and it is in this light that this government removed IPPS,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola said 6,886 deserving students from the School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS) and the University of Lagos Business School (ULBS) will be conferred with the award of Postgraduate Diplomas (PGD), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (M.Sc.), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).
She said that out of these are 465 students graduating with a postgraduate diploma, 6266 are graduating with a Masters degree of which 377 have distinctions and 155 graduands will graduate with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in various disciplines.
“The overall best Ph.D. Thesis award for this year goes to Aminat Olawunmi IGE, (Ph.D. in Mathematics) who also won the award for the best PhD thesis in the sciences while Issa Akanji ADEDOKUN, Ph.D. in Private and Property Law won the award for the best PhD in the humanities.
“Most exciting is that 31 of the Masters students this year are international students with MSc’s obtained through the World Bank funded African Centre of Excellence for Drug Research, Herbal medicine development and Regulatory Science (ACEDHERS). This is the first time we will have such a harvest of international students at one convocation in the history of this University.
This further validates the aggressive internationalisation drive of this administration and previous administrations,” she explained.
Prof. Ogunmola added that the University of Lagos Business School (ULBS) will be graduating its first set of 62 students as an autonomous at the convocation.
“In repositioning the business school to be more globally competitive, we unbundled it from the School of Postgraduate Studies. We are very proud that it has also been admitted as a full member of the Association of Advanced Collegiate School of Business (AACSB), USA – the largest global network of leaders in business education.
“The overall best graduating student is Abiola Oluyemisi ITAKPE who obtained a Master of Business Administration with a CGPA of 4.84.
She disclosed further that this year, amongst the undergraduate who obtained degree were nineteen (19) visually impaired students from five (5) faculties – Arts, Education, Law, Social Sciences, and Management Sciences. One of them, Emeka Okeke who graduated with second-class upper Honours from the Faculty of Management Sciences and got the Best Graduating Student in Comparative Industrial Relations (ER&HRM 410).
“I want to especially congratulate two other visually impaired students, Ngozi Ukpai-Okoro (PGDE) and Opeyemi Kikelomo Adewale (MIRPM) who will be graduating from the School of Postgraduate Studies for their resilience. We are very proud of them,” she said.
“Also today, we will confer Honorary Doctorate on three distinguished personalities, two men and a woman who we believe contributed to development, knowledge globally and in particular to Nigeria. Professor Toyin Falola, OON, the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair at the University of Texas at Austin; Professor Phyllis Kanki, DVM, – a professor of Immunology at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health in Boston and founder of APIN and Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, OFR – a Professor of Political Science at Bayero University Kano who presided over the preparation and conduct of the globally acclaimed most successful general elections in Nigeria.”
In his good message, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu, commend the university management for the continuous progress made in capacity building for both Faculties and the staff, adding that their commitment to excellence has not only elevated the academic standards of this institution, but has also contributed significantly to the holistic development of each student.
“This institution’s commitment to creating an environment that fosters growth, critical thinking, inclusivity and developmental pursuits is truly praiseworthy.
“Your efforts have not only kept pace with global standards but have set new and enviable benchmarks that have kept this institution in the forefront of knowledge and innovation in this ever evolving world.
“I am happy to have witnessed the remarkable journey of this University in nurturing outstanding talents.
“I note with pride and joy that this convocation ceremony is not just a celebration of academic accomplishments, but a testament to the exceptional achievements of the students in all realms of human endeavor.
“It is therefore my charge to the graduating class that as you embark on new journeys outside the walls of this great citadel of learning and new chapters of your lives are opened, let the excellence you have achieved here be the foundation for even greater accomplishments.
“Remember that your time at the University of Lagos has not only equipped you with knowledge but has also instilled in you the values of perseverance, resilience, adaptability, and a passion for making a positive impact on the society.
“To the Faculty and staff, I say a big congratulations, your dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and the development of future leaders is the cornerstone of this university’s success.
“Your unwavering commitment has created a legacy that will resonate through the achievements of the graduates we honor today,” he said.
The Governor also extended special felicitations to Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, who he described an astute administrator with sound intellect and a strong sense of ethics, who revolutionized Nigeria’s electoral process.
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