The Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State (EKSU) last Saturday held its 29th convocation amid pomp and ceremony with distinguished personalities gracing the occasion to witness conferment of honorary degrees on the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and two others and celebration of academic excellence. RASAQ IBRAHIM reports…..
THE 29th convocation of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, held last Saturday will not be forgotten in a hurry because it had all trappings of glamour, class and panache.The event, which took place last Saturday,was a celebration of excellence, achievements, and distinction as three distinguished individuals were conferred with honorary degrees.
The Leader of the 10th Senate, Senator Michael Bamidele, Dr. Zach Adedeji, and former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mansur Muhtar were recognized for their selfless services and contributions to the nation’s development as well as advancing the cause of humanity.
These honorary degrees were conferred in acknowledgment of their exemplary leadership, commitment to excellence, and service to humanity. The event was a celebration of their stellar achievements and a testament to EKSU’s unwavering commitment to recognizing outstanding individuals.
The ceremony which attracted arrays of distinguished gathering of dignitaries including captains of industry, scholars, political figures and first class traditional rulers from within and outside the state served as a veritable platform to honor the honorees’ contribution to the society.
Among them are the Senate President, Godswil Akpabio, 20 Senators, Ekiti state Governor, Biodun Oyebanji who is the visitor to the university, members of the House of Representatives, his Deputy, Chief Monisafe Afuye, Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibril Barau, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Lere Oyewumi, Speaker Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, among others.
The event was a moment of pride for the university, its students, and the state of Ekiti as a whole. It was a celebration of the achievements of three accomplished individuals and the graduating students, who have worked tirelessly to earn their degrees.
Senate Leader, was awarded Doctor of Law (Honoris Causa) in recognition of his significant contribution to the varsity, Nigeria and the international community as well as distinguished career in law and politics. His commitment to justice, equity, and fairness has earned him a reputation as a champion of the people.
Adedeji, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), received a Doctor of Management (Honoris Causa) degree in recognition of his exceptional leadership and contributions to taxation and revenue management. His expertise in taxation has been instrumental in shaping Nigeria’s tax policies.
Muhtar, a former Minister of Finance, was garlanded with a Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) degree in recognition of his outstanding contributions to finance and economics. His commitment to transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility has meritoriously earned him a reputation as a leading expert in the field.
The honorary degrees awarded to these individuals demonstrate the ivory tower’s irrevocable commitment to excellence as well as its recognition of outstanding contributions to society. The ceremony was a celebration of achievement and a reminder that hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence can lead to greater things.
The event will be remembered for years to come, inspiring future generations of students, staff as well as the alumni of the ivory tower to strive for excellence and make meaningful contributions to nation-building and humanity.
Beyond the conferment of the honorary degree, the institution’s management also celebrated academic excellence as outstanding graduating students were rewarded for their exceptional academic achievements.
The outstanding graduating students were honored for their hard work and dedication. Oluwapelumi Oyelakin of the Department of Statistics in the Faculty of Science emerged as the overall best graduating student with an outstanding CGPA of 4.89/5.0.
In the Faculty of Law, Oluwanifemi Emmanuel Ogunmodede was recognized as the best male graduating student with a CGPA of 4.66/5.0, while Catherine Ayomide Opadokun was honored as the best female graduating student with a CGPA of 4.73/5.0.
The award winners received cash prizes, with Ogunmodede receiving N1.5 million and Opadokun receiving N1.2 million for the academic brilliance. The Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Dr. Tunji Olowolafe also announced award of N500,000 to every student graduating with a First Class Degree in honor of his late Mrs. Gbemisola Olutayo Olowolafe.
Ogunmodede’s academic excellence is not a fluke but combination of hard work and dedication. His journey to EKSU was a rollercoaster ride of emotion filled with disappointments but he refused to give up on his dreams despite facing many challenges.
From being offered a different course of study to facing miscalculated scores and discouraging comments, Ogunmodede’s journey to EKSU was nothing short of a tales of challenging odyssey. However, with the unflinching support of his lovely parents and unwavering commitment to his goals, he persevered and eventually achieved his dream of studying Law at the state owned university.
Ogunmodede’s remarkable achievement is a testament to hard work, dedication, and perseverance, thus, setting a high standard for his peers and making his family proud.
He said, “My journey to EKSU began in 2018 when I applied to the Faculty of Law. But instead of being offered admission into the faculty, I was given English and Literary Studies. I was devastated.
“Determined to pursue my dream of studying law, I attempted to secure admission into other universities. I applied to Redeemer’s University, Olabisi Onabanjo University, and the University of Lagos Direct Entry program. But it seemed like the odds were stacked against me.
“Despite the setbacks, I refused to give up. With the support of my parents, I decided to retake JAMB exam. I passed again, and I hoped that my admission process would be smoother this time around. However, I faced another challenge. My Post UTME points were miscalculated, resulting in a lower score than I had actually achieved. I was frustrated, but I didn’t let it discourage me.
“The final hurdle I faced was obtaining my admission letter. While my fellow prospective students had already received theirs and commenced the registration process, I was still waiting.
But I didn’t give up. I persevered, and eventually, I received my admission letter with the determination to achieving my dream of studying Law at EKSU.
“Looking back on my journey, I’ve learned that life is full of unexpected twists and turns. But it’s how we respond to those challenges that defines us”, he said.
Speaking at the stars-studded event, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Joseph Ayodele said the choice of the trio of the Senate Leader, Adedeji and the former Finance Minister for the honorary degrees was strictly based on merit and university’s desire to celebrate their outstanding contribution to the nation’s growth and development.
He lauded the awardees for their selfless service and positive impacts on Nigeria’s growth and development, saying their outstanding leadership and dedication to the country’s progress are remarkable.
The VC ongratulated and admonished the graduating students to portray the institution well wherever they may go, urging them to apply the knowledge they gained at the institution to their future pursuits.
He thanked Governor Oyebanji for his unwavering support for the university, adding that the governor’s support has been unprecedented in the anal of the state’s education development in the state which have continued to impact on the growth and development of the University.
Prof. Ayodele said that he could not but connect the superlative achievements in the university to the upward review of the monthly subvention to the institution which assisted in no small way to defray outstanding salaries and accumulated allowances helping as morale booster to staff and also promote stable academic calendars of the institution.
In his address, Governor Oyebanji said his government remained committed to repositioning education capable of driving development to empower youths with qualitative and functional education and create a brighter future for them as well as lay a solid foundation for a prosperous and sustainable state.
The Governor maintained that his administration places a high premium on human capital development, noting that education remained the bedrock of any thriving society as well as critical pillar and Roadmap to Keeping Ekiti State Working.
He called on the Governing Council to allow creativity and innovation to drive progress in all sectors of the economy stressing the urgent need to embrace the spirit of inquiry and solutions to engender development and transform the standad of the institution and the state as a citadel of knowledge founded to drive global science and technological development.
He congratulated Senator Bamidele and two others who are conferred with the honorary Doctorate degrees in different fields for their remarkable contributions to the development of Nigeria saying he was very proud to associate with their individual achievements.
Speaking on behalf of the awardees, the Senate Leader, expressed their gratitude to the institution’s Governing Council for recognizing their contributions to the society, saying the honour would spur them to do more.
Bamidele, who was visibly elated by the honor, used the occasion to justify the national assembly’s approval of the emergency rule in Rivers State, saying the decision was necessary to prevent looming anarchy.
He expressed utter disappointment that the assembly received condemnation instead of commendation for their actions, maintaining that the decision was taken in good faith and in the best interest of the country.
