The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit has lauded 17 of its members who made First Class at the 49th convocation of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
MSSN President Dr Saheed Ashafa, in a statement, said academic excellence remained major goal of the society.
Ashafa said the graduates would be honoured at the next MSSN Lagos Outstanding Muslims Merit Award.
“When the award was held in 2016, Lagos State public school pupils who emerged as one-day governor, deputy governor and commissioners after a debate competition were the honorees. They emerged successful at a point when many Nigerians had underrated the intellectual capacities of Muslim female pupils because they wear the hijab,” he said, adding: “It pains that we are in a society that values frivolities than academic excellence. These are students that should ordinarily be celebrated and be placed at high rank but our leaders appear to be more interested rewarding those who do well in music and dancing among others.”
He noted that the society which the graduates belong to has been suspended in the institution.
Ashafa pleaded with the Prof Rahamon Bello-led UNILAG management to lift the suspension.
He said: “Some of these students were subjected to undue hardship and still emerged victorious. We may not be able to completely claim that their membership with the MSSN made them have First Class, but the association and society that one belongs to have a lot to tell about how far and well you will perform.
“To us, the MSSN in UNILAG that was suspended did no wrong. We hope that further events will vindicate us. We urge Muslim students in the institution not to be distracted and pursue their spiritual, moral and academic development vigorously.”
MSSN UNILAG Branch President for the 2014/2015 session, Abdur-Rasheed Adeoye attributed the students’ success to Allah.
MSSN activities were suspended at the 2014/2015 academic session.
Adeoye, a graduating student of the Department of Science and Technology Education (Integrated Science Education), said: “This is an encouragement for those of us leading the society. Although, we wish more students also achieved this height. It is a worthy achievement for us as it shows that our efforts to achieve academic excellence are not in vain. Many of those that bagged First Class are beneficiaries of our scholarship scheme, all thanks to God.”
Tag: First class
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17 MSSN members make First Class at UNILAG
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FUT Minna produces 34 First Class graduates
The Federal University of Technology, Minna has produced 34 First Class and 35 PhD graduates out of 3,734 graduating students in the 2015/2016 session.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Musbau Adewumi Akanji briefing newsmen for the 26th Convocation ceremony and 35th Founder’s Day Celebration said 790 graduating students obtained Second Class Upper Division.
He said that 2,788 will receive first degrees, 637 will be awarded Masters degrees, 3 will bag PhDs while another 274 will be awarded Postgraduate Diplomas.
“For this year’s occasion, we have a total of 3,734 graduating students. Of this number, 2,788 will receive First degrees while 637 will be awarded Masters degrees. Thirty-five others will bag PhDs while another 274 will be awarded Postgraduate Diplomas.”
The Vice Chancellor stated that although 70 graduating students attained Pass degree, the University will no longer award Pass degrees to students.
He said that three eminent Nigerians, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu and Professor Akin Ladipo Mabogunje will be conferred Honorary Doctorate degrees for their contributions to national development.
Akanji said that a number of projects including a multi-billion ultra-modern Female Hostel Complex and a Research Farm complex will be commissioned during the convocation ceremony.
He appealed for more government funding for research in universities adding that a number of challenges are bedeviling higher institutions in Nigeria due to the paucity of funds.
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28 to bag first class at Bells Varsity
No fewer than 28 of 334 graduating students of Bells University of Technology, (BELLSTECH) Ogun State will bag first class honours at the institution’s eighth convocation.
Its Vice Chancellor Prof. Jeremiah Ojediran, made this announcement at a briefing at the university’s Senate building on Wednesday last week.
He also revealed that management’s plan to allow a conversion of Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates to degree status. Once implemented, it would give respite to many HND certificate holders who are faced with the challenge of certificate discrimination in the labour market, Ojediran added.
He assured that management would make the conversion programme convenient for many HND graduates to benefit from.
He said: “The university has set in motion the process of implementing a conversion programme to avail HND holders who have been affected by the B.Sc/HND dichotomy to upgrade their certificates to B.Sc. degree status. We will make the conversion programme convenient for prospective applicants or HND graduates, putting into consideration the economic situation of the country and the schedules of the applicants.
“We thereby hope to reach out to the heavy population of HND holders in the numerous industries in Ota environs and Lagos State,” he said.
He promised to maintain a regular review of the academic programmes of the institution in line with local and international demands.
He added that 122 graduating students finished with second class (upper division), 108 had second class (lower) while 76 students came out with third class.
The convocation lecture tagged: ‘Nigeria’s economic landscape & recovery route: Technology and the future,” will be delivered by the Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited. Mr. Bismarck Rewane.
Other activities during the event include health talk, induction, technology fair, book presentation, football matches and drama presentation.
In a similar development, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) will hold its 30th convocation today. Of the 7102 graduands, 40 made distinctions while 489 made upper credits, said the institution’s Rector Dr Margaret Ladipo.
Addressing reporters at the school conference room, Dr Ladipo said the choice of the convocation lecture: ‘Technology as a tool to salvage the current economic recession”, delivered by a financial/investment analyst Mr Mustapha Obi, was informed by the economic recession in the country.
“There is a need for us as a college to add our academic voice to the robust discussion regarding the economy wriggling out of its present circumstance, “Ladipo said.
She added: “For us to come out of recession we must embrace technology, knowledge-based transfer mechanism as well as promote products, machineries that are made in Nigeria by Nigerians.”
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Seven get First-Class as AAU graduates 9,186
Seven students have been awarded First-Class by authorities of the Ambrose Ali University (AAU) at Ekpoma in Edo State.
They were among 9,186 graduating students awarded diplomas, first and postgraduate degrees at the 20th convocation of the institution.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Ignatius Onimawo said 768 made Second Class Upper; 5,193 Second Class Lower; 2,225 got Third Class, while 160 made Pass.
Prof. Onimawo said 14 programmes had been fully accredited; eight had interim accreditation, and six denied accreditation.
The vice chancellor promised that areas of shortfall in the six programmes had been remedied, and the university ready for re-assessment.
Visitor to the university and Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole said Nigeria’s educational system must be accorded its due priority.
The governor said his administration accomplished so much in education, and increased the university’s yearly subvention to N3.6 billion from N1.2 billion
He assured the institution’s management that Governor-elect Godwin Obaseki would complete projects in the school.
Channels Television Chief Executive Officer Mr. John Momoh was presented with a doctorate degree in Business Administration (Honoris Causa).
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Caleb produces 15 First-Class
Fifteen First-Class graduates of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, will lead 340 others at the university’s sixth convocation on Friday.
Vice Chancellor Prof Ayandiji Daniel Aina said this while speaking with reporters at the pre-convocation briefing at the weekend.
Despite the recession, Ayandiji said management would not increase tuition. The move, he said, is to secure the future through education and enlightenment.
“Our graduates are distinguished, therefore, they will always stand out. They are not backed up so they will deliver.
“Presently, we do not owe any worker salary or allowance and we have not increased our fees either and we do not intend to do that so that the future of Nigeria will not be truncated,” he added.
The school started operation on January 21, 2008.
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Eight get First Class at UNIAGRIC convocation
Eight graduating students of the Federal University of Agriculture (UNIAGRIC) in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, bagged a First Class during the institution’s convocation. DAMSA AHANGBA (300-Level Physics Education) and MICHEAL AKPEM (300-Level Soil Science) report.
•Graduands at the event Personalities from various walks of life gathered at the Federal University of Agriculture (UNIAGRIC) in Makurdi, Benue State, last Saturday, for its 22nd convocation. Emir of Ilorin Alhaji Ibrahim Zulu-Gambari was also installed as the institution’s new chancellor on the occasion.
The convocation was preceded by a lecture on Friday with the theme: Solving Nigeria’s food security challenges through integrated research, enhanced skills and effective engagement of agriculture. The lecture was delivered by Dr Mustapha Shettima, former Minister of Agriculture.
Shettima harped on the nation’s efforts in ensuring food security, saying without greater efforts to improve agriculture production, Nigeria may experience food shortage and people may have nothing to feed on. He urged agricultural universities to embark on research to boost food productivity and improve the nation’s income. This, he said, must be done in partnership with the Federal Government.
The ceremony took place at the James Ayatse Convocation Arena in the South Wing of the university main campus.
As procession of the body principal officers led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Emmanuel Kucha, and members of the Senate arrived at the venue, the event started with standing ovation by the graduands and their parents.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented at the event, told the graduands to be steadfast in their quest to practise what they were taught in school. He said they must imbibe the virtues of transparency and accountability in their dealings, saying this would propel them as good ambassadors of their institution and the country. The president urged the management and staff of the school to support his administration’s effort to fight corruption and promote accountability.
Other speakers included Alhaji Zulu-Gambari, who was installed fourth chancellor of the university and honoured with a Doctor of Letters. He urged the students to be good ambassadors of their alma mater.
Governor of Benue State, represented by his deputy, Mr Benson Abounu, reiterated his government’s willingness to partner with the university in its drive to promote agricultural production and enhance food security.
Pro-chancellor, Dr Chike Udenze, also urged support for the institution.
Prof Kucha, in his address, explained that the university recorded milestone achievement, saying it graduated highest number of students with First Class.
Of 3,904 students being graduated, eight have finished with a First Class, 1,055 graduated with Second Class (Upper Division), 1,325 had Second Class (Lower Division), 748 got Third Class, while 35 got Pass.
Also, there were 711 Postgraduate students, who received their certificates. Of the total, 29 received doctoral degree, 230 got Master’s degree, while 452 received Post-graduate Diploma.
Ngozi Chukwuka Ona of the Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science emerged the best graduating student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.67.
The ceremony ended with closing remarks by Deputy VC for Administration, Prof Ayodele, who praised the dignitaries that graced convocation for their support for the school. He said the university would host them again when Nigeria Universities Games (NUGA) starts next year. He said the event would position the school for investment and strengthen relationship with other universities.
A thanksgiving was held on Sunday at the Catholic Chaplaincy on the campus, which marked the end of the graduation activities and to commemorate the VC’s third year in office.
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First Class degree, yet no job
MARIAM Adamson’s story is pathetic. Born in 1988, her education was very fast because she was given double promotions in her primary and secondary schools because of her uncommon intelligence.
She soon got admission at 16 to study Agriculture in Moore Plantation, Ibadan where she graduated with Upper Credit and moved to Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) to study Animal Nutrition in 2008.
Her intelligence came to play when she wrote her first examination in FUNAAB and her name was posted on the school notice board as wanted for malpractice due to her performance.
She was made by the school authority to defend her written examination which she did without much effort.
Again she got a standing ovation from her supervising and external professors on the day she defended her final project.
Mariam Adamson, as expected soon graduated from the university with a first class in 2011 but until now, she is at home applying for jobs, attending interviews without any success.
She expressed her disappointment at the University for not treating her specially.
According to her, “I decided to do a Masters programme when the university did not offer me anything but the tenure of the then new Vice Chancellor, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole saw to an increase in school fees which I couldn’t afford. I had to defile my Masters Programme when again I wasn’t offered the opportunity to continue.”
Asked what she has been doing since then, she said: “I have been applying for every job offer online but none of them called. These four years has been really bad, sitting at home, applying, waiting, hoping, it has being terrible.”
She said it is frustrating not being able to do what she practised after four years. “I graduated at a very young age with first class. I was respected by my classmates and lecturers but it didn’t take me anywhere because I have not got the opportunity to prove myself.
“I started to feel as if I shouldn’t have graduated with a first class. As if I shouldn’t have read as much as I did. I began to understand why many students don’t bother to read. I cannot even afford to do a Master’s Programme, let alone a PhD which has always been my dream. Any job I apply for, they ask for as much as 10 years experience and the only experience I have is my NYSC experience.”
She added that she had a five year dream. “I wanted to work for two years, have enough finance to start my own farm and make it big by the end of the fifth year but all the dream has gone down the drain as four years has gone by.”
Okonkwo Theresa, a 2012 first class graduate of the University of Lagos was so happy to assist this reporter with information because she believes that after this publication somebody will assist her with a job.
She said, “I have been doing any job that comes my way. I am assisting my uncle’s friend who has a small office right now. Since I graduated in 2012, I have not done any professional job even as I read accounting and I never got an offer from the university.”
Asked how it has been, she said it has not been easy at all. “I have applied for ICAN; I want to be chartered because I know it will help me when I finally get a job.”
On how far she went job hunting, she said: “I applied for many jobs and even went to write a test with KPMG but didn’t meet the final stage. Another firm I went to called two people who didn’t graduate with a first class and when I spoke with them they said they know someone in the organisation.”
Recalling the day she graduated, she said that day she told herself that she would work in an audit firm but when it didn’t work out she tried banks. “I will like to be in a financial organisation,” she said.
For Olagoke Kehinde Olalere also a 2011 first class graduate of FUNAAB, when he didn’t hear from his school and got to know that they would only get jobs when a vacancy is announced, he decided to apply for his second degree.
“That is the only thing I have had the opportunity to do with the hope that I will get a job after I graduate. I believe that an additional certificate will help me get a job.
According to him, it was a decision from the beginning in school to graduate with a first class so it took a lot of sleepless nights and reading with hope that graduating with first would give him a upper hand over his colleagues but when he applied to many companies and no one called him, he applied for a Masters Programme.
“I heard that in some schools including FUNAAB, first class graduates get jobs as they graduate but the case wasn’t so with our set as there was a change of government so it was cancelled. That left us disappointed.”
Asked if he is very sure to get employed after his second degree, the Animal Nutrition graduate said: “No, and we have asked our lecturers, they are also looking forward to the management changing their decision. They did not say no employment for first class graduates, they brought up a policy that positions in every department should be opened and made competitive instead of just employing first class but up till now, no position has been opened for application. It was also during this period that Masters Programme school fee was increased so many first class graduates could not come back for their Masters Programme.”
For Foyeke Akinfenwa whose mother and siblings supported through school with the hope that she will repay them in future, when she was posted to the Osun State Ministry of Agriculture to serve, she thought she would be retained.
“I read Animal breeding and genetics in FUNAAB and graduated with a first class. I studied in Moore Plantation Ibadan where I graduated with Upper credit and moved to FUNAAB to join the 300 level students.
“Since I graduated I have not got any jobs. After I finished school, I served but I wasn’t retained so I started searching for jobs but when I didn’t get any, I decided to do a Masters programme which I am still doing.”
In her search for a job, Foyeke confessed to have fallen into the hands of fake job recruiters.
Asked how she feels now, she said, “I feel very bad that after four years I have nothing to show that I graduated with first class. I can’t even encourage my younger ones to do well in school because they are not looking up to me.
“It is discouraging. This is the reason why students don’t read much; they don’t care about academics. They are not motivated anymore because they can count their finger for people that have gotten job after graduating with good result.
“It is affecting the quality of students we are graduating. People feel once they have connections, they don’t need to read, she said.”
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First Class graduates to serve in higher institutions, says NYSC
Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi has said First Class graduates and their counterparts, who graduated with distinction from the polytechnics, will now be posted only to tertiary institutions for their primary assignment.
He said universities have been banned from offering post-graduate admission to serving corps members, as doing so have been in violation of the NYSC Act.
Brig-Gen. Johnson spoke in Kaduna yesterday at the opening ceremony of 2015 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Mobilisation Workshop.
Addressing participants of the workshop, tagged, “ICT and NYSC Mobilization Process: Towards Eliminating Identified Challenges”, the NYSC boss emphasised that henceforth, “all First Class graduates will be posted to the universities for their primary assignments” and appealed to the Vice-Chancellors to retain them after their NYSC programme.
NYSC’s Director of Corps Mobilisation Mr. Anthony Ani said the workshop would “look at the data entry used for the exercise for the Senate Approved list, the list of Approved Corps Producing Institutions and the list of accredited courses”.
Brig-Gen. Olawumi, who enumerated his reform programmes aimed at improving service delivery and efficiency by the NYSC, stated thaat, if fully implemented, the scheme would add value to young Nigerian graduates.
Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai, who was represented by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe Musa, applauded the decision of NYSC to post First Class graduate corps members to tertiary institutions, adding that with the paucity of lecturers in such institutions, it was an encouraging decision of the NYSC to do so.
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Nigerian girl bags first class in U.S.
A 21-year-old Nigerian, Miss Jewel Olachi Nkwocha, has made her country proud by earning a First Class Honours (Summa Cum Laude) in Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Richmond, United States.
Miss Nkwocha, who hails from Imo State, also bagged a medal from the University’s Honours College as well as two awards from the School of Engineering and the Department of Biomedical Engineering; all of which were presented to her during the university’s graduation held recently in Richmond.
During her four-year programme, Jewel won the Mark Sternheimer honours scholarship twice as a reward for academic excellence. In her third year, she was given a Tutor appointment which she described as “tasking but very rewarding intellectually”, while in her final year, she was among 12 undergraduates who won the University’s Dean’s research grant for specialised project with a doctoral candidate.
But it was not all about academics for Jewel. In her second year, she was elected a representative in the Students Union Association (SUA), while in her third year, she won a Senate seat in the SUA.
She combined these responsibilities with being a UNICEF volunteer and one of the leaders of the African Students Union.
Jewel and her parents, Dr Jossy and Lady Joy Nkwocha, were very happy and full of gratitude to God for such an academic feat in far-away US, especially for a girl who did her secondary school in Nigeria (Federal Government College, Owerri), and travelled to US only four years ago.
How does she feel making such a great result? “I just feel good, normal. I am happy that my result has elevated the image of my country Nigeria. I give thanks to my parents who gave me the opportunity of studying here in America. I also appreciate my guardians here in U.S., Mr and Mrs Sam Chijioke, who have done so much for me. I give all the glory to God Almighty who has made it all possible,” she said.
Her father, a former General Editor of Newswatch magazine, praised Jewel for making them proud, but also gave God the glory.
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13 bag First Class at DELSU convocation
Thirteen graduates of the Delta State University (DELSU) in Abraka bagged a First Class during the institution’s Ninth convocation held last weekend. The valedictorians were among 9,648 graduating students conferred with first degrees and diplomas at the ceremony held at Convocation Arena in Site III of the institution.
The ceremony also witnessed conferment of post-graduate degrees and honorary degrees to the deserving people.
The Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, led the pack of dignitaries, including his deputy, Prof Amos Utuama (SAN), and traditional rulers in the state.
The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Victor Peretomode, said the ceremony was to celebrate the efforts and time invested by the graduands during their days in school, urging the graduates to see the convocation as another beginning in their lives. He urged them to dream big and reflect on their aims in life.
Governor Uduaghan urged the graduands not to give up hope on the future of the country, noting that the objective of Delta Beyond Oil was to open up the state’s economy and provide jobs for indigenes that are qualified.
The convocation ceremony was also an opportunity for the governor to commission projects in the school. One of the projects is the newly-built Faculty of Education complex.
Highlight if the ceremony included presentation of automatic employment to the overall best graduating student, Miss Anthonia Michael of the Department of Botany. She was also given scholarship up to doctoral level.
In her speech, Anthonia expressed gratitude to God for making her feat possible and promised to always strive for excellence.
