The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UNILAG

  • 10,600 graduates for UNILAG convocation

    10,600 graduates for UNILAG convocation

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Rahamon Bello, on Friday said that 125 of its 10,600 graduating students for the 2014 session had finished in the First Class Division.

    Bello said at the convocation media briefing in Lagos that the event for the award of degrees, higher degrees, Diploma, certificates and prizes, would hold from April 27 to April 30.

    He said that 1,664 of the students bagged the Second Class Upper Division while 2,827 were in the Second Class Lower Division.

    Bello said that 963 others would be graduating in the Third Class Division; 90 with Pass degrees while 167 others would be under the unclassified degrees in Medicine and Pharmacy.

    “I am also proud to announce Mr. Korede Akinpelu of the Department of Chemical Engineering as the best graduating student of the university with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.96.

    “Mr. Sedan Shittu of the Department of Finance  is the second best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.91,” he said.

    Bello said the institution would also be graduating 103 Doctors of Philosophy (Ph.Ds.), 4,330 with Masters’ degrees and 331 with Postgraduate Diplomas from its School of Postgraduate Studies.

    He said that Dr Isaac Akpan, with the thesis entitled: “ Processing and Characterisation of Selected Biodegradable Fibre-PLA Composites,’’ emerged the best Doctorate student.

    The vice-chancellor re-emphasised UNILAG’s resolve to continue to produce quality first class graduates capable of competing favourably with their counterparts in any part of the world.

    He said that the university had continued to witness appropriate growth and development in all facets, particularly in infrastructure and academic leadership.

    Bello said that with the resuscitation of its students’ union 10 years after it was proscribed, the institution now had the full complement of education.

    According to the don, students can now fully exhibit their leadership potentialities in readiness for roles in the larger society.

    The vice-chancellor said the university recently produced a 25-year strategic plan, spanning from 2012 to 2037.

    Bello said the document contained all facets of the institution and how they should grow or develop in tranches of five years.

    He said the convocation programme would kick off with a convocation lecture entitled: “ Taking Advantage of a Depressing Nigerian Economy to Accelerate Socio- Economic Development.’’

    Bello said that the lecture, slated for April 27, would be delivered by a former National Universities Commission Executive Secretary, Prof. Peter Okebukola.

    He also said that honorary degrees would be conferred on emeritus professors of the university, including some eminent Nigerians, for their outstanding contributions to education and quality of life in Nigeria.

    Some of the awardees include retired Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, Mr.  Gamaliel Onosode and Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

    Bello congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan for entrenching democracy in Nigeria by conceding defeat to the President- elect, retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, before the final declaration of result.

    He also congratulated Buhari and wished him a tenure that would meet the expectations of the teeming Nigerians

     

  • The past is behind us, says UNILAG VC

    The past is behind us, says UNILAG VC

    University of Lagos (UNILAG) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Rahamon Bello has described the return of students’ unionism after a 10-year break as the dawn of a new era. He spoke last Thursday during the swearing in  of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) in a ceremony held at the institution’s main auditorium.

    The inauguration came two weeks after members of the union executive and legislative arms were elected in keenly contested elections.

    The union leaders took the oath before a body of principal officers led by the VC. Others at the event included Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Prof Tunde Babawale, deans of faculties and Heads of Departments.

    Prof Bello said the university made history with the return of unionism after 10 years. He said: “We are at the event of today putting the past behind us and looking forward to full democratisation of our life by providing a conducive environment for development of future leaders. We have nurtured a new dispensation to fruition. This came after adoption of a new union constitution.”

    The VC praised the DSA and the electoral committee chaired by Dr Alabi Soneye for conducting a peaceful and widely accepted election. He congratulated the union leaders and all aspirants, urging them to ensure peace throughout the union’s tenure.

    “The electoral process may not have been perfect but once it is credible and fair, it should be accepted by all. Whatever loopholes that have been observed in the past elections will be worked upon and plugged, so that coming elections will be flawless,” he said.

    Babawale said there were lessons to learn from the election, especially the students’ efforts to write a constitution that would make it difficult for non-students to hijack the union.

    He said: “Today, we have ensured that we draft a constitution that serves as a basis and roadmap for good governance. The sacredness of this constitution that you wrote should be upheld by all players.”

    Highpoint of the event was the swearing in of the union leaders by Assistant Registrar for Legal Issues.

    •Abiodun
    •Abiodun

    The union president Abiodun Martins, in his acceptance speech, promised that his leadership would promote academic excellence and maintain peace on campus.

    He said: “My administration will be open to constructive criticism as this brings about the successful change that we all desire. We want to lay a prosperous foundation for the sake of our colleagues and posterity.”

    After the ceremony, Prof. Babawale led a procession of principal officers to the newly-renovated union building and parliament chambers at the Amphitheatre.

  • UNILAG Law students get tips on success

    A lawyer, Ms Seyi Bela, has advised law students to hone their skills in areas related to their course to attain career fulfilment.

    Ms Bela, who works in a law firm, Banwo and Ighodalo, gave the advice at the Law Students Society Career fair, at the University of Lagos(UNILAG). It had as theme: “What Next?”

    Ms Bela, who was the keynote speaker at the event, said: “Success is not just about what you studied in class. It is about a lot of other skills needed to become successful, like communication skills, computer skills, volunteering for internships and lots more. Do not confine yourself to the traditional wig and gown concept because you studied law.”

    The fair, which was put together by the President of the Faculty of Law Students Society, Mr Cornelius Gabriel, was the first to hold since the reinstatement of the UNILAG Students Union Government.

    The fair, which Gabriel said, was a part of the department, is designed to enlighten students about opportunities and options available to them in their field of study.

    He said: “The aim is to help them choose what field to venture into. There is time for everything – time to be a student and the period after that, where you become an ex-student and you must take responsibility. You must take this seriously if you will amount to anything in life.”

    Chief Executive Officer, Chocolate City Entertainment, Mr Audu Maikori, enlightened the students on the relevance of lawyers in the entertainment industry, while speakers from other law disciplines gave insights into the tenets of the profession.

    Mary Oke, a 400 level Law student of the faculty, said she was enlightened by the fair and would strive to grow with her new knowledge.

    A diploma student of the department, Anthonia Ochei, urged other institutions to embrace such occasions to empower fellow students.

     

  • UNILAG Alumni offer students employment tips

    TO address unemployment among youths, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Alumni Association has organised a seminar for the 2015 set of thegroup.

    The workshop, which  held at the school’s Multipurpose Hall, was also aimed at educating the outgoing set on the reality of the labour market.

    The event had as theme: ‘Workplace readiness and employability’.

    At the maiden edition, Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi, who spoke on ‘personal branding for employability’, explained that graduates were faced with unemployment and the competition of young professionals that were laid off or returning from the Diaspora also  citizens of other countries competing for the same job and entrepreneurship openings.

    This, he said, had created a paradigm shift from the graduates programmes to postgraduate degrees as a benchmark for employment.

    He said many youths were investing time and resources in post-graduate education but still fall behind in the knowledge of personal branding.

    He explained that branding of oneself had gone beyond seeking employment or apprenticeship; rather one’s total personality would be weighed against expectations of the present and the future.

    Awoyemi, who is Chief Executive Officer, Proshare Nigeria Limited, also warned the students to be cautious of what they post on social media as it would be a criterion for assessing their employability skills.

    “Employers or recruitment agencies will take your name and search your footprints on social media that is the first place to vet your personal brand in today’s world. for those who are eager to respond to their first stimuli, to type what comes to your head immediately, to post that sassy meme or to spit out in anger, opens your employability in ways you hardly imagined.”

    He pointed out that students could take advantage of an additional global language which is an essential criterion for multinational companies.

    He advised the students to desist from blaming parents or schools for poor academic training but rather seize opportunities to advance their knowledge. National  Social  Secretary, UNILAG Alumni, Mr Akin Akinteye, said the event was organised to enlighten the 2015set about the labour market, which would prevent them from the challenges outside school as well as  reviewing the cause of unemployment in the country.

     

     

     

  • Fashola donates buses to tertiary institutions

    Fashola donates buses to tertiary institutions

    The Lagos State Government on Friday presented 12 fourteen-seater buses to students union executives of State and Federal Government-owned tertiary institutions in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries were the student unions of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the Lagos State University (LASU), the Yaba College of Education and the Federal (Technical) College of Education, Akoka.

    Others were those of the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, St. Augustine’s College of Education, and the Federal College of Fisheries and Oceanography.

    The students unions of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of the Education and Lagos State College of Health Technology also benefited from the gift.

    Fashola, while presenting the buses to the beneficiaries, said the buses were redemption of his promise to them.

    He said the buses were to ease the transportation of the executives of the students’ unions, both within and outside of their respective institutions.

    The governor explained that the buses were also presented to students of federal institutions in the state because it concerned the welfare of all students.

    He added that the government had consistently shared in the burden of police, customs and some other federal institutions in the state, to ensure that they served the residents efficiently.

    “Students in federal tertiary institutions in the state are residents of our state and we will continue to demonstrate to you that there will be no discrimination against anybody or institution in this state.

    “It is not only state institutions we are intervening in. You will remember all of the facilities we put in some federal institutions during the Sports Festival, we left them behind.

    “And, we have always carried federal obligations here, supporting federal prisons, the immigration and police and so on. This is the character of the state government.

    “And now that the All Progressives Congress is taking over the federal government, I hope the burden will reduce.” he said.

    Fashola said the government was presently upgrading infrastructure at the Lagos State University (LASU), to make the institution an enviable citadel of learning.

    The governor named the LASU’s Senate building, the Students Arcade and the lecture theatres, as some of the projects being put in place by his administration.

    Fashola urged the students to vote for the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on April 11, to ensure continuity of his administration’s strides.

    Sanusi Suleiman, a representative of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), thanked the governor for the buses.

    He said the governor’s gesture was a clear indication that he was concerned about the welfare of students.

    Sanusi, who pledged the students’ continued support for the Fashola-led administration, said they would vote for Ambode for the continuation of Fashola’s strides.

  • Unilag, Douala varsity best computer students honoured

    Unilag, Douala varsity best computer students honoured

    Computer Warehouse Group has rewarded best graduating students of the Computer Science Department of the University of Lagos and the University of Douala, Cameroon, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. At two different ceremonies, its representatives presented gifts to the students in furtherance of its bid to extol the essence of attaining academic excellence.

    At the presentation ceremony in Lagos, UNILAG’s Vice Chancellor,  Prof Rahman Bello observed that if the focus of CWG’s CSR initiative is sustained, it is capable of aiding universities in Nigeria to attain desired greatness.

    He said: “This award presentation has been an annual event. Since inception, CWG has lived up to their promise of rewarding the best graduating student in Computer Science Department every year, for five years now. On behalf of the management of the university, I thank your organisation for your commitment to this partnership. Your commitment to promoting academic excellence will help us in going forward.

    “I tell you that your contributions have been helpful. At the moment, University of Lagos is the 20th best school in Africa and the first in Nigeria, according to the 4icu rankings. Going by our consistent progressive performance, we look forward to being the first in Africa anytime soon. This is our target. And, we believe that the input of corporate partners like CWG will see us through to the point we aim to get to,” he said.

    CWG’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Phillip Obioha, said the annual award presentation underscores CWG’s emphasis on hard-work and qualitative education.  He said: “Our business scope covers a range of sectors; from banking to telecoms and recently SMEs. Our business is all about the quality of our workforce. We boast of an array of professionals whose expertise has formed the bedrock of service providers in the telecoms sector, for example. Our premium on quality workforce explains our emphasis on quality education.”

  • UNILAG to restore unionism

    The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has promised to restore students’ unionism on the campus.  Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA) Prof. Tunde Babawale,who broke the news, said elections would be held into the offices of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) this month.

    Babawale gave two options  to the students. These were subjected to vote. He said: “We have called this meeting to hear from the students what they want as regards the timing of restoring students’ union.”

    The dean suggested that the election could be held this month if students would agree to suspension of Article 7, which stipulates the tenure of the union leaders.

    Babawale said the second option was for the conduct election in second semester but the tenure of the union leaders would end with the session. He said union leaders that would be elected might not have opportunity to consult members of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), who are graduating.

    The student representatives are made up of students’ leaders in all faculties, departments, Halls of Residence and class governors.

    A total of 158 voted for the first option; 124 supported  the second option. With majority supporting holding the election this month, electioneering may start in the next few days on the campus.

    But, the management cautioned students to ensure peace during the election, urging them to reject act that may truncate the session.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rahman Bello, gave the warning last Friday when he met with student leaders’ in the auditorium.

    He said: “I urge you all to give support to the management even as we progress in our plan to restore students’ unionism. We do not want any act that may truncate the academic session or one that will take us back to the dark days.”

  • Lecture holds at UNILAG

    The Chairman of Rodot Nigeria Limited, Remi Adeseun, will be the Guest Speaker at the 2015 Alumni Lecture Series of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos today.

    Second in the series, the Alumni Lecture is aimed at giving the graduating pharmacy students proper foundation and link to the profession as well as preparing them for the task ahead.

    An alumnus of the institution and an accomplished pharmacist, Adeseun will speak on “New Graduates as Agents of Transforming Pharmacy Practice”.

    The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy Fellow, is the National Consultant to One Family Health, an international healthcare organisation.

    The maiden edition of the Alumni Lecture Series had Wale Oyenuga, also a Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy Fellow, as the Guest Speaker.

  • Shun vices, HOD tells students

    Head of Department (HOD) of Mass Communication of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr Abigail Ogwezzy, has warned students to shun misconducts.

    Dr Ogwezzy gave the counsel while addressing freshers during an orientation organised by Mass Communication Students’ Association (MSCA).

    She told the freshers that they got a had rare opportunity to study in the school, saying they must not engage in vices, which could lead to their expulsion.

    The HOD said: “There are so many vices and dangerous trends students engage themselves in. Some people fraudulently collect money to help students manipulate their results. Don’t fall into their hands because they cannot help you with anything. You must not join them or seek for their help. You all have equal access to your lecturers. Our offices are open for you. Feel free to come to us and explain your challenges.”

    She advised the students to explore all open avenues to maximise their stay on the campus, imploring them to exhibit the highest level of discipline. She added that the school has zero tolerance for misconducts.

    Dr Ogwezzy said: “Ensure that you make good use of your time on things that are productive. Try as much as possible to avoid procrastination. If you procrastinate, you have yourself to blame at the end of the day. You have freedom to engage in anything but you must be careful not to lose focus.”

    Other guests, who spoke at the event, included The Nation Online Editor, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, Head of Output, Television Continental (TVC), Mr Adedeji Ajayi, and the best student of the department, Godwin Iretomiwa.

    They also advised the freshers to be diligent and show positive mindset towards their studies.

     

  • UNILAG students shine at debate

    UNILAG students shine at debate

    A 500-Level Engineering student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Faruq Musodiq, has emerged the overall best adjudicator at the second All National Universities Debating Championship.

    About 18 higher institutions participated in contest held at the Julius Berger Hall of the university. Panel of judges was made up of students from the participating schools, with UNILAG having fifteen judges.

    Faruq, who was adjudged the best by the 60 judges, described the feat as surprising and unexpected.

    He said: “When the winners were announced and my name was not called among the first and second runners-up, I thought I had lost out. But when my name was announced as the overall winner, I was shocked. I did not believe I could win among the debaters.”

    A student of UNILAG was also the second runner-up. The next edition of the debate will be hosted by the Imo State University (IMSU).

    Some of the other schools that participated included IMSU, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, University of Ibadan (UI), Baze University, Abuja, University of Calabar (UNICAL), Nnamdi Azikwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, and Ebonyi State University (EBSU).