By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commended the University of Lagos (UNILAG) for its tenacity and maturity displayed during the face-off between the then Governing Council led by Dr Wale Babalakin and the management which led to a series of events.
Buhari made the statement at the 51st convocation ceremony of the institution. The president, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed charged tertiary institutions to comply with global best practices in terms of corporate governance, operations, benchmark, quality assurance and judicious application of resources for impact.
He stated that when the internal crisis of the school started, he swung into action and set up a panel of inquiry that investigated the matter and afterward appointed Senator Lanre Tejuoso as chairman, Governing Council. He said since then the university has recorded tremendous development.
He added that his administration is committed to education and have established several new institutions to create employment opportunities and has produced skilled and highly trained manpower.
According him, his administration set up visitation panels to look into happenings in various universities as well as initiated entrepreneurship in all tertiary institutions across the country according to the NUC guidelines, fund by TETfund and bank of industry will equally promote utility of students and staff.
Buhari said academic calendar were disrupted and schools shut down during the pandemic but UNILAG within the short period were able to make a lot of development and changes that has earned the institution rapid growth and gain global recognition.
Speaking earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe said, the institution conferred honourary doctorate degree on four eminent Nigerians who touched numerous lives and contributed immensely to the society.
He said the awardees include, Dr. Stella Adadevoh(Post Humous) Lead consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, a Nigerian heroine that save the nation from the Ebola epidemic, Biodun Sobanjo Advertising Guru, Chairman of Troyka Holdings LTD, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi Chairman of Oriental Energy Resource Limited, Dr Kessington Adebutu, chairman premier Lotto limited
The VC noted that 281 of the 15,753 students graduated with First Class.
Felicia Marinze, a 71-year-old postgraduate student became the oldest graduating Ph.D. student from UNILAG.
He said Mrs Marinze (Ph.D. French), from the Department of European Languages and International Studies, demonstrated that age was never a barrier to attaining any height in life.
“Mrs Marinze’s thesis is: “Evaluation de la Competence Communicative Orale du Francais Des Apprenants Nationale Diploma Des Polytechniques Seledionness du Nigeria’’.
Moruf Olatunji from the Department of Marine Sciences who won the overall best Ph.D. thesis; Ibrahim Adedeji who graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering with a CGPA of 4.98, and Opeyemi Popoola from the Department of Economics with a CGPA of 4.90.
Dignitaries in attendance included the governor of Borno state, Babagana Umara Zulum, CEO of Zeneth bank Jim Ovia, Former governor of Borno state Kashim Ibrahim Shettima, Aliko Dangote Dangote group chairman Kessington Adebutu who donated 200m for the development of the University.