Management of Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has disclosed that three exemplary outstanding personalities, who have genuinely dedicated their lives in selfless service to humanity and the nation, will be honoured during the institution’s second convocation ceremony.
According to the university’s authorities, the three personalities include Imam Abubakar Abdullahi, 86, who saved 262 Christians that would have been killed by insurgents in northern Nigeria, Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix Ajakaiye and an American septuagenarian, Guy Garguilo, a school principal, who had dedicated over 60 years of his live teaching and moulding destinies of Nigerian youngsters in Akoko, Ondo State.
The week-long combined convocation ceremony, which is the second, kicks off from August 26 with a press conference where the Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. Kayode Soremekun, will reveal laudable achievement in providing infrastructural and learning facilities to improve FUOYE’s educational standard.
The trio of Abubakar, Ajakaiye and Garguilo will be garlanded with FUOYE’s honorary doctorate awards (PhDs), with PhD in Peace Studies going to Abubakar, while both Ajakaiye and Garguilo get the institution’s PhDs in Public Administration respectively.
A statement from the VC’s office, stated that the convocation ceremony will be spiced in the evening of Thursday, August 29, with a performance of play entitled: ‘Once Upon a Tower’, written by Nigeria’s first Professor of Dance and currently, FUOYE’s Dean, School of Post Graduate Studies, Prof. Rasaki Bakare.
The play x-rays the dire consequences of the rot being perpetuated by some bad eggs in the nation’s tertiary institution.
The convocation continues till September 1, featuring a public lecture entitled: “Anticipating the Birthday Boy, Options and Possibilities for a Besieged Nation at 60,” to be delivered on August 29 by Prof. Tony Afejuku, a public affairs analyst and Professor of English at the University of Benin, Edo State.
The lecture will reflect, in retrospective and prospective fervour, Nigeria’s thorny journey ahead of the nation’s Diamond anniversary in 2020.
FUOYE has gained a reputation for usually rewarding selfless and exemplary service and sacrifice for national development.
The institution, at its maiden convocation in 2017, honoured a retired Principal of Queen’s College, Lagos, Mrs. Efunjoke Coker, another retired teacher with Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, Principal in District Commercial Secondary School, Aramoko Ekiti, 92-year-old Chief Francis Daramola and retired Principal of Ekiti Parapo College, 102-year-old Chief Adepoju Komolafe with doctorate degrees in Educational Administration respectively in recognition of their contributions to human capacity development, education, and scholarship in the country.