Bianca Iboma
Vice Chancellor of Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Prof. Ademola Tayo, has charged the 1, 926 graduates of the 2018/2019 academic session to think outside the box if they want to be successful.
Prof. Tayo, who gave the advise during the convocation ceremony said the university has given them what they should replicate wherever they go or find themselves in a position.
At the 17th convocation ceremony, sixty-two students of the institution graduated with First Class honours while two prominent Nigerians, Prof Toyin Falola, a renowned Histograpghy in Africa and Da Jacob Gyang Buba, the Gong Gwon of Jos were conferred with honourary awards.
He noted that the reason some are clever mentally but they are unable to use their hand to add value to the society was because most times, institution in Nigeria trains only the head alone without training the hand and heart.
Babcock believes in holistic education, training the whole man, physical aspect of man, spiritual and social aspect of man so that whether religious participation you find yourself, you can live and cohabit with other person that you do not share the same religious perception with. Holistic education is what we sell to the society today, he noted.
“The school have taught them not only to use their mental knowledge but to able to use their hand, I’ll expect them to be job creators rather than job seekers because we teach them entrepreneurship so that they can use their hand if they do not get any white collar job. You can see some of our former students have their businesses and employ people. Use your head, heart, hand to create all sort of job rather than become job seeker .’’
Prof. Tayo explained that Edafe Bawa-Dogo emerged the best graduating student as a result of her outstanding performances in academics, leadership traits as well as community and spiritual services despite being a housewife and school officer.
He described the 36-year-old as an extra-ordinary student who topped the 2018/2019 academic session, finishing in First Class Division with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.97.
Bawa-Dogo, mother of two and school officer at the Department of Public Administration of the university, revealed that hard work made her emerged as the best graduating student and also that God made it happened.
“Growing up as a child, during my elementary days I was not an ‘A’ students, I just work hard and ensured I had good results, but my mother, an elementary school teacher, would always encourage me to always put more effort and I kept improving on my grade until I came first.”
Bawa-Dogo explained that things were not all that smooth while on campus.
‘’ I read whenever I have the chance. For the fact that it took me longer time to assimilate I had to read as many time as I can to understand. I was determined, focus this made my graduating today with a first class and the best overall student a great success story.”
She carted home three awards including the VC’s prize for the best graduating students.
Her words: “Babcock University has not only taught me, but equally showed me that it is possible to excel in every aspect of life without compromising my goals and aspirations. The institution has opened my eyes to the realities of life challenges and how I can surmount them.”