99 students bag first class as LAUTECH holds 16th convocation, Monday

The acting Vice Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Professor Rasaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu, has disclosed that no fewer than 99 students of the institution will be graduating in the first-class category during its forthcoming 16th convocation ceremony.

He explained that “a total of 4,749 first degrees will be awarded to students next week Monday,” saying “out of this figure, 99 students are graduating with first-class degrees.”

Addressing a press conference at the Senate Building of the university, Kalilu also attributed the feat of winning N203,081,810.99 in national and international grants by LAUTECH’s researchers to hard work and the provision of an enabling environment by the management for its lecturers and students.

He stated: “Let me begin by acknowledging the unwavering commitment of the Visitor to the university, who is also the governor of Oyo State, Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde, to the development of the institution. Through his unalloyed support, the university was able to weather storms and continue to grow.

“During this 16th convocation ceremony, 1,363 students will be graduating with second-class upper category, 2,580 students in the second-class lower category, and 597 students in the third-class category,” Kalilu hinted.

Continuing, he added: “It is noteworthy that Olagoke Israel Olopade, who is graduating with a GCPA of 4.86 from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, is the overall best graduating student and he will be awarded the prize during this convocation.”

On the infrastructural development and needs of LAUTECH, Kalilu posited that “the expansion of our academic vista and rapid growth of the university have imposed the need for infrastructural upgrade and expansion. Consequently, four of our large lecture theatres were renovated to make the learning environment more conducive.

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“A TETFund-sponsored Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences Building Complex that was started in 2015 and left uncompleted since 2019 has been completed to complement the ones currently in use. Similarly, two high-impact student hostels started in 2019 were completed and will soon be released for use.

“There are also ongoing construction of three large capacity multimedia lecture theatres and ICT facilities at Ogbomoso and Iseyin campuses. They were donated to the university by five stakeholders,” he averred.

Kalilu, however, said that part of the activities commemorating the convocation include the award of the degree of Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa) on the university’s sixth and current Chancellor, who is also the paramount ruler of Emuoha Kingdom, Rivers State, Sir Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse.

Another personality that will be conferred with Doctor of Civil Law (honoris causa) include Ahmed Adeniyi Raji (SAN) and Adeyinka Ayoade Ajao, who will be awarded Doctor of Technology (Honoris causa).