AAUA churns out 50 first Class graduates

THE Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University,  Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Prof Igbekele Ajibefun, on Monday said a total of 9,812 students of the institution will graduate in the forthcoming 7th Convocation ceremony slated for Friday 8th and Saturday 9th, December  2017.

Of this number, 50 students graduated with first class Honours from the two graduating sets of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 session.

Speaking during a Press conference to herald the convocation ceremony in Akure, Ondo State capital, Prof Ajibefun, said 7,786 belong to the 2014/2015 session while 2,026 students graduated from the 2015/2016 academic session.

He said the University could not hold a convocation ceremony last year due to financial challenges and said: “Due to the non-hosting of convocation last year, we are presenting two sets of graduating students this year, 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.”

He explained that “Of the 7,624 that earned First Degree in the 2014/2015 session, 29 graduated with First Class Honours, 1,316 bagged Second Class Upper Division, 5,183 earned Second Class Lower Division, and 1,027 had Third Class Honours while 69 got Pass Degree.

“In the postgraduate category, 16 bagged Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D.; 128 earned Master’s degree while 18 had Postgraduate Diploma in Education, PGDE.

“Of the 2,026 that graduated in the 2015/2016 session, 21 earned First Class, 609 graduated in Second Class Upper Division, 1,151 bagged Second Class Lower Division, 239 got Third Class while six had Pass Degree.”

Ajibefun said three distinguished Nigerians including an eminent son of the state would be conferred with Honorary Awards during this year Convocation ceremony.

He listed the three awardees to include a foremost entrepreneur, Chief Kessington Adebiyi, who will be conferred with the Doctor of Business Finance (Honoris Causa).

Also, Chief (Engr) Julius Ajibulu, will be conferred with the Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa), while the governor of Imo state Chief Rochas Okorocha, will also be conferred with Doctor of Letters (D Litt) Honoris Causa.

According to him, the University decided to honour the three distinguished Nigerians because of their contributions towards the development of the university.

He said, “It is our belief as a University that contributions to institutions and humanity should be a yardstick for giving awards and that when this is done transparently, it will spur the honourees and well-meaning individuals to impact society better.”

The VC disclosed that more programmes had been accredited by the National Universities Commission who visited the institution during the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 sessions.

He said “the National Universities Commission accreditation team visited 26 programmes of the University.

The University had full accreditation in 25 programmes and interim accreditation in only one programme. The great success in that accreditation exercise, which is a rare feat in any Nigerian University, is a confirmation of the ranking of AAUA as a leading University in Nigeria.

He, however, said accreditation for another 16 programmes for the University is currently ongoing and will run between November 22nd and December 7, 2017.