A total of 61 students graduated with first-class honours, while 128 students were awarded master’s and post-graduate diploma certificates at the Federal University, Lokoja, during the institution’s 6th and 7th convocation ceremonies held on Saturday at the main campus in Felele, Lokoja.
A breakdown of the graduates shows that in the 6th set, 28 graduates achieved first-class honours, 319 earned second-class upper degrees, 376 attained second-class lower division, 197 received third-class honours, and 3 were awarded pass degrees.
In the 7th set, 33 graduates achieved first-class honours, 386 earned second-class upper degrees, 668 attained second-class lower division, 250 received third-class honours, and 1 was awarded a pass degree.
Prof. Olayemi revealed that as of the 2023 Times Higher Education ranking, the Federal University Lokoja was ranked within the 51st–60th bracket out of 120 universities in Sub-Saharan Africa. It also ranked 17th among Nigerian universities and 9th among federal universities.
The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that all the university’s programmes have been relocated and are now based on the Felele Campus.
The university has also initiated programmes in medicine, nursing, and engineering. Plans are in place to introduce programmes in agriculture, law, pharmacy, psychology, and medical laboratory sciences.
The College of Health Sciences at the university has fully commenced, with pioneer students now in their 200th grade.
The first admission exercise for engineering and nursing programmes is scheduled for the 2023–2024 academic session.
The Vice-Chancellor expressed gratitude to former President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the conversion of Federal Medical Hospital Lokoja into a federal teaching hospital for medical programmes.
Regarding community service, the university, under Prof. Olayemi’s leadership, has established both primary and international secondary schools.
The university has also invested in various infrastructure projects, including road networks, an entrepreneurship centre, lecture halls, and a university health centre.
Solar-powered electrification of streets and road networks, as well as the construction of 40 blocks of shops under the build-operate-and-transfer model, have been carried out.
Additionally, the university has undertaken the renovation of the faculty of science complex, the university library, and the ICT centre.
An agriculture training centre has been constructed with support from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. The university is now connected to the national grid through the Lokoja power substation, and a fire-fighting service truck has been procured.
The male and female hostels at the Adankolo campus for MBBS students have been renovated.
Furthermore, the Vice Chancellor’s administration is currently constructing a 4-story Senate building, and work on the faculty of engineering is in progress.
The university has received two 18-seater buses donated by Dr. Innocent Izoemena Exuma. The institution has also been granted N250 million by BUA Cement for the construction of a central laboratory.
The Vice-Chancellor assured the host community of more benefits in terms of employment, emphasising that the university has a policy in place to ensure that 75% of the recently introduced professional courses benefit the indigenous population.
Prof. Olayemi made a passionate appeal to the people of the state, particularly affluent individuals, to support the institution.
He attributed the cordial relationship existing between him and the staff to his open-door policy.
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