Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, (AAUA) Ondo State, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, on Monday said funding of education should not be left for government alone, urging corporate bodies, alumni and wealthy individuals to assist in developing education.
Ajibefun who stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, during a press conference to herald the 9th convocation ceremony of the school, described as unsustainable the funding of universities by government alone.
Ajibefun who advocated for all-inclusive support for the funding the university system, particularly from stakeholders, emphasised that the recent increment in the tuition of the institution has been long overdue, saying the old tuition had been unrealistic with the expected standard of university education.
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Speaking on the programme for the convocation ceremony, Ajibefun disclosed that about 3,804 students of the institution will be awarded various degrees during the ceremony, with 20 graduands emerging with First Class.
He explained that the 9th convocation ceremony which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the institution will also mark his exit from the school after spending five years at the helms of affairs
He said “the past five years have been eventful in the history of the University and of this administration. Despite the bottlenecks of financial dire straits alongside other sundry challenges, the University has been able to pull through and made significant progress.
“No doubt, when I came in five years ago, I was in a hurry to build on what was on ground, and today, I make bold to say that we have not only sustained the success achieved in the past but also opened up new grounds of development and had taken the University to a greater height.
“In total, we are presenting 3,804 graduands at this 9th Convocation, with the Faculty of Education leading with 1,112, followed by the Faculties of Science and Social & Management Sciences with 810 and 786 graduands respectively. Faculties of Arts and Law have 590 and 72 Graduands respectively.
The Institute of Part-Time Programmes has 223 Graduands while the Institute of Education has 18 Graduands. Meanwhile, 140 candidates will be conferred with Masters, while 28 will be conferred with Postgraduate Diploma. A total of 16 candidates will be conferred with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree.
“Of the total figure for the first degree, 20 candidates made First Class; 933 earned Second Class Upper, 2,007 bagged Second Class Lower while 623 and 28 are in Third Class and Pass category respectively.”
Some of the activities lined up for the event, include a Convocation lecture to be delivered by Dr Antonie J. Allen of Deleware State University, Deleware, USA, while the 20th Founders’ Day lecture will be delivered by the Visitor to the University and Governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu
“The grand-finale, which holds on Friday, November 6, will feature project commissioning, and the Convocation Ceremony for the Award of First Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, Higher Degrees, Honorary Degrees, and Presentation of prizes. Meanwhile, the Convocation Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service will take place on Sunday, December 8, 2019.
He explained that the turnaround experienced in the institution in the last five years has not only repositioned the school as the best state-owned university in Nigeria but its students have continued to make waves across the globe.
“The University has consistently worked on policies that ensure academic integrity. The University continues to sustain the integrity of its academic programmes in line with the vision handed over to it by its founding fathers 20 years ago.
“The five kernels that were put in place by the University to drive scholarship and academic excellence, that is, sound teaching and cutting-edge research, merit-driven admission, merit-driven staff appointment and sending young academics for higher degrees in notable Universities at home and abroad as well as training and re-training of academic and non-teaching staff for optimal performance, have all been sustained since I assumed office as Vice-Chancellor.
“It is also my pleasure to report that Law Students of the University have consistently made First Class at the Nigerian Law School in the last seven years. In the 2018 Final Bar Examinations of the Nigerian Law School, Miss Agbede Blessing Olajumoke also made a First Class at the examinations.
“Just a few days ago, we received a report that one of our law graduates, Ms Bamisope Ibidolapo Adeyanju, who graduated in 2014, has just been named as the 2019/2020 Baker McKenzie Scholar at Columbia Law School, for demonstrating extraordinary potential in the field of international human rights.”
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