The first private Islamic faith-based university in the country, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin has produced 28 first class graduates among a total number of 1,079 graduates in its 11th convocation ceremony.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Tuesday, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Noah Yusuf, said that 282 students graduated without Second Class (Upper Division), while 532 bagged Second Class (Lower Division).
He also said that 97 students graduated with Third Class, just as another 97 students graduated with Postgraduate (Master) degrees, adding that 43 students bagged Diploma certificates.
The vice-chancellor, who encouraged university graduates to engage in meaningful vocations and entrepreneurial activities before clinching their dream jobs, said that he sold garri and typed final year projects for undergraduates after his graduation.
He also said that Al-Hikmah University has encouraged entrepreneurship among students alongside their academic activities, to enable them to become self-reliant and employers of labour.
Speaking on national issues, Professor Yusuf attributed arguments over the entry of academic qualification into elective offices in the country to the failure of the political leaders to deliver dividends of democracy.
“As of now, we all agree that the political leaders at all levels have not performed creditably well as we would have wanted. Since the commencement of the current democracy in 1999 what we have lost outweighs what we have gained. This is due, mostly to the quality of leadership we have in the political class and the quality of leadership is not determined by certificate.
“Rather, I will advise that in addition, to the certificate, we think of other criteria to be used as qualification for political offices. For instance, proven evidence of successful leadership and certificate of integrity. I believe that mere certificate as a criterion for electing political office holders has not given the country any good.”
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