Two graduating students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Fatima Adebisi Awolumate and Iloka Peter Ebuka, were on Monday, January 31, 2022, offered immediate employment by the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, as a reward for outstanding academic performance.
The governor also announced a cash reward of N1 million each to the two students who emerged as the overall best graduating student in their respective sets.
Governor Abiodun made the announcement while giving his address at the university’s 30th and 31st combined convocation ceremonies.
Fatima Awolumate of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics emerged as the best graduating student of the 2019/2020 session with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.8, while Iloka Ebuka of the Faculty of Pharmacy graduated with a CGPA of 4.92 to emerge the best student in the 2020/2021 session and the overall best graduating student of the institution.
Abiodun in his address also announced that his administration had approved the construction of a 1,600-bed hostel for the university, while plans are underway to launch an education trust fund as part of efforts to develop education in the state.
He challenged institutions of higher learning in the country to prioritise research and innovation and stressed the need to encourage and cultivate the culture of innovation, ingenuity and technology among the youths.
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While congratulating the graduating students, the governor reminded them that the completion of their academic programme was just the beginning of another journey in their lives.
He enjoined them to avoid the temptation to take shortcuts to success, but to find a good mentor to help them actualize their dreams.
The vice-chancellor, Professor Ganiyu Olatunji Olatunde, in his address highlighted some of the achievements recorded by the university under his leadership.
Professor Olatunde, however, appealed to the governor to increase the subvention to the university, as, according to him, the major challenge facing the university is the inadequacy of funds.
“While we continue to pursue an aggressive policy that will ensure that the IGR sources of the university are enhanced, and curb wastages and revenue leakages, we look up to the state government to assist us in increasing the subventions to the university,” he said.
The Convocation Lecturer and registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Professor Is’haq Oloyede, harped on the virtues of self-discipline and excellent character.
In his lecture entitled ‘Your Future is in Your Hands’, Oloyede told the graduating students that they could achieve their goals without compromising their principles.
He also advised the graduating students to always keep their “eyes on the ball” and never lose focus, if they want to achieve their life’s goals; and when things go wrong “blame yourself before you blame others. You’re responsible for yourself.”
Oloyede also told the graduating students that life does not always give one what one desires at the first attempt, advising them to learn to internalize the meaning of ‘NO’, which he said means ‘Next Opportunity’.
A cumulative 12,625 students graduated at the event, comprising 6,146 undergraduate degrees in the 2019/2020 academic session; 5,750 undergraduate degrees in the 2020/2021 session, and 729 postgraduate degrees and diplomas.
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