AAUA Holds Convocation, Graduates 5,145 students

The Ondo-State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, AAUA, has graduated 5,145 students during its 10th and 11th Convocation Ceremony, which combined two graduating sets from the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 academic sessions.

The event was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall (OBJ) and was attended by a representative of the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) the University Dons, Kings, parents and other well-wishers, where a prize was presented to the fifty-three students who bagged First Class degrees.

Speaking, the representative of the Ondo State Governor, the Secretary of the State, Princess Oladunni Odu encouraged the graduands to look towards creating value for the society and become self-employed and by extension, employers of labour. 

Akeredolu also charged the graduands to look beyond the certificate they are holding, urging the Nigerian universities administrators to reinforce their research efforts with a view to solving problems facing society. 

While acknowledging the recent research effort of students and staff of the institution, he beseeched them to do more, saying: “The truth is that we are living in a time when true scholarly intervention is required to illuminate a grim path and it is for the state institutions, most especially AAUA to take the lead.”

Furthermore, he charged the education administrators to make the curriculum more relevant to societal needs, stating that training given to children most especially students should be tailored towards solving human problems.

“We must deliberately work towards bridging the gap between the hypothesis we give to students and the practical needs of the society in making them employable. However, entrepreneur training is also more sacrosanct than before, because collar jobs have been a mirage.”

The Governor reiterated that research and learning centres should be competent in coming up with new ideas on how to cultivate our crops and feed our people. 

According to him, “Bizarre repetition of outmoded and irrelevant theories taught in educational institutions would only result in highly qualified citizens who lack the ability to tackle essential problems.”

In his speech, the University’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Dr Tunji Abayomi advised the graduating students to continue to represent the good image of the University.

He applauded them for the understanding they have shown during their studentship, encouraging them to build for the future of the world and to help build the world. 

“If you retain and reflect on what you have been taught in AAUA, that is education that enhances training, you will gain from our challenging world.”

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olugbenga Ige, added that apart from the conventional ritual of conferment of degrees, diplomas and presentation of prizes, the ceremony also served as a unique opportunity for the university to assess and inform the public on how the institution has adhered to its vision and goals.

However, he noted that the convocation was an occasion to charge graduands and commission them for the next adventure in life. He said this is done with confidence and conviction that the graduands are suitably empowered in most important life skills, moral rectitude, and activation of mental and physical potential while under the institution guidance, which will enable them to hold their own effectively in a competitive environment. 

Speaking on challenges, he said: “We are up against a number of obstacles and one of the most significant out of it is finance. The university capacity to meet the obligation of wage payment, research funding, infrastructural growth, and governing the university has been severely hampered by the paucity of funds.”

“While we are doing our best to run the University, in a creative manner, we seek support from relevant stakeholders and friends of the university to enable us to deliver maximally on our goals of building a properly called 21st-century university,” he said.

Awosika Awarded Honourary Degree

At the convocation ceremony, Dr Mrs Ibukun Awosika, the immediate past Chairman of the Board Of Director Of The First Bank of Nigeria PLC, was conferred with Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa).

Responding to the award, she applauded the institution for finding her worthy of the award. She said, “I am sincerely grateful and I do not take this for granted.” 

She then admonished the graduands to see life beyond the certificate they are holding, noting that Nigeria is filled with many challenges but is a great country among its counterparts.

The convocation ceremony started with Jumat service on December 3rd, 2021, followed by a press conference, research, development innovation fair, convocation lecture and the grand finale which included the conferment of degrees, presentation of prizes, delivery of speeches and a thanksgiving service on Sunday 12th of December, 2021.