“Have 500 Thousand For Lunch”: Okorocha To Ondo University Top Student

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, during the weekend gave the best graduating student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Fredrick Awe, a sum of N500,000 “for lunch”.

Mr. Okorocha made the gesture, after prize-winning student, Mr. Awe, had spoken about his success, despite the difficulties he faced, at the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 combined convocation ceremonies of the Ondo State-owned school.

Mr. Awe graduated with a CGPA of 4.83 from department of Physics Electronics. He narrated how he was kidnapped by ritualists for 3 days and has had to cope with challenges of life for 20 years, without his father, but with only mother.

“Inspite of this ordeal, this actually paid off as I emerged as the best among equals,” he said.

While reacting to Mr. Awe’s story, Mr. Okorocha, who was among those  that received honorary doctoral degrees, said that he was impressed by Awe’s story.

“I would have liked to take you out for lunch but for my time, however, kindly accept N500,000 for lunch. Stand with me, I love to identify with greatness, blessed is the womb of your mother,” Mr. Okorocha said.

The ceremony marked the conferment of first degrees, postgraduate degrees, honorary degrees and the commissioning of the institution’s radio station, AAUA 90.3FM.

The event also had in attendance the state governor of Ondo State who doubled as the visitor to the university, Rotimi Akeredolu and the principal officers of the institution led by the VC, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun.

In his speech, Professor Ajibefun announced that 9,812 graduates were receiving their awards of which 7,786 belonged to the 2014/2015 session while 2,026 were of the 2015/2016 session.

He stated that 7,624 that bagged First Degree in the 2014/2015 session, 29 graduated with First Class Honours, 1,316 bagged Second Class Upper Division, 5,183 earned Second Class Lower Division, 1,027 had Third Class Honours while 69 got Pass Degree.

He added that of the 2,026 that graduated in the 2015/2016 session, 21 earned First Class, 609 graduated in Second Class Upper Division, 1,151 bagged Second Class Lower Division, 239 got Third Class while six had Pass Degree.

“In the postgraduate category, 16 bagged Ph.D. 128 were awarded Master’s degree, while 18 bagged Postgraduate Diploma in Education, PGDE,” Ajibefun said.