By CHINYERE NWACHUKWU

The Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, says the institution will continue to collaborate with organisations and individuals, to fasttrack her ‘Future Ready Agenda’ drive for students of the institution.

Ogunsola stated this on Day 1 of the university’s 54th convocation on Tuesday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a total of 17,456 students would be conferred with various degrees at the three-day event.

Of the figure, 10,570 of the students would be honored with first degrees and diplomas, while 6,886 others would be awarded postgraduate degrees.

”Let me start by saying that despite the challenges of last year, the university recorded many significant wins, especially in the area of improved collaborations and partnership, as well as quantum of research and grants.

“With the support of staff and other stakeholders of the university, the institution was able to enter into great partnership with other universities and industry, within and outside the country, as well as exchange programmes for staff and students.

”And with this, let me therefore say that we are extremely proud of one of our recent alumnus, Mr Nnaemeka Ifeakor, who developed the ‘Student Paddy APP’, while in the fifth year of his Engineering course here in UNILAG.

“He has since secured investors and recently, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with him, to deploy this among students of this institution that are interested.

“The App creates value out of browsing habits and issues certificates for knowledge gained,” she said.

Giving a breakdown of graduating students on the day-one event, Ogunsola said that graduating students from the Faculties of Education, Social Sciences, Arts, Environmental Sciences and Sciences were admitted into their degrees at both the morning and afternoon sessions.

She said that a total of 906 graduating students from the Faculty of Arts were admitted into their first degrees, while a total of 315 and 1,032 others from the Faculties of Environmental Sciences and Sciences respectively, were also conferred with their first degrees at the ceremony.

According to her, of the total number of graduating students from the Faculty of Arts, 24 were honoured with first class degrees, out of which 20 are female and four male.

She noted that the Faculty of Environmental Sciences produced a total of 23 first class graduating students, with 14 female and nine male, while the Faculty of Science produced 57 first class, comprising 29 male and 28 female.

“The best graduating student from the Faculty of Arts is Mariana Elochukwu with a CGPA of 4.82, while the best graduating student from the Faculty of Environmental Sciences is Akeem Ashamu Onitilo, with a CGPA of 4.83.

“Oluwatobiloba Johnson emerged best graduating student from the Faculty of Science.

“I congratulate all graduating students for your diligence, resilience and hard work you put into completing your respective programmes.

“You have been trained and tutored and found worthy in character and learning to be able to be here today, to be celebrated and honoured.

“I congratulate your families and friends who encouraged and supported you along the way,” she said.

She noted that in pursuance of the ‘Future Ready Agenda’, management had also made firm strides in growing the institution’s finances, infrastructure and reputation among others.

Ogunsola stated that the institution had made firm strides in research activities with its staff attracting over N11billion in research income, in both local and foreign currency.

She noted that the figure referred to 42 grants obtained in 2023 only and they cut across the Faculties of Science, Social Sciences and Arts.

Listing other achievements in the last one year since assuming office, the vice chancellor said that there had been extrapreneurship at the university, to create platforms for birthing sustainable energy solutions for the future.

She added that to further improve the employability of students of the university, management flagged off the career support services, with a cohort of about 30 students in the Library Makerspace.

Ogunsola noted that this was in collaboration with Icled Business School, to teach soft skills, assist with CVs, and better prepare students for the world of work, among others. (NAN)

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