A total of 20 students of the Faculties of Pure and Applied Science and the Social and Management Science bagged first class degrees from the Southwestern University, Okun-Owa, Ogun State during the maiden edition of the institution’s convocation ceremony recently.
They emerged from the 345 students that will graduate from the university since the beginning of the academic session in 2016.
The institution also conferred honorary degree on the Owa of Okun-Owa, Oba Gabriel Abiodun, member, Board of Trustees, Chief Patrick Sholola and Evangelist Olubukola Okunnowo.
The founder and Chancellor of the University, Babatunde Odufuwa commended the students for the successful completion of their academic session, saying, “I congratulate you, the graduands today for your great height, I wish you the very best. Your journey has just started. Southwestern university has built the necessary foundation needed for you to succeed. You have been empowered with quality education to achieve the best. We congratulate you as you go into the wonderful world of times.”
He underscored the need for students to uphold ethical conduct in their dealing in the labour market, saying, “we should uphold ethical conduct in all that we do. There is currently a deficit of ethics and integrity at several leadership levels in the country today.”
The chancellor, who stressed the need for government to fund the education sector, said: “The government must at once give incentives to the operators of private tertiary institutions and their students. Government should realise that these institutions are helping government to train its citizens. The government pays the bill for students in public institutions in the country as such must encourage students in private institutions to augment cost of their training.”
He also called for discipline and the need to embrace qualitative education to eradicate immoral acts among students. “Education is a right and not obligation. In many countries, education is viewed as a good investment in national development as it is expected that the education system will produce the quality and quantity of human resources required for the economic growth of the country.
“A strong viable, articulate and well harmonised structure will lead to high standard, disciplined and quality educational system,” Odufuwa added.
In his remarks, the acting Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Nojimu Amusa advised graduands to pursue excellent and be worthy ambassadors in the nation.
“As you are graduating, you are taking another journey to actualising your dream of achieving your life’s goals to think critically and responsibly. Be leaders in your field. Your degree is not just to earn a living but to be a tool to contribute in changing the society for the better.
“With your current standard, let me urge you to pursue excellence in whatever you do. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity no matter how comfortable it is, try to pursue excellence because excellence will set you apart from the crowd. Never give up.”
Giving the breakdown of the graduand, the acting vice- chancellor said 189 graduands obtained second class upper division; 108 bagged second class lower division, while 27 bagged third class.
Amusa thanked the parents and guardians and urged them to continue to invest in educating their wards.
In her convocation lecture, the Dean, Faculty of Applied Science, Adeleke University, Osun State, Prof. Bukola Oyawoye commended the role of private universities in the educational development of the country.
Oyawoye appealed to the government to abolish restrictions and regulations that hamper the growth of private university education in the country.
