OAU to graduate 109 First Class candidates, honours Ooni, Ade Ojo

A total of 109 graduands will bag First Class honours out of 7,634 candidates who will be graduated during the 45th convocation ceremonies of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, which have been scheduled to hold between December 8 and 11.

Addressing journalists on Thursday, the university’s vice-chancellor, Eyitope Ogunbodede, also revealed that two distinguished Nigerians- Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, and the business mogul and founder of Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, Michael Ade-Ojo, will receive honourary degrees during the ceremonies.

Mr Ogunbodede, who spoke of the uniqueness of the ceremonies, said apart from coinciding with the university’s silver jubilee anniversary, this year’s convocation ceremonies will also mark the last he would superintend over as the institution’s helmsman.

Breakdown of awards

According to the vice-chancellor, out of the 109 candidates to bag First Class degrees, faculty of technology will take the lion share of 26 followed by the faculty of administration with 24 candidates.

While faculties of law and agriculture will produce 12 candidates each, social sciences and environmental design and management will both present nine candidates each, also.

Meanwhile, faculties of arts, sciences and education will produce eight, five and four candidates respectively.

“For the Second Class (Honours) Upper Division, we have a total of 1,681, while Second Class (Honours) Lower Division has a total of 2,707. 690 graduands fall under the Third Class (Honours) category and 70 would graduate with Pass. This brings the total number of our First Degree graduands to 5,257,” the vice-chancellor said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ogunbodede said for the unclassified bachelor degrees there are those who passed with Honours, saying faculties of clinical sciences and dentistry produced six and one candidates respectively in that category.

“Those who pass with distinction are from Basic Medical Sciences which has three while 35 are from Pharmacy. Those who pass with credit are 188 from Basic Medical Sciences while 352 have pass grades. In the unclassified category, we have a total number of 582 graduands,” the VC added.

Postgraduate degrees

The vice-chancellor further noted that a total of 1,637 candidates will bag postgraduate diploma, Professional Masters, Masters with research thesis, Masters of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy certificates during the convocation ceremonies.

He added that a total of 158 other candidates would be awarded non-degree diplomas in the faculties of administration, arts and science.

Honourary awards

The vice-chancellor explained that the two dignitaries who have been singled out for honourary degrees during the ceremonies are chosen from a huge number of nominees, saying the selection followed due processes.

“We shall be conferring honorary doctorate degrees on two highly qualified, distinguished Nigerians whose eminence in their respective endeavours cannot be questioned. These two dazzling Nigerians are His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Babatunde Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, who will be conferred with the Honorary Doctor of Letters and Chief Michael Ade Ojo, the founder of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State and Chairman, Elizade Group of Companies would be conferred with the Honorary Doctor of Business Administration,” he said.