Kwara State University on Saturday graduated one thousand, one hundred and twenty six students in its 2017/2018 academic session in which thirty of them bagged first class degree honours.
Giving the breakdown of the graduated students at the sixth Convocation ceremony of the University, its Vice Chancellor, Professor AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, disclosed that five hundred and twenty two students came out with second class upper degree, five hundred and eight students bagged second class lower degree division, while sixty students graduated with third class.
Professor Na’Allah added that as part of the epoch making occasion, the University also conferred Doctoral degree on four students in three programmes in Political Science, Computer Science and Islamic Studies.
He explained that the University’s tripartite mandate of teaching, research and community development continued to improve greatly as the University continues to play emphasis on academic excellence and set world standard, thus making the University a reference point in its academic stability and progress.
On research, Professor Na’Allah noted as a research-intensive University, it had carried out high impact research to solve societal problems, adding that the Institution had committed over six hundred million naira on Solar farm to power the university in the night.
The Vice Chancellor sought further collaboration from industries, organisations and individuals to assist in lightening the burden of the university through partnership and congratulated the graduating students with a charge to be employers of labour rather than job seekers.
In his remarks, the Acting Pro Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Kola Yusuf said funding had been a great challenge to the University since the cessation of subvention from government occasioned by economy downtown.
According to him, the University is also confronted with the problem poor road network from Shao to the University, water problem as it largely depend on water from boreholes and tanker services and funding.
Cross-session o graduating students on Saturday at KWASU
Alhaji Yusuf, therefore noted that the IGR the university depended alone could not ameliorate the huge gap of meeting up with its obligations and commitments, appealing to the state government to look into the problems facing the university with a view to addressing them expeditiously.
In his speech at the event, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed charged residents of the state to reciprocate state government’s infrastructural drive by paying their taxes willingly.
Governor Ahmed represented by the State Head of Service, Mrs. Susan Modupe Oluwole, gave the charge on Saturday while speaking at the sixth Convocation ceremony of the Kwara State University, Malete.
The Governor noted that his administration had embarked on laudable infrastructural projects through remodeled Kwara State Internal Revenue Service which shore up the state revenue base.
Governor Ahmed reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to continue to invest in education sector as it is the bedrock of national development and economic empowerment.
He reiterated that the establishment of the University in Malete in two thousand and nine which was to transformed the rural community to semi Urban community, thus reducing rural-urban drift is making desired impact.
Some traditional rulers in attendance
Governor Ahmed hinted that the Ekiti Campus of the University had reached ninety five percent completion stage, while that of Ilesa Baruba is in advanced stage and work on the Post graduate school in Ilorin is also in progress.
The Governor commended the management, staff and students of the institution for ensuring a stable academic calendar in the institution but however charged the youths to shun social vices such as hooliganism, cultism, thuggery, examination malpractices, and intimidation among others.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chancellor of the University, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, explained that the University has not only satisfied some of the indices of a world class university through teaching, research and community services but has gone far to also establish collaboration with renowned world class institutions.
Professor Gambari charged the graduated students to use the certificates issued to them based on character and learning to go into the world and distinguish themselves.
From left, Counsellor, Pofessor Agboola Gambari, the State Head of Service, Mrs. Susan Modupe Oluwole, and VC Prof Na’Allah
As the 2019 elections draw near, Gambari urged the youth not to be allowed to be used by any politician either as thugs or for manipulation during election rather, they should get interested in who governs them and how the leaders are selected in the country.
Professor Gambari appealed to the federal government to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a free and fair election next year and beyond while insisting a permanent end to impunity and zero tolerance for thuggery and manipulation of elections.
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