Six graduands, who scored perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average of 7.0 at master’s degree level, were awarded certificates at the 76th convocation of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday.

The six were among the 2,450 graduands from different disciplines that received their master’s degree certificates at the third day of institution’s convocation and 76th founders day.

One of the six graduands, Abiodun Oyeleye, who completed master’s degree programme in Wood Production, Faculty of Technology, UI, attributed the success to God and the help received from family and lecturers.

She said “I didn’t do it alone. God helped me and I had the support of my wonderful lecturers who had instilled the knowledge in me. I can’t help but appreciate my parents, my mum and dad of blessed memory and siblings. My advice for others aspiring to this feat is that they should believe that when they put their hearts to a thing, and with the help of God and every resource in place, they can be whatever they want to be.”

The Vice Chancellor,  UI, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, said that postgraduate education at UI had been producing higher-level manpower in West Africa.

Speaking on the third day of the institution’s convocation ceremonies, the VC noted that the institution continued to turnout the highest number of postgraduate candidates in the African continent.

The VC stated, “The institution’s postgraduate college has consistently maintained excellence in postgraduate education and research, producing the highest number of higher-level manpower in Nigeria, and indeed, in West Africa. In furtherance of this laudable objective, our postgraduate college has, over the years, organised a series of interdisciplinary discourse delivered by distinguished personalities from the academic and the business worlds, both within and outside Nigeria. This is to share experience with the University of Ibadan on the broad theme of education and national development. This is in addition to the several workshops and seminars funded by the Postgraduate College to produce quality manpower needed to drive development in Nigeria. This is supported by the large number of PhD degrees in different disciplines that would be awarded on Monday.”

The VC said that the Postgraduate College also continued to be a major driving force in the institution’s desire to transform into a research and postgraduate institution.

He said, “At this juncture, I wish to reiterate that the vision of the university is anchored on the pursuit of the national goals of development through knowledge creation and dissemination, with a view to promoting national transformation. The realisation of this vision is reflected in our commitment to the continuous development of teaching, learning and research programmes which would provide the required skills for internalising the development process and to serve as catalyst for the political, social and economic development of the nation.’’

Mr Adebowale charged the graduands to contribute to the revitalisation of the nation’s economy and society.

“With the knowledge and skills you have gained, I urge you to be creative, innovative, and courageous in applying them to the challenges that lie ahead,” the VC said.

The scholarships to proceed to PhD were awarded to the six graduands with perfect CGPA of 7.0.

(NAN)