The Pro-Chancellor of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, Bode Ayorinde, has identified integrity, competence and innovation as essential qualities that will enable university graduates to navigate challenges.

Mr Ayorinde made the assertion on Thursday while delivering the Fifth Convocation Lecture of Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos State.

He spoke on “Navigating the Troubled World: Understanding its Works, Confronting Its Troubles, and Equipping the Next Generation for Survival and Significance.”

Mr Ayorinde said that the qualities would go a long way to help graduates to confront economic uncertainty and significantly contribute to societal  growth.

He cautioned graduates against regarding graduation from university as the end of learning, describing it as the beginning of a more demanding examination requiring resilience, integrity and adaptability.

Mr Ayorinde said graduates of universities  had a responsibility to understand societal challenges, develop the character and competence to overcome them and apply their education toward creating a positive change.

“For graduates of a Christian university,  the task is threefold: to understand the world as it is, develop the competence and character to survive, and use their education and faith to make it better,” he said.

He said that navigating life successfully would require understanding changing circumstances, identifying potential dangers, adjusting strategies and maintaining clear goals in spite of uncertainties.

“The navigator studies the terrain, knows the direction to travel, spots dangers, chooses the route, adjusts as conditions change,  and keeps the destination in view,” Mr Ayorinde said.

He identified insecurity, unemployment, inflation, inadequate investment capital, high borrowing costs, widespread poverty and corruption as major challenges confronting Nigeria.

The pro-chancellor said that the challenges required individual responsibilities and institutional reforms.

On corruption, Mr Ayorinde said the prevalence of dishonest practices should not justify their acceptance, particularly among graduates expected to uphold professional ethics and contribute meaningfully to national development.

“That an improper act is widespread does not make it right, and you must standout. You owe it to yourselves, families and your alma mater, Trinity University, to be different,” he said.

He urged the graduates to demonstrate integrity in their professional and personal lives, stressing that national transformation required citizens willing to reject misconduct even when it appeared socially acceptable.

Mr Ayorinde warned aspiring entrepreneurs against borrowing without carefully assessing repayment obligations.

He cited high interest rates as a major constraint to business survival, productive investment and employment generation.

He urged graduates to contribute to strengthening public institutions, creating productive enterprises and addressing societal problems rather than merely criticising government or waiting for others to initiate change.

Mr Ayorinde noted that artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced computing were transforming workplaces and creating opportunities while introducing risks involving cybercrime, digital fraud, misinformation and job displacements.

“The real question for graduates is not whether technology will affect your lives. It will, definitely,” he said.

He urged them to understand emerging technologies and manage the associated risks.

He also advised graduates to respect cultural differences, uphold human dignity and resist prejudice, saying that diversity could encourage creativity and knowledge-sharing but could fuel conflict when manipulated or misunderstood.

On environmental responsibility, Mr Ayorinde said that climate-related threats affected agriculture, public health, infrastructure, housing and economic productivity.

He urged the graduates to incorporate sustainable practices into their professional activities and businesses.

He said that education must extend beyond academic achievement to develop critical thinking, enabling graduates to question harmful traditions, examine prevailing beliefs and make informed decisions that would promote human dignity and social progress.

On the university’s Christian identity, Mr Ayorinde urged the graduates to demonstrate their faith through honesty, compassion, fairness and accountability.

“Faith must be visible in how we live. It must be seen in us,” he said, encouraging the graduates to reflect Christian values in their workplaces and communities.

He urged the graduates to combine global awareness with local responsibility, explaining that international conflicts, financial disruptions and supply-chain challenges could affect Nigeria’s economy, employment prospects and living costs.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the event, Austin Omame, said the lecture was timely given prevailing political upheavals, economic instability, technological disruptions, environmental challenges and moral dilemmas confronting societies.

Mr Omame, also Co-founder of the Trinity Education and Development Foundation, said the challenges also presented opportunities to rethink development, rebuild institutions and strengthen the role of knowledge and values in shaping collective destinies.

The Fifth Trinity University Convocation Ceremonies will continue on Friday with the presentation of prizes and the award of degrees and diplomas.

(NAN)