71-year-old Woman Bags PhD as UNILAG Graduates 15,753 …VC Recalls Dark Days

A 71-year-old woman, Marinze Ifeyinwa Felicia, is among the 148 to bag a doctorate degree in various fields as a total of 15,753 students are to be awarded various degrees at the 51st Convocation Ceremony of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

Speaking on the forthcoming convocation, the Vice-Chancellor, UNILAG, Prof Ogundipe said a total of 281 graduating students would be going home with First Class Honours in various disciplines.

He said the number was part of a total of 15, 753 students across levels-certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate studies who made the graduation list with others scoring lower grades.

He said while Mr Ibrahim Alimi from the Department of Mechanical Engineering with a cumulative gradient point average (CGPA) of 4.98 out of the possible 5.0 emerged the overall best in the set and the best in the field of science, Victoria Opeyemi Popoola from the Department of Economics with CGPA of 4.90 trailed him closely behind to emerge the overall best in the humanities.

He also disclosed that the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele would deliver the convocation lecture, titled: “National Development and knowledge economy in the digital age: Leapfrogging SMEs into the 21st Century” on Monday, July 5, by 12 noon, while the founder of Citadel Global Community Church(a.k.a Latter Rain Assembly), Pastor Tunde Bakare, would chair the event which would hold at the main auditorium of the university.

Reacting to the development on the governing council,  Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe said peace and joy had returned to the university and they shall be sustained.

He spoke today at a news conference to announce the university’s ’51st convocation ceremonies’ which was cancelled at the instance of the dissolved Dr Wale Babalakin-led governing council 15 months ago.

Prof Ogundipe was reacting to the crisis between the management and the past governing council that rocked the university for many months.

He said the role played by the then chairman of the governing council that led to the cancellation of the convocation which was scheduled for between March 5 and 12 and also his temporary removal as VC before reinstatement had huge financial, emotional and materials implications on the university, the graduating students and their families as well as members of the public.

He described the event as a dark moment in the history of UNILAG and also as an opportunity to learn certain lessons that are now strengthening the university administration working system in UNILAG and also in other public universities in the country.

He said the events that followed particularly the cancellation of the convocation were more terrifying as the university was denied of funds because the budget was not approved and that slowed down greatly the general administration.

According to him, the then Pro-Chancellor arrogated to himself powers that vested in Council and the Senate by engaging in the illegality of removing Vice-Chancellor, citing a non-existing law and making a mockery of himself on national television.

He asked rhetorically “How a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) would descend so low remains a source of wonder to right-thinking people globally.”

He, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and others for their intervention and also standing by what he called the truth and fair judgment on the matter.

He said the victory is a turning point for public university administration in the country.

He also disclosed that certain eminent Nigerians including the late Vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe and the former Lead Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, First Consultant Hospital, Late Dr Amaeyo-Stella- Adedevoh would be given posthumous honours at the event while the Chairman, Premier Lotto Limited, Sir Kessington Adebutu; Chairman of Troyka Holdings Limited, Mr Biodun Shobanjo, as well as founder and Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources Limited, Dr Mohammed Indimi would also receive honorary doctorate degrees at the event, all for their strong contributions to education and humanity.

Prof Ogiundipe said the ceremonies would be held in two sessions-morning and afternoon- each day because of the crowd expected to grace the occasion.

When asked about a student of the university, Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication student who, last Thursday, openly recounted how and why she stabbed her lover, Super TV CEO, Mr Usifo Ataga, to death some days earlier in the Lekki area of Lagos, he said the university would approach the matter with caution.

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