Ololade Adeyanju/
The management of Ekiti State University (EKSU) has explained the rationale behind the N100 prize money given to the best graduating student in the civil engineering department.
The institution was compelled to give an explanation following the outcry that followed the online publication of the letter of award, dated June 13, 2018, issued to the beneficiary for the 2016/17 academic session.
In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, the institution’s spokesman, Bode Olofinmuagun, explained that the award was not instituted by the university, rather, by a private organisation, Ado Ekiti Patriotic Front.
He also said that the award was instituted 30 years ago when the N100 prize money had a much higher value than today.
He said the university had done an upward review of the monetary value of all such awards with effect from the current academic session.
Read the full statement below:
RE: EKITI VARSITY BEST GRADUATING STUDENT AWARDED 100 NAIRA CASH PRIZE
The attention of the authorities of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti has been drawn to the controversy generated by the value of an award instituted in the University a long time ago, that has gone viral.
For the attention of the general public, the said award, won by Bamisaye Tosin Tope was instituted by the Ado Ekiti Patriotic Front for the best graduating student in Civil Engineering with a cash value of 100 Naira in the University over 30 years ago.
At the time the award was made, it was a good money compared to the present economic reality.
It is in the realization of this development that the Senate of the University has reviewed the value of prizes in this category to a minimum of #50,000.00 for corporate bodies and #100,000.00 for University prizes.
This decision has since been communicated to those concerned and is expected to be implemented at the next Convocation ceremony of the University.
Thank you.
Bode Olofinmuagun,
Head, Directorate of Information & Corporate Affairs,
Ekiti State University,
Ado Ekiti.