40th Convocation: Ibadan Poly Honours Ooni, Raji, Others with Fellowship Awards

The Polytechnic, Ibadan, on Thursday conferred fellowship awards on the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ahmed Raji; and Dr. Olajide Babatunde, among other eminent Nigerians, at its 40th convocation ceremony.

The fellowship awards were presented in recognition of the awardees’ outstanding contributions to the growth and development of education in Nigeria.

The colourful ceremony, held at the institution’s 1,000-capacity hall, attracted several dignitaries, including a former Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Adeolu Akande; the President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole; and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, among others.

Speaking on behalf of the awardees, the Ooni described The Polytechnic, Ibadan, as the foundation of his academic journey and expressed gratitude to the institution for the honour bestowed on him and his co-awardees.

The monarch urged the graduands to remain focused, hardworking and forward-looking, while holding firmly to their faith and always remembering their alma mater. He also announced a donation of N5m for the best graduating students, alongside other prizes for outstanding graduands across various departments and faculties.

In his remarks, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State reiterated his administration’s commitment to education, describing the sector as a top priority of his government.

Makinde, who was represented by his deputy, Bayo Lawal, said that when the administration assumed office about six years ago, budgetary allocation to education stood between 17 and 21 per cent, adding that deliberate efforts had since been made to strengthen the sector and improve learning outcomes.

“We are fully aware of the manpower challenges facing tertiary institutions, including The Polytechnic, Ibadan. That is why the government has continued to address staff shortages through regular recruitment and capacity-building initiatives,” he said.

He added that the state government was working closely with the management of the institution to reposition it for global competitiveness, noting that graduates must be adequately equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

“The world will not wait for anyone. Therefore, our students must be prepared, innovative and forward-thinking to meet global demands,” Lawal stated.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Acting Rector of the institution, Dr. Taiwo Lasisi, disclosed that a total of 1,514 National Diploma students from five faculties and 2,879 Higher National Diploma students across another five faculties graduated at the ceremony. He added that the overall best graduating student recorded a cumulative grade point average of 3.87.

Lasisi noted that none of the graduands left the institution without acquiring at least one practical skill, stressing that the initiative was aimed at enabling graduates to be self-reliant and become employers of labour, even without government jobs.

He also called on the Federal Government to convert polytechnics into degree-awarding institutions with Bachelor of Technology degrees, arguing that such a move would end the long-standing disparity between polytechnic and university graduates.

According to him, countries such as China and the United Kingdom had taken similar steps by strengthening polytechnic education in recognition of its role in national development.

The Acting Rector urged Governor Makinde to lead the initiative by kick-starting the process with The Polytechnic, Ibadan.

Meanwhile, the overall best graduating student, Basirat Yusuf, expressed appreciation to the institution’s management for providing an enabling environment that fostered academic excellence. She encouraged her fellow graduands to use the skills and knowledge acquired during their studies for the upliftment of society.