The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello, on Friday said that 125 of its 10,600 graduating students for the 2014 session had finished in the First Class Division.
Bello said at the convocation media briefing in Lagos that the event for the award of degrees, higher degrees, Diploma, certificates and prizes, would hold from April 27 to April 30.
He said that 1,664 of the students bagged the Second Class Upper Division while 2,827 were in the Second Class Lower Division.
Bello said that 963 others would be graduating in the Third Class Division; 90 with Pass degrees while 167 others would be under the unclassified degrees in Medicine and Pharmacy.
“I am also proud to announce Mr Korede Akinpelu of the Department of Chemical Engineering as the best graduating student of the university with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.96.
“Mr Sedan Shittu of the Department of Finance is the second best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.91,” he said.
Bello said the institution would also be graduating 103 Doctors of Philosophy (Ph.Ds.), 4,330 with Masters’ degrees and 331 with Postgraduate Diplomas from its School of Postgraduate Studies.
He said that Dr Isaac Akpan, with the thesis entitled: “ Processing and Characterisation of Selected Biodegradable Fibre-PLA Composites,’’ emerged the best Doctorate student.
The vice-chancellor re-emphasised UNILAG’s resolve to continue to produce quality first class graduates capable of competing favourably with their counterparts in any part of the world.
He said that the university had continued to witness appropriate growth and development in all facets, particularly in infrastructure and academic leadership.
Bello said that with the resuscitation of its students’ union 10 years after it was proscribed, the institution now had the full complement of education.
According to the don, students can now fully exhibit their leadership potentialities in readiness for roles in the larger society.
The vice-chancellor said the university recently produced a 25-year strategic plan, spanning from 2012 to 2037.
Bello said the document contained all facets of the institution and how they should grow or develop in tranches of five years.
He said the convocation programme would kick off with a convocation lecture entitled: “ Taking Advantage of a Depressing Nigerian Economy to Accelerate Socio- Economic Development.’’
Bello said that the lecture, slated for April 27, would be delivered by a former National Universities Commission Executive Secretary, Prof. Peter Okebukola.
He also said that honorary degrees would be conferred on emeritus professors of the university, including some eminent Nigerians, for their outstanding contributions to education and quality of life in Nigeria.
Some of the awardees include retired Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, Mr Gamaliel Onosode and Pastor Enoch Adeboye.
Bello congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan for entrenching democracy in Nigeria by conceding defeat to the President- elect, retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, before the final declaration of result.
He also congratulated Buhari and wished him a tenure that would meet the expectations of the teeming Nigerians. Vanguard
