The Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, on Monday, turned out 1,662 graduates from the institution.
The graduates comprised 1,485 first-degree graduates and 177 postgraduate degree recipients.
More so, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; Legal practitioner, Mr Damian Dodo; and the Serving Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare; also bagged honorary doctorates on the occasion.
Speaking at the institution’s 12th convocation ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Smaranda Olarinde, who bemoaned challenges facing Nigerian tertiary institutions, urged the Federal Government to urgently find solutions to them.
Olarinde, who said the country’s dwindling economy and naira devaluation had greatly impacted tertiary institutions, said, “The exchange rate has plummeted. This economic downturn has caused a sharp rise in the cost of living, making it difficult for families to afford education and for institutions to sustain their operations.
“At ABUAD, we are aware of the financial burden this places on our students and their families. While we strive to maintain our standards and provide the best possible education, we call on the government to implement economic reforms that will stabilise the currency, and ease the pressure on Nigerian households and educational institutions.”
The VC also faulted the exclusion of private universities from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the FG’s student loan, thus depriving private universities of benefiting from TETFund projects and government loans, saying such “creates unequal access to education.”
She also bemoaned the parlous state of the road leading to ABUAD, which she said posed a significant challenge to students and staff, saying, “I use this opportunity once again to appeal to the Federal Government to address the infrastructural deficit in Ekiti State particularly the Ado-Ijan Road and other federal roads.”
Olarinde, who congratulated the fresh graduates, told them, “The whole world looks up to you as graduates of this globally-ranked university to be at the vanguard of providing innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to the complex problems facing our world today.”
ABUAD Founder, Afe Babalola, congratulated the graduates on the feat and advised them to be good ambassadors who strive for excellence.
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in his goodwill message, lauded the contributions of ABUAD to the human capital development of the country, saying, “This institution has, in its 15 years of existence, changed the face of education in the country. It is exciting to be part of the 12th convocation ceremony and 15th Founder’s Day celebration of this great institution. Let me congratulate this institution for this day and also thank God for the founder that he is alive and in good health to witness this day.
“I want to commend our own Aare Afe Babalola for the huge investment he has put into the building of this great citadel of learning. A huge investment that is driven by a vision to offer to the world and humanity a world-class and reformative education of great standard.”
