ADDRESS BY THE VICE CHANCELLOR, PROFESSOR A. IDOWU OLAYINKA, FAS AT THE CONGREGATION FOR THE AWARD OF CERTIFICATE, DIPLOMAS AND ADMISSION INTO FIRST DEGREE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN ON MONDAY, 12 NOVEMBER, 2018.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration)

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships)

Registrar

Bursar

University Librarian

Provosts of the College of Medicine and of the Postgraduate College

Deans of Faculties and of Students

Directors of Institutes and Centres

Heads of Departments

Members of Senate

Members of Congregation

President and members of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association

Members of the Students’ Representative Council

Honoured Graduands

Parents and Guardians of our Graduands

Gentlemen of the Press

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

I am delighted to welcome you all to the first day of the week long convocation and graduation ceremonies of the University of Ibadan for 2018. I use this medium to warmly welcome our guests and well-wishers to this great occasion and to congratulate especially the parents and guardians of our graduands who have come to share the joy of today with their children and wards. It is my prayer that the joy of today will be permanent in your lives.

Let me take a short time out, to welcome the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Adminstration), Professor K.O Adebowale, FAS, mni, a cerebral and sound intellectual and the Registrar of this University, Mrs. Olubunmi O Faluyi, a seasoned University Administrator who are attending this ceremony for the first time in these capacities. I am sure you will join me in wishing both of them a successful tenure of office.

My joy of today is boundless in view of the coincidence of this year’s convocation and graduation ceremonies with the 70th anniversary celebration of Nigeria’s Premier University.

The graduands of today, more than anyone else deserve our special congratulations on the successful completion of their programmes having individually applied yourself thoroughly to the intensive academic challenges. It is worthy of note that for various reasons which include insufficient academic performances, health challenges, character deficiencies or even death, it is not every one who started the race with you about 4,5,6 or 7 years ago, depending on your course of study, that is present here today.

One would readily agree that you deserve to celebrate your success. Such was the hazard encountered on your programme of studies that some of you have been heard to say after this experience, you would not read more that online newspapers again. It is heartwarming to note that in spite of these hazards, you have invariably been found to be worthy in character and learning, hence your graduation today.

Ladies and gentlemen, due to some disruption in academic calendar as a result of the nation wide strike action embarked upon by the combined three Unions of non-teaching staff of this University; the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Nigerian Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) after the last convocation ceremonies, our final year students for the 2017/2018 could not complete their programmes early enough for the convocation ceremonies.

In view of the foregoing, ladies and gentlemen we are having convocation for graduands of the 2016/2017 academic session. A total of 7,577 candidates are graduating with their first degree today and tomorrow. The breakdown is given in Table 1.

Table 1

Summary of Graduands for 2018 Convocation Ceremony (2016/2017 Session)

FIRST DEGREES

PROGRAMME

1st Class Honours

2nd Class Honours (Upper Division)

2nd

Class Honours (Lowe Division)

3rd Class Honours

Pass

Unclassified

Total

ARTS

19

172

205

21

4

421

SCIENCE

37

155

188

34

24

-

438

MEDICINE

(i) MBBS

-

-

-

-

-

169

169

(ii) BDS

-

-

-

-

-

31

31

(iii) B. (Physiotherapy)

-

-

-

-

-

23

23

(iv) B. NSc. (Nursing)1

1

9

15

-

2

-

27

(v)B.Sc. (Biochemistry)

1

11

31

9

-

-

52

(vi) B.Sc. (Physiology)

-

11

22

3

-

-

36

(vii). B,Sc. (Medical Laboratory Science)

-

4

14

-

-

18

(vii)B.Sc.(Human Nutrition)

2

6

23

-

-

-

31

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

8

58

69

6

2

-

143

SOCIAL SCIENCES

1

105

213

22

5

-

353

EDUCATION

7

126

196

9

1

-

339

DISTANCE LEARNING CENTRE

34

415

2040

543

18

-

3050

AFFILIATED INSTITUTIONS

33

512

1162

173

12

-

1892

VETERINARY MEDICINE (DVM)

-

-

-

-

-

77

77

TECHNOLOGY

37

87

140

14

-

-

278

LAW

21

64

48

-

1

-

134

PHARMACY

-

-

-

-

-

72

72

GRAND TOTAL

201

1735

4363

834

69

372

7,577

A further breakdown of the graduating list shows that 2.8% and 24.1% of our students finished with first class and second class upper (Division) Honours respectively.

Table 2. Analysis of Degree of the 2016/2017 first Degree guardians

from the University of Ibadan.

Class of Degree

Number of Candidates

Proportion of the Total (%)

First Class

201

2.8

Second Class Upper

1,735

24.1

Second Class Lower

4,366

60.6

Third Class

834

11,6

Pass

69

1.0

SUB-TOTAL

7,205

100

Unclassified

372

Grand Total

7,577

This morning candidates are graduating from the Faculties of Arts, Science, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Dentistry, Public Health and Law. The first degree graduands from other faculties, Distance Learning Centres and the Affiliated Institutions will have their turn tomorrow. In addition, 134 candidates will receive their Diploma in various programmes during the same period.

It is therefore with pleasure that I report that these graduands, who are being awarded the various diplomas, certificates and degrees of this university have kept to the oath to which they subscribed at Matriculation. The pioneering graduating set of the B.Sc in Medical Laboratory Science, comprising 18 students, will be graduating today.

Improving the Employability of our Graduates

Efforts towards improving the employability of our students have been ongoing throughout the year including a two-day Masterclass, which empowered students with soft skills, employability and entrepreneurial skills. Additionally, a one-day employability and workplace readiness training involving all final year students was also delivered with the scope of training including: C.V preparation and template, cover letter, dressing, etiquette and personal grooming, Interview essentials, selling yourself, communicating effectively, self-esteem, researching employers and preparing for success.

Others skillset development opportunities include

1. GIS Boot Camps, which involves training students across discipline on the deployment of the GIS technology. This is expected to culminate in a Geohackathon (ideation) competition in March of 2019. To date, over 700 undergraduate and postgraduate students have been trained.

2. Emerging Young Entrepreneur (EYE) Initiative: Agripreneurial training for Students: which includes training, mentoring, prototyping, technology transfer, incubation and funding, which are meant to produce a new generation of young entrepreneurs from among undergraduate students of African Universities. A total of 114 students signed up.

All these efforts to improve the employability of our students culminated in the hosting of the First Ever Career Fair, which was held in partnership with First Bank Nigeria Ltd on 6th November 2018. The feedback on the success, quality of our students and the prospect for their employment has been very rewarding.

Induction for the Medical and Dental Graduates

I am aware that the graduating MB, BS and BDS candidates are eager to proceed for their housemanship as soon as possible. We are in touch with the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr Tajudeen Sanusi, himself an Ibadan Alumnus like you. He has promised to ensure that the Induction Ceremony holds as soon as possible. Both the Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor Oluwabunmi Emiola Olapade-Olaopa and my humble self are on top of the situation and with God on our side I am highly optimistic that your Induction will hold sooner than later.

My Charge

My word of advice to you, graduands of today is to regard the University of Ibadan as a springboard as well as a call to greater challenges and aspirations in life. There is no doubt that you will face challenges that will task your entrepreneurial spirit of never giving up. Do not allow any problem to overwhelm you as I pray to God to always be with you and guide your steps to success in life.

Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to inform you that members our academic staff and students continue to make commendable strides for their unrelenting contributing to knowledge in their various fields, it is my pleasure to report some of them:

Ø The three degree programmes of the Department of European Studies namely: French, German and Russian have Full Accreditation from the National Universities Commission.

Ø The Department of European Studies has introduced ‘GES 1O8- Introduction to French’ and this has received the approval of Senate. The course is already being offered to students of the University with effect from the current academic session.

Ø The Department of European Studies has received support of Alliance Francaise, Ibadan in form of pedagogical training to the Tutors and Associate Lecturers recruited for the GES 108 programme.

Ø After over a decade of non-year abroad or equivalent Year Abroad Programme for Russian students, the Department of European Studies has returned the students of Russian to Year Abroad Programme in Ivanova State University, Russia. Till date, three sets have successfully participated in the exercise and the fourth set is currently in Russia.

Ø The Department of Religious Studies collaborated with the Redeemed Christian Bible College to host an International Conference on African Pentecostalism in July, 2018 and with Fela Kuti Studies Group, IFRA, IFCSA among others to host the 2018 Fela Anikulapo International Conference on African Homeland and Social Theory.

Ø Our Department of Nursing was accorded Full Accreditation for five years from The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the intake of students was increased from 50 to 70.

Ø Our Nursing students had excellent performance of 100% in the professional examinations for Midwives in March, 2018.

Ø The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria as part of its regulatory activities is responsible for the registration and issuance of practicing license to all nurses trained within and outside the country, chose our Department of Nursing as a Centre for the training.

Ø The Department of Health Promotion and Education, Faculty of Public Health, was chosen for international students internship programme by Walden University, USA and student from the Institution just completed the internship programme from the Department.

Ø I am delighted to report that the Bachelor of Environmental Health Sciences (B.EHS), a new programme of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences commenced in the 2017/2018 academic session after due approval by the University Senate and the National Universities Commission.

Ø Over the last one year, three distinguished Lecture series of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences were delivered by eminent Professionals: Professor Alok Dhawan from India; Mr Adekunle Kayode Aliu from Philadelphia PA19103, USA and Dr. S. K. Ojolowo of our Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management.

Ø Three Industrial Training students: Somali Patel, Antonio Chotas and Joy Hooft Graafland from Delft University of Netherland visited the Department of Health Promotion and Education to work on locally appropriate technology for diagnosis of schistosomiasis.

Ø Timery Whaley (Fullbright Scholar) from the Department of Geosciences the University of Arkansas visited the Department of Environmental Health Sciences to work on flooding in Africa.

Ø I am very excited to report that 12 of our 2015/2016 Bachelor of Law graduates obtained First Class Honours at the Final Bar Examinations of the Nigerian Law School released in October 2018. This is the best result ever posted by the University of Ibadan since we started sending our law graduates to the Law School some 34 years ago! I thank the Dean of Law, Professor Adeniyi I. Olatunbosun, Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, SAN, all the Readers and other lecturers for the leadership and hard work that have made this possible.

Keynote Address

At this occasion, we will have a Commencement keynote address and it will be delivered by Professor Funmi Olopade, a 1974 Alumna of this University. She is the Walter L. Palmer Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Director of the Centre for Global Health at the University of Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is my belief that her address will positively impact and change the mindsets of our graduands.

I am aware that Prof Funmi Olopade is committed to the continued advancement of the University of Ibadan, her alma mata. She has been collaborating with colleagues at the University of Ibadan for a long time and even on this occasion of her visit, she has again demonstrated her keen interest in UI by graciously coming along to Ibadan with Ian Foster and Andrey Rzhetsky, renowned Professors from the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory to conduct workshops on Big Data Science targeting postgraduate students and Early Career Academics on November 13 and 14th, respectively. It is our expectation that this interaction with our students will develop a pipeline for the best students in Science, Mathematical and Physical Sciences. On Friday 15th November, Professors Foster and Rzhetsky will be having meetings with relevant units of the University to enable them assess the computational resources in the University as well as discuss collaborative opportunities.

As you will find from the Order of Proceedings, Professor Olopade will receive a honorary degree of Doctor of Science on 70th Foundation Day, Saturday 17th November. This will be another cap to her well decorated cap. Her abridged citation can be found between pages 196 and 197 of the Order of Proceedings.

Closing remarks

All I have left, is to once more, extend hearty felicitations to all our graduands for their academic attainment in this University. My special appeal to you is to be good ambassadors of this University wherever you find yourselves. God, in his infinite mercies, will continue to be with you in all your future endeavours.

Thank you for listening.

Professor A. Idowu Olayinka, FAS

Vice-Chancellor