71-year-old emerges best PhD graduate at UNILAG convocation
A 71-year-old PhD student of the University of Lagos, Mrs Felicia Marinze has emerged one of the best graduating students from the institution’s School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS).
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe announced this at a news conference on activities lined-up for the institution’s 51st convocation on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to Ogundipe, Marinze (PhD French) with matriculation number 849003042, from the Department of European Languages and International Studies, will be the oldest to be awarded a PhD degree in the history of the university.
He added that the 71-year-old, with the best PhD thesis, had just demonstrated to the world that age was never a barrier to attaining any height.
Our Correspondent reports that the title of Marinze thesis is: “Evaluation de la Competence Communicative Orale du Francais Des Apprenants Nationale Diploma Des Polytechniques Seledionness du Nigeria.”
He added that Olatunji Moruf from the Department of Marine Science and Ekundayo Mesagan of the Department of Economics would also be awarded the best PhD thesis in Humanities, alongside Marinze.
Speaking further, the Vice-chancellor noted that 281 of the 15,753 students would be graduating in the first class upper division.
“The three-day convocation will culminate in the graduation of 15,753 students.
“These comprise of 7,754 students who will be awarded first degrees and 7,999 Postgraduate degrees.
“We shall also award 160 Diplomas in Social Works and Human Kinetics.
“The Faculty of Engineering came tops in the category of first class with 70, followed by Management Sciences with 59 among others,’’ Ogundipe said.
The Vice-chancellor regretted that the convocation activities which was earlier scheduled to hold between hold March 9 – 12, 2020, was postponed as a result of the personal interest of some individuals.
He said: “ You all willl recall that on Monday, March 2, 2020 we were gathered in this chamber to commence activities for the 51st Convocation ceremonies of the University scheduled then to hold from March 9 -12, 2020, but as it turned out, the ceremonies were cancelled as a result of the personal interest of some individuals. You were all aware that it was the erstwhile Pro-Chancellor, Dr , Olawale Babalakin, that misinformed the Ministry of Education and caused the convocation ceremonies to be cancelled. The cost of the cancellation financially, emotionally and materially cannot be measured.
The Vice-chancellor said, the event represented a dark moment in the history of the University but it was also an opportunity for the school to learn new lessons on how to strengthen our institutions and processes.
He further said, the events that followed the cancellation were even more terrifying. The University was stifled of funds, budget was not approved and the general administration of the University reached its lowest ebb. The then Pro-Chancellor arrogated to himself powers that were vested in council and senate by engaging in the illegality of removing the Vice-Chancellor, citing a non-existing law and making mockery of himself on national television.
He appreciated the Federal Government and the visitor to the University of Lagos for intervening to end the injustice and outright rape of rule of law by Dr. Wale Babalakin.
The Vice-chancellor said one of the major developments experienced by University of Lagos is the dissolution of the last council and the inauguration of a new council chaired by Senator Dr. Lanre Tejuoso on Monday, April 19, 2021.
He also announced that the university would be honouring one of its late vice-chancellors, Prof Ibidapo Obe, with a post humours award.
According to him, the university will also award honorary doctorate degree to Dr Ameyo Stella-Adadevo (Post-Humours), a lead Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist at the First Consultant Hospital, at the ceremony.
Also to be awarded are Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, Dr Kessington Adebutu and Mr Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman of Troyka Holdings Ltd.
According to Ogundipe, the university has in the last one year, recorded huge success, particularly in the area of research and internalisation infrastructure upgrade.
It had also continued to witness growth and developments in other facets.
The Vice-chancellor noted that the university had so far, attracted a total of N14 billion research grants in the last three years, both locally and internationally.
“This is a pointer to the renaissance of research culture in the university.
“Our researchers also had six patents in 2019 and five in 2020 out of which two, in each year, have been prototyped.
“Scholars of the university have continued to raise the bar of research excellence.
“Drawn from departments and faculties, some scholars recently had their research proposals approved for generous funding with grants from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
“Our university is reputable for being one of Nigeria’s leaving institutions, especially in the area of research and innovation.
“This path, which we have consolidated under the current leadership, has improved our ranking as first in Nigeria and 12th in Africa, just last year.”
Prof Ogundipe at the press conference also said that the school has spent the total amount of 1.1 billion on electricity between January 2020 – May 2021. However,he school is working on getting alternative source of power supply and they are going to collaborate with some organisations to achieve this. He promised that in two months time, the efforts would have materialized.
Speaking further on activities lined up for the three-day event, Ogundipe said that the convocation lecture would hold Monday July 5.
The title of the lecture is “National Development and Knowledge Economy in the Digital Age: Leapfrogging SNEs into the 21st Century.”
He said that the lecture would be delivered by the Governor of Central Bank (CBN) Mr Godwin Emefiele.
He added that Pastor Tunde Bakare, Chairman, Citadel Global Community Church would be chairman at the occasion.
The Vice-Chancellor regretted that the convocation activities which was earlier scheduled to hold between hold March 9 – 12, 2020, was postponed as a result of the personal interest of some individuals.
