UNILAG records huge success in areas of research, internalisation, infrastructure.
Faizat Adeboye
University of Lagos kick start its 51st convocation activities with a world press conference on Wednesday, june 30th 2021 at its senate chamber.
Recall that, the 2018/2019 convocation was supposed to hold March 9 – 12, 2020 but was cancelled as a result of controversy within the management of the school.
The vice chancellor of the school, professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe FAS in his address talked about the issue which caused the postponement of the convocation, the effects of the cancellation and the developments that follows. In his words “This event represented a dark moment in the history of our university, but it was also an opportunity for us to learn new lessons on how to strengthen our institutions and processes. ”
Professor Ogundipe states the convocation events which will be held at J.F Ade-Ajayi Auditorium, main campus of the University between Monday, July 5 and Thursday, July 8, 2021. The ceremony will kick- start with a convocation lecture on Monday, July 5, 2021. The lecture tittled: “National Development and Knowledge Economy in the Digital Age: Leapfrogging SMEs in to the 21st Century ” will be delivered by Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele. The chairman of the Convocation Lecture is the Founder, Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare.
Five eminent personalities will be conferred with Emeritus Professorship and Honorary Doctorate degrees. Statistically, the three days convocation ceremonies will culminate the graduation of a total of 15, 753 students. These comprose 7,754 (49.2%) who will be awarded first degrees and 7,999 (50.8%) postgraduate degrees. Also, 160 Diplomas in Social Works and Human Kinetics.
The total number of First class students across all Faculties is 281, the total number of students with Distinction across Pharmarcy (18), Basic Medical Sciences (6), Clinical Sciences (5), Dental Sciences (2). The overall best graduating and best in the field of science with the CGPA of 4.98 is Alimi, Ibrahim Adediji from Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering. He is closely followed by Popoola, Victoria Opeyemi with a CGPA of 4.90 from the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences and also as the best in Humanities.
The Best in Ph.D Thesis is Moruf, Rasheed Olatunji from the Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, and Mesagan, Peter Ekundayo from Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences will be awarded the best Ph.D thesis in Humanities. Also, Marinze, Ifeyinwa Onyemachi Felicia (71 years old) will be oldest to be awarded a Ph.D degree in the history of University of Lagos.
Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe highlighted some of the developments in the university, he said: ” Gentlemen of the press, I am glad to inform you that, the University has recorded huge success since the last one year. Particularly, in the areas of research, internalisation, infrastructure upgrade and have continued to witness appropriate growth and developments in other facets. Our students are winning laurels, locally and internationally, depicting the academic excellence the University portrays. Our members of staff, both teaching and non-teaching, have not been left out of the shower of laurels and recognitions too.”
Part of the achievements highlighted by the Vice chancellor are: the development of a low-cost Ventilator machine that can be easily deployed for COVID-19 patients and other patients patients in need of ventilators in the hospital by team of Faculty members led by Dr Hakeem Amuda of the Faculty of Engineering, production of facemasks by Department of Home Economics, production of hand Sanitizers by Department of Chemistry and Faculty of Pharmacy, virtual mode to conduct lectures and examinations, the training of Staff in adequate skills required to conduct Online teaching, the upgrade of alternative power supply in ensuring uninterrupted power supply, improved research, infrastructure support etc.
He said: ” Our academics have attracted over 18 billion in research grants from both locally and internationally. This is a pointer to the renaissance of research culture in the University. Our researchers also had 6 patents in 2p19 and 5 in 2020 out of which 2 in each year have been prototyped.”
The Vice Chancellor also boasted that, University of Lagos was ranked 1st in Nigeria and 12th in Africa last year, and this year, its ranked 1st in Nigeria and 8th in Africa.
Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe highlighted some of the projects recently commissioned on campus and several others embarked upon , he said the University received supports from friends and Alumni of the university, he mentioned some of the projects sponsored by these supporters which are: the vertical upgrade of Faculty of Law Building sponsored by Alhaji Femi Okunnu, Physiotherapy Centre worth 750,000000 to the college of Medicine, Renovation and Furnishing of the senate foyer by Dr. D.K Olukoya, Hostel project donated by Femi Gbajabiamila, the sponsored Remodelled Lagoon front, rovation of Female hostel toilets, bathrooms and kitchenettes by Alumni, renovation and Furnishing of the Faculty of Dental Sciences Library by Dr. Ogundare (alumnus), the completed National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) IT hub sponsored by NITDA, the completion of the University of Lagos Business School (ULBS) lecture halls, etc. The supports of these donors were appreciated by the VC.
The Vice Chancellor also stated another developmental milestone recorded by the University, the commissioning and opening of its incubation and Co-Working hub tagged the BOI-UNILAG Incubation & Co-Working Hub. This is in actualisation of part of the UNILAG vision to ensure all UNILAG graduates have dual capabilities; One in entrepreneurship, innovation and problem solving and the other in their natural course of study.
