Not fewer than 3,597 students graduated from seven faculties in the University of Ibadan (UI), at the 2014 Convocation and 66th Founder’s Day ceremonies, held at the institution last week.
Among these students were three graduands with First Class Honours and 14 others with Second Class, Upper Division, from the Distance Learning Centre of the institution.
Held at the Professor Oritsejolomi Thomas Hall, International Conference Centre (ICC) of the institution, Fafowora Bimbo emerged the first student to graduate with a First Class from the Department of Communication and Language Arts, Faculty of Arts, after long years in the annals of the department.
Seye Odunbaku, a student of the Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, also came out with First Class Honours, and four others from different departments respectively.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Isaac Adewole, while speaking at the event, remarked that the Distance Learning Centre of the university is not failing in its obligation by producing quality graduates to support the human resources need of the country, adding that the centre has continued to take giant strides at repositioning itself on the same page as the rest of the world.
While congratulating the graduands for their academic achievements, Professor Adewole enjoined them to be good ambassadors of the university wherever they find themselves, saying the future of the country depends on them.
“Without any doubt, this university has prepared you to be among the most sought-after graduates in the employment market. It is important you also look back to your alma-mater, because your contribution will go a long way to sustain the tradition of excellence which you are all beneficiaries now,” he said.
Professor Bayo Okunade, the Director of the Distance Learning Centre of the institution, in his message, said the event was ceremonial, and wished them well in their future endeavors. He said: “This is ceremonial. To us, we are glad that we are producing First Class students, and are graduating the first set of Political Science students.”