University of Ilorin graduates 8,038 students; 67 make first class

As parts of activities marking its 32nd convocation ceremonies, the University of Ilorin will on Friday graduate 8,038 students among whom there are 67 who made first class.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Abdulganiy Ambali, made this disclosure during a press briefing heralding the commencement of activities lined up for the ceremony at the university auditorium on Monday.

Mr. Ambali, the Chairman of Association of West African Universities (AWAU), disclosed that the figure comprises 1,903 Postgraduate, 609 Undergraduate of First Degree and 66 Diploma graduands.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the Postgraduate graduands consist of 166 Ph.D., 1,300 Academic Master, 186 Professional Master and 251 Diploma. There are 6069 first degree and 66 Diploma graduands also in various academic disciplines across 12 Faculties and the Institute of Education.

“Of our 6,069 First Degree graduands, 67 of them made the First Class and 1,505 made a Second Class Upper Division grade. Additionally, we have 3,200 Second Class Lower Division, 1124 Third Class Division and 70 Pass graduands. Those who had Pass were 82 last year,” Mr. Ambali disclosed.

Commenting on the physical projects lined up for commissioning during the ceremonies, the professor of veterinary medicine explained that the first phase of a 6.5 kilometre road linking the university’s main campus with the college of health sciences estimated at N230 million, a new senate chamber built at the cost of N190 million and a new office block for the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences are among the newly completed projects.

Others are the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Complex at Sabo-Oke, 500-seater capacity lecture theatres for faculties of sciences and communication and information sciences, as well as the perimeter fence around the senate building, private hostels and parking lots.

Describing the university as the most sought after university in the country, the Vice-Chancellor disclosed that the management has continued to work tirelessly to ensure that it remains the best choice of admission seekers. He also disclosed that the Nigerian Army has approved a collaborative programme leading to the award of a Masters of Arts Degree in Peace and Security Studies with the varsity through its Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies.

“Through this programme, senior officers of the Nigerian Army will be trained at the University of Ilorin in continuation of the training at one of their higher educational institutions. With this, the university is poised to impact more and contribute further to the Nigerian project,” Mr. Ambali said.