Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja, is set to graduate a total of 12,624 students, including 77 First Class honours, at its 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, disclosed this during a pre-convocation press briefing at the institution’s main campus in Abuja, noting that the event will mark his first convocation since assuming office. The ceremony will celebrate graduates from the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions.
A breakdown of the figures shows that 7,158 students will graduate from the 2022/2023 session, including 48 First Class, 2,048 Second Class Upper, 4,418 Second Class Lower, and 644 Third Class degrees. For the 2023/2024 session, 5,466 students will graduate, comprising 29 First Class, 1,395 Second Class Upper, 3,091 Second Class Lower, and 951 Third Class.
Fawehinmi expressed pride in the graduating students, stating that they have been adequately trained in both character and learning. He also announced that the overall best graduating students from both academic sessions will be offered automatic employment by the university to support their career development.
The convocation activities, scheduled to span eight days, will feature a range of academic and social events. These include a Faculty Innovation Showcase and a drug awareness lecture titled “High Today, Low Tomorrow: The Real Cost of Drug Abuse on Campus,” to be delivered by the Director-General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohammed Buba Marwa.
Other highlights include a tree-planting exercise led by outstanding students, a climate change lecture by Omotenioye Majekodunmi of the National Council on Climate Change, and a convocation play by the Department of Theatre Arts. The convocation lecture will be delivered by Flutterwave CEO, Olugbenga Agboola, on “Graduating into an AI-Powered Fintech World: Opportunities, Challenges and Responsibilities.”
The main convocation ceremonies will hold on Friday, April 17, for the award of first degrees, while higher degrees and honorary doctorates will be conferred on Saturday, April 18, at the Convocation Square.
The university will also honour distinguished Nigerians, including Yusuff Olaolu Ali, Paul Odili, and Emmanuel Ayuba Iza, with honorary doctorate degrees in recognition of their contributions to national development.
Speaking on the institution’s progress, the Vice Chancellor noted that the university has overcome recent leadership challenges and is now enjoying stability, following interventions by the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, and the Governing Council led by Olanrewaju Tejuoso.
He added that significant strides have been made in staff welfare, including the promotion of over 100 academic staff to professorial ranks, while maintaining industrial harmony with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Despite these achievements, Fawehinmi identified infrastructure deficits, funding constraints, and land encroachment as major challenges confronting the university. He, however, expressed optimism that with sustained government support and strategic planning, the institution will achieve its vision of becoming a world-class university.