By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
A TOTAL of thirty-five students will graduate with First Class Honours at the 2024/2025 Ninth Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University, Lokoja, scheduled for Saturday.
Addressing journalists on activities lined up for the convocation, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, stated that 5,051 students would be awarded degrees, diplomas, and postgraduate qualifications during the ceremony.
According to him, 3,466 will receive first degrees, 747 will bag diplomas, while 838 will be conferred with postgraduate degrees.
Professor Akinwumi further announced that Sherif Ohieku Haruna from the Department of Geology will emerge as the overall best graduating student.
Speaking on the progress of the institution, the Vice Chancellor noted that the university has recorded remarkable expansion in academic programmes and infrastructure since his assumption of office.
He said the institution has grown from a modest university to a multi-faculty establishment with diverse academic offerings.
According to him, “New facilities and programmes established during my tenure include those of Agriculture, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Allied Medical Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Law, MBBS, Medical Laboratory Science, and Education.”
He explained that almost all newly introduced programmes have been resource-verified and accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and relevant professional bodies.
Professor Akinwumi disclosed that the MBBS programme has reached its final stage of accreditation by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
The Vice Chancellor stated that to strengthen the university’s commitment to research, innovation, and community service, several centres and institutes have been established.
These include the Internal Centre for Climate Change, Flood and Environmental Sustainability; the Centre for Safety and Risk Management; the Institute of Governance and Development Studies; the Institute of Gender Studies; the Centre for Affiliation, Distance and E-learning; and the International Centre of Excellence in Environmental Humanities.
He said these centres were created to address national and global challenges while promoting multidisciplinary research and policy engagement.
Professor Akinwumi also highlighted the university’s growing academic culture, noting that 32 Inaugural Lectures have been delivered during his tenure, describing it as a “clear indicator of the renewed intellectual culture.”
He added that the institution has hosted 20 Distinguished Public Lectures to strengthen collaboration between the university and society.
On staff development, the Vice Chancellor stated that welfare remains a central priority of his administration. He said the management has introduced various measures to ease staff challenges and promote career growth across departments.
He explained that the administration ensured proper placement and timely promotion of staff in accordance with due process. Professor Akinwumi added that the 2019 employment batch had been regularised to promote fairness and job stability.
He further stated that the university continues to provide support for staff facing health or family challenges as part of its efforts to maintain a conducive working environment.
The Vice Chancellor reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, staff welfare, and societal impact, noting that the upcoming convocation marks another milestone in the growth trajectory of the Federal University, Lokoja.
