26 Students Bag First Class as Ondo Varsity Holds Convocation

Fidelis David in Akure

No fewer than 26 students of Ondo state-owned Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, would be graduating with first class honours during the first convocation ceremony of the institution.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, who disclosed this yesterday, at the press conference heralding the maiden convocation ceremony said the students were among 982 graduands to be awarded various degrees of the university.

According to him, the 982 graduands were from five sets – 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 session, while the breakdown showed that a total of 26 graduands made First Class; 307 made Second Class Upper Division; 488 in Second Class Lower Division and 161 in Third Class.

He said the event slated for March 25, would also feature the award of Doctor of Business Administration (Honours Causa) to the Chancellor of the University, and the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba (Dr.) Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan (Okoro Ajiga I).

His words: “We would have a Convocation Lecture to be delivered by Emeritus Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan.  The title of the lecture is “Transforming the Nigerian University System for Graduate Employability and Socio-economic Development.”

Ologunorisa who stated that the university had become one of the most sought after in the country, said, “the university started with just one Faculty/School, which is the School of Science, and two additional Schools – School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, and School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources in 2017.

“Today, the university has five Faculties/Schools.  These are: School of Science, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Recourses, School of Management Sciences and School of Earth Sciences.

“The university is noted for a very high academic standard. In the next academic session, 2023/2024, the School of Basic Medical Sciences will take off.  The school will run courses in BSc. Nursing and BSc. Public Health.  Also the BSc. Applied Geology programmes will also commence in 2023/2024 academic session in the School of Earth Science,” he revealed.

The VC disclosed that the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) was building a new School – School of Maritime Transport and Logistics at Ugbo Nla, in Ondo State southern senatorial district and the Maritime Academy would train the critical skilled manpower necessary to drive maritime industry and ultimately the blue economy of the state. 

“The school will run courses in the following areas: BSc. Nautical Science, BSc. Maritime Transport and Logistics, BSc. Marine Engineering, BSc. Shipping and Port Management, BSc. Marine, Economics and Finance and BSc. Maritime Security.

“The state is in the process of establishing a deep sea port.  This courses will also help to boost the local economy of the state aside from providing the critical manpower in the maritime industry currently short supply in Nigeria,” he added.