By Adeboye Ado

Achievers University, Owo, will on Saturday present 700 students for its 14th Convocation Ceremony.

Out of these graduating students, 654 will receive their first degrees, while 46 others will be graduating from the School of Postgraduate Studies.

The Vice-Chancellor of the school, Professor Omolola Irinoye, made this known on Monday during a press briefing held at the university to herald the convocation ceremony.

According to Professor Irinoye, 71 out of the graduating students earned First Class Honours, 303 achieved Second Class Upper Division, 243 received Second Class Lower Division, and 35 graduated with Third Class Honours.

Similarly, the university will confer honorary degrees on the Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Honourable Muhammed Umar Bago; the Managing Director of Fidson Healthcare, Lagos, Dr Fidelis Akhagboso Ayebae; and the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin.

In the same vein, the university will, on Tuesday, 10 December 2024, present 143 graduate nurses to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria as registered nurses and midwives. On Wednesday, 11 December 2024, 12 graduates from the engineering programmes will be presented to the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) for registration as engineers.

Additionally, the university will present 17 Public Health graduates to the African Institute of Public Health Professionals (AIPHP) for induction.

On Thursday, 12 December 2024, 65 graduates will also be inducted and registered by the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria as Medical Laboratory Scientists.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that the 14th Convocation Ceremony is not only a significant milestone for the graduating students but also for their families, the university, and society at large, highlighting the resilience of the Nigerian people.

Professor Irinoye also announced that 319 students have benefited from the institution’s 12 tuition-free academic programmes. She explained that this initiative is part of the university’s commitment to increasing access to higher education for young people, particularly those unable to afford tuition costs.

The Vice-Chancellor further revealed that the university’s Governing Council has approved a tuition scholarship range of 65% to 80% for UTME and Direct Entry candidates in 20 other academic programmes.

According to her, Achievers University, which started with a student population of 126 in 2008, now has 3,692 students enrolled across various degree programmes.

The convocation activities will climax on Saturday, 14 December 2024, with the main convocation ceremony.

The programmes include a convocation lecture, Jumat service for thanksgiving, foundation-laying and launching of the Yakubu Dogara Institute of Legal and Democratic Studies, and a variety night on Friday, 13 December 2024.

The events will conclude with a thanksgiving service at the Chapel of Grace and Glory.