…breaks news at OAUSTECH third graduation ceremony

• Varsity graduates 995 students, as 31 earn 1st -class Degrees

By Adedotun Ajayi

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has challenged authorities at the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) to play a critical role in the development of the state’s marine sector and blue economy towards positioning it as a strategic maritime hub.

To this end, the governor noted that the government’s
plan to establish a deep-sea port in the state will become a reality during his tenure to enhance the state’s economic growth.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to enhancing the state education sector, with a focus on infrastructural development and academic excellence.

The governor made this pledge during the third convocation ceremony of OAUSTECH, held on Tuesday.

Addressing the graduating students, faculty members, and dignitaries, Aiyedatiwa stressed the pivotal role of quality education in societal advancement.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to enhancing the education sector, with a focus on infrastructural development and academic excellence.

He assured that his government remained committed to transforming the education sector, acknowledging OAUSTECH as a significant institution in the state’s quest for academic excellence and innovation.

The governor outlined several initiatives aimed at boosting the university’s development, including the completion of the Maritime Transport and Logistics Academy at Ugbonla, the accelerated completion of abandoned hostels under the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), and the renovation of ageing infrastructure.

Aiyedatiwa further disclosed ongoing discussions with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to facilitate the completion of its abandoned hostel projects, which would improve students accommodation.

Highlighting the institution’s critical role in Marine and Blue Economy studies, he noted that the state government’s plan to establish a deep-sea port would not only enhance economic growth but also position the state as a strategic maritime hub.

The governor commended the leadership of the university, led by Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Temi Emmanuel Ologunorisa, for it’s remarkable growth, particularly the surge in students’ enrollments from 400 in the 2020/2021 academic session to 2,800 in the 2024/2025 session.

He praised the institution’s faculty for their contributions to global academic recognition, acknowledging Dr. Bartholomew Adeleke’s ranking among the top two percent of scientists worldwide by Elsevier and Stanford University, as well as Dr. Alaba Joseph Adebayo’s 2025 Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences (NSPS) Best PhD Thesis Prize in Chemistry.

The governor urged the graduating students to pursue lifelong learning, innovation, and excellence as they step into the next phase of their careers.

He also expressed appreciation to parents and stakeholders for their unwavering commitment to advancing education in the state.

Vice-Chancellor Ologunorisa, in his remarks, thanked Aiyedatiwa for his support and reaffirmed the university’s dedication to sustained academic progress.

A total of 995 students graduated, as 31 of them earned first class honours.