• 323 Earn PhD

• Safiu Kehinde

The University of Ilorin on Monday announced a total of 256 First Class graduates at its 39th convocation ceremony.

This was just as the university said a total of 323 bagged PhDs while saying that 62 students came out in the Pass category.

Prof Wahab Olasunkanmi Egbewole the Vice Chancellor of the University gave the figures while delivering his address at the institution’s 39th convocation ceremony going on at the moment in the University auditorium.

He also disclosed that the institution recorded 3,842 Second Class (Upper Division), 6,178 Second Class (Lower Division) and 1,299 Third Class graduates.

The Vice Chancellor expressed that the graduands’ statistics was presented to showcase the University’s contribution to the provision of adequate manpower for the nation and beyond.

“I have presented this figures above not for statistics sake but to draw our attention to the contributions our University is making in the training and enlisting adequate manpower for this nation and beyond; a signpost of the huge sacrifices, the demand for quality education and expansion places on us an institution of first choice.

“By extension, the statistics present us with those competing for the available space to make impact and change the narrative about our nation.” Egbewole said.

Addressing the graduands, the University Don urged them to be of value to themselves, their society, and the nation at large.

“Dear graduands, you need to understand that this occasion sets you up for unavoidable societal expectations to deliver and add value in your to yet a great nation, your immediate community, this university, and yourself.” he said.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor boasted over the University’s investment in research, disclosing partnerships with research institutes in Spain and London.

“Our university till date is the institution with most patents (20 to Unilorin name) as announced by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. Our institution’s policy on excellence in research, teaching, and community engagement between 2023 and 2024 was revived and boosted with a N200 million Senate Research Grant (SRG).

“At the moment, researchers from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in collaboration with researchers in the Institute of Agriffod Research and Technology (IRTA), Spain and Royal Holloway Univeristy of London, UK are undertaking research in Innovative Veterinary Solution for Antimicrobial Resistance. The Research grant which worths 1.6 Million Canadian Dollar ( equivalent to Two Billion, Two Hundred Million Naira [ N2,200,000,000]) is being funded through a grant from International Development Research Centre (IDRC)” Egbewole added.