48th convocation: UNN awards 480 Ph.Ds

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)  has awarded  480 Doctorate degrees (Ph.Ds) to 480 graduands. 
     Addressing  the gathering at the 48th convocation of the university held Saturday at the convocation arena,   the Vice -Chancellor,  Prof. Benjamin Ozumba,  said that the University had earlier on Friday awarded to 9,702  graduands first degrees, diploma and certificate.
He announced that 2,113 post graduates degrees  and Diplomas of the University  will be awarded to graduands who had fulfilled  the standard requirements of character and learning. ”
    According to him,  ” Out of this figure, 480, representing  about 22.7 per cent, will be awarded with the doctorate degrees of the University in various disciplines “.
The Vice- chancellor  explained that  “The significant  increase  in the number  of postgraduate  degrees  awarded  at today’s  graduation  reflects a deliberate response to the  mandate  given to first generation universities  to increase the enrolment  of postgraduate  students. ”
   He described  the award of  Doctor of Philosophy Degree “as a clear evidence to prioritise quality Research and academic excellence in our University.”
     Ozumba  expressed happiness  that the staff of the University were “able to adapt to the additional  challenge  placed upon them by the increase enrolment  without necessarily  compromising on the standard  for which were known “.     
   Highlights of the occasion were the  conferment of Honorary Doctorate Degree on some eminent Nigerians, including Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, MD/CEO Access Bank, Dr (Sir) Daniel Nwanneka Chukwudozie, MD Dozzy Group and Reginald Chika Stanley.
The  title of Professor Emeritus  was also conferred  on Prof Uche Azikiwe and 10 other renowned professors of the University who had served the institution meritoriously and are still making valuable contributions to education .
      To  the graduands,  the  Vice-Chancellor  advised  that they should go on to occupy  the many leadership positions in the country.
He also urged them to  still  maintain their  relationship with the University. 
   In his speech , the Chancellor  of the University and Ooni  of Ife,  Oba  Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi,  Ojaja 11, noted: “The University  of Nigeria,  in her  commitment to  community  development  and advancement  of humanity,  under the dynamic  leadership  of Professor Benjamin  Chukwuma  Ozumba,  continually produces first-class academics,  and identifies and honours superlative achievers who  stop  at nothing  to impact  humanity  and the society  with their  invaluable  creativity”..              “Our  University  will continually  cherish constructive ideas  and contributions that perpetuate our competence,  project our resourcefulness , and consolidate our global visibility. The iconic strides of the University  of Nigeria  will, forever, bestride  our thoughts and our creativity”.
The chancellor urged the graduands to be  good ambassadors of the University.
             In his address,, the Pro-rata Chancellor and Chairman,  Governing  Council,  Chief Mike  Olorunfemi, urged the graduands to make very frantic efforts  to put their seals  of achievements to good use.
“Embody  the boldness to dare to make  changes yet have the kindness to enkindle humanity ” the Pro-chancellor  advised.
         The  Visitor  to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari,  who was represented by Ozo Eddy Nwokoye,  Director,  Finance and Accounts,  Federal Ministry of Education,  commended the graduating students,  staff and management of the university for sustaining the first position in the 2018 ranking of Nigerian universities  by Google  Scholar  Citations  and for  numerous  other accolades  the university  of Nigeria  has  continued  to win nationally and internationally.
In an interview,  one of the graduands and  former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Nwogu, who bagged a Doctor of Philosophy degree in law, thanked God for seeing them through their programmes. 
He said that he contributed to knowledge through his research work on labour crises and appealed to the Federal Government  to bring to an end  the minimum wage face-off with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).