U.S. Ambassador to deliver Unilorin’s 34th Convocation Lecture

The United States Ambassador in Nigeria, William Stuart Symington, will deliver this year’s Convocation Lecture of the University of Ilorin on October 22.
Entitled “Citizen Leadership and the link between Economic Diversity and Democratic Good Governance”, the Lecture is one of the highlights of the 34th Convocation Ceremonies of the University, which kick off this Friday (October 12, 2018) with a Juma’at Service at the Unilorin Central Mosque by 1.30p.m.
This was disclosed by the University Registrar, Dr. (Mrs.) Folaranmi Modupe Olowoleni, while releasing the programme of activities for the annual event that holds between October 12 and October 28, 2018.
According to the Registrar, an Interdenominational Church Service will hold on Sunday, October 14, 2018 at the Chapel of Light, Unilorin Main Campus by 9a.m.
The main events of the Convocation Ceremonies will, however, formally kick off on Friday, October 19 with the Vice-Chancellor’s Press Briefing at the University Auditorium by 10a.m. This will be followed on Monday, October 22, 2018 by the Convocation Lecture to be delivered by Symington.
The Convocation Play this year will be staged on Monday evening (October 22, 2018) at the Performing Arts Theatre, University of Ilorin at 4p.m.
The Play, written by Femi Osofisan, is entitled “Many Colours Make the Thunder-King” and is to be directed by Prof. AbdulRasheed A. Adeoye.
Come Tuesday, October 23, 2018 the Convocation for the Award of Prizes, First and Postgraduate Degrees, Diplomas and Postgraduate Diplomas for all 15 Faculties and the Postgraduate School will hold at the University Stadium starting from 10a.m. This will be preceded by the Convocation Address to be delivered by former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari. The topic is “Education for Peace, Democracy and Development”.
This is the first time that the Convocation will be holding on a single day. Hitherto, it has been a two-day affair that often culminated on October 23, the institution’s Founder’s Day.
Expected to grace the occasion are the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari; the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu; state governors, heads of Federal Education parastatals, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund); Vice-Chancellors of the various federal, state and private universities in the country as well as traditional rulers and prominent individuals from within and outside the country.
Also on Tuesday, October 23, the Visitor will commission about 26 projects completed by the University this year.
The Convocation Luncheon and Merit Awards for deserving members of staff will thereafter hold at the Multipurpose Hall, University of Ilorin, by 3p.m.
To round off the events, a Juma’at Service and Christian Thanksgiving Service will hold on Friday, October 26 and Sunday, October 28, 2018 at the Unilorin Central Mosque and St. Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy respectively.