A total of 226 students will graduate with first class at the 12th convocation ceremony of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) scheduled for Monday, October 21, 2024.

Three eminent Nigerians including the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Mr Damien Dodo (SAN) and founder of the Citadel Global Community Church, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare will also be conferred with the honorary degrees of the university.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde made these disclosures on Monday in Ado Ekiti at the press conference heralding the 15th anniversary and the 12th convocation ceremonies of the institution.

As part of activities lined up for the ceremony, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa will deliver the convocation lecture titled: “Diaspora Engagements for National Development”.

Olarinde said the 226 students with first class are among the overall 1,662 students that will graduate during the period.

The Vice Chancellor further disclosed that 693 of the graduating students will get second class upper division, 350 second class lower and 33 will receive third class.

Giving the breakdown of statistics of the overall graduating students, the VC said 338 are from Engineering, Law, 244; Medical Health Sciences, 228; Sciences, 203; Social and Management Sciences, 269; Postgraduate, 177; Part Time, 20; ABUAD Business School, 22 and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), 161.

Olarinde explained further that recipients of the honourary degrees were strictly selected by the Senate and the institution’s Governing Council on merit and their contribution and impact on the society.

“Honourary degrees anywhere in the world are awarded on high basis to persons of proven integrity and character, who have made exceptional and distinguished lifetime contributions to the society,” the VC said.

Speaking on the impact of the university on the society, Prof. Smaranda said, “The 124-Unit Industrial Park has employed a lot of people and producing food. The Bagoro Research Centre set up for drugs manufacturing has so far developed three drugs.

“The ABUAD Multisystem Hospital Dialysis Centre has also continued to serve patients from all over South-West and beyond, with an average of 400 dialysis sessions every month”.

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