UNILORIN PhD graduand dies on convocation day


Success Nwogu:

A postgraduate student of Arabic at the
University of Ilorin, AbdulHafeez Adedimeji,
died on Saturday, the day he was to
receive his doctorate at a convocation.
Sources told our correspondent that
another doctoral graduand died shortly
before the ceremony.

Soon after the Dean, Faculty of Post
Graduate Studies, Prof. Badmas Yusuf,
informed attendants of the graduands’
demise, a gloomy atmosphere enveloped
the lively UNILORIN auditorium where the
32nd graduation activities were being held.

Adedimeji, who until his death was a
lecturer at the Fountain University, Osogbo,
Osun State, was among 166 receiving
doctoral degrees at the convocation.
He was said to have arrived in Ilorin for
the convocation not long before his death.

The Vice Chancellor of UNILORIN, Prof.
Abdulganiyu Ambali, said 67 of the 6,069
graduands for first degrees were first
class, adding that it was an improvement
on last year’s 41 first-class graduands.
He explained that 1,505 merited second-
class upper division, compared to 1,234
last year; 3,200, second-class lower
division; 1,124, third class; and 70, pass.
He stated that 1,903 postgraduate
students, 8,038 first degree students and
68 diploma students graduated on Friday
and Saturday, being the first two days of
the 32nd convocation.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the
Visitor to the university, assured Nigerians
that the country would overcome the
ongoing economic recession.
Buhari, who was represented by the
Deputy Executive Secretary, National
Universities Commission, Prof. Chiedu
Mafiana, said recession was not peculiar
to Nigeria, adding that many other
countries in the world were facing similar
challenges.

According to the President, the recession
was brought about by the collective failure
of Nigerians as a people, dependency on
oil exports to the exclusion of other
products, insatiable appetite for foreign
goods and services, including importation
of food, corruption and lack of proper
planning.
The President said his administration was
doing everything possible to restructure
the economy and change the nation’s
ways of doing things.

The Visitor reiterated the Federal
Government’s resolve to steer the attitude
and values of the citizens, especially the
youth, towards positive direction.
He stated that the responsibilities and
obligations of university teachers in
achieving this goal could not be
overstated.

The NUC Executive Secretary, Prof.
Rasheed Adamu, who was also
represented by Mafiana, stated that he
was saddened and dismayed by what he
termed the growing tension and animosity
in various university campuses.


Copyright PUNCH.
October 23, 2016

R I P to those dead phd graduands. After all the stress and suffering. Chai !!! So unfortunate .