The University of Benin is set to graduate 12,808 students across all categories of study at its 42nd Convocation which begins on Wednesday, November 23, this year.
According to the university’s Vice – Chancellor, Prof. Friday Faraday Osasere Orumwense who disclosed this recently at a media briefing, 61 out of the number will be awarded first class honours degrees.
Orumwense gives the breakdown of graduands as follows:
Doctorate Degree (PhD) – 154, Masters – 2,531, Postgraduate Diploma – 233, Undergraduate Degree – 9,281, Undergraduate Diploma – 95, Unclassified – 514.
Also holding is the 42nd Founder’s Day event which, alongside the convocation, will start on the opening day with an inter-denominational service, and Founder’ Day Lecture to be delivered by former Minister of State for Works and an alumnus of the University, Dr. Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi.
The Convocation Lecture billed to hold on Friday, November 25, 2016, will be delivered by the Honourable Minister of Works, Power, and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola who is also an alumnus of the University.
Inauguration of 15 new projects by the Osarumwense administration will kick-start activities to draw the curtain on the four-day event on Saturday, 26 November 2016.
This, the vice chancellor said, will be followed by the presentation of prizes, award of post -Graduate Diplomas and conferment of higher degrees, including honorary degrees on deserving Nigerians.
Those to be conferred with honorary degrees of Doctor of Science (D.Sc) Honoris Causa are Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lift Above Poverty Micro Finance Bank (LAPO), Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, and Pioneer Vice – Chancellor, Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Eghosa Osagie.
In the same vein, one of the very senior Professors of the University, and one-time Provost, College of Education, Ekiadolor, Prof. Raymond Elahor, will be conferred with the title of ‘Professor Emeritus’ Osarumwense said.
One of the novel aspects of the convocation, according to the Vice chancellor will be the admission of the first set of graduands of the National Institute of Legal Studies, Abuja into the Degree of the University of Benin.
He explained that the programme was a collaborative effort between the university and the National Assembly to raise the bar in legislative drafting and proceedings.
