The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Ekiti State University EKSU, Ado-Ekiti, Professor Akin Oyebode, has called on the staff and students of the Institution to join hands in supporting the vision and mission of the university under the able and dynamic leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph Babatola Ayodele.
Professor Oyebode made the call during his address at the 29th convocation ceremony of the Institution held on Saturday, 29th March, 2025 at the University main auditorium where a total number of 16, 446 graduates of the University were conferred with various honours with conferment of award of honorary degrees on the Senate Leader, Senator (Dr) Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mansur Muhtar, and Dr. Zacch Adelabu Adedeji.
The Chairman, Governing Council who stated that the University has been able to make numerous developmental strides, and broken new grounds in areas of Agriculture Option initiative, commencement of new academic programmes, accreditation of all academic programmes being run in the University with the exception of few with interim accreditation, equally remarked that students have also been performing excellently well combing home academic laurels from inter-Univesity competitions.
While charging the graduating students, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Babatola Ayodele, urged the graduands to let EKSU conquer the world through them as he advised them to leverage on the significance of ICT to explore new innovations, and engage in live-transforming opportunities that could ultimately translate to fortune.
The VC eqully urged the graduands to inculcate the habit of positive thinking and detest failure with perfect hatred.
The visitor of the Institution and coincidentally, an alumnus of the University, His Excellency, Governor Biodun Oyebanji who described the convocation as momentous occasions not only for the graduating students, but for the entire university community, said they all gathered to celebrate culmination of years of hardwork, resillience, dedication, perseverance and cooperation by the graduands and other stakeholders such as their teachers, parents and government.
Oyebanji reiterated that the current administration in the State places high premium on human capital development and recognise that education is the bedrock of any thriving society. He charged them to be agents of positive change by contributing their talent and expertise to address the pressing issues facing the nation such as poverty, unemployment and insecurity.
The Governor who noted that the University has provided them with a fertiled ground for learning, nurturing their minds with knowledge and equipping them with skills necessary to excel in an ever provoking world advised that their actions reflect the values of the university and contribute to the betterment of humanity. “Let your creativity and innovation drive progress in all sectors of economy”. The Governor maintained.
In his remark, one of the awardees, the Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator (Dr) Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, appreciated all dignitaries in attendance for sparing their precious time to witness the conferment of honorary doctorates on him and others at the epoch-making convocation.
“We accept these honours with a deep sense of responsibility. On a personal note, this is the third honorary doctorate I have received in the last 26 months. First, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, one of the country’s leading private universities, honoured me with the Doctor of Public Administration (Honoris Causa) on January 23, 2023. Thirteen months later, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti decorated me with an Honorary Doctorate in Public Law on February 11, 2024. Now, precisely 13 months after the last conferment, Ekiti State University, Nigeria’s No. 1 state university in the Land of Honour, considered it worthwhile to decorate me with a Doctor of Law (Honoris Causa).
“Honestly, for me, this sequence of events is humbling as much as honouring. This latest recognition is not by any means accidental or merely fortuitous. Rather, as I privately reflect on its import, I believe it is a divine design, especially at this challenging time, when opposition parties are viciously launching a barrage of attacks on the National Assembly. The reasons for such attacks are purely based on emotion and not reasons; sentiment and not substance. Even more strongly, I believe it is an impetus for the pursuit of greater public good for the greater number of my constituents and Nigerians at large.
“I wholeheartedly appreciate this honour coming at this auspicious time. I hold it dearly to my heart mainly due to my quest and passion for a more functional education system in our nation. This honour, I believe, will further deepen my covenants with my constituents and indeed Nigerians. So, regardless of baseless and needless attacks our critics are throwing at the National Assembly, we are undeterred because we are truly on a rescue mission. The essence of the mission aims at bringing our fatherland from the abyss of regression to the path of progression through the enactment of pro-people legislations and by cultivating strategic collaboration with other arms of government.
“Collaboration, in this sense, does not suggest the erosion of the independence of the National Assembly for any reason. Rather, in reality, it reinforces the spirit of interdependence that constitutional democracy entails in order to resolve hydra-headed issues that often clog the mechanism of accountable governance.
“On this note, we are focused on building a federation that enjoys internal stability and that rests solidly on the rules of law through the instrumentality of legislation, oversight and representation. We are also committed to creating a system that will enable quality education; that will guarantee limitless placements for all our graduates; that will prioritise access to decent houses nationwide; that will significantly reverse our nation’s reports of untold misery and that will, most importantly, remove all barriers to gender inequality”. Said the Senate Leader.
On his part, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio who was in attendance with several other Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to honour the Senate Leader, said Senator Opeyemi Bamidele happens to be a star that Ekiti has sent as a leading ambassador to the National level. He congratulated Governor Oyebanji for producing MOB as one of the accomplished Ekiti sons who he said President Tinubu is very proud of.
In his admonition, urged the graduands to make the best use of all they have learnt in the University saying that the future would be definitely bright and that Nigeria would be better.
Akpabio noted that EKSU being the best State University in Nigeria is a well organised Institution but requires maintenance. He therefore made a donation of One Hundred Million Naira to the university.
The occasion was well graced by dignitaries from all walks of life including the Royal Fathers.