A prominent Ibadan-based medical practitioner and business mogul, Dr Abib Olamitoye, has urged University of Ibadan graduands to generate employment through innovation rather than seeking employment.
Olamitoye, a former President, Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association (ICOMAA) Worldwide, stated this at the 2023 convocation ceremonies of the institution in Ibadan on Tuesday.
He urged the graduands to use their brains and never wait for certificates to transit from poverty to prosperity.
“Anything you want to become in life, the path is straight. Learn from those who have succeeded. If they have written books, read them,” he said.
In his address, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, said this year’s undergraduate convocation had a total of 6,865 graduands from the 17 faculties.
According to him, other graduands are also from Distance Learning Centre and affiliated institutions.
Adebowale stated that out of the number, 314 candidates graduated with first-class degrees; 1,519 in the second-class upper division and 3,665 with second class lower division.
“Despite the attendant challenges that have trailed academic and administrative activities in 2023 up to this point, it is modest for me to say the university has recorded some degrees of accomplishments,” he said.
The vice-chancellor said that in spite of the laudable antecedents and established operational framework of the institution, there were challenges confronting the expansion of the frontiers of learning and fulfilment of the vision and mission of the university.
He listed some of the challenges to include: student attrition, brain drain, rising costs and emerging college alternatives as well as infrastructural inadequacy, especially in the area of power supply.
“I must acknowledge the intervention of the government in easing these challenges and also commend the approval of new private universities.
“However, there is need for a renewed commitment to the advancement of university education through laudable, consistent and harmonised policies.
“In the midst of all these, there is need for the government to acknowledge the uniqueness of the university system,” he said.
In her valedictory speech, the best graduating student, Daphine Ayo, expressed a “bitter-sweet farewell.”
Ayo commended the immense contributions of both the academic and non-academic staff members of the university to the success of their programmes.
She called on her colleagues to raise the bar of excellence anywhere they might find themselves.
