No fewer than 92 out of the 5,817 first-degree graduands of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike Abia State have been awarded first-class honors in the just concluded convocation exercise.
The convocation ceremony was the 10th series that took place on Saturday.
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, revealed that 4,115 of the graduates were of the 2018/2019 academic year at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Prof. Iwe the sixth VC of the MOUAU further disclosed that 5,817 obtained bachelor’s degrees, 92 with postgraduate diplomas, 454 had Masters degrees and 243 were awarded Doctorate degrees. He said, “Out of the 5,817 first degree graduands, 92 obtained first-class honors,1775 with second class honors upper-division, 2,905 had a second class honors lower division, 1226 with third class, and 18 with pass”.
The VC said the university had recorded many breakthroughs but called for an infusion of funds to upgrade her physical environment.
President Muhammadu Buhari represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Mohammed Abubakar while speaking at the event challenged Universities of Agriculture to bravely confront the heavy dependence of the nation on imported food and raw materials to reduce it to the minimum in his remarks.
He said the government was looking up to the universities as lead drivers of the agricultural sector.
Dr. Mohammed Abubakar Said, “Universities must play their crucial specialized role in catalyzing the development of the agricultural sector, to achieve the Federal Government’s goal of the sustainable green economy.
Even though the nation has challenges of funding, but our endowments are far greater than constraints”.
The Chancellor, HRH Alhaji Shehu Abubakar commended President Buhari and the university management for the smooth running of the institution. Abubakar, who is the Emir of Gombe, congratulated the graduands and urged them to be ambassadors of the university wherever they found themselves.
He commended the university host communities for their cooperation and called on relevant government agencies to extend helping hands in alleviating the problems that hinder the development of the institution.
Sir.Udo okochukwu Abia Deputy Governor who represented the Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu promised that the state government will continue to partner with the institution because it is very important.
The university conferred honorary degrees on four distinguished Nigerians in recognition of their positive contributions to society.
The awardees were; Dr.Cosmas Maduka, Founder and Chairman of Coscharis Group, Mr. Chika Ikenga, Founder and Managing Director of Eunisell, Oba Akeem Ogungbangbe, the Ajagbusi-Ekun VI Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesa, Osun and Alhaji Usman Kansila, Founder, UYK Nigeria.
