UNILAG Honours Jim Ovia, Olukoya, Others
University of Lagos, UNILAG Thursday conferred Honorary Doctorate Degrees on Mr. Jim Ovia, Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya and Lateef Olufemi Okunnu during its 50th Convocation ceremony held at the institution’s main auditorium, Lagos.
Speaking during the conferment, the Vice Chancellor, UNILAG, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe said the gesture was done in recognition of the awardees’ various contribution to humanity.
To Jim Ovia, the founder of Zenith Bank, Ogundipe described him as an accomplished banker who changed the landscape of the banking sector in Nigeria.
Also, while acknowledging Mr Lateef Olufemi Okunnu, he pointed out his accomplishment when he was former Federal Commissioner (Minister) for Works and Housing and former Pro- Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State.
According to him, his positive mark in providing housing speaks volume.
While conferring Doctorate Honorary degree on Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya , the Vice Chancellor said Olukoya is an alumnus of UNILAG who graduated with a first class honours in Micro Biology and PhD in Molecular Geneticist.
He described his contribution to youths and humanity as massive, adding that he is the Founder, Mountain Top University, Ogun State and the Pentecostal Minister and Founder/ General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.
They were all awarded Dr of Science, Honorary cousor Besides, Emeritus Professorship was conferred on Professor Sulaiman Adeniyi Adekola, formerly of the Department of Electrical Engineering and a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).
In his acceptance remark, Jim Ovia who lauded the gesture, however urged the Federal Government to approve more private universities to meet the shortfall of admission in tertiary institutions.
He said: “The Federal Government should grant approval to more private universities to meet the shortfall of admission in our universities. ”
Besides, since it has become obvious that government alone cannot fund education, the private sector should do more to bridge the gape by partnering with the government to deliver qualitative education to the people.”
On his part, Dr Daniel Olukoya called for financial motivation for our undergraduates, stressing that since he publicly promised a car for any first class student in his church, the numbers of first class graduates shot up.
He said: “In 2016, the number of first class were 77. In 2017, it rose to 106 and in 2018, it was 300.
He also suggested that the National University Commission, NUC to inculcate into the university curriculum a mandatory course on ‘Life after the University’.
‘Such mandatory course should entails, intergrity, dignity, hardwork and labour,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, Lateef Okunnu in his acceptance remark decried the state of education in the north.
He said: “The State and the Federal Government must do more about secondary education.”
He said while there was a remarkable improvement in secondary education in the southern part of our country, the northern part is lagging behind.
He said: “The Southern part are lucky for the access to education provided by the mission. In the northern part, mission education is missing. I am yet to also see the signs of seriousness on the part of their governors to revamp the situation.
‘Before 1979, the State was well funded in terms of education. After 1979, the governors of the northern States are yet to wake up to this reality.”
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor and Chair, UNILAG Governing Council, Dr. Wale Babalaki, SAN in his brief remarks said that Nigerians should go for quality education as it is obtainable in developed countries. He said how that quality education would be actualized should not bother us so far it is actualized.
