Out of the figures, 281 has a first-class degree, with the highest number of 70 coming from the Faculty of Engineering.
Felicia Marinze, a 71-year-old PhD student of the University of Lagos, has emerged one of the best graduating students from the institution’s School of Postgraduate Studies.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof.
Oluwatoyin Ogundipe announced this at a news conference on activities lined up
for the institution’s 51st convocation on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to Ogundipe, Marinze (PhD French) with matriculation
number 849003042, from the Department of European Languages and International
Studies, will be the oldest to be awarded a PhD degree in the history of the
university.
He added that the 71-year-old, with the best PhD thesis, had
just demonstrated to the world that age was never a barrier to attaining any
height.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the title of Marinze
thesis is: “Evaluation de la Competence Communicative Orale du Francais Des
Apprenants Nationale Diploma Des Polytechniques Seledionness du Nigeria’’.
He added that Olatunji Moruf from the Department of Marine
Science and Ekundayo Mesagan of the Department of Economics would also be
awarded the best PhD thesis in Humanities, alongside Marinze.
Speaking further, the vice-chancellor noted that 281 of the
15,753 students would be graduating in the first class upper division.
“The three-day convocation will culminate in the graduation
of 15,753 students.
“These comprise of 7,754 students who will be awarded first
degrees and 7,999 Postgraduate degrees.
“We shall also award 160 Diplomas in Social Works and Human
Kinetics.
“The Faculty of Engineering came tops in the category of
first class with 70, followed by Management Sciences with 59 among others,’’
Ogundipe said.
He also announced that the university would be honouring one
of its late vice-chancellors, Prof Ibidapo Obe, with a post humous award.
According to him, the university will also award honorary
doctorate degree to Dr Ameyo Stella-Adadevo (Post-Humous), a lead Consultant Physician
and Endocrinologist at the First Consultant Hospital, at the ceremony.
Also to be awarded are Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, Dr Kessington
Adebutu and Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman of Troyka Holdings Ltd.
According to Ogundipe, the university has in the last one
year, recorded huge success, particularly in the area of research and
internalisation infrastructure upgrade.
It had also continued to witness growth and developments in
other facets.
The vice-chancellor noted that the university had so far,
attracted a total of N14 billion research grants in the last three years, both
locally and internationally.
“This is a pointer to the renaissance of research culture in
the university.
“Our researchers also had six patents in 2019 and five in
2020 out of which two, in each year, have been prototyped.
“Scholars of the university have continued to raise the bar
of research excellence.
“Drawn from departments and faculties, some scholars
recently had their research proposals approved for generous funding with grants
from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
“Our university is reputable for being one of Nigeria’s
leaving institutions, especially in the area of research and innovation.
“This path, which we have consolidated under the current
leadership, has improved our ranking as first in Nigeria and 12th in Africa,
just last year.’’
Speaking further on activities lined up for the three-day
event, Ogundipe said that the convocation lecture would hold Monday July 5.
The title of the lecture is “National Development and
Knowledge Economy in the Digital Age: Leapfrogging SNEs into the 21st Century”.
He said that the lecture would be delivered by the Governor
of Central Bank (CBN) Godwin Emefiele.
He added that Pastor Tunde Bakare, Chairman, Citadel Global
Community Church would be chairman at the occasion.