Bowen University Announces 1,443 Graduands for 21st Convocation Produces 218 First-Class Graduates
Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, has announced that 218 students will graduate with First Class Honours at its 21st convocation ceremony scheduled for November 7.
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Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Professor Jonathan Babalola, has disclsoed that 218 students bagged First Class Honours in the 21st convocation of the university slated for November 7.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, ahead of the institution’s 21st convocation ceremonies, the Professor of Biophysical Chemistry stated that 657 bagged Second Class Honours (Upper Division); 315 bagged Second Class Honours (Lower Division); 66 bagged Third Class; while 3 graduands bagged Pass.
The VC described the exclusion of private universities and their students from benefiting from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as an act of injustice.
He argued that there is no valid justification for denying Nigerian students access to public educational funds simply because they attend private institutions, noting that their parents contribute to the national treasury through taxes.
“The university is not directly benefiting from NELFUND, nor are we benefiting from TETFUND. But the reality is that if funds come from a common purse and everybody contributes to it, everybody must share from it. If my father contributed to TETFUND and NELFUND, and you say I cannot benefit, that is injustice,” Babalola stated.
Addressing arguments that the government should not fund private institutions, the Vice-Chancellor maintained that even if direct support to private proprietors is restricted, support should be extended directly to individual students who are citizens of Nigeria.
Underscoring the financial struggles faced by many families in private tertiary institutions, he shared a sobering account saying, “There are students who eat once a day in private universities. We just lost a parent last week who had three children in Bowen University, and his wife has been left to shoulder the burden alone. The money that comes from all of us should be for all of us. Let us tell the government to do what is right.”
Providing a breakdown of the graduating cohorts, the Vice-Chancellor disclosed that a total of 1,345 undergraduate and 98 postgraduate students will graduate during the ceremonies.
Prof. Babalola stated that Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS – Unclassified) had 86 graduands; Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): 13; Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.): 1; Master of Business Administration (MBA): 8; Master’s Degrees (M.Sc./M.A.): 68; and Postgraduate Diploma (PGD): 8
He announced that the convocation lecture will be delivered by Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, Managing Director and CEO of First E&P Limited, Nigeria’s Governor to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and Chairman of the OPEC Board of Governors, while Honorary Doctorate Degrees (Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa) will be conferred on Engineer Adeleye Omobolaji Falade, Managing Director and CEO of Nigeria LNG Limited, and Engineer Adegbite Olanrewaju Falade, Managing Director and CEO of Aradel Holdings Plc and Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Producers Group.
Prof. Babalola stated that the 21st convocation will also mark the first attendance of Rev. Dr. David Olusola Idowu in his capacity as the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and Visitor to the University.
Highlighting the institution’s growing academic and research footprint, the Vice-Chancellor noted that eleven Bowen University faculty members were recently recognized among the top 500 authors in Nigeria in the Scopus/SciVal rankings for the period covering 2022 to 2026.
“For the seventh consecutive year, Bowen University has maintained its presence on the global research map, with five of our distinguished academics recognized among the world’s top two percent of scientists in the Stanford University/Elsevier global research rankings,” Babalola added.
