The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, says it will graduate no fewer than 8,157 students during its 2023/2024 academic session convocation, scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 25, with a convocation lecture to be delivered by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, disclosed this during a press briefing held at the institute’s conference hall on Wednesday, adding that students would bag various degrees from their faculties.
Ikechebelu said during the convocation, which will be the institution’s 19th edition, the varsity would confer honorary degrees on three persons for their contribution to the growth of the institution and service to humanity.
He listed the Minister of Health, Dr Ali Pate; President Bola Tinubu’s son, Oluwaseyi Tinubu, and an industrialist, Chief Chika Emenike, as the three persons pencilled down to receive honorary degrees for their various contributions to society’s development.
The acting vice-chancellor noted that adequate arrangements for hosting the ceremony successfully have now been concluded, assuring students and visitors of adequate security throughout the duration of the ceremony.
He said, “We want to give God the glory for an opportunity like this. About 8,157 students will be graduating from the 2023/2024 academic session, and they will receive various degrees. The graduates will receive degrees in various categories.
“UNIZIK started as a state school before it became federal, and that is why today, we are having our 19th convocation ceremony. Last year, the institution went through several challenges, and thanks to President Bola Tinubu, it is enjoying the stability it has today.
“UNIZIK is noted for excellence, and we have been pursuing it in three spheres: academic excellence, infrastructural excellence and administrative excellence. My job as a vice-chancellor is to create an environment that enables staff and students to excel.
“Our staff and students are happy because we have been meeting their needs. This is a public university owned by the Federal Government, and we are running it with the mindset of productivity, but what has changed since I took over is the mindset of productivity. Everybody is now focused on productivity.
“We have been challenged by vandalism and scrap scanvegers, but our internal security is living up to their responsibility of securing the school. We have digitalised most of our activities, these are the things we have achieved and we are still going to do more. UNIZIK is back to its good times.”
The acting vice-chancellor also lamented the huge electricity bills that the school receives monthly, adding that, with internal mechanisms, much has been achieved to curb leakages and wastages.
He also said the personalities that would be honoured during the convocation are people with a proven track record.
“The school now has a steady electricity supply. We receive about N80 million to N100 million electricity bills because we are on Band A. It was difficult for the university to shoulder this responsibility alone, so we partnered with those who offered services at the institution, and that has been a success for us.
“The institution will confer honorary degrees on the Minister of Health, Dr Ali Pate, Oluwaseyi Tinubu, and an industrialist, Chief Chika Emenike. These men have been selected because of their track record and the impact they have made in our university and society at large.
“We actually have various projects that are ongoing on campus. All these projects are still under construction and they are progressing well,” he added.
