UNILAG Produces Oldest PhD Holder In 59 Years

The University of Lagos (UNILAG),has announced a 71-year-old woman, Ifeyinwa Felicia Onyemachi, who bagged PhD degree alongside 147 others that will be conferred with Doctorate Degrees at the 51st convocation.

 The institution also disclosed  that  281 students will be presented with First Class Honours at the forthcoming  51st convocation for the  2018/2019 session scheduled to hold next week.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe,who revealed these  during a world press pre-convocation conference for the 51st convocation (2018/2019 session),said another set of 31 students also emerged with Distinctions in various courses out of the 15, 753 students that will be presented with certificates at the ceremony.

“These comprise 7, 754 (49.2%) who will be awarded First Degrees and 7.999 representing 55.8% postgraduate degrees. We shall also award 160 Diplomas in Social Works and Human Kinetics

He said, Alimi Ibrahim Adedeji, with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.98 from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering has emerged as the overall Best Graduating Student and the best in the field of science.

“He is closely followed by Popoola Victoria Opeyemi with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.90 from the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences and also as the best in Humanities.

“The overall best PhD Thesis for this year’s graduating student was presented by Moruff Rasheed Olatunji from the Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science. Mesagan Peter Ekundayo from the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences will be awarded the best PhD Thesis in the Humanities,” the VC added.

He disclosed that the convocation lecture titled: “National Development and Knowledge Economy in the Digital Age: Leapfrogging SMEs into the 21st Century” is expected to be delivered by the Governor of the  Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele on July 5. He said the lecture would be chaired by Pastor Tunde Bakare, the founder, Citadel Global Community Church.

Also line up for the convocation is the conferment of posthumous Emeritus Professor on former VC and first Vice-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, late Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe.

Besides, he announced that four eminent Nigerians like late Dr. Ameyo Stella-Adadevoh, the  Lead Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, First Consultant Hospital, will confer a posthumous Honorary Doctorate for her role in the fight against the spread of the Ebola Virus.

Others are Biodun Shobanjo, Alhaji  (Dr.) Mohammed Indimi and Sir Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu.

Speaking on research efforts at the university, Ogundipe said the institution is reputed for being one of Nigeria’s leading institutions, especially in the area of research and innovations, saying these feats have taken the university as the 1st in Nigeria and 12th in Africa last year.

He said, “Let me inform you that the ranking released in January this year has seen us ranked as the 1st in Nigeria and consequently moved the institution four places to 8th in Africa. Clear evidence of our approach to research output, internationalization, and quality of staff and students.

“In so doing, our academics have attracted over N18billion in research grants from 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 5 in 202 out of which 2 1n each year have been prototyped,” he added.