With warm hearts and open hands, we welcome the Visitor, His Excellency Dr. John Kayode Fayemi to this grand occasion of the 18th Convocation ceremony of the University. We greet our own Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council Professor Akinjide Idowu Osuntokun (OON) to all members of the cabinet here present, we say thank you for coining. To all political and government functionaries who set time apart for this day, we appreciate your coming. Our thank go to our Kabiyesis for their constant support. Reverence goes to parents who sacrificed money, time and efforts to make this day a reality in the lives of their children.
I will like to specially commend the efforts of the present government in Ekiti at reshaping the State and taking education to greater heights and for giving priority attention to our dear University in particular. Those who have visited the University in the last one year would notice the tremendous transformation Baking place here which is almost turning the University to a massive construction site with the iconic structures springing up m all parts of the campus. Also commendable is the effort of die government to make education accessible to the oppressed and poor in our society, concrete examples of which are the introduction of free and compulsory education at both primary and secondary levels and a considerable slash in the fees of tertiary institutions especially that of this University to make life easy for the less privileged.
To ensure that this University is among the best in the world, the government has continued to attract both local and international partners and this, I believe in not too long, will begin to yield positive dividends. For this, we are very grateful to our amiable Governor
The Vice-chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Aina should be commended for his landmark achievement in internal security on campus. To ensure the security of life and property in the University, a substantive Chief Security Officer was employed while a Private Security outfit was engaged.
The Vice-Chancellor has also prohibited the sales of hand-outs in the University. And this has made the students to be more scholarly. Students now read more than before.
The University is pursuing more accommodation facilities for the students. This, I believe, will make the students to be more focused and dedicated to their education pursuit. To this end, efforts are in the advance stage of the construction of modern students' hostels on the Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement. If this arrangement is concluded, about 10,000 of our students will be accommodated in the hostels. This will greatly alleviate the agony and stress students usually go through when looking for accommodation.
I seize this opportunity to appreciate the Vice-Chancellor for his passion and giant strides in bringing the College of Medicine into reality. I can see confidently the progress going on in the College which will be one of the best in the country with the quality of staff and personnel in the college. Also the Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Medical Library buildings would soon be put into use by the special grace of God. For this recorded progress, we give glory to God.
This address will not be complete if I fail to acknowledge the great job which the Governing Council of this University is doing under the leadership of the Chairman's Emeritus Professor Akinjide Osuntokun. Worthy of note is the Chairman's passion and giant strides at making the University rank among the best in the world.
While appreciating the efforts of notable Ekiti indigenes and corporate organizations, I am seizing this opportunity to call on you to join hands in improving facilities in the University so that the visions of the founding fathers could be realized.
For all these glorious achievements, we give praises to almighty God who will open more windows for us to receive help and financial breakthrough.
Once again, I congratulate the graduands, parents and guardians for witnessing this unique occasion. I wish everyone journey mercies and God's abundant blessings.
Thank you and God Bless
Via: Ekiti State University (EKSU)