All is now set for the combined 37th and 38th convocation ceremonies of the University of Ilorin, marking the first time in decades that the university would be graduating two sets of students simultaneously.
Both the graduates of the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 academic sessions will be receiving their first degrees, postgraduate degrees, and diplomas during the three-day-long ceremony held at the university’s main auditorium between Friday, October 20, and Monday, October 23, 2023.
The ceremonial preliminaries, which kicked off last Friday (October 13, 2023) with a special Jumaat service at the University Central Mosque, also included an interdenominational service on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the Chapel of the Light, University of Ilorin.
A copy of the program schedule, signed by the University Registrar, Mr Mansur Adeleke Alfanla, and made available to journalists over the weekend by the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, showed that the main event will formally start this Wednesday.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole (SAN), will address a World Press Conference at the university auditorium, where he will spotlight the convocation events and highlight some of his achievements in the past year in the saddle.
The performing troupe of the institution’s Department of the Performing Arts will present the Convocation Drama entitled “Jeong Do-Jeon (The Clash of Power)”, a Korean drama written by Jung Hyun-MIN, at the Performing Arts Theatre of the University between 4.00 pm and 6.00 pm on Thursday, October 19, 2023.
A major highlight of the Convocation ceremonies is the Convocation Lecture to be delivered by Nigeria-born USA-based renowned Professor of History, Toyin Falola, on Friday, October 20, 2023, at the University Auditorium at 9.45 a.m.
The distinguished historian, who lectures at the Department of History, University of Texas, Austin, United States of America, will be speaking on “Modernity, Modernisation, and Values”.
This will be followed immediately by the graduation of the 2020–2021 graduates of 4-year and 5-year academic programmes at the same venue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The schedule also indicated that Saturday, October 21, 2023, would be Convocation Day II for the conferment of degrees and honours on all the 2021–2022 graduates of 4-year and 5-year academic programmes between 9.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. at the University Auditorium.
Monday, October 23, 2023, will be the grand finale with the graduation of the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 6-year programmes as well as Postgraduate graduands convocating between 9.00 a.m. and 12.30 p.m.
Immediately after the convocation, the visitor to the university, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will be commissioning some projects recently completed by the university administration.
This will be followed by the convocation luncheon and presentation of merit awards to deserving members of the university’s staff at the University’s Multipurpose Hall by 4 p.m.
According to the Programme schedule, another special Jumaat service would be held at the UNILORIN Central Mosque on Friday, October 27, 2023, while the ceremonies would be brought to an end with a Thanksgiving Service at St. Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy, University of Ilorin, on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
Mr Akogun, who assured that the authorities of the university would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the events are hitch-free, advised staff members of the university, graduands and their parents, as well as well-wishers and members of the general public, to conduct themselves in the best of manners for all the events to hold peacefully as scheduled.
