President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed commitment to sustaining meaningful investments in the education sector.
Buhari gave the assurance at the 35th to 37th combined convocation of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, on Saturday.
The President has also urged graduates across the country to queue into national building initiatives.
He urged managements of universities to evolve measures toward improving the welfare of their staff and students.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, described the strike by staff as detrimental to academic and manpower development in the country.
He uged the unions to be considerate as his government was not unaware of their problems and would not leave any stones unturned in addressing them.
The president congratulated the graduates and enjoined them to be good ambassadors of the institution and the country.
He further thanked Nigerians for renewing his mandate and giving his party the majority in the National Assembly and assured that they he would continue with the good works started and improve on them.
Also, the Pro-chancellor of the university, Justice Pearl Enejere, congratulated the President for his re-election, which she said was as a result of his proven integrity and sincerity of purposes.
She said the university would continue to be active on the formulation and implementation of his government’s policies.
She, however, noted that the institution was left behind in terms of infrastructure and internally generated revenue as a result of which they could not maintain their infrastructure among others.
The Pro-Chancellor urged the management of the university to find ways of improving their internally generated revenue.
In his presentation, the Chancellor of the University and Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu thanked the Federal Government for providing additional projects in the university.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, said 12,282 students graduated within the period out of which 135 were Ph.D holders, 770 Masters degrees and 10,034 obtained first degrees among others.
Zuru said that 121 bagged first class digrees, including a first female student to bag first class in Physics, Zainab Abdullahi, who hails from Katsina state.
The Vice-Chancellor explained that 109 students would also receive various prizes based on their excellent performances.
He said 2,375 graduants obtained Second Class Upper Degrees, 6,603 Second Class Lower, 1,556 Third Class, while 347 were on unclassified degree categories.
The VC said a total of 4,548 undergraduates passed out in 2015/2016, 4,166 in 2016/2017 and 2,280 in 2017/2018 graduating years.
Zuru explained that the university recorded achievements on establishment of modern urology centre, new faculty of agriculture and modern communication support centre among others.
Three eminent Nigerians were conferred with Honorary Doctorate Degrees: Business Mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Iliyasu Bashar and Sheikh Mujtaba Isa-Talatan Mafara.
Bashar received honourary in Law (D. LLD) and Isa-Talatan Marafa Letters (D.Litts) Honoris Causa while Dangote’s was deferred to receive Doctorates on Science (D.Sc),
Also, two distinguished retirees, who had dedicated their entire working career to the service of UDUS and the nation at large were conferred with Emeritus status.
The beneficiaries were Dr Zayyanu Abdullahi, the Emir of Yauri in Kebbi state as Chancellor Emeritus and Prof. Tijjani Bande, the Permanent Representative to the United Nation as Professor Emeritus.
The event was attended by Governors of Sokoto and Kebbi states, Aminu Tambuwal and Abubakar Bagudu, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, among others. (NAN)
