Mallam Yusuf Ali, the Pro-Chancellor of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), says it is the responsibility of all Nigerians to contribute to the moral revival of the country.
Ali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said Nigerian leaders alone should not be blamed for the various challenges facing the country.
He spoke during the grand finale of the 7th convocation ceremony of the university on Friday in Osogbo.
Ali said without the active support and collaboration of the followers, political leaders would not be able to perpetuate what he described as man’s inhumanity to man.
“ We cannot continue to blame our leaders for the various ills that have bedeviled our country when we the followers by our conduct are the antithesis of goodness and moral sanctity.
“It is customary as a national past time to heap blames on our government and leaders for the multifarious challenges and issues that stare us in our faces.
“I posit that we the followers are as culpable, guilty and blameworthy for all the vices we accuse our leaders of.
“At any event, the future of our country, given the abundance of human and materials resources, is assured with the right mix of patriotic, committed, honest, incorruptible and visionary leaders, tomorrow is going to be better for us,’’ he said.
Ali, while congratulating the graduating students, said it was the responsibility of all Nigerians to move the country forward.
In her remarks, Mrs Folorunso Alakija, the university’s Chancellor, urged the graduating students to learn to be creative by acquiring new skills.
“If you are to be relevant in your generation, you must be ready to acquire more skills and potentials and be prepared to develop such skills,” Alakija said.
Earlier in his remarks, Prof. Labode Popoola, the Vice Chancellor of the university, said a total number of 1,647 were awarded various degrees.
Popoola said 62 students made a first class, 693 second class upper, 756 second class lower, 131 third class while five had ordinary pass.
The Visitor of the university, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, urged the graduates to be “ students of knowledge and not of certificate.’’
Argbesola said that it was worrisome that learning was no longer associated with knowledge but with certificate.
The governor urged the graduating students to continue to pursue knowledge for them to be solution providers to the various challenges facing the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the convocation was the conferment of honourary doctorate degree on Chief Bisi Akande, a fomer governor of the state and Dr Olayiwowa Fatona, a petroleum geologist. (NAN)
