President
Goodluck Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan has
approved a n0ew date for the 2011/2012 convocation of the University of
Lagos.
The President had allegedly frustrated
the institution’s bid to confer various degrees and diploma certificates
on its graduating students last week due to the institution’s alumni
association’s rejection of the renaming of the university after late
politician, Chief Moshood Abiola last year by the Federal Government.
Jonathan’s refusal to confirm the date
of the convocation, it was learnt, compelled the university authorities
to hurriedly postpone the convocation initially scheduled for between
January 17 and 19, 2013, indefinitely.
But following pressure from
stakeholders, the President had approved new dates that would run from
February 7 to 9 for the convocation.
A top source at the Federal Ministry of
Education, who denied that the President was responsible for the
postponement, however, confirmed that the President had, in a letter to
UNILAG through the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqquayat Rufa’i,
communicated the new dates to the institution.
The source said, “It is true that the
federal universities including UNILAG should obtain approval for
convocation from the President, who is also the Visitor to these
institutions before they could perform such a ceremony. But I can tell
you that President Goodluck Jonathan is a law abiding President and a
respecter of the rule of law. He did not and could not frustrate the
UNILAG convocation because of the crisis trailing the renaming of the
institution.
“What caused the seeming delay was the
decision of the government to reconstitute a new governing council for
some institutions, including UNILAG. We have done that and in fact, one
of your senior colleagues in the media, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, is on the
council of UNILAG.”
The source also confirmed that
government had approved February 7, 8 and 9 as the new dates of the
convocation.
The Deputy Registrar, Information of
UNILAG, Mr. Oluwatoyin Adebule, also confirmed the new dates.
“Yes, it is true that the convocation
that was postponed last week would now hold in February. But I’m sure
that President Goodluck Jonathan has not, at any point in time, worked
against UNILAG because this institution is his baby,” he said.
He later sent an electronic mail to our
correspondent to confirm the new dates.
The statement read, “Authorities of the
University of Lagos wish to inform all graduating students,
parents/guardians and other stakeholders that the Golden Jubilee
Convocation Ceremonies earlier scheduled to hold at the normal
convocation period of January 17, 18 and 19 2013 will now hold on
Thursday, February 7; Friday, February 8 and Saturday, February 9,
2013.”
source punch newspaper
