Business mogul and President Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is to be conferred with Honorary Doctor of letters, while 81 students are to bag 1st Class, as Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria convocates 15,289 students next Saturday.
Former President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu, is also to be conferred with Honorary Doctor of science, at the event which is expected to be graced by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to a statement signed by the university’s Registrar, Abdullahi Ahmed Kundila, on Monday, convocation lecture is to be delivered on Friday by Founder/Chairman of Africa Initiative for Governance and former President, Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.
According to the Registrar, “there are 15,289 graduands for the convocation made up of 10,803 first degrees and 4,486 postgraduates. The postgraduates comprise 304 PhDs, 12 M.Phil, 3,092 masters programmes, 38 MBA by distance learning, and 1,020 postgraduate diplomas. The breakdown of the first degrees is as follows: First Class 81, Second Class Upper 2,043, Second Class Lower 6,885, Third Class Honours 1,502, Pass Degree 114, Unclassified Degree 178.
“Also, there are 15 best graduating students for the 2017/2018 across all faculties of the University who will receive different prizes at the event from the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Garba.
“As for the honorary degrees, the University will equally confer a Doctor of Letters on Billionaire business mogul and President Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and a Doctor of Science on former President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu. The two honorary degrees recipients will be honoured for their immense contributions to the economic development of Nigeria and humanity in general.
“Activities lined up for the convocation include commissioning of a number of projects all over the University by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu on Friday, 26th April, 2019. The projects are as follows: twin deanery building for faculties of life and physical sciences, geology department extension, ABU business school extension, ABU Site II entrance gate, Area G internal road, and biochemistry department extension.
“Still on Friday, there will be a Convocation Lecture at 3pm at the University Assembly Hall. The lecture is to be chaired by Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abubakar Adamu Rasheed.
“On Thursday, 25th April, 2019, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, will witness the showcasing of some ABU Centres of Excellence and commission projects all at the famous Kashim Ibrahim Library (KIL). This will be after the Vice Chancellor unveils the new signage of ABU gates at ABU main entrance and North gate.
“The convocation will be rounded off with commissioning of 10 blocks of hostel consisting of 360 rooms built at ABU Site II and donated to ABU by President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote to alleviate the acute shortage of student accommodation in the University. The student hostel blocks named after the donor (Aliko Dangote Hall) is to be commissioned by Alhaji Dangote himself.
“Another three blocks of hostels also constructed in Site II by the University under the NEEDS Assessment Intervention project 2013 will be commissioned by Alhaji Shehu Idris, Emir of Zazzau. These hostels are named after the Emir in appreciation of the dogged fatherly role he always plays in the affairs of the University since his ascension to the throne as Emir of Zazzau, 40 years ago,” the Register said.
