Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, leads a list of four distinguished personalities slated to receive honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Nigeria (UNN) at its 42^nd Convocation ceremony on Saturday, January 25.

Other awardees are Prof. Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission; Mr. Fola Adeola, Chairman and Founder of Guaranty Trust Bank; and Dr. Alex Otti, group managing director/chief executive of Diamond Bank.

UNN Vice Chancellor Prof Bartholomew Okolo disclosed that the university is honouring the awardees for their “remarkable contributions to the development of our country.”

They would receive their awards on the final day of the week-long events to mark the 42d Convocation of the university. The graduation ceremonies would feature presentation of degrees and certificates to 18,150 first degree recipients and 1,730 higher degrees. There are 116 First Class Honours laureates and 195 Doctorate degree graduands.

Okolo, who spoke at a media briefing, disclosed that a former two-time minister, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, would deliver the Convocation Lecture on the theme “The wealth and poverty of a nation: who shall restore the dignity of Nigeria.”

Prof. Okolo said UNN had provided a strong foundation of knowledge for its graduands to equip them for the tasks ahead. He said the convocation ceremonies signify “fulfilment of our original mandate to produce the highly skilled manpower needed to build the Nigerian nation.” To him, “Based on our tradition of continuously adapting our curriculum to changing times, these graduands have also been equipped with other relevant requisite skills such as Information Technology and Entrepreneurship. They have also taken courses in Peace and Conflict Resolution-a very useful skill in the Nigeria of today.”

The UNN VC said the University Management under his leadership had focused on scholarship, human resource development, good governance and infrastructure upgrade as priorities over the last three years and had recorded many successes in efforts to achieve “institutional advancement of our university.”

“In the last three years,” he said, “the university has offered automatic employment to over 300 First Class graduates thus creating a critical mass of the much-need new generation of excellent and competent scholars who will sustain the legacy of scholarship at the University of Nigeria. We have also taken advantage of the special funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), international strategic alliances established over time and funds generated internally to provide sponsorship for overseas training and exposure to global best practices for over 50% of our young staff.”

•Photo: UNN VC, Prof. Okolo.