University of Lagos produces first set of Chinese graduates

The University of Lagos has produced the first set graduates in the Chinese undergraduate programme of the university. This is according the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe on Wednesday at a press briefing ahead of the 49th Convocation Ceremony.

The university admitted its first set of students to study Chinese in the 2013/2014 session. Their completion of the programme in the 2016/2017 session makes them also the first set of graduates in Chinese from a Nigerian university.

Chinese was introduced as a programme in the Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies (LAAS) after about four years of running the Confucius Institute in the same university.
Confucius Institute was jointly established by the University of Lagos and the Beijing Institute of Technology in China in 2009. It still runs diploma programmes in Chinese under UNILAG's Faculty of Arts towards promoting Chinese language and culture.

Of all the graduates produced for the session, four who studied Chinese had First Class honours.
A further breakdown of the graduate figures shows that 12,638 graduating students would be awarded their degrees, diplomas and certificates.

Out of these, 53.9% were first degrees or diploma holders while 46.1% are for postgraduate degrees.

"The figures demonstrate the University's drive to enhance postgraduate education in Nigeria through research," Professor Ogundipe said.

Out of the undergraduate products, 245 are in the first class division, 1892 are in the Second Class Upper Division, and 2959 are in the Second Class Lower Division.

Also, 1227 had Third Class, 93 had pass degrees while 400 had degrees or diplomas that were not classified.

The Professor of Botany also announced that Mrs Mutiat Bolanle Ibrahim from the Department of Pharmacognosy emerged the overall Best PhD Thesis.

Also, three best graduating students emerged. They are Matthew Jeffrey Jude of the Department of Biochemistry, Roy-Larinde Bosun Abbas of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering and Babawale Oludare Emmanuel of the Department of Chemistry, all with a Commutative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.97.

At the convocation ceremonies, one professor would be awarded emeritus professorship while four others would be given distinguished professorship.

"As part of our culture of celebrating academics who have rendered meritorious services to this community and the nation by making a positive impact in their various fields and areas of expertise, we shall be conferring a well-deserved honour of Emeritus Professorship on Professor Mabel Modupe Ogunlesi, formerly of the Department of Chemistry and the former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics & Research) between 2007-2012," the VC said.

The four professors to be honoured with distinguished professorship are Professor Herbert A.B. Coker of the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju of the Department of History and Strategic Studies, Professor Taiwo Osipitan of the Department of Public Law and Professor Onatolu Olukoya of the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology/Biology.

Among activities during the week long 2016/2017 convocation ceremonies is the Investiture Ceremony for the 12th UNILAG VC, Ogundipe as well as an Exhibition at the Senate Building Car Park on Tuesday, May 8, 2018.