Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on Friday, charged graduating students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, to embrace hard work, innovation and self-reliance as keys to succeeding in an increasingly competitive world.

They spoke at the 40th convocation ceremony of the institution, during which the Ooni, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ahmed Raji, and Dr. Olajide Babatunde were conferred with fellowship awards in recognition of their immense contributions to the growth of education.

The ceremony, held at the 1,000-capacity hall of the institution, attracted prominent personalities, including a former Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Adeolu Akande; the President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Barrister Ajeniyi Ajewole; and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, among others.

Speaking on behalf of the awardees, the Ooni described The Polytechnic, Ibadan, as part of his educational foundation and expressed appreciation to the management for the honour.

The monarch urged the graduands to remain steadfast in their faith, committed to hard work and focused on their goals, stressing the need for them to be forward-looking in all their pursuits.

“Whatever you do, be disciplined, be innovative and never forget your alma mater,” the Ooni advised.
He also announced a donation of five million naira to reward the best graduating students, in addition to other prizes for outstanding graduands across various departments and faculties.

Governor Makinde, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, said education remained a top priority of his administration, adding that deliberate steps had been taken to strengthen the sector over the years.

“When this administration came on board about six years ago, budgetary allocation to education stood between 17 and 21 per cent. Today, deliberate efforts have been made to improve outcomes across all levels,” Makinde said.

He acknowledged manpower challenges facing tertiary institutions, including The Polytechnic, Ibadan, but noted that the state government had continued to address the gaps through regular recruitment and capacity-building initiatives.

According to him, the government is working closely with the management of the institution to reposition it for global competitiveness and ensure that its graduates are adequately equipped with relevant skills and knowledge.

“The world will not wait for anyone. Our students must be prepared, innovative and forward-thinking to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global environment,” the governor added.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Acting Rector, Dr. Taiwo Lasisi, disclosed that a total of 4,393 students graduated at the ceremony, comprising 1,514 National Diploma students across five faculties and 2,879 Higher National Diploma students in five faculties.

Lasisi said the overall best graduating student recorded a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.87, noting that none of the graduands left the institution without acquiring at least one vocational skill.

He explained that the skills were aimed at enabling the graduates to be self-reliant and become employers of labour, even without government employment.

The acting rector urged the Federal Government to convert polytechnics into degree-awarding institutions with a focus on Bachelor of Technology degrees, arguing that this would address the long-standing disparity between polytechnic and university graduates.

Citing examples from China and the United Kingdom, Lasisi said the two countries had strengthened their technical education sectors to drive national development.

He called on Governor Makinde to champion the initiative by kick-starting the process with The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
In her remarks, the overall best graduating student, Basirat Yusuf, thanked the management of the institution for providing an enabling environment that promoted academic excellence.

She urged her fellow graduands to deploy the skills and knowledge acquired during their studies for the uplift and development of society.