Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has urged Nigerian graduates to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in school to address the country’s socio-economic challenges, stressing that higher education should produce solution providers rather than certificate holders.

The governor made the call on Tuesday while delivering the convocation lecture at the postgraduate convocation ceremony of Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State.

He was also honoured with the university’s Award of Good Governance and announced cash rewards for the institution’s best graduating students.

Speaking on the theme, Breaking New Grounds, Abiodun said universities should not only impart knowledge but also prepare graduates to deploy learning for societal development.

He described the graduands as some of the brightest minds of their generation and urged them to combine innovation with integrity as they contribute to national development.

“Universities occupy a unique place in human civilisation. They do far more than transmit information; they sharpen minds, refine convictions, mould character and prepare citizens capable of advancing society,” he said.

The governor commended Babcock University for promoting academic excellence alongside character development, noting that competence without integrity could be dangerous.

According to him, the value of education lies not only in the knowledge acquired but also in its application to improve society.

Abiodun highlighted reforms undertaken by his administration in the education sector, including the renovation of public schools under the Ogun REHAB Initiative and the recruitment of more than 6,000 teachers through the OgunTeach Programme.

He said the reforms reflected the government’s commitment to making education a strategic investment in the state’s future.

“By combining infrastructure renewal with digital innovation, data-driven planning, teacher empowerment and strategic partnerships with institutions like Babcock University, we are building an educational ecosystem where knowledge inspires innovation, research drives enterprise and planning produces globally competitive graduates,” he said.

The governor urged the graduates to embrace emerging technologies while upholding ethical values, adding that character and service ultimately determine the value of education.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in education, describing it as the foundation for long-term development.

As part of efforts to encourage academic excellence, Abiodun announced cash rewards of N1.5 million for the overall best Postgraduate Diploma student, N2 million for the best Master’s graduate, N2.5 million for the best PhD graduate and N2.5 million for the overall best undergraduate student.

Earlier, the President and Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Prof. Afolarin Olatunde Oyewole, said the institution had continued to contribute to human capital development and infrastructural growth in Ogun State and the country.

Oyewole said the university remained committed to producing globally competitive graduates equipped with knowledge, skills and character to serve humanity.

He disclosed that 183 PhD graduates and more than 2,000 postgraduate students graduated during the ceremony.

The vice-chancellor also urged students, staff and alumni to participate actively in elections, saying national development depends on the emergence of competent leaders through the democratic process.

The event also featured the conferment of the university’s Award of Good Governance on Abiodun in recognition of what it described as his commitment to transformational leadership.

Former Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr Oluwatoyin Taiwo, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr Isiaq Kunle Salako, were among those awarded Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees at the ceremony.