Akinlo, who disclosed this at a pre-convocation press briefing at the university’s Senate Building, at the weekend, said that no fewer than 635 undergraduates would be graduating from the faith-based university at its 14th convocation ceremony.
The VC added that many indigenes of Ede town had benefited from various scholarships offered by the institution and the founder and stressed that the institution had been relating well with its host communities.
He said: “As a university, we have been helping the communities around us in opening up their rural roads, grading rural roads for them and also sinking boreholes for some of the communities. When they have some other events, the university supports them. We also have to refuse trunks and every Wednesday, we do go around the communities to pack refuse and dispose of it for the community.”
Akinlo further disclosed that 48 bagged First-Class honours, constituting 7.6 per cent, and 223 students with second-class upper division, which represent 35.1%.
He said 251 students came out with Second-Class Lower Division, which is 39.5 per cent and 66 students with Third Class, representing 10.4 per cent, among others.
The vice chancellor, while listing some other notable achievements made in the last year, said that the university’s African Centre of Excellence for the Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) made its mark in combating the challenges posed by infectious diseases and other public health-related matter, saying: “Through the effort of the Centre, we are able to curtail Ebola and COVID-19 Nigeria. We conducted tests in virtually all the states in the western part of Nigeria.”
He said with some of the landmarks, the Centre was declared winner of the 2021 Nigerian Academy of Science Gold Medal Price Award for her contribution to scientific knowledge of infectious diseases in Nigeria and the high-impact transnational effect of her research and capacity-building across the African Continent.
The VC then charged the graduating students not to contaminate themselves with things that would take away their value.
“To our graduating students, the ‘Diamond Set’, I wish to remind you that a diamond is precious, therefore, always remember that you are precious and God expects you to add value wherever you find yourselves. Do not contaminate yourselves with things that would take away your value,” Akinlo said.
