The Best Graduating Student for the academic session was Miss Susanna Adefolakemi Akinteye of the Department of Accounting and Finance who scored 4.97 scored Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) and won 12 awards to become the set’s Valedictorian.
These were disclosed at the 15th Convocation Ceremony of the institution held in the Crowther Hall of the university, Oyo on Wednesday and Thursday.
Breakdown of the 1598 graduands are as follows: 974 Bachelor Degrees; 71 Post-Graduate Diploma Degrees; 523 Master’s Degree; and 30 Ph.D awards in various categories and faculties.
In the undergraduate category, 36 persons bagged First Class Honours; 430 bagged Second Class Honours (Upper); 408 bagged Second Class Honours (Lower), while 100 bagged Third Class Degrees.
Ajayi Crowther University, owned by the Diocesan Board of the Supra West, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, is reputed to be the “Foremost Anglican University in Nigeria, North of Equator and Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Speaking during the convocation ceremony, Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Timothy Abiodun Adebayo, congratulated the graduands, and thanked God on their behalf that they “have been well-clothed in apparels of glory.”
He said to the graduands: “Your success today is a product of a process, a process which came to reality because of your tenacity to succeed.”
Quoting Walt Disney, he said the success recorded by the graduands was in line with the assertion that “all our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Going further, he quoted Viola Davis as he said “all dreams are within reach. All you have to do is to keep moving towards them.”
Professor Adebayo said the graduands were worth a million appreciation and celebration, but charged them to note that the feat was the beginning of something better and greater for them.
“Therefore, seek to improve yourself continually. Open your mind to new things and opportunities around you. You need to keep training your mind. Never stagnate yourself.
“Indeed, the journey of life is a continuous process and I pray that God should keep providing you with the needed guide,” he said.
ACU also produced 30 Ph.D graduands from the Faculties of Communication and Media Studied, Humanities, Management Sciences and Natural Sciences, whom Professor Adebayo said were among “the most special and very privileged scholars of our time.”
He said it was so because ACU afforded them a system that worked effectively for the execution of socially relevant research studies.
“We have put in place a functional Post-graduate School which gives prompt attention to the students’ research and administrative needs.
“There is no doubt that these individuals who have proven themselves as thorough, and perseverant, and who consequently shall be awarded at this convocation, have drunk bountifully from the fountain of knowledge and sound scholarship that are made available through our extant University Post-graduate system,” he said.
Congratulating the 30 Ph.D graduands the vice chancellor urged them not to allow their new educational attainment be a closure to learning.
He urged them to keep applying themselves to reading and learning, in adherence to the charge Albert Einstein that “intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.”
The Vice Chancellor also highlighted some of the notable activities which occured in the university in the last 12 months, as well as the challenges it was facing.
Visitor to the University and Chairman of the Supra Diocesan Board (West), Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Revd Dr Joseph Olatunji Akinfenwa, also delivered a welcome address at the 15th Convocation Ceremony.
Congratulating the graduating students, Most Revd Akinfenwa said the essence of the gathering was because they succeeded, adding that they have made their parents and families proud.
“The journey that culminated in the joy of today is perhaps a tough, arduous one. Parents or guardians often have to make sacrifices to advance the education of their children or wards.
“We are thankful to God that the investment has resulted in a positive outcome today. ACU is proud of you, and we also believe that your families are happy that, at last, you have rewarded their investment.
“A solid academic education is what ACU delivers. However, we also want our students to become good citizens in today’s globalised world. Therefore, even though we are here in Oyo, we strive to make our students think globally.
“Our lecturers as well as our university’s administrative staff have experiences and exposures from various parts of the world.
“This international exposure helps us to give our students a richer upbringing, and we are certain that our graduates have profited from this colourful context,” he said.
Chancellor of the institution, Chief (Dr) Tunde Afolabi, in his address, also described ACU as a university of national reach and importance.
He said the institution remained a reference point, as an offshoot of a missionary school at the beginning of the 20th Century, which transformed into Teachers’ Training College and later into a College of Education before finally wearing the toga of an ivory tower.
Chief Afolabi said ACU, since its establishment in 2005 as a faith-based university, have traversed the terrain and witnessed the challenges of national development and the tertiary education sector.
He said ACU have taken steps to become a top-class institution, noting that the 2023 Times Higher Education ranked it as one of the Top Tertiary Institutions in Sub-Sahara Africa.
In his own address, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, ACU Council, Dr Olutoyin Okeowo, described all the graduands as worthy of their various degrees.
He said the success they attained at the convocation ceremony was “a good beginning; a start of better future”, adding “That great future depends on your current choices.
Dr Okeowo advised the graduands not to take short cuts, declaring that “those that look for shortcuts often ended up disappointed.
“Therefore, embrace legitimate ventures, be diligent, rely on God, and your great future will be closely within your reach.”
The Best Graduating Student, Miss Akinteye, in her Valedictory Speech, said she was honoured as the valedictorian of ACU 2023 graduands.
“Today is not just a culmination of years of hard work; it is also a celebration of perseverance, growth, and the indomitable spirit that defines each and every one of us.
“Our journey at Ajayi Crowther University has been more than an academic pursuit. It has been a transformative experience moulding us into better individuals we are today.
“From the early days of navigating the campus, and attending classes to the late hours spent in the Library, we faced our academic challenges head-on and emerged stronger, resilient, and better equipped for the future.
“To our dedicated faculty and essential staff, thank you for your tireless commitment to our advancement. Your guidance, encouragement, and passion for knowledge have been our guiding lights in the academic journey.
“You have not only imparted knowledge but have also inspired us to think critically, to question assumptions, and to strive for excellence in all that we do.
“To the families and friends who stood by us throughout this journey, I thank you all for your unwavering support.
“Your selflessness and sacrifices, whether seen or unseen, have been the bedrock upon which we have built our dreams.
“Your belief in us is a testament and a driving force, as we stand on the cusp of a new chapter, to carry on with the love and wisdom you showed us.
“Dear graduands, look around you. Today, you are not just individuals receiving degrees; you have joined the community of scholars, and future leaders.
“The bonds we have forged, through learning is the shared triumphs, overall delays and setbacks that may have come our ways in the past. Together we are woven into the tapestry of the Class of 2023 graduands going forward.
“In the world we shall step into beyond these familiar walls, let us carry the lessons we have learnt with us as the ambassadors of integrity, diligence, and a commitment to service.
“Ajayi Crowther University Oyo has equipped us with knowledge and character to serve as global citizens, and it is our responsibility to carry the flaming torch into a greater future with courage and good aspirations.
“The legendary Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
“Let us allow the education we received at Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo to reflect in us and the world. Let us approach the challenges ahead of us with the same tenacity and enthusiasm that have brought us to this moment of celebration,” she said.
Speaking with newsmen after delivering her speech, Miss Akinteye said she covered every part of the curriculum throughout her four-year stay in the university.
She revealed how she was able to maintain academic focus with excellent result: “I read everything within all the semesters. I read seven hours every day throughout to cover the entire academic syllabus.”
