Federal University Oye-Ekiti, (FUOYE), is rewarding selfless service to humanity by honouring exemplary personalities who have genuinely dedicated their lives in service to the nation.
This, the university is doing by honouring three outstanding personalities including 86-year old Imam Abubakar Abdullahi who had saved 262 Christians that would have been killed by insurgents in northern Nigeria; Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix Ajakaiye; and an American Septuagenarian, Guy Garguilo, a school principal who had dedicated over 60 years of his live teaching and moulding destinies of Nigerian youngsters in Akoko, Ondo State.
The week long Combined Convocation ceremony is the second Convocation ceremony of the institution. It kicks off from August 26 with a press conference where the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the school, Prof. Kayode Soremekun will reveal laudable achievements in providing infrastructural and learning facilities to improve FUOYE’s educational standard.
The Convocation continues till September 1, featuring a public lecture entitled: “Anticipating the Birthday Boy, Options and Possibilities for a Besieged Nation at 60”, to be delivered on August 29 by Professor Tony Afejuku, a Public Affairs analyst and Professor of English at the University of Benin, Edo State. The lecture will reflect, in retrospective and prospective fervour, Nigeria’s thorny journey ahead of the nation’s Diamond anniversary in 2020.
The trio of Imam Abubakar, Bishop Ajakaiye and Garguilo will be garlanded with FUOYE’s Honorary Doctorate Degrees (PhDs), with PhD in Peace Studies going to Abubakar, while both Ajakaiye and Garguilo get the institution’s Honourary PhDs in Public Administration respectively.
According to a press statement from the VC’s office, the Convocation ceremony will be spiced in the evening of Thursday, August 29, with a performance of the Convocation play entitled : ‘Once Upon a Tower’.
Written by Nigeria’s first Professor of Dance, ex-Abuja Carnival’s CEO/artistic director and currently, FUOYE’s Dean, School of Post Graduate Studies, Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare, ‘Once Upon a Tower’ x-rays the dire consequences of the rot being perpetuated by some bad eggs in the nation’s tertiary institution.
FUOYE has gained a reputation for usually rewarding selfless and exemplary service and sacrifice for national development: The institution at its maiden Convocation in 2017 honoured a retired Principal of Queen’s College, Lagos, Mrs. Efunjoke Coker, another retired teacher with Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, Principal in District Commercial Secondary School, Aramoko Ekiti, 92-year old Chief Francis Daramola and retired Principal of Ekiti Parapo College, 102-year old Chief Adepoju Komolafe with Doctorate degrees in Educational Administration respectively in recognition of their immense contribution to human capacity development, education, and scholarship in the country.