By Usman Shuaibu
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Saturday graduated a total number of 20,799 students.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu who disclosed this during the 8th convocation ceremony at the Headquarters of the University in Abuja, pointing out that the best graduating student was Bala Salihu Magaji .
He said: “The total Number of Undergraduate graduands is 15,642 with a total of 103 receiving first class, while the number of postgraduates is 5,157”.
He noted that NOUN was the only University in Nigeria that provided hopes for those who had lost hope in getting higher education in the country.
He told the gathering that the management of NOUN had admitted 34 out of the over 250 students who applied for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Programmes run by the University.
His words: “ I am glad to report that all the programmes the university submitted to the National Universities Commission (NUC), have all received accreditation”.
Professor Adamu,however, thanked the president Muhammadu Buhari for giving the necessary support to the university to actualize its dreams for Nigerians.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Chancellor of NOUN, His Royal Highness, Dr Lawrence Okolio, advised the graduating students to be good diplomats of the university in anywhere they found themselves.
On his part, Pro-chancellor of the University, Peter Okebukola, assured the entire staff that the Governing Council would not relent in its efforts to improve on their welfare.
Meanwhile, the graduation ceremony was attended by the government functionaries, business moguls as well as politicians.
