…As Alake, Olowu, Saudi scholar honoured
…University reacts to biased online reports
The Governor of Ogun State,His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun has offered immediate employment to the best graduating student, Halimat Abdulsalam at the 11th Convocation of Crescent University, Abeokuta.
The university, which prides itself as Citadel of Academic and Moral Excellence, was founded in 2005 by the former judge of the International Court of Justice, Judge Bola Ajibola.
Abdulsalam, who emerged from the Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, garnered the Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.93 ahead of other 413 graduands, the best ever to be achieved by any valedictorian of the university.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Governor Abiodun emphasized that his government would continue to lift the education status of Ogun State through partnership with educational institutions.
In a related development, the Alake of Egbaland,Their Royal Majesties Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo and the Olowu of Owu Kingdom,Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu were conferred with Doctor of Science (honoris causa) in Public Administration, Mass Communication while Dr AbdulRahman Hamad Altamami of Riyadh Ministry of Education, bagged Doctor of Letters in Islamic Studies.
In his acceptance speech on behalf of other honorees,Oba Aremu Gbadebo underlined that globally, university education was to sharpen the intellect of its beneficiaries and with it,they could get to the highest level in life, urging them to be good ambassadors of their Alma Matter.
Eulogising the vision of the Founder/Proprietor, His Excellency Judge Bola Ajibola who sold virtually all his assets to start the university one and a half decades ago,Oba Gbadebo added that “we will see what we can do individually for this university”.
In a related development, authorities of Crescent University, Abeokuta have reacted to online reports headlined “Crescent University convocation turns violent as angry parents beat journalist, curses management”, stressing that the reports were biased, subjective and unbalanced.
A release by the public relations office stated that both the alleged parents and the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC) reporter Jumoke Onafowora arrived the Bola Ajibola Auditorium venue of the convocation about two hours behind deadline set for graduands and guests to have seated.
The release noted that ” all over the world, universities have rules and regulations guiding their ceremonies especially on punctuality,timeliness and conduct. Crescent University is not an exception in this academic culture. All students,parents and their guests had earlier been notified that they must be seated by 9.30 a.m. before the procession of the university chancello at 10 a.m.
” We are appalled that the journalist in question, Jumoke Onafowora, had, according to the report, struggled with ‘the parents’ to gain access into the convocation hall around midday,more than two hours after the deadline, whereas an alternative Marquee under which there were screen monitors projecting the programme had been adequately provided for those who arrived late”,the release stated.
The release posits that “since our vision was not only academic but with moral rectitude,no guest, including the journalist in question could have been allowed by the security staff after procession of the chancellor and even reprentative of the governor had been seated and the programme was already halfway”
The university also lamented as unethical, sensational and judgemental the rush to the press by the said journalist without contacting any official of the institution for balance and fairness of the story.
“We are yet to also confirm whether the people with which the aforementioned journalist had a brawl were actually parents or gate-crashers since events such as the ceremony are usually besieged by touts and miscreants who beg money and curry favour with dignitaries”, the release concluded.
The university therefore counselled journalists and other Nigerians to embrace the culture of punctuality and orderliness in all they do.
Other dignitaries present at the event were the Chancellor, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi,the Alaafin of Oyo, the Pro-Chancellor,His Highness,Alhaji Najib Husseini Adamu, the Emir of Kazaure,the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila,a Board of Trustees member, Mr. Adesegun Ajibola (SAN) and visiting vice chancellors from other universities.
