Covenant University Vice-Chancellor Advices Fresh Graduates to Be Mindful of the Company They Keep.

Aerial view of the convocation arena

The class of 2016 of Covenant University has been advised to be mindful of the company they keep which is able to determine what accompanied them in life. They were also told to maintain good character in order not to lose everything.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Charles Ayo gave the advice during the 11th Convocation Ceremony tagged, “The Release of Eagles2016” at the University campus on Friday, June 24, 2016. 

Professor Ayo said, “Please remember that managing success is a difficult task. Be mindful of your identity. A lot of persons desire to see what you have seen, hear what you have heard and tread where you have trodden but never had the privilege. Eagles don’t flock, they soar. Be mindful of the company you keep. Remember, the companies you keep determine what accompanies you.”

The Vice-Chancellor also used the occasion to reel out the strategies engaged by the University in the last four years to achieve the level of success it attained in a speech he titled, “Celebrating the Faithfulness of God upon the University.” “To the glory of God, by His divine and faithfulness, we have instituted strategic goals that have distinguished us as clear leaders among the comity of universities not only in Nigeria but in Africa in general.”

Some of the strategies, according to him, include compulsory internship for all students to gain industry experience; additional certifications in ICT, Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Foreign Language; monthly Town and Gown seminar series in all departments to bridge the gaps between theory and practice; establishment of industry Partnership Directorate to drive product commercialization.

Others are introduction of mobile learning system for improved external and internal efficiency; elastic budget for overseas conference support and international exposures and establishing of the ‘Dreamers Initiative’ to raise thinkers, solution providers and entrepreneurs among the students.

All these strategies, the Vice-Chancellor said, has won awards and recognition for the University. These include the African Private University of the Year (2015); special Congressional Commendation from the US Legislative Black Caucus for pioneering excellence and innovation in tertiary education in Africa (2016); one of the top 10 universities in the 2016 IBM Watson Analytics Global Competition; number 2 university in Nigeria and 3 in West Africa as well as number 1 in Web Repositories in Nigeria and West Africa (2016) among others.

The University also obtained a total of six patents with four of them received in the 2015/2016 Academic Session. This, the Vice-Chancellor stated, justified the University’s goal of ‘Innovation, Product Development and Nation Building.”

Meanwhile, a total of 154 Postgraduate and 1, 495 Undergraduate were released as ‘Eagles’ in the 2016 Convocation Ceremony. The breakdown of the postgraduate degrees showed 21 Ph.Ds, 108 Masters, 7 MBA and 18 PGDs.

The undergraduate degree classification showed 157 in the First Class category, 707 Second Class Upper (2.1), 513 in the Second Class Lower (2.2) and 118 Third Class degrees.

Professor Ayo appreciated the Chancellor and Chairman, Board of Regents (BoR), Dr. David Oyedepo, other members of the BoR, Management team, Senate members, Faculty, Staff, Students as well as Parents and other stakeholders even as he promised improved quality delivery.