University of Benin.

By Jethro Ibileke 

No fewer than 385 undergraduate students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), would be awarded First Class Honours at the University’s 49th/50th Convocation ceremonies.

UNIBEN’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, announced this on Monday at a news conference to herald the convocation ceremonies held between 20 and 23 November.

She further disclosed that a total of 20,630 are graduating for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 sessions, as the award of first and second degrees will come up on 22 and 23 November respectively.

Of these numbers, 10,609 will graduate for the 2021/2022 session while 10,021 were graduates for 2022/2023.

Salam also the announced conferment of Professors Emeritus on seven distinguished academics, and the University’s honourary degrees on three Nigerian personalities.

“It is gratifying to state that the University of Benin continues to beam its searchlight internally and nationwide to identify and honour distinguished personalities found worthy to be conferred with the recognition as Professors Emeritus and Honorary Doctorate Degrees.

“Seven distinguished Professors have been approved by the Senate of the University to be recipients of the honour of Professors Emeritus at this year’s convocation,” she said.

According to the VC, recipients of honourary degrees include Chief Leemon Ikpea, an Oil, Gas and construction company magnate, who is to be conferred with a Doctor of Business Administration.

Others are Dr Kingsley Momodu; an alumnus and renowned dentist who will be conferred with a Doctor of Science, and a foremost entrepreneur and Chairman, of VESA Fisheries, Mrs. Veronica Igbe, to be honoured also with a Doctor of Business Administration.

Salami, who noted that the convocation ceremonies would be her last as the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, recounted her achievements throughout her five-year tenure at the ivory tower.

She said the milestone achievements included the establishment of the Information Communications Technology/Central Research Processing Unit (ICT/CRPU) and Centre For Educational Technology (CET).

“Management of the University has not relented in the efforts to re-position the Institution in the top hierarchy of Institutions of global reckoning.

“In this regard, the University has acquired over 100 additional desktop computers for computer-based examinations for the ICT Centre and 200 Desktops and lap-top computers distributed across Departments and Units to facilitate cutting-edge technology-driven assignments.

“These are aided by the provision of internet services, some of which are undertaken directly by many of the faculties.

“The ICT Unit, in the Vice Chancellor’s Office, now successfully deploys electronic voting in any election for which such mode is required,” she said.

She also disclosed that automation of the registry and bursary departments sponsored by Latter-Day Saints was ongoing.

She counted various infrastructure developments the university had been able to attract under her watch.

She explained that these included ultra-modern office buildings, lecture theatres, multimedia gadgets and faculty buildings among numerous other renovations.