CPSS honours 19 Ph.D., 79 Master’s graduands
The Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin, has honoured 98 graduates of the Centre, comprising 19 Ph. Ds and 79 Masters, for their excellent performance that earned them either the doctoral and Master’s degrees from the University.
The graduates, who were hosted to a reception by the Centre at its pavilion last Tuesday (October 24, 2023), included those who graduated in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic sessions.
In his address, the Director of the Centre, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ibrahim Jawando, who appreciated the graduates and the entire students of the Centre, said, “We interact with you from anywhere in the world. Anyone who gets a fellowship grant from any agency anywhere in the world should follow the rules by interacting with the Centre and he will be granted all he needs to be successful. The reason we are doing that is because we want our students to be international in their approach”.
The Director also appreciated the Dean of Postgraduate School, University of Ilorin, Prof. B. V. Owoeye, for his steadfastness and support as he also called for the support of all students.
“Let me tell you my graduates that anywhere you find yourself raise your head very high and say I have graduated from this Centre. I can say we are the best in Nigeria so far”, Prof. Jawondo said.
The Director added that the University management and the Alumni body has approved the establishment of the Alumni platform for the Centre, adding, “We are going to get across to you very soon because we are going to celebrate it. We are proposing an Alumni Day celebration where we will give prominent Nigerians fellowship awards. So nomination is still open, when you nominate we will screen them and recommend them to the University”.
In his message, the Dean of Postgraduate School, University of Ilorin, Prof. Bamidele Victor Owoeye, who congratulated the graduands on the completion of their studies, appreciated the Director for having a cool attitude that aided the Centre to achieve success.
He added, “This is not the end of knowledge. We should make use of ourselves by coming together to make Nigeria a peaceful place”.
“Let me remind us of this present administration’s efforts to sustain our being the best University in Nigeria, tenth in Africa and among the best five hundred in the world. To make sure that we are going globally we must internationalise all our operations. I want the system to work, and not just to work but to be very effective and very smooth”, he said.
Also speaking, the Director of the Centre for International Education (CIE), Prof. Lateef Ibraheem Onireti, who wished the graduands the best, said, “With the additional graduands from the Centre, we should be expecting more peace and tranquillity to prevail in Nigeria, I urge you to go out there and contribute to the peace and development of this country. If you have gone through the theories we want you to go out there and practice it. We want to feel the impact that we are having on peace in Nigeria. I wish you the best”.
“You are going out as ambassadors of the University. if UNILORIN is better by far, you have to go there and keep the flag flying. Anywhere you are, let them know that UNILORIN is better by far. Kindly keep the flag flying. Support the internationalisation of academics going on in the University”, Prof. Onireti pleaded.
The renowned Arabist encouraged them to give back to Nigeria as done by other products of the University who are contributing to the development of the institution.
In their separate remarks, Dr Shittu Raji, Dr Abiola R. Adimula, Dr Gbemisola Animashaun, Dr Jean Marie Kasonga Mbombo, and Dr Ahmed Jega, who are all lecturers at the Centre, appreciated the former and present Directors for their commitments to the growth of the Centre.
They also assured the graduates of a favourable market, urging them to make the Centre a place of excellence as they wished them more success.
Responding, Dr Muhammad Mallami Sokoto, who spoke on behalf of the honorees, expressed his appreciation to the Director and Staff of the Centre for the quality of training and support they received.
He said, “I want to inform you that we have gone through a very long education study but fortunately for everyone today we are celebrating the success, not by our might but by the special grace of God Almighty. I want to say that we are aware of our social responsibility, not only to the Centre but also to the University. We look forward to a more relationship from now”.
Present at the event were Prof. Olusegun Balogun, the Centre’s Accountant; Mrs Bimpe S. Adedayo; the Head, Department of History and International Studies, Dr Abdullah Afolabi; Dr Abosede Babatunde; Mr Abdullateef Hussein; Mrs Deborah O. Babatunde; Mrs Rukayat O. Akanbi; Mrs Esther O. Obafemi; Mrs C. Y. Balogun; Dr Olatunji Awotayo(BOVAS & Company); Engr Dasaolu Bunmi(Dalmec Engineering); Evang. Efedhoma Evans( Ang. Comm); Mrs Adedeji Bolaji; Mrs H. I. Babatunde; families and friends, among others.