Indiscriminate award of degrees: FG set to climb down on universities

By David Okpashi

LAFIA —President Bola Tinubu Saturday warned Nigerian Universities against indiscriminate award of Doctorate Degrees saying government will soon commence climbing on universities indulging on the act.

President Tinubu who gave this indication at the 6th, 7th and 8th combined convocation ceremony of Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) in Lafia, Nasarawa State, noted that academic competence and professional training represent a fraction of the qualifications needed to build a strong and prosperous nation.

Represented by Acting Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Jbreel-Maiyaki, Tinubu explained that degrees were meant to be awarded to candidates found worthy in character and learning and not for for the highest bidder as practiced by some universities in the country

“Moral and ethical standards must be maintain as the best form of academic development for universities in fulfillment of the purposes they were set up.

“In this connection, I want to warn against tendencies of some institutions to devalue the quality of their degrees by given out honorary Doctorate Degrees indiscriminately against the common universities community practice,” he added.

According to President Tinubu, the habit of those given award of degrees indiscriminately is a sabotage which undermines the core value of academic integrity and must be discontinued.

While explaining that honorary degrees should be given to only deserving Nigerians who have contributed immensely to the development of the society, the President promised to always respond positivity to needs of universities and its communities in order to reposition the institutions for better standard.

He, therefore, promised to do everything possible to tackle the infrastructural deficit in Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions in the country.

In his goodwill message, the Nasarawa state Governor. Abdullahi Sule commended the management of the institution for all the effort especially in the areas of academic excellence, standard.

Gov. Sule who pledged to train all the 50 First Class graduates from the three sets in different entrepreneur skills said each of the 50 first class graduates would be given N500, 000 at the end of the one month training as start off capital as well as supporting the university to enable it achieve its mandate of producing manpower needed for the development of the country.

Earlier, Prof. Shehu Abdul-Rahman, Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university said the convocation was the first in his third year as VC of the institution.

He explained that convocation ceremonies is where those who had received instructions from senior scholars and had passed prescribed examination are adjudged worthy in learning and character to receive their degrees and is part of the tradition of all universities in the world.

The VC that the combined convocation was for 6, 499 students from 53 departments of 12 faculties, 48 PhD graduates as well as other post-graduates.

He further explained that the institution that started with few departments in 2011, currently has a College of Medicine, School of Basic and Remedial Studies as well as School of Postgraduate Studies.

He said that they were currently running 17 courses at Post-graduation level and nine other courses were awaiting commencement.

The Vice Chancellor said that the institution has 14 Resourced Centres and Academic Directorates responsible for research, retraining and consulting.

Abdul-Rahman said that he has been building on the formidable foundation and core values of integrity, innovation and excellence put on ground by his predecessors.