The Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) is to graduate 8,139 students as it kicked off activities marking the 36th convocation ceremonies of the university.
The Rector of the College, Dr. Abdul Ibraheem, while addressing a pre-convocation briefing disclosed that 316 of the graduands bagged distinction.
The convocation activities kick off on Friday with a special Juma’at prayer, while a special Church service would be held on Sunday.
The Rector said the convocation ceremony is coinciding with the 77th anniversary of the school, saying, “The foremost institution is waxing stronger and doing excellently well in academics and governance, despite the problems facing this bedrock of technical institution in Nigeria.”
He disclosed that Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will deliver this year’s Convocation Lecture slated for Tuesday, November 19, 2024, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima will chair the occasion.
Sanwo-Olu is expected to speak on “Developing Exportable Alternatives for Nigeria’s Economic Recovery”.
“Valuable ideas generated from this lecture will serve as the contributions of the premier institution (YABATECH) to the economic diversification and recovery of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
As part of the convocation, the college would confer postgraduate fellowship award on the First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
“There is no gainsaying the truism that Nigeria is currently economically challenged. But the President is putting the country on the trajectory of economic renaissance with his policies.
“Though the policies are coming with initial pains felt by the rich and the poor, but there is a very high hope and positive indicators too that the President is getting it right and deserves the support of all of us,” the Rector said.
He added, “The convocation will be rounded off with the awards of degrees and diploma to our successful and hardworking students and fellowship to two well deserving Nigerians.
“It is indeed an exciting time for us as an institution, and I am honored to share some of the significant milestones we have achieved over the past year.
“These achievements reflect our commitment to excellence and the relentless pursuit of progress in our mandate to provide quality education, promote innovation, and engage meaningfully with our community.”
He stated that the college had recorded remarkable milestones in the last one year under the leadership of Professor ‘Funsho Isolaowa as the Chairman of the newly inaugurated Governing Council the College.
“Over the last year, we have advanced our academic programs by updating curricula to reflect current industry needs and technological trends. New courses and modern teaching methods have been introduced, equipping our students with the skills required to thrive in today’s evolving job market.
“Our collaboration with industries has expanded, offering students practical exposure through internships and joint projects, particularly in areas such as engineering, IT, and applied sciences.
“It is my delight to inform you that our ERECT Agenda has yielded some positive results, including the empowerment of 25 students of the College by the Chief Diana Chen Foundation for an 18- month technical skills training in China,” he added.
