Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has awarded an automatic employment to Joshua Ilebe, the top-performing student of Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka.
Ilebe, who graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.83, received the employment approval during the university’s 16th Convocation Ceremony for the 2022/2023 academic session held on Saturday.
Governor Oborevwori, who serves as the Visitor of the university, granted this recognition in acknowledgment of Ilebe’s outstanding academic achievement.
He challenged the graduating students of the university to imbibe the entrepreneurial approach to life rather than seeking white-collar jobs.
Oborevwori, who congratulated the graduands for being found worthy in learning and character to earn their various degrees, charged them to influence society with the knowledge garnered, positively.
“As you launch out into the world today, it is my earnest expectation that you will put to good use the academic knowledge and life lessons you have garnered during your sojourn here.
“Do not think only think of getting a paid job; I challenge you to be entrepreneurial in your approach to life. Money is a reward for creating value.
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“One of the things a quality university education does for you is that it makes you see challenges as part of life,” he averred.
Governor Oborevwori commended the university’s Governing Council and Management for the impressive growth recorded by the institution over the years.
According to him, “this administration is also committed to sustaining timely and predictable delivery of academic programmes in the state’s tertiary institutions.”
Meanwhile, Governor Oborevwori had, on arrival at the event on Saturday, inaugurated the Faculty of Science Extension and Microbiology Laboratory Complex executed by the university management.
Earlier while welcoming guests to the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Andy Egwunyenga, disclosed that a total of 4,776 students graduated from the 2022/2023 academic session.
Breaking down the number, he said out of 4,776, there are 730 postgraduate degrees, 99 Doctors of Philosophy, 522 Masters Degrees and 109 Postgraduate Diplomas.
The graduands, according to him, included a total of 3,611 first degrees, comprising 54 First Class, 1,207 Second Class (Upper Division), 380 Second Class (Lower Division) and 380 Third Class honours.
He said the university had attained 100 per cent accreditation of all its programmes, adding that it was recently ranked 22nd position out of 133 Nigerian universities with a presence in Scopus, 10th position among the best state-owned universities in the country and best university in the South-South Region by the 2024SciVal Ranking of Nigerian Universities.
Professor Egwunyenga commended Governor Oborevwori, who is a Visitor to the University, for his commitment to the growth and development of the citadel of learning.
At the ceremony, Professor Chukwuemeke Peter Aloamaka was decorated as a Professor Emeritus of the university in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments as an academic scholar and administrator.
Also former Minister of Information, Professor Sam Oyovbaire, was formally conferred with the Honorary Doctor of Letters of the university.
The valedictorian, Joshua Ilebe of the Faculty of Pharmacy with a 4.83 CGPA score, appreciated God, the Vice-Chancellor, management and staff of the university for instituting the Students’ Work and Scholarship Schemes, which, he affirmed, enabled indigent students to sustain their academic pursuits.
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