The management of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has released the programme of activities for its 36th convocation.
This year’s ceremony will be hybrid and only graduating students with invitation cards will be admitted into the auditorium on the main convocation day.
A statement by the university’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, said the convocation will begin on Friday with a special Juma’at Service at the University Central Mosque, by 1.30 p.m. This will be followed on Sunday with an interdenominational church service at St. Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy, Main Campus, beginning from 9 am.
Akogun, who is also the secretary of the institution’s Ceremonials Committee, said the main events of the convocation will kick off on October 18 with the vice chancellor’s news briefing at the university auditorium by 10 am.
This will be followed on October 21 by the convocation play titled: “Aadoye” (No secret anywhere – A South African Dance Interpretation) by Steve James, choreographed by Felix Akinsipe, at the institution’s Performing Arts Theatre at 4 pm and 6 pm.
This year’s convocation lecture comes up on October 22, to be delivered by a legal luminary, Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN. It is titled: “Tertiary Education and the Future of Nigeria” and will be held at the university auditorium beginning from 10 am.
The grand finale comes up on October 23 with the convocation for the award of prizes, first and postgraduate degrees, and diplomas for the 15 faculties and the Postgraduate School at the university auditorium beginning from 10 am.
Akogun, however, said physical attendance at the main convocation event on October 23 will be restricted to only graduating students with first-class degree honours, prize winners and doctoral awardees. He added that “hence, entry into the main auditorium will be strictly by invitation cards.”
Among the dignitaries expected to grace the event are the Visitor to the university, President Muhammadu Buhari; the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu; the Chancellor of the university, HRH the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman; governors, heads of parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Education, vice-chancellors from universities home and abroad, as well as traditional rulers and prominent individuals from within and outside the country.
On October 23, the Visitor will inaugurate the newly- completed projects in the university. The convocation luncheon and merit awards for deserving staff members will thereafter hold at the Multipurpose Hall, University of Ilorin, by 3pm.
To round off the events, a Thanksgiving Church Service as well as a Juma’at Service for appreciation will be held on October 24 and 29 at the Chapel of the Light and Unilorin Central Mosque.
The university management enjoined guests, including processing and non-processing graduating students to put on their face masks and observe non-pharmaceutical protocols.
