OAU Stops Automatic Employment for First Class Graduates

Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, Professor Bamitale Omole on Friday disclosed the institution can no longer give automatic employment to graduating First Class students due to the current economic issues which he said has now affected its finances.

Omole, made the disclosure while announcing the preparation of the institution’s 41st Convocation ceremony. He said 45 students bagged First Class; 1,241 finished at Second Class Upper Division; 2,717, Second Class Lower; 818, Third Class and 64 finished with Pass.

Omole said Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Matthew Kukah, would deliver the 41st convocation lecture with the theme:
“The Pursuit of Happiness: Some Thoughts on Human Rights, Freedom and Justice in Nigeria.”

On achievements of the institution, the VC stated that the university received a grant of $1.12 million from the International Development Research Centre, IDRC, Canada, to advance research on indigenous vegetables.

The decision to stop the employment of First Class student by the institution seems not to have gone down well with some section of the students who feel the cancellation was an error that may affect academic standard of the institution.