First Class Degree In Public Varsities Not Trade By Barter Says EKSU VC

The Vice Chancellor of the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Professor Eddy Olanipekun, has revealed that award of first class degree to graduating students in public universities in Nigeria is largely by merit and not a matter of ‘trade by barter’.

The Professor of Industrial Chemistry also declared that EKSU has done creditably in promoting scholarship in the last 40 years of its creation.

Olanipekun noted that EKSU who was ranked third among the 60 state universities in the country on webometrics vividly confirmed that the institution’s management had worked hard to make the citadel of learning to impact positively on scholarship.

Olanipekun stated this at EKSU during the unveiling of the logo for the 40th establishment of the institution.

Speaking about the proliferation of first class in some universities, Olanipekun said: “I can only speak for the public universities, and I can say that it is earned by merit.

“Whoever gets it must have worked for it, and it is not by trade by barter. It is a matter of getting what you have worked for.”

Applauding the giant steps taken by EKSU in the last four decades, the VC said: “This university has been outstanding in performances in 40 years. On webometrics ranking done recently, EKSU was ranked third out of 60 state universities in Nigeria.

“EKSU was also ranked 16th out of the over 200 federal, state and private universities in Nigeria. It was 114 about two years ago. That we have been able to push it forward to this level in two years shows that we have worked hard and made a lot of sacrifices.

“Our vision is to make this university one of the best in Nigeria, or one of the best 10 in the country.”

On the strides made by EKSU to improve scholarship and delivery, the VC said: “Let me tell you that graduating students can now collect their certificates and transcripts immediately after their convocation.”

Having a retrospect of how the institution was established in 1982 as Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) before being changed to Ondo State University, University of Ado Ekiti and now EKSU in that sequence, Olanipekun appreciated those who had made sacrifices for the citadel of learning to stand as a reliable training ground for Nigerians.

One the significance of the unveiling of the logo, the scholar stated that: “You will agree with me that this celebration is worth it, going by the impressively outstanding performances of our university in the last 40 years among the comity of universities.”